At age 66, this was my first trip to Europe, although my wife’s been there on several previous occasions. Rather than provide a day-to-day narrative of our trip, I’ll touch on some (well, many) highlights.
**Part One**: Flew from Newark to CDG. Taxi cost 70 EU. Stayed five days at a flat in the 7th Arr., close to Les Invalides and Rue Cler. Got around via Batobus, Metro, and by foot. Museum Pass, Metro carnets, and advanced Eiffel Tower tickets minimized wait-times & confusion. Visited the Louvre, Notre Dame, St. Chappelle, Luxembourg Gardens, Latin Quarter, Arc de Triomphe, the ET, Army Museum, Rodin Museum, and the L’Orsay. St. Chappelle had long lines (didn’t honor Museum Pass that day), so get there early. L’Orsay is impressive; Louvre overwhelming. Strolling down the Champs-Elysees, and watching the Eiffel Tower lit at night was living a dream. Parisians were very friendly and helpful. Minimal difficulty communicating.
**Part Two**: Rented a car in advance through AutoEurope, and picked it up our last full day in Paris. Parked on the street overnight. Early departure for the approximately 180-mile drive to Normandy. Thrilling driving around the Arc de Triomphe! Brought our Garmin GPS with us, equipped with the French mapset. Stayed four nights at a very nice seaside apartment in Asnelles (aka “Gold Beach”.) I’m a history nut, so naturally visited Pegasus Bridge, Omaha Beach & the American Cemetery, Point du Hoc, Utah Beach, St. Mere Eglise, the German cemetery at La Cambe, Arromanches, and a few other DDay-related sites. Also spent some time in Bayeux. Made an early-morning drive to Le Mont St. Michael, which was another bucket-list item for me. Driving locally was no problem; the Garmin warned me when I was pushing the speed limit. Shopping at the huge Carrefour supermarkets in Bayeux and Courseulles were fun experiences. Good French wine is tres inexpensive!!!
**Part Three**: Dropped off the rental car in Caen, and took a train back to Paris. (Had pre-reserved seats.) Getting from Gare St. Lazare to Gare du Nord was stressful, since no taxis were to be found. After waiting over 30 minutes at a taxi stand, we lugged our suitcases into the Metro (they do call it Luggage!) Was difficult finding the RER line, but some Parisians came to the rescue. At GdN, we boarded the EuroStar to London (booked in advance.) 2 ½ hours later, we’re at St. Pancras station in London. Stayed four nights at a lovely flat near St. Pancras. Used the Oyster Card to get around via bus and Underground. Visited the British Library, Tower of London, Herrod’s, and Westminster Abbey. And the Changing of the Guard. Lots of walking around. Had to visit a local pub. Locals very friendly and accommodating to us Yanks. Bars and restaurants full of folks frenzied about the Rugby World Cup being held in England. London not as clean, more crowded and, well, not as ‘special’ as Paris. Reminded us somewhat of New York City.
**Part Four**: Took the EuroStar to Brussels. Train was temporarily halted in the Chunnel due to the threat of refugees using it to get to England. Law enforcement presence (and a few refugees) visible on the French side. According to my GPS, EuroStar did 186mph near Lille. No problems getting to Gare Centrale. Stayed at the Marriott for two nights, which was very nice. Visited the Comic Museum. Otherwise, ate or drank beer, chocolate, waffles and frites. Bought beer and chocolate. Sat at several cafés in the Grand Place and took in the scenery. Took an early train from Brussels to the airport. Barely got my suitcase on the flight, due to the added weight of the beer.
(more to follow)