The Grand Rail Trip of 2022 - PART 9
Updated: Jan 27, 2024
It was an epic adventure spanning four countries, two Theme Parks, one Grand Slam Tennis Tournament and over 1,000 miles of Train Track. This is the amazing story of what happened along the way!
Paris Sightseeing
After a much-needed lie-in following the previous day's escapades, it was time to explore the sights of Paris. Having a penchant for observation towers, my first stop of the day was the one in Montparnasse a short Metro ride from the Hotel.
At 689ft high, this office-block skyscraper constructed in the 1970s offers spectacular 360 views of the city. A lift initially takes you to the 56th floor with enclosed glass panels, with vistas to the Eiffel Tower, Sacre-Coeur and the stricken Notre Dame. Up a few staircases, there is a more exposed roof terrace on the 59th floor. Once again, the pictures do more justice than I can say in words, but what an awe-inspiring experience and a nice contrast to the Eiffel Tower view of a couple of decades ago.
Back at ground level, I made my way to the centre for a pre-lunch stroll along the banks of the Seine, capturing some amazing bridgescapes and savouring the romanticised atmosphere, before heading for a delicious meal opposite the ornate Palace of Justice. I enjoyed a classic Croque Madame, before continuing to the most evocative and emotional monument of the trip.
Nothing could quite prepare for the moment when I turned the corner to see such an iconic piece of Parisian history in such a distressing way. I am of course talking about Notre Dame, completed in the 14th Century and devastatingly ravaged by fire in 2019.
The sight brought me to tears, with massive boards encasing the site, revealing details of the unprecedented restoration project, involving over 4,500 engineers and technicians. Ironically, it was undergoing restoration before the incident, and the previous scaffolding melding together and buckling in the intense heat now threatens to compromise the Cathedral further, and is now bound as securely as possible by secondary scaffolding.
The whole operation is staggering. I walked around the whole building taking in the wealth of information in a state of shock at just how bad this was for the world, wistfully staring back from the oldest bridge in Paris, praying one day it could be restored to its former glory. What a deeply affecting experience.
EDIT: Since my visit in 2022, the outlook for the restoration of Notre Dame is looking altogether more positive, with great advancements in the process leading to the possibility of the cathedral re-opening to the public in some form in late 2024.
To return to more positive thoughts, I relaxed in a triangular peninsula park overlooking the Seine and Boat Tours, and with the sun shining the idyll had returned. Further along, I got myself a lolly and explored the main botanical garden in France, Jardin des plantes, established in 1635. A perfect place to relax and forget the world for a while.
A trip to Paris of course wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower, which is where I spent most of the early evening and night on a gorgeous day. It was a great atmosphere, save for a few Liverpool Football Fans gearing up for the Champions League Final the next day. I captured the sunset through the Eiffel Tower, with some selfies beside it, and reminisced on another fantastic day of this phenomenal trip.
It wasn't quite over yet, as I grabbed a late meal at an amazing restaurant near to the Eiffel Tower and not dominated by football fans. I wanted to capture the much-fabled light show at the Tower, which started when darkness eventually descended at 11pm! It was great fun, and the city really came alive with boats lit up and streetlights giving a charming atmosphere. Life doesn't get much better, but tomorrow it was time to head home...
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