PAGE THREE

Cité Europe and Wimereux - Andrew (and work colleagues) - 2000

It had started off as a day trip to Calais with a few people from work, an extension of the social evenings we had already been enjoying. It slowly grew into three cars full of nine people (not in each, in total!) spending the weekend in France. The nine people being yours truly, Heather Walmsley and Andy Barrett in one car, Kelsey Hand and her then partner Martin Shah in the second and Janson Woodall, his partner and daughter and her friend in the third.

We had intended to arrive in Calais, have something to eat in town, then head to a hypermarket, stay somewhere nearby and come home the following afternoon.  But you know what they say about the best laid plans...

On the Ferry at Dover

Hovercraft Leaving Dover

The first 'hitch' was that Calais was completely booked up - and we had nine people to try and find accommodation for! Typically we had picked the weekend that a big Bicycle Triathalon competition came to Calais.  Eventually we got booked up in a place called Wimereux, nearer to Boulogne than Calais.

Various people made their way to Dover and loaded their cars onto the Ferry (I was about to drive on the Continent for the first time ever).  The various groups met up on the Ferry and agreed to meet in the Place d'Armes in Calais.

I was travelling with Heather and Andy, and confidentally headed into Calais - at which point everything went a little crazy.

Cheeses at the Carrefour Hypermarche, Cité Europe, Pas de Calais

The Cycle race, it seemed, was due to travel right through the middle of town, and to make this possible the French authorities had closed both the main streets through Calais - one of which gives access to Place d'Armes.  After about an hour of struggling around unmarked backstreets in Calais we decided to give up. The final straw had been finding somewhere perfect to park not too far out of the centre of town only to be told almost instantly that we couldn't park there.  We had no way of contacting the others, but we had to leave Calais - we weren't making any progress at all.  It later transpired the others had made it to Place d'Armes after some struggling, but only happened across each other briefly.

So, somewhat concerned about whether we would see the others again before the end of the day, myself, Andy and Heather arrived at Cité Europe, the massive shopping centre near the entrance to the Channel Tunnel, sorry Tunnel sous la Manche. Kelsey had recommended this as a destination (being a keen shopper and an 'old hand' at cross-Channel shopping jaunts). It has to be said she was right. There are some magnificent shops there, so much cheaper than in Britain. The highlight must surely be the astonishingly BIG Carrefour hypermarket. There are quite literally walls and walls full of wine, amazing cheeses, wonderful foods of all kinds - we only explored half the shop.  I vowed to come back here sometime soon with a bit more money (in fact it took me something like 23 years!!!)

Vague plans had been made to meet up in "The English Pub" in the centre to possibly see England play Germany in the last match at Wembley Stadium. Andy, Heather and myself found the pub, in truth called "The John Bull", but no football was in evidence (which in hindsight was probably a blessing as the game was an embarrassment).  We waited for some long while for Kelsey and Martin, but no sign of them seemed forthcoming.  After a while we gave up and headed for some more shops.  Inevitably we then immediately bumped into Kelsey and Martin. Shortly afterwards we also found Janson's group and the trip began to get back on track.

A Certain Amount of Wine!! Cité Europe, Pas de Calais

The need to get away from spending anymore money (plus the need to get to Wimereux) eventually made us leave Cité Europe at around 6 pm. We had all been much more impressed than we had expected, and my car was now full of foodstuffs, wine and designer clothes bought at the sort of prices you couldn't imagine in London.

I chose to take the coast road to Wimereux as much as possible, this took us through some virtually deserted roads and tiny villages scattered in the folds of the Pas de Calais landscape, much prettier than we had expected it to be.  Eventually we came down through the impressive looking (it was getting dark by now) Slack Dunes and into Wimereux. We found our Hotels easily and we checked in.  Heather and me staying in one Hotel right on the seafront with the others all staying in a bigger hotel further inland, but on the same road.

Everyone Chowing Down in Wimereux, Pas de Calais

We decided to eat at the Hotel the main group were staying in, and it was a GOOD decision. The meals were excellent and the company entertaining. I had seabream with rhubarb sauce and a brilliant shortbread, strawberry and cream thing for sweet - some of the others had a chocolate mousse to die for.  Thus fortified we all went off for a quick walk around the town - which didn't take that long Wimereux is not vast. Some of us then went into La Squale (a pub) and had a few drinks before eventually calling it a day at around midnight and heading back to our respective places of rest.  Heather and I arrived back at our hotel to find it locked, a janitor with a mop (straight out of a film noir) was cleaning up in the restaurant and we had to bang on the window to get back in. My room was above the green neon sign of our hotel, so my room was cast in eerie green all night (reminiscent, I thought, of detective films set in small town America with buzzing neon signs and so forth).

