Eventful Journey!

Saturday 25th/Sunday 26th September 2010
We had a very eventful journey to France to say the least! The flight was 45 minutes delayed from Glasgow which meant that getting to the Gare de Lyon in Paris when we landed was going to be much tighter than we would have wanted. Well, it didn’t matter a hoot, as the Air France bus to Gare de Lyon/Montparnasse took over an hour to arrive, with everyone waiting around getting exasperated and then when it did arrive the driver said they would not be calling at Gare de Lyon because of traffic problems. What an uproar! By this time it was 16.15 and the train station at the Airport was also closed because of maintenance work, so there was no way we would now make the 16.57 train to Chalon Sur Saone. So, we jumped into a taxi which we shared with 2 pilots who were going to Dijon. 2 eventful hours later (normally it would have taken 45 minutes), we eventually arrived at the Gare de Lyon. The driver originally said it would be about 50 euros and because of traffic/detours due to a festival with police closing main roads, it ended up about 80 euros! Both pilots offered to pay as they could claim it back on their expenses, so that was the best thing that had happened all day. We all just started laughing at the thought of our next leg. As our train tickets were cheap, they were non refundable, and we knew that before we even started trying to bargain with the staff! So 90 euros lighter (and that is with a discount with Jim’s carte senior), we got the 19.28 from Gare de Lyon, changed train at Dijon, and arrived at Chalon Sur Saone at 22.08, nearly 3 hours later than originally planned. After a 15 minute walk, we reached Ginger Grouse II at the Port de Plaisance. Phew, we were both exhausted, but still in good humour………I think the few beers at the station and on the train helped this…until we opened the cover to see that the back door had been kicked in and the bike nicked! At least they didn’t trash the boat or take anything else. Only our wee purple mountain bike and the 2 locks that they must have cut off. :0(
After a cosy night’s sleep aboard, putting yesterday behind us, and speaking with the office about the stolen bicycle, we headed to McDonalds for coffee and breakfast due to missing the supermarket because of our late arrival. It was really welcoming and lovely, apart from the bloody wasps everywhere!
We then ventured into the centre of the town which is about a 10 minute walk, to the Place de la Cathedrale and the market which was absolutely heaving with people. We had forgotten how much the French enjoy their markets and how beautiful the town was, and how beautiful France was too! There were fruit and vegetables of every kind for sale, lovely fresh bread, cheese, pasta, cooked chickens – everything you could think of, and all outside the beautiful Cathedrale St. Vincent which was having its Sunday Service! The wine bars and shops all around were bustling with everyone having their early morning glasses of wine and brandies and cigarettes from their windows! So after getting some basic provisions for breakfast for the week, we felt we had to join in and had a couple of beers watching the world go by. The weather is lovely and warm with a bit of cloud, but thankfully so far no rain.
We will spend the rest of the day relaxing, I am reading Jilly Cooper's new book Jump and it is so good, I cannot put it down, and then tonight we will head to one of the lovely little restaurants on the Ile St. Laurent for a bit of French cuisine.
Once the shops open tomorrow, we will try and repair the door or buy another piece of fiberglass and cut out a new door and then head off likely on Wednesday for a few days sailing on the river. Updates to follow…….
PS – sorry about the wrong date on the photograph, the camera has now been fixed! And apologies there is only one photograph uploaded, it was taking too long to upload any more!