21-May-2017

Arriving on the last day of April, Peter and Penny finally fulfilled their dream of seeing Paris in the springtime. Their trepidations over what to pack for a month in the French capital had been well-founded. Although they landed and departed in pouring rain, they basked in glorious sunshine for days in between. The pair made good use of their Navigo passes and their legs, as they took to the streets to admire buildings and bridges, each one as remarkable as the next. Although at times the promise of air-conditioning was enough to bring them inside, there was no shortage of indoor wonders either. From Manet’s ‘Le déjeuner sur l’herbe’ to Rodin’s ‘La Porte de l’Enfer’, they marvelled at one chef-d’œuvre after another. Fuelled by crêpes and café allongé, they climbed Montmartre, promenaded in the Luxembourg Gardens, browsed the Champs-Élysées, strolled the Champ de Mars and wandered from the Marais to Place de la Bastille. Further exploring the Parisian region, Peter and Penny traversed the forest at Fontainebleau to get a glimpse of the spectacular Château and took the RER to Versailles, recognising the familiar Lady Liberty as they passed Île aux Cygnes. There they strolled the splendid gardens and watched Medea’s tragic destiny unfold at the royal opera, a true highlight of their séjour in #12 France.