A Rather Wet Morning in Wimereux, Pas de Calais

Andrew visits the Boulangerie in Wimereux, Pas de Calais

Morning brought crunchy French bread and succulent croissants before myself and Heather went to join the others.  We timed it perfectly, just as I got my camera out to take a picture the heaven's opened and we got quite thoroughly drenched (neither of us were dry by the time we got home).  After a while the weather eased off a bit and we tried again.

OUT AND ABOUT IN WIMEREUX

Andrew soaked on the Front at Wimereux, Pas de Calais

Rain on the Front at Wimereux, Pas de Calais

Looking out to an Unfriendly Channel, Wimereux, Pas de Calais

Subtly-coloured Citrôen in Wimereux, Pas de Calais


Equally bright house in Wimereux, Pas de Calais

Janson's daughter and her friend on the Front at Wimereux, Pas de Calais

The Chess Game, Wimereux, Pas de Calais

Sunny French Morning in Wimereux, Pas de Calais

The Gang's All Here! Wimereux, Pas de Calais

The Wimereux River passing through it's namesake town, Pas de Calais

Wimereux Church and River, Pas de Calais

Church of the Immaculate Conception, Wimereux, Pas de Calais

Rain finally Easing Off, Wimereux, Pas de Calais

Fancy Roundabout, Wimereux, Pas de Calais

Last Look at the Seafront, Wimereux, Pas de Calais

Eventually the time came for us to head back to Calais and the boat. Once more we all found each other on the Ferry home and docked in Dover in quite sunny weather, ironic considering the wetness of the whole weekend on the other side of the Channel!

On the Ferry Home

Despite the chaos at the start of day one everything turned out hugely well and a good time was had by all, what more could you ask for?  On a personal level the trip helped to restore some of my faith in France as a holiday destination after the struggles I had on my Picardy trip.

Paris - Andrew and Jacqui - 2002

It was accidental, but the trip Andrew and Jacqui did to Paris in August 2002 marked their first month together. This time it was by Eurostar. Having passed through to the train at Waterloo with no sign of a customs check we assumed that it would be done at the Gare de Nord. Although the train was very smooth it was suprisingly unluxurious inside and the buffet car was no more interesting than one on an Intercity train might be. We actually wandered down to the buffet car just as the train disappeared into the ground at Folkestone.

Eurostar train at Waterloo International

A very few minutes later (well, about 35 but it surely didn't seem that long) we emerged into France where night had already fallen. So it was that we saw little of the industrial north of Paris (not too bad a thing) before we pulled into the Gare de Nord. We bundled off the train and wandered out into the station, still awaiting a passport check. Unless it was meant to be done in the taxi rank there was none. Hailing a taxi turned out to be a little trickier than expected as the taxis lined up outside the station waived us in the vague direction of up the road in that dismissive way that the Parisians display with aplomb. Eventually we found someone willing to take us to our hotel.

This, you would imagine, would be a simple task. But, oh no, today there were hundreds of rollerbladers and rollerskaters protesting about some minor law or another which stops them using their little forms of transport in the City. We sat at a crossroads watching them zoom by in a never ending blur of lycra. Eventually the last stragglers zipped by and we crossed the road, about 30 metres down the other side of the crossroads the taxi stopped outside our Hotel.  We paid up and went inside and were greeted by an extremely stressed looking concierge.

"Ah, Mr and Mrs Müller, I 'ave some good news and some bad news."

We didn't bother to correct his mistake about our marital status but enquired about the bad news.

"The 'Otel is full."

Our jaws dropped and a suddenly tiredness began to roll across us.

"But ze good news is that we 'ave another 'Otel nearby which we can put you in."

This other hotel turned out to be one star up from our three star booking and a taxi was ordered for us. The Hotel we eventually arrived at was the Hotel Bradford (nice name!) and it was very much just off the Champs Elysses. The Hotel was beautiful, the room magnificent. We were happy bunnies indeed.

The Arc de Triomphe, Paris

Another view of the Arc de Triomphe, Paris

The OTHER Arc de Triomphe (du Carrousel), Paris

Detail on the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Paris

Nearing the Eiffel Tower, Paris

The next morning we emerged from our Hotel and found ourselves on the Champs Elysses very close to the Arc de Triomphe. From here we wandered down through some typically Parisian backstreets heading in a general direction for the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero Gardens, Paris

Another view from the Trocadero Gardens, Paris

Although we inevitably got a bit lost we did suddenly emerge into the Trocadero Gardens which have some of the best views of the Tower. Here we had a “postcard” made of us on our visit to Paris – our first visit abroad.

Andrew and Jacqui star in their own postcard in Paris!

Statues in the Trocadero Gardens, Paris

The Eiffel Tower with Fountains, Paris

More Fountains with Eiffel Tower, Paris

And Another Fountain Shot

We then crossed the Seine and joined the queue for the Tower. It not being first thing in the morning, the queue was already quite substantial and we ended up settling for just going up to the first level.

