Friday 1 June

Frankfurt to Paris

Arrived in Frankfurt Airport on time at 6.10 am, going through Customs was very easy, we picked up our bags and headed for the 'Nothing to Declare' gate which lead us through to the Arrivals Lounge, next thing we are in the airport.

We caught the Shuttle to the train station. Because we can't travel light, the amount of baggage was causing some difficulty for the only person able to move it, especially on stairs, escalators aren't to bad, but those stairs proved very challenging.

Eventually worked out how to get to the metro platform to catch the suburban train from Frankfurt Flug FE to Frankfurt Main HB - third station from the airport. Found the platform our next train - Platform 3 - but we were an hour early, so we found coffee and food to fill in the time.

Platform 3 - the ICE (Inter City Express) ready for boarding. it left at 9.01am, traveling speeds were around 116 - 130 km/hr

Arrived at Paris Est Railway Station at 12.50 pm, we are in the main platform area, just about to walk through the arches into Paris.

Our first views of Paris - we have finally arrived!! This outside the station, taxis are to our left.

 Can't go anywhere without passing 'big red trucks'.

Lamark Apartments

The taxi from Paris EST took us to the apartment we shared with Luisa, Peter & Monika and Arlene & John. The apartment is Lamark Apartments, 20 Rue Favaut, Paris, and is located in the Montmartre (Wikipedia) area of Paris, on the corner of Av. de Saint-Quen & Rue Fauvet.

Fortunately for Maria the apartment is located on the first level making easier for her to climb the few stairs. This picture is looking down Rue Favaut towards the Av. de Saint-Quen, our apartment entrance is located on the right near the corner.

Montmartre

Once we were settled in and caught up with the Battistone's and Luisa, we decided to begin our exploration of Montmartre. We decided to walk to the Montmartre Cemetery. This is the bridge on Rue Caulaincourt which was built over the cemetery, we went down the stairs to the right of the picture to Av. Rachel to enter the cemetery.

When we arrived at the gate into the cemetery, there was a funeral party waiting for the departed to arrive, we felt quite out of place, but we were amazed at the number of tourists walking through doing what we wanted to do, look around a cemetery with famous people buried there. Family crypts were built under the Rue Caulaincourt bridge, from what we could see, it appeared that they were built in the early 1800's with family members interred over the next 100 years or so. 

 

Luisa and Monika climbing the stairs to check this impressive head stone.

Luisa checking out a grave stone with what appears to be a copper or bronze figure on top.

 The avenues in the cemetery look like this, words escape me!

This is the burial plot for Dalida a famous singer and actor who it is said had a perfect body matched with her perfect singing ability. She lived in the Montmartre area, we walked past her house on Saturday 2 June. The detail of her statue is incredible.

 This is the burial plot for Le Docteur Guy Pitchal 1922-1989. His head is in 3D relief. it is said that he was the doctor for many of the famous buried in the Montmartre Cemetery, apparently he also treated Dalida.

Waiting to leave the cemetery and continue looking around Montmartre

We walked up to the Basilique du Sacre Coeur what an impressive church.

Luisa, Arlene and Monika posing for Peter (and myself) in front of the Basilique. John and Maria caught the lift up to the top. There were a lot of people around including buskers selling 'happy bracelets' they are just an excuse to get hassled and have your pockets picked, just ignore them!!

After the Basilique we walked along Rue Chevalier de La Barre to Rue de Mont Nenis & Rue Corlot for the photo below.

We walked down to Rue Caulaincourt & Rue Saint-Vincent, this photo is looking west towards the cemetery.

We weren't lost, we just could not find our way back. Luisa and I walked into a Century 21 realtor to show us where we were on the map then we were able to get home.

It was early evening by the time we got back to the apartment, being tired and reasonably hungry, we decided to eat at the bar/restaurant on the opposite corner to our apartment - Le Surcouf Brasserie. We ordered couscous with lamb and chicken. It was very filling and a very enjoyable meal, with beer, wine and drinks it came to €107 for 7 of us around €15@.