Change... it's rather amazing what you become used to. You don't give it too much thought when the
hum drum of daily life challenges you.
Real change leaves a much deeper impression that only becomes noticeable
when time away from the daily hum drum [whether for a day or a week] gently
reminds us just how much we have adjusted to it.
Having lived in rural France now for two years a trip to Versailles at
the end of the peak tourist season was a welcome break for my husband and I and
as it was his birthday, was a good time to take a few days out. Unfortunately working British expats have not
yet grasped the downing of tools for most of August and turn the work tap off
and spend it idly soaking up the sun [if there's any].
We took advantage of booking our travel by TGV 3 months ahead to get a
substantial reduction on our First Class travel to Montparnasse, Paris. With hotel and taxi pick up booked the day of
our maiden voyage by TGV arrived on Friday 3rd October.
The TGV was a wonderful experience, one that WILL be repeated again and
again. One hour and forty minutes from
Poitier to Paris covering 339 kilometres.
Mmmm Brighton to London at roughly 85 kilometres would take on average
one hour and twenty minutes. We had read
and heard stories that the French train system has a certain "je ne sais
quoi" but "bon voyage" has taken on a whole new meaning for us!
Our arrival into the big city made us feel like we were reintegrating
into society, we hadn't seen this many people since renewing my passport in May
2012 in London. Paris was vibrant,
chaotic but with panache!
A booked taxi took us to our hotel at Versailles, which was literally 5
minutes away from Chateau de Versailles and wow! Seeing the palace was jaw dropping...
tourists from every country were queuing to see this opulent French monument
and now we see why.
After the Versailles visit we took the RER to Paris and made use of the bateaux-mouche
along the River Seine to see several sites such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre
Dame, La Louvre, Champs-Élysées.
Keen to share some of our practised French we were taken aback to hear
many of the tourist ready trades were not only excellent in sharing their
English with us but many other languages too for the myriad of tourists. If that is not a kick up the derriere to
learn the language sooner, I don't know what will.
After walking many miles and consuming far more caffeine than is usual
it was time to head back to Montparnasse. Thanks to the knowledgeable taxi driver for navigating the rapids of the French road
system, otherwise left to our own devices we would still be in Versailles!
Ticketed for a 4pm return to Poitiers, rural France seeped back into
our thoughts and within a short space of time manic routes and rues gave way to
hectares of uncut maize and perfectly ploughed fields. By 5.41pm the TGV had delivered us safely to
our part of France... less hurried, peaceful and patiently waiting to embrace
us back into the less frantic flow of rural France that we have become used to.
It was the return journey on the TGV, seeing those perfectly ploughed
fields, the sun's rays stretching as far as it could in the Autumn sky, seeing
space before our eyes that we gratefully acknowledged that we love living in
rural France. Despite the daily challenges that keep us mentally on our toes,
it agrees with us. We like the pace, the defining of the seasons, less people! Living rurally is not for everyone, but we are
glad it works for us.
It is also great to know that it takes minimal effort and time to be
part of the "joie de vivre" that Paris, or any other City in France
for that matter, has to offer and that the French rail system will get us there
and back "toute suite"!
