After my cheese picnic of last night, I woke up feeling positively sluggish. I had Fiona’s list so dragged myself in to the shower and headed off list in hand. After a 30km walk I ended up limping in to the pharmacie in search of something for my shoes as my feet have been completely battered. Today it was hours spent across the 3rd and 4th arrondissements
in Le Marais. I started in Place Des Vosges and wandered for miles and miles and miles. My slow day was about the pace, and the constant stops for a sit in another lovely square. Breakfast/lunch was a beautiful apricot, peach and apple tart from an enticing boulangerie which I savoured in one of Paris’s lovely garden spots. From shoes in rue de Saintonge to jam at La Chambre aux Confitures at 60 Rue Vieille du Temple I followed my sister’s directions.
I cursed the heaviness of my suitcase as the Clementine confiture was stunning, but it needed to stay on the shelf as I have an Easy Jet flight between here and home. I got myself totally lost in Le Marais and must have walked up and down rue de Bretagne, rue de Turenne and rue Vieille du Temple a million times. It was so lovely. Again, I walked for miles to the Boutique Maile, 6 Place de la Madeleine to taste mustard and lusted after the gorgeous copper pans at E. Dehillerin at 18-20, rue Coquilliere.
I do find the massive Parisian train stations totally confusing and got completely disoriented in Les Halles. I am not a fan of Starbucks but have never felt so pleased to see a Starbucks for a café latte. I had a lovely chat to a gorgeous young woman who kept apologising for her English – there was one very clear fact – her English was 500% better than my French. I staggered on to the train to Gare de Lyon. I was keen to make sure I knew exactly where I have to start my Spanish adventure. My boots are now filled with gel insoles but I think even those will provide little relief – my poor feet have been trashed with 100s of km of UK and Parisian streets.
Sleeping under the stars 