Underneath the Arches, Paris

Looking up at the Eiffel Tower, Paris

Looking Down from the Eiffel Tower, Paris

Once here we found, oddly, people playing backgammon – and we decided that they were travelling backgammon players whose only ambition in life was to play backgammon in as many unusual places as possible.

Looking towards Les Invalides from the Eiffel Tower, Paris

We also found a completely empty restaurant that we were informed, in that typical brusque manner, was completely booked up and there was no way they could fit us in.

Suitably peeved by this, we headed back to ground level and headed by Metro to Andrew’s favourite part of Paris – Montmartre.

Place du Tertre, Montmartre, Paris

More Art on Place du Tertre, Montmartre, Paris

Here we encountered for the first, but not last, time Parisian artists’ obsession with trying to paint Jacqui. On the Place de Tertre we were positively assailed by everyone carrying a brush, palette knife or pencil with offers of “painting Mademoiselle”. Andrew, they ignored! Jacqui they wanted to paint!!

The Sacre Couer, Paris

View from the Sacre Couer Terrace, Paris

Looking up at the Sacre Couer, Paris

Descending Montmartre, Paris

One of the 107 Wallace Fountains in Paris

Descending down the steps and down to Pigalle we took the Metro back to the Arc de Triomphe as night descended on our only full day in Paris. We had decided (foolish us) that it would be simple to find food on the Champs-Élysées – after all, this is one of the most famous streets in the World. Andrew at least should have known better – this is France and France is veggie hell. No end of trying to find vegetarian food brought us any luck. We walked all the way down to the Tuilleries and then all the way back again without anything. Eventually we had a particularly bland and horrid Vietnamese meal before heading back to the Hotel.

Champs-Élysées at Night, Paris

The next day we had decided to go to the Louvre. Andrew had never visited before and Jacqui wanted to see the Mona Lisa. It must be said that there can be no doubting the Louvre is one of the most remarkable art galleries anywhere on the planet. Even setting aside the most famous exhibits this place is stuffed full of the greatest art humanity has ever produced.

Joan of Arc Statue, Paris

"Air" Statue in the Tuilleries Gardens, Paris

The Louvre, Paris

Andrew and Jacqui outside the Louvre, Paris

Courtyard and Pyramid, Louvre, Paris

Underneath the Pyramid, The Louvre, Paris

All this in a building which is remarkable in itself. The wonderfully quirky pyramid is even today a controversial addition, but is only the latest in a long line of embellishments dating back to the Louvre’s earliest days as a castle. In the basement the massive bastions of the original fortified castle still exist – and from thereon in successive generations have tweaked, removed, amended and improved the buildings.

Original Castle Walls, The Louvre, Paris

Venus de Milo, Louvre, Paris

The Three Graces, Louvre, Paris

Statue of Melpomene, The Louvre, Paris

Holy Family with St. Anne and the Infant St. John the Baptist by Bronzino, The Louvre, Paris

Sphinx, The Louvre, Paris

We actually found the Venus de Milo before the Mona Lisa and were impressed with the statue which is much more lively in real life than when you see it photographed. The Mona Lisa (or to be truly accurate La Giaconda) is also far more impressive face to eyebrow-less face. Da Vinci’s brushwork adds a certain frisson to the piece and there is surprising depth to its deliberately indistinct background. It is, of course, much smaller than you would expect, but don’t let size be a yardstick for quality. We were also very happy to find that there was plenty of space around the painting and we had no trouble standing looking at it for some time.

Art in The Louvre, Paris

Crowds coming to Visit the Mona Lisa, The Louvre, Paris

Da Vinci's Masterpiece, The Louvre, Paris

The Mona Lisa in the Louvre, Paris

Buildings of the Louvre, Paris

The Porte de Louvre, Paris

Street Performer outside the Institut de France, Paris

Under the Bridges of Paris

The Institut de France across the Seine, Paris

Once we had finished at the Louvre we only had a little time before we needed to head back to the Hotel to pick up our bags. So we ended up walking along the Seine to the Ile de la Cité. Here we happened upon the Sainte-Chapelle, a small but gloriously formed church dating to 1248.

Sainte-Chapelle, Paris

Another view of the Sainte-Chapelle, Paris

Place de la Concorde, Paris

Tuilleries Gardens, Paris

Our final stop was outside Notre Dame de Paris – an iconic view of Paris to take back onto the Eurostar with us.

Notre Dame de Paris

Le Touquet - Andrew, Jacqui, his parents and Aunts & Uncles - 2002

Only a couple of months after Jacqui and Andrew’s visit to Paris they found themselves back in France along with Andrew’s parents, his Aunt Bev, Uncle Ed, Aunt Peg and Uncle Mike. One of Aunt Bev’s friends had organised a day trip to Le Touquet and Jacqui and Andrew added themselves to the trip late on.

