Day Sixteen: Saturday, October 18th Dijon -> Paris

We are both up early although another night/morning of loud voices from the street below. Did quite a lot of cleanup per our host's instructions. Good weather forecast for Paris. Lana has figured out the best way of getting from our train stop in Paris to the airport and our hotel in Terminal 2. Dijon has been enjoyable and interesting with lots to do over our short time here. Our train departs at 09:06 and yes I double-checked the time!  😏

We haul our heavier suitcases to the train station and the place is packed with fellow travellers. Track 1 is our train to Paris Gare de Lyon station. Our train is late and the area around the train is packed with fellow passengers. We are onto Car 16 and one of the first people on board which means getting our luggage in a secure spot close to the door on the first level. We are in upper deck seats with a table and facing the correct direction. Train car is full and free WIFI is available. Plus, you can easily charge your phone. We are scheduled to arrive at Paris Gare de Lyon station at 10:43. 

Wow, on arrival the train station is pure chaos! We get in a queue to purchase our tickets and Lana confirms we should buy a day pass given we are going in and out of Paris/Airport three times today. Good call! Cost is 31Euro per person and no discount for us seniors. Lana was hoping she would qualify LOL. Lana confirms where we need to change trains to get to the airport. We get off at Chatelet station and wait for our train to the airport with an 11:38 departure and arrive at Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2 at 12:08 so about thirty minutes travel time. Very sunny day! Checked into our room at Sheraton Charles de Gaulle at 12:30. 

Quickly off to the lounge to eat our Saucisson Brioche from yesterday although we find it is plain tasting and disappointing compared to the one we purchased in Lyon. Good to get some water and other goodies in the lounge. By 13:30 we are in the train from the airport heading back into Paris. We arrive at Chatelet station around 14:07 so we have some time in Paris today. It will be our fourth time in Paris.

We are in the Marais district and hordes of people. It is a Saturday and beautiful weather. We are close to the Louvre and eventually Notre Dame. Super busy in the streets and stores. Lana's mission today is to buy her favourite underwear. Our first foray is a long walk to HBV and no luck. She is told to go to Le Bon Marché. About a 37 minute walk or take a bus or take a taxi? Construction on the street means the bus won't be there and the other busy stop does not see any buses stop. We flag down a taxi and the traffic delays everywhere are insane. Pretty aggressive driver, but eventually Google Maps shows us that we are closer to walk and arrive around the same time so we hop out after 14Euros. 

Lana is successful at Le Bon Marche--they have her style and size. Hanro is her label and she stocks up. 

At Luxembourg Gardens. 

We opt to walk to Luxembourg Gardens to enjoy this beautiful day and get some rest. We have only been here once before. We enter a corner of the huge park where there is a kids playground, bocce courts, tennis courts etc. We make it to the famous large open area with the pond, park, flowers. Found two seats and relaxed facing the more distant pond/greenery. It is now around 17:00 and we are peckish for some food. Oops, we are still in France and not much is open for dinner prior to 19:00. We find a restaurant that is apparently open all day, but will be a long walk ahead. We stop to buy a bottle of water and grab seats on the sidewalk to people watch.

                                  OK, we can never have enough pictures of croissants!

We love Paris architecture!

More Paris buildings. 

We find Le Paris Paris and a table outside facing the street/traffic. Our servers are excellent with great English, super efficient and not haughty. I get the 32Euro menu inclusive of three dishes. I am pretty hungry, but Lana not as hungry. Meal totals 61Euro. As I finish dinner it starts to get chilly so we navigate ourselves to the Metro station. 

Online pic. 

We love it in Paris! Lana's new favourite winter coat comes in handy. 

Randy's glass of Provence Rosé.

Randy's order of Salmon Gravlax.

Randy's order of Sausage with potatoes. Simple dish. Lana thought the dish looked pretty funny!

Lana's Caesar salad with thinly sliced chicken breast and an anchovy fillet. 

Lemon Meringue tart! Wow!

We arrive at the closest Metro station for RER B train back to the airport. We arrive at our hotel about 19:45. Our Sheraton hotel is super close to the escalator in Terminal 2. Lana's first move is to get into a bathtub full of hot water. Our king size bed is unbelievably wide. Should be quiet in our room tonight. We have breakfast included with the hotel room thanks to Lana's status and it's a nice buffet with everything from fruit, cheese, pancakes, eggs, breads, etc. No champagne though like in Barcelona!

We enjoyed our brief visit to Paris and a fitting end to our vacation. Total steps = 14,700 and six floors elevation gain. 

POSTSCRIPT: Pretty uneventful two flights back to Vancouver. We do stop at Duty Free at the Paris airport and I buy two bottles of my favourite red wine blend being Bordeaux. This gives us twelve bottles in total. Lana buys some chocolate bars as gifts and some Foie Gras. I make a mistake on our Customs declaration (as in I forgot to make our verbal declaration) but it all works out.  

Au revoir!