Paris In The Springtime
- clairesedgar
- Jun 29, 2024
- 4 min read
It had been some time since either of us had visited Paris and we had decided to stay for week. The marina is in a central location and there were also some catch up jobs needing to be done on the boat.
Mike really wanted to try to finish the heating as the weather forecast was not looking great and ,if the system he was installing were to work ,then we would also have hot water options and a heated towel rail for damp clothing needing to be dried.
There was also a Brompton bike shop within walking distance so we decided to call in there as the tyres needed new inner tubes and it would be handy to have a bike to get around on.
After about five minutes on the Parisian streets, and pavements, I can tell you there was no way that I was going to be riding a bike here any time soon.
The pavements are not really for pedestrians, they are also shared with bicycles and OMG electric scooters, what work of the devil are these contraptions?
I have been on an electric scooter, they seem like a good idea, but don’t ever trust a Parisian with one is all I’m saying. In fact, I am sure I recently read an article about a vote being held to ban them from Paris, I guess they were voted in.
The pavements are also apparently for bikes and scooters, they aren’t supposed to be, but when there is a red light, or a closed road then you just use the pavement obvs!
It is quite terrifying and there is usually no warning they are coming up behind (or in front)of you, as they reserve their bell usage for their churches.
Mike got a bit annoyed with my flinching and grumbles and told me to be a bit more confident when crossing the roads, but that was before the evening we witnessed a car -car crash, a bike -bike crash, and two bike- electric scooter crashes all within about one kilometre stretch.
He did use the bike but didn’t venture far in Paris and we found the metro or bus a much better option.
. I still never really got used to the traffic. One evening we emerged onto Place de la Bastille and a policeman (with gun) was taping off a street as there had been an incident the other end and the traffic couldn’t go through. Did this stop them? Not at all, a red tape is there simply to be lifted up so the bike can pass underneath, and as for the cars, well they just drove up onto the pavement, around the tape and then back onto the road, where they could then just blast their horns as the traffic was at a standstill.
Needless to say, we did a lot of walking.
The Arsenal lead onto a walkway which then became the walkway along the Seine. We could walk along and after a few minutes come to the Ilse de la Cite, onto this for Notre Dame cathedral.
Notre Dam is still being renovated after the dreadful fire of 2019, and it is closed to tourists. It is hoping to open in December of this year, and it does look as though this will actually happen.
Around the cathedral there is a superb display and story board of the renovations. It shows how the first year was spent removing all the damaged materials and also explains all the different trades people involved in the restoration, stone masons to scaffolders.
Very informative and interesting and the outside of the cathedral and the windows are stunning
On from here we walk to the Louvre and the pretty gardens beyond. I always remember these gardens from visiting as a teenager, so neat and well-kept and pristine lawns which of course no-one was allowed to step onto and you were whistled at if you did. Nowadays the gardens are still lovely but they have gone with the ‘no mow May ‘theme for the lawns which reduces their impact somewhat.
And I still got shouted at for wrongdoing as I shouldn’t have had the dog with me even if he was on a lead. Pfff it’s France, I didn’t see the signs, and he wasn’t the only dog there.
The week was spent seeing the sights, catching up on some boat jobs (the heating isn’t quite finished still) and just generally wandering.
There is a strange Parisian attitude towards dogs, as they seem to allow them everywhere (apart from les Jardins du Tuliere!) with a security guard seemingly confused as to why I was waiting outside a department store with the dog and encouraging me inside.
Sprocket had a grand tour of Galleries Lafayette, though as you can see by the photo he was a bit bored with shopping after a few minutes.
Our stay would have to be limited by the grey-water restrictions I have previously mentioned, due to the Olympics. The river rehearsal had been delayed again due to the high-water levels. People in Paris seem either really happy about the Olympics, or really critical, but I remember this being the same regarding London in 2012 and what a great show that had been.
I hope it goes well, and I’m sure they’ll sort something out regarding the river and the swimming, there must be a plan B , as the rain seems set to last for a few weeks yet, what a year for weather!
There was a chandlery at the Capitainerie where Mike decided to purchase a twenty litre diesel container as we had been warned that there were areas on the canals where it was difficult to obtain fuel. Another reason for the Brompton was that Mike could cycle to a nearby fuel station and put the conainer on the bike and cycle back. Others had reported taking lots of cans , but we decided on jst the one, let’s see how that works out! Those who know us a re probably by now sighing and rolling their eyes with expectations of another Newton disaster waining to happen…
Our space was to be taken by another by midday and with some trepidation we set out once again onto the river Seine and into the suburbs of Paris. Our plan was to head to the River Marnewhich runs from the outskirts of Paris to its junction with the Canal Lateral a la Marne just north of Epernay.
I used an electric scooter to go to work sometimes during lockdown but once the traffic returned to the roads I returned to walking. Much like in Paris, these days in Newcastle scooterers ignore the rule not to scoot on the footpaths!