Paris Ride-out 2006-03-24/5/6
Vendredi
Samedi
Dimanche
Le Retour
I had a good night's sleep, but Elisabeth said I snored. Well I didn't hear it! She did have some ear-plugs though...
We have a quick breakfast, then get the bikes sorted for the day.
We get to the RV at the Eiffel Tower, and gradually the others turned up.
And then we wait for Patrice. And wait...
At last he turns up, and off we set.
Now let me explain something about riding in Paris. There are cobble-stones all over the place, and on some but not all of the big roundabouts there is priorite a droite. So you have to have eyes in the back off your head, and to each side as well. Add wet roads, or persistent drizzle leading to misted glasses or visors and it gets even hairier. Getting a crocodile of ten or eleven bikes through this lot is no mean feat, so Well Done Christian!
I can't pretend to remember everywhere we went, but we stopped at the tiny vineyard of Montmartre, which is the last surviving vineyard in Paris, producing about 500 bottles of red wine each year (not so good wine, says Christian, but very expensive, at EUR40+ for a 35cl bottle).
We did stop near one of the windmills:
And then on to the Musee du Vin for lunch. Much laughter, good food, great wine. Patrice as usual was told off for being TOO LOUD...
After lunch we get on a boat to see the sights from the river - but the windows were very misted up. Never mind, it gave Duong a chance of a nap... The boat seemed to be piloted by Tony from JT's. Hmm...
And then we got off the boat.
At this stage a very wet Franck joined us, and we adjourned to the Arab Institute, where Eric (no not LOUD Eric, a quieter version) joined us.
By now it was dark, so we did the first part of Paris by Night:
And onto the Restaurant Polonais, in part of the crypt of the Polish Church.
After yet-another-excellent-repast <g> all depated home except for Christian, Elisabeth and myself, so off we went on Paris by Night part two, taking in Montmartre, and having a beer in a bar in Les Halles at 01:00...
Then back to Chez Christian and to bed, remembering that the clocks were going forward...
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