The Mechanics of the Trip

We flew from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport directly to Charles DeGaulle Airport in Paris. We arranged, in advance, to use Parishuttle to transport us from the airport to our hotel in Paris. A reasonably priced solution which worked well. We were picked up shortly after phoning the number given to us. But we were puzzled about which phone to use and how to use it so someone helped us.

It took 30 minutes or so to get from the airport to the hotel but the friendly driver told us, when traffic is heavy, it can take much longer.

In Paris we stayed at the Hotel Familia. Not deluxe but quite adequate for our tastes and still expensive compared to our usual expense for lodging. The staff were friendly and helpful, the room was clean, bath and toilet were modern. We often, but not always, ate sparingly. Peggy manages to buy a banana at a bargain price.

 

We then took the train from Paris to Beziers. Now this was a bit of a challenge for us as we hadn't traveled b

y train for many years let alone by train in France. The Gare de Lyon. This station wasn't within walking distance of our hotel and the clerk thought we could take a bus. But caution caused us to take a cab which was about 10 euros. Suitable price for the comfort.

We arrive at the station to learn there is a strike and that our train has been cancelled. We find we will be put on another train and the staff were reasonably helpful in arranging and explaining this. Because of the strike, the station is crowded. I got up to stretch my legs and people started taking my seat.

The schedule board is complex so, if you are new to things, find someone to explain. Even telephones look a bit different.

To get off the train it is nice to find someone who will be getting off at the same time, especially if it is night and you can't clearly see the station identifiers.

The train was very, very comfortable and a good experience.

We were fortunate to have Laurie, Hubert, Anna, Celine, and Eric as our next hosts. They were so kind to us but we did do a bit of work and pitched in with some of the expense we added to their lives.

As we traveled south and west we stayed at the Saint Clair in La Grande Mot. The room was nice but the hostess was quite rude to us. La Grande Mot is a "new" city built for tourists of the Mediterraean. We left there and stayed at the La Peiriero in Fontvieille. A very, very nice hotel.

 

Notice in the above picture to the right that there are very sturdy stands holding the bill of fare. Should it be nudged with a suitcase it isn't so likely to fall and break.

In Toulouse we stayed in the Hotel Heliot. A very, very pleasant fellow and his wife own this small hotel. We went for a reasonable price and location in town. It was okay but there was a bit of mildew here and there in the shower.

Toulouse is a rather messy town but there is a great and beautiful park, the walk along the canal, and along the river are nice.

We were somewhat concerned about being able to return to the USA on schedule due to some volcanic ash. In fact though, the plane was not full. Otherwise the cello may have been bumped.

 

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