The boat took us via Boulogne and then southwards along the coast to Le Touquet (strictly speaking Le Touquet-Paris Plage – although describing it as “Paris’ beach” seems a bit like calling Luton Airport “London Luton”).

"Le Chatham" discotheque in Le Touquet, Pas de Calais

Le Touquet Paris Plage, Pas de Calais

Le Touquet was a bit of a two street town. Although fairly pleasant, there wasn’t anything specific to see. Indeed, it had a bit of an English-seaside-town feel – that is to say a place which might once have seen better days but was now hanging on in there.

The "Swiss" Village, Le Touquet, Pas de Calais

More "Swiss"ness in Le Touquet Paris Plage, Pas de Calais

We wandered down the Rue de Moscou to the covered market and then stopped for a meal – for most of us this was fish and just for once even Andrew managed to find food fairly simply. Then we wandered off to find the “Swiss Village” – supposedly a collection of Swiss-style villas which turned out to be little more than a couple of slightly more elaborate than usual houses.

Ice Cream Stop, Le Touquet, Pas de Calais

Still being Swiss - Le Touquet Paris Plage, Pas de Calais

After an ice cream we wandered down towards the beach where the coach back to Boulogne would be waiting. Andrew, Jacqui, Andrew’s Mum and Aunt Bev went for a quick walk along the beach and then everyone piled back onto the coach for the journey home. An unremarkable, but quite nice, day out.

Le Touquet Paris Plage, Pas de Calais

Rodez - Andrew and Jacqui - 2003

Shortly before Christmas 2003 the opportunity came up for Andrew and Jacqui to take a short trip somewhere with Ryanair. They picked out Rodez as Andrew wanted to see if southern France was easier for vegetarians than northern France. It turned out not!

Rodez is quite a small city, its main focus is the Cathedral and the town has grown up around it.

We are staying in a hotel far from the centre of town and had to walk up a rather steep hill to get into town. This took us past the Chapelle Royale and St. Aman’s Church before you arrive at the little Place d’Armes outside the Cathedral.

Sacre Couer de Notre Dame, Rodez, Aveyron, Occitane

Place d'Armes, Rodez, Aveyron

Rodez Cathedral, Aveyron

Chapelle Royale, Rodez, Aveyron

Christmas Lights in Rodez, Aveyron

Rodez Cathedral is an impressively bulky Cathedral. A curious mix of styles owing to its particularly long building period – it was begun in 1276 (replacing an earlier structure) and the last parts were finished only in 1531. It is built from a dark red sandstone which gives it a somewhat dour look and is perhaps at its most impressive when floodlit of an evening.

Campanile of the Cathedral, Rodez, Aveyron

The Cathedral is very unusual in that the west front – normally the most ornate part of a Cathedral, is a blank and very solid looking wall. The reason for this is that it once formed part of the City Walls of Rodez. The entrance to the Cathedral is sitting around the corner on the north front.

Andrew outside the Cathedral, Rodez, Aveyron

Jacqui inside the Cathedral, Rodez, Aveyron

The Cathedral interior contains some very ancient wall paintings and is also significant as the meeting place for two scientists – Delambre and Mechain – who met up here having travelled from Dunkerque and Barcelona. They measured one ten-millionth of portion of a meridian mark and created the unit of measurement we now know as the metre.

Medieaval Wall Paintings inside the Cathedral, Rodez, Aveyron

Jacqui lighting a candle inside the Cathedral, Rodez, Aveyron

Stained glass in the Cathedral at Rodez, Aveyron

Interior of Rodez Cathedral, Aveyron

Having seen around the Cathedral we went for a wander around Rodez, but it is only a small town and we kept finding ourselves back at the Place d’Armes. We had our usual hard time finding food – a traditional pastime for us in France – and in the end had a very uninspiring plain pasta – the only vegetarian dish in the whole city it would seem that wasn’t merely patisserie.

Place de Bourg, Rodez, Aveyron, Occitane

Atmosphere in Rodez, Aveyron

Another Atmospheric Rodez Street, Aveyron

Market in Rodez, Aveyron

Evening Sun in Rodez, Aveyron

Christmas in Rodez, Aveyron

Christmas Trees in Rodez, Aveyron, Occitane

Armagnac House, Rodez, Aveyron

Then we walked back past the floodlit Cathedral and back down to our Hotel. Our visit to Rodez was very brief and although the Cathedral is interesting, the rest of the town is only a brief divertissement. It would make a good base for visiting the Aveyron region, but you definitely would need your own transport.

Rodez Cathedral at Night, Aveyron

Night Time in Rodez, Aveyron, Occitane

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