By Christine Swan

I adore Paris. That will not be a surprise to any visitor to this amazing city. For this reason, when planning my summer holiday, I chose to have a one night stopover in Paris rather than London.

I travelled from Worcester in the morning, and arrived in London lunchtime. I was a little concerned how long the new Entry and Exit System registration (EES), might take, but I really need not have worried. I was through in just a few minutes. Mid afternoon seems a relatively quiet time to travel in comparison with early morning, based on my experience of Eurostar trains from St Pancras International.

Look – no queues! At St Pancras International

I arrived with insufficient time for lunch, but time for a pre-travel tipple which set me in the mood for my much-anticipated break. I arrived at the departure area in plenty of time and was through security and passport control in just a few minutes. Arriving early also has another benefit, that of finding a seat.

Time for a tipple – a St Pancras cocktail is a bit of a tradition

I had taken a book to begin reading and began to lose myself in the first chapter. It wasn’t very long before my train was announced and I headed for the travelator.

The fields of Kent were looking very beige and dry as we whizzed through, past all of the now disused stations, and on towards the “Le Shuttle” terminal close to the entrance of the tunnel. I have completed this journey many times, but still marvel at the feat of engineering that made it possible. I always try to speak English before the tunnel, and French afterwards, but I do forget my protocol sometimes speak English in response to a question.

The hop to Paris is a short one, and, even with the additional European hour ahead, I still arrived in time for dinner. It was still warm but I only had a short walk to my hotel from Gare du Nord. I have stayed at the Astotel Palm previously, which is a really excellent hotel, within a traditional Parisian townhouse. I chose to pay a little more for a room with a view, as I did previously. It is always stunning to step out onto the balcony and look at la tour Eiffel and l’Opera Garnier. I deserve this. After a challenging year, I worked hard to clear my desk to enable me to relax and forget about work for a short while. I made a coffee and soaked up the view.

Is there really a better hotel room view so close to Gare du Nord? I don’t think so!

I could not waste such a special evening, so headed out for a walk and to find a restaurant. I headed for Boulevard Haussman just to indulge in some wishful window-shopping at Galleries Lafayette. It is a stunning cathedral to retail and a visual feast.

The cathedral of shopping – Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

I continued my walk and found myself back on a familiar street where I knew that there was a great Italian restaurant. It was lovely to step into the cool interior after the early evening heat. The city streets radiate their heat into the night, keeping temperatures elevated above those of the countryside. I could feel every muscle, every bone in my body, relax, as I sunk into a cooling pastis, and then delicious food. After a coffee to finish, I walked out into the Parisian late evening, back towards my hotel. The sun had just set and there was no wind. Friday night in Paris has a soundtrack of animated conversations, the clink of glasses, and laughter. Every street has the same sound – that of people decompressing their week, the news, politics, and life in general, with wine and good food. My choice is pastis because of my affinity with the South, although all of my ancestry is in the North, and not even in Paris. My choice could be absinthe, the drink of the bohemian, wild Paris, of Lautrec – but not tonight. The hundreds of miles travelled was catching up with me, and so it was time to walk back to my hotel, drinking in the last of the sights and sounds as I did so.

Evening falls in Pigalle

Once back in my room, I opened the balcony doors to take a few more looks at the Parisian skyline, before I fell into a restful sleep. I didn’t need an early alarm because I booked an onward train from Gare de Lyon later in the morning. This is my holiday, so rushing was not on the agenda.

I will never tire of this view

I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the hotel dining room, in the basement. The huge blocks of stone that support these impressive. classic Parisian buildings, form the perfect wall surface, no further decoration is needed. A lovely selection of food and drink is available to enjoy and when I left the hotel, I was well sated.

The morning was already becoming warm but, on my annual trip to the South, I prefer to walk to Gare de Lyon unless the weather is mauvais. It is a walk past many significant landmarks that I like to mentally salute on my passing.

The first is Place de la Republique, where no fewer than eleven roads meet, and five metro lines. Dominating the scene is the monument to the Republique, with a bronze statue of Marianne, the symbol of France, who has stood here since 1880. She has been a focal point for a number of protests and upheavals. I have seen her base covered in graffiti, but not on this occasion. On this day, she was shining towards the skies marking my passage as I walked past.

Marianne dominates Place de la Republique

Onwards to the next landmark, Place de la Bastille. This is an emotive place that marks the site of the Bastille prison, which was stormed on 14th July 1789, a date now enshrined as Bastille Day. In fact, when the prison was stormed it was largely empty but the symbolism of the French people against the ruling monarchy endured. Plans to erect a column representing liberty were soon in place but, in 1808, Napoleon had other ideas and instead proposed a statue of a huge elephant to loom over the Place de la Bastille. A plaster model was made but in 1840 a column, as had been originally proposed, was inaugurated.

The Colonne de Juillet in Place de la Bastille

Today, Place de la Bastille is a significant traffic junction and metro connection point. People scurry about, or drive through at speed, but I prefer to take my time and reflect on the history of the place. Bastille Day is a national holiday, and here was where the event took place. This is never lost on me.

Continuing my walk south, there are a few options to reach Gare de Lyon. If I am in need of refreshment, I stop at the charming Boulangerie Bo for coffee and a delicious cake or pastry. There are a couple of tables outside and, despite its close proximity to the station, the streets are quiet and peaceful. I may buy a few extra items for my longer train journey ahead, and top up at the Franprix just opposite the station steps.

A quick pitstop at Boulangerie Bo

The entire walk takes about one hour between Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon, at a leisurely pace, without a coffee stop. On this occasion, weekend works on RER line D made it even more convenient as my suitcase was almost empty on my way out to holiday. I always bring back plenty of French goodies and souvenirs, so my return journey is a different prospect!

I arrived at Gare de Lyon with about twenty five minutes until my train’s departure. A brisk walk through to my platform showed my train boarding already, which was perfect. I always regret that I do not leave sufficient time to eat in the legendary Le Train Bleu restaurant. However, I have neglected to check the menu for suitable vegetarian options so that will need to wait for another trip.

Gare de Lyon is always impressive

It is time to bid Paris au revoir, or, in my case, à bientôt.

More information

I stayed at Astotel Palm, Rue de Maubeuge – https://www.astotel.com/hotel/hotel-palm/

I ate at – Pizzeria Saint Lazare, Rue St Lazare

I recommend – Boulangerie Bo, Rue de Charenton