Our 10am booking for the Eurostar to Paris was a sensible choice. We are staying with Claire in the 15th Arrondissement and as I rise to my 6:30am alarm and rouse the boys from the cartoon channel, which has likely been on for a while already, I’m resigned to a long day ahead. Travelling on my own with two young boys was never going to be easy. Still, we’re off to Paris so there is hardly anything to complain about.
I set about making breakfasts and getting them dressed, packing suitcases, toys, books and snacks to keep them happy. Don’t forget the iPad and the iExpand drive which have saved my nerves once or twice already. I’m feeling very undignified as I drag our bags, boys dawdling behind, through St James’s to the Green Park tube. At this time of the morning, the only other people on the streets are suited gentlemen, some carrying briefcases, and ladies wearing pearls either on their phone or carrying coffee – some a juggling both.
What they are not juggling is two boys and five large bags. I pause to hurry them up and catch my breath at the same time.
Thankfully I have overestimated the time that it would take to get to St Pancras and we have time to get a coffee and sit and do some coloring in before checking in. Still, I watch the time – all going well it can take just a little longer to get somewhere with them as it would by myself. The average is usually about twice as long and worst case scenario I have to carry the youngest.
I’m excited as I get my lovely red passport pouch out. This was a very thoughtful gift from my work colleagues when I left Australia. I caress the soft red leather wondering what they’re up to now, and what I’d be doing if we hadn’t decided to move to Dubai. My guess at this time of year is that the frenzy of half year reporting is just over and everyone is breathing a tired sigh of relief. I smile at how different my July and August have been this year, compared to last.
Finally we’re on the train, thanks to some friendly Londoners who have taken pity on me and helped me to heave our bags on. We settle into our seats – two seats between the three of us – and I fold on the iPad pretty quickly.
A few shows, a few snacks but almost none of my magazine later, we arrive in Paris and I say a little prayer that Claire will be at Gare du Nord to meet us.
She is! We’re reunited after only 8.5 months but it seems like so much longer. So much has happened since she left us in Australia, just before Christmas last year. Jasper gives her warm hugs but Harley is not so welcoming. We decide to take the Metro home to the 15th Arrondissement, it’s a long ride either way, but this way I get a feel for it and some orientation on the way home.
As we emerge from the Metro I’m trying to take it all in. I know I have a big smile plastered all over my face and wish I could just run into the cheese shop or pause for an aperitif before heading to Claire’s apartment but I know this isn’t going to happen. Not on this trip anyway.
We reach Claire’s apartment and Jasper takes a moment to ponder how we’re all going to fit in the lift. We take it in turns, it’s 7 floors up and I’m not dragging all the luggage up those steep stairs. Finally, we’re here. Claire’s apartment is wonderful and it’s so generous of her to let us stay here. Not only that, but she has left us gifts!
We decide to discover the park for a little bit. Claire only has an hour until she is off to Nancy for the weekend for her friend’s wedding. This is terrible timing on my part, I booked the flights before arranging it with her and we had the timing of our UK friends to fit in also. Still, I’m disappointed that we’ll really only have one day with her. This can’t be helped now though and she takes us across to Parc Georges-Brassens where the boys can run for a while after the morning on the train.
Claire has to leave but we linger. There’s no hurry. It’s nearly 5pm and we’re not going to be able to fit anything in for the evening so we might as well enjoy the moments.
After some more play – it’s not easy to make friends when you don’t speak the local language – we decide to head off, it’s getting late, we’re all tired and the weather is closing in. We wader out of the park and I can’t resist a little browse of the 15th Arrondissement neighborhood. It’s so beautiful, so French and oh so Parisienne. I have another pang, wishing I could take a seat at the little brasserie, Au Bon Coin, across the street. It’s just after 5pm and locals are beginning to appear, it’s Friday after all.
It’s just so tempting but I know better than to push it – it sounds romantic but I suspect I wouldn’t really get to enjoy it anyway…. we continue back to Claire’s, stopping to have a look at a couple of other little shops along the way. Many are closed at this time of year, everyone seems to be on summer holidays and there are ‘closed’ signs in many windows. Essentials will always be in demand though and Aux Vergers De Brancion is obviously one of those necessities for the locals’ daily fruit and veg.
We return to the 15th Arrondissement and I cook some scrambled eggs for dinner. We have French bread and real ham too. Simple yet divine. The boys are thrilled with their gifts – cups with curly straws and some chocolates and treats. They don’t take long to pull the place apart either, making a cubby house to eat their dinner in. We’re all tired and they’re excited about sleeping in Claire’s bunk so it’s not long before they’re tucked up and asleep.
I lie in the dark of the studio apartment until I’m sure they’re asleep. Then I have a shower, get ready for bed and do a little blogging. I smile to myself, lying here in the 15th Arrondissement at 8pm, not being able to go out and explore. Still, tomorrow we’re off to La Tour Eiffel and I need my sleep too.
Good To Know
The Eurostar allows under 4’s to travel for free if they don’t require their own seat (i.e. they have to ‘sit on your lap’). Clearly this isn’t how my under 4 viewed this policy. Still it’s only a 2.5 hour trip and worked out well for us.
Would I Return?
Yes. Can’t wait. The 15th Arrondissement is the perfect blend of local and urban. Great for families and still close to the action.