Le Weekend in Paris

Jumping on the Eurostar and heading off for an adventure in Paris sounds like such a great idea doesn’t it? You buy your ticket, board the train and spend two or three days in a lovely city interacting with the locals and sipping Rose wine while an accordian player serenades you and your significant other….so how come we all aren’t doing it all the time? Well, life gets in the way doesn’t it? Paris is “just around the corner” in the great scheme of things, so going there for a weekend isn’t as high on the schedule?

So, with my new found Wanderlust to travel more, I took myself off with a couple of friends for Le Weekend. I made sure not to leave too early from St Pancras…even so, the train was packed. We arrived just in time for dejeuner (lunch), and the taste of a simple ham and cheese baguette with French butter made the two hour journey with screaming kids kicking the back of my seat worth every second.

I was lucky enough to stay in the amazing Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which is so conveniently located. Two or three minutes walk from the metro, and surrounded by amazing boutiques and restaurants.

The hotel has an amazing set of facilities, and a beautiful courtyard in the middle, where they serve amazing cocktails and food. Our room was large and spacious and modern in design (totally different to the Mandarin Oriental in London). We dropped our bags off, and immediately started sightseeing. Paris never fails to deliver on sheer beauty. Its so different from London in terms of architecture, joie de vivre and everything to be honest!

You definitely need your walking shoes with you, as to see the best of the sights you want to be pounding the streets. I remember on our return thinking that we need a holiday, as I have never walked so far in my life. I have new found respect for my calves, and found new ankle muscles I never knew I had! We visited the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Couer, the Maree district all on foot (well maybe a metro here and there). It was of course book-ended with amazing food and wine at every stop!

Once at the top of the hill and with the Cathedral Sacre Couer (and tourist hoards) behind us, we wandered into the back streets….only 2 or 3 streets away we found a beautiful square to sit in for a while, and next to it, an exquisite restaurant. Lunch in Paris takes on a new meaning when you are on holiday. We found a beautiful little café to eat at, and I had a croque monsieur and a glass on citron presse as a reward for my morning efforts. It sounds like such a simple meal, but it was delicious..this gave us the energy to continue, and even take a quick circuit around the Musee D’Orsay.

On day 2 we dropped into the Four Seasons (as you do) to take a look around on the way to the Arc du Triomphe…..more walking ensued as we soaked up the Champs Elysees in the early spring sunshine. All to0 soon, it was time to come home again. We took the metro to the Gare Du Nord and battled our way to the Eurostar check in …was it me, or was there virtually no signage? We treated ourselves to Standard Premier class on the way home, so had a lovely light meal as the French, and then English countryside sped past us.

And as soon as it started it was over. There are amazing cities to visit on your doorstep…don’t discount them, as you only need to take a days holiday to make a 3 day trip over a weekend….how about Brussels, or Bruges or Amsterdam or Lille, or….oh the list goes on…give me a call and I’ll get you there!