One day in Paris

Posted by Anura Samara, 21 September 2014

Paris is the end of our driving holiday. It’s where we return the hire car and fly back to Geneva, and our travelling companions enjoy a few more days of their holiday before returning to Australia.

So what can we do in that time?

Driving in Paris

The first thing to do was to find our way to the hotel and then drop the car back to the rental company at Gare du Nord.

I remember how amazed I was on the first time I stood at the top of the Arc de Triomphe and watched the traffic swirling around in what looked like a completely uncontrolled way. And yet now, here was the GPS guiding me straight towards it! I couldn’t believe my luck!!

My theory is that, having seen the traffic in Ho Chi Minh City, this was easy. The roundabout around the Arc de Triomphe is about eight lanes wide but has no markings, although entry is controlled by traffic lights. Once you’re in, it’s simply a matter of making sure that you know which exit to take and then use accelerator and brake to weave around everyone else. It just works.

I found it a lot harder to drive down some of the very narrow streets close to the hotel, with pedestrians, cycles and motorcycles darting around. To make it worse, after we had dropped the girls off it started to rain and then we did three laps of the Gare du Nord trying to find the return location for the car.

Sainte Chapelle

After having breakfast literally in the shadow of Notre Dame, we first headed over to Sainte Chapelle. We had recollections of the gorgeous chapel in a royal blue colour with gold decorations. This time, half of a wall is covered up due to renovations. It was more crowded than we had remembered. And just somehow less spectacular. Sure, the design and colours haven’t changed but we recalled entering through a non-descript entrance and headed down to the chapel – but this time you enter into the chapel and go upstairs to exit.

Grand Palais

We then introduced our visitors to the Paris Metro and headed over to the Grand Palais mainly to see the views of the Eiffel Tower across the Seine.

Finishing up in Paris

Another trip on the Metro to Mont Martre for lunch with a view of the Basilica Sacre Coeur and then it was one last drink before catching the train for the airport.

Categories: France

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