The final stretch

Knowing that we had to be at the train station before noon, we woke up early to get some breakfast and wander around town. It was another sunny day, and since it was Sunday morning, the streets were empty. A much better pace to view the town.

With time to spare, we decided to haul our bags back to the train station and get on our way.

The journey to Paris
The only train available to Paris is the fast train, which departs about every hour. Filled with people who are assigned seats, it was a different train experience from others I've had. The train also went a lot faster than any of the other trains that I've ever been on.

The trip also wasn't as scenic as others we've seen throughout the trip. Sometimes flat, sometimes rolling, but mostly used for agricultural purposes. Perhaps traveling this fast is too much for the delicate vineyard grapes.

The final hotel
Spending three nights at the hotel, we were looking forward to not having to move our luggage anymore. Usually by the end of the trip, knowing that soon you'll be at home, it gets to be exhausting to deal with moving bags and unpacking and repacking.

Luckily we were able to connect from the train station to the metro, which got us within minutes walking from the hotel. Soon we were checking into our small room, throwing our bags off our back, and setting off to explore Paris.

Paris
We strolled aimlessly around Paris, heading for the Seine and pushing our way through crowds of people. Paris, in a nutshell, is huge, busy, and filled with people. If this is the tourist off-season, I would hate to see what it would be like at peak season. Traffic is insane, and thankfully we have no car to deal with.

Just a street away from our hotel is a street filled with restaurants, that are generally cheaper since it is also near the university. Fixed menus with three course choices are very reasonable, and while the food is simpler, it is much cheaper than what we've seen in the rest of France.

Tonight I had the onion soup, tartiflette (reblochon cheese, bacon, onions, and potatoes), and crêpe with chocolate. Mon mari had bacon salad, talapia, and crème brûlée.