MONDAY 9th APRIL
The plan today was to catch the fast train to Amiens to meet a tour guide for a tour of the Somme battlefields. This was a request from G, and we decided to do it the day after the marathon because it would not require too much walking. Unfortunately, our train was cancelled due to a strike so on Sunday afternoon we organised a hire car. This meant a much earlier start to pick up the car and drive to Amiens, plus the added stress of driving out of Paris and finding our way to the carpark in Amiens. We ended up just a little bit late, but all was good, as the guide was expecting a few issues. Our first stop was the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, which commemorates the 10,719 Australian casualties who died in France and who have no known grave. The Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery is also at this site, commemorating 2100 soldiers from the Commonwealth. We just missed being able to visit the Sir John Monash Interpretive Centre as it was to be opened on Anzac Day. The stadium seating had been erected, ready for Anzac Day. Afterwards, we drove to the town of Villers-Bretonneux and visited the Victoria School. Over the course of the day, we would visit several battlefields and memorials. It was important to see, but I was so glad we were not doing the 2-day tour like some of our group. Towards the end of the day, I felt so angry and sad that I was done. The sheer waste of life and bloody-minded commanders that sent wave after wave of young men into machine gun fire left me fuming. There were so many names covering the walls of the memorials, and it was heartbreaking.
We got dropped back at Amiens station, and instead of a relaxing train ride back home, we were faced with an absolutely bonkers drive. The rain started soon after we got in the car, and it was heavy. Partway back to Paris, we saw a truck on the other side of the road tipped over and blocking two of the three lanes. When I am providing the directions sometimes I get my left and right mixed up, as in I know which way I want to turn but say the opposite. This gets worse when we are driving on the wrong side of the road. I think it must be because my brain thinks left to get off the freeway, but in Europe, it’s the opposite. So G was getting pretty annoyed with my directing, and then there was a car crash in the middle of the freeway in Paris. It was a multi-car one taking up the three middle lanes and so all the traffic had to diverge around it. By this time, it was still raining, and it was getting dark. Finally, we got to the Gare de Lyon, but do you think we could find the entrance to the hire car place? I think we circled the address three times before we worked it out—and that’s three times in Paris traffic. We were so relieved to drop the car back. Fortunately, we passed a very cute brasserie between the metro and our apartment and were able to get a decent meal.
TUESDAY 10th APRIL
This was a big day of sightseeing in Paris. S and I started with a run around Luxembourg Gardens. After breakfast and a shower, we headed out to the Ile de la Cité, where we would be spending most of the day. Conciergerie for a quick look before going to Notre Dame. We wandered slowly around the inside, admiring the famous Rose window and other stained glass. Beneath Notre Dame is the crypt, and of course, I had to go there—it has Roman ruins and relics. We had booked tickets to climb the tower and we had a bit of time to wait. G was not going up because his legs were not great, so we found a cafe nearby and got a drink while we waited. That gave G somewhere to wait while we did the climb. Our last stop on the island was Sainte-Chapelle. This was the royal chapel and had the most beautiful stained glass. It was absolutely stunning.
In the late afternoon, we took the metro to the famous steak restaurant Le Relais de l’Entrecôte. Our aim was to be there for the first seating as there were no reservations, and we needed to be finished in time for a sunset visit to the Arc de Triomphe.
Are you good at providing directions? Have you ever had to drive on the opposite side of the road to home? What are your thoughts on war memorials?
Comments
5 responses to “France 2018: Paris, Day Trip to The Somme”
Just READING about that traffic situation stressed me out! War is so senseless and the sheer scale of loss of life isn’t something I can truly wrap my head around. Whenever I’m faced with a reality like this I just think of the last few verses of Revelation. Come quickly!
When I visited Paris in 2019 it was just after the tragic Notre Dame fire so, unfortunately, we couldn’t go inside the church. Definitely on my “must do” the next time I get back to Paris.
I guess driving in Paris can be a bit annoying. But I believe Rome is worth. I never had to drive there but vividly remember my dad. He is very good driver but that was out of his comfort zone. I ave never driven on the opposite side of the road though. I am not sure how I would cope to be honest.
You have seen some beautiful places in Paris. Being up at Notre Dame tower must have been amazing.
I’m sure Rome is awful. The Notre Dame Towers were great. I wonder whether they’ll be opening them again?
I always forget that you drive on the “wrong” side of the road in Australia (LOL)… so traveling in Europe for you must be a trip! (Ha, pun intended.) I drove to Paris once and vowed to never drive into the city with a car again.
Paris is beautiful though and worth a visit. I need to go back.
After that Paris drive G is very negative about driving in Europe or the US again (we did a four week roadtrip round california, Utah, Nervada, Arizona etc) but I’ll work on him because there are some things you do need to drive to (like the little villages we went to in Provence). I would have never planned it like that, the train strike was unfortunate.