Gay Paree!

It's over 20 years since I was in Paris but the first leg of my tour to Lake Garda took me to Paris for the afternoon & evening. 

We arrived on the Eurostar & then transferred to a hotel next to Gare de Lyon railway station. I've only seen the area around Gare du Nord which never seems to be particularly attractive with the unbelievable amounts of graffiti! 
I'd never been to that part of Paris & was really surprised at how attractive it was. Lots of restaurants & lovely older buildings. Wish I had taken more photographs.




Just look at all those cycles. Amazing! 

And take a look at those motor bikes. All the outside area of the station was covered in them & the bikes. Shows how many people use the trains!

I decided I would just go for a walk as I was on my own & didn't fancy eating alone. So I bought a baguette from the station, they do quite good food in all the railway stations. They even had a Costa! Then I went on my way wandering down to the riverside. It was a really warm & sticky night so I just drifted.

I was amazed at how many people were down there along the banks, drinking & enjoying picnics. Not just students but whole families, right along the riverside on both banks.

Salsa dancing too!

What surprised me was how most of them seemed to have to sit right on the edge & the concrete when there were seats & grassy banks available. Shows my age!

 More dancers! These were doing a sort of tango.

It was a lovely evening & I enjoyed the walk back to the hotel but was glad to get back to my air conditioned room. Normally I can't stand it & switch it off but it was unbearable without it.

This was a lovely little street very close to the station where they were all sitting out eating & drinking.

I was hoping to have a Costa coffee as a nightcap in the station but they had shut shop!

Next stop, Desenzano, Lake Garda.