I caught the TVG from Toulouse to Paris this morning. It was an easy and good trip to Gare Montparnasse. Not sure what caused it but there was a slight delay in the trip so we were a little late arriving in Paris.

As travelers in Europe are aware, there is not one station in large cities where trains arrive and depart. Depending on where you are going you have to go to different stations. In this case, I had to go from the Gare Montparnasse to the Gare d’Est to catch the train from Paris to Reims. Getting from one station to the other is done by using the Paris Metro. It is an easy transfer as the Metro 4 route goes from Montparnasse to the Gare d’Est and the Gare du Nord. I had used this Metro line when going to London earlier in this trip. The trek from the Gare Montparnasse to the Metro 4 line is very long and circuitous. It is not bad but there are lots of long corridors, up sets of stairs and down sets of stairs. You really have to follow the signage or you will miss the platform. The metro ride was simple and easy and I got to the Gare d’Est with plenty of time to make my connection. I had a cup of tea and a brioche while waiting for the train.

The only drawback is the stations are fairly open to the elements and it was very cold in Paris so it was chilly waiting for the train. It was the coldest day I have had in my time in France. Walking to the station in Toulouse there is a wooden bridge over the Canal du Midi and it was covered in frost. As the train departed Toulouse and got to the country, there was frost all over the ground. The closer we go to Paris, I could see light snow on the ground. It was not covered in snow but in shady areas you could see snow. Some of the small streams and definitely puddles were frozen. I had seen on the weather that there had been a chance of snow in northern France and I guess it actually happened.

The TVG from Paris was going to Nancy so I had to change trains a second time in Champagne-Ardennes. This time I transferred from the TVG to a local train. It was a 15 minute ride from Champagne-Ardennes to Reims.

Once I got off the train in Reims, it was about a 15 minute walk to the Airbnb where I am staying, which is quite nice, conveniently located and great for my stay. Again, it was cold as the wind was blowing making it even colder. Also, the sun goes down fairly early this far north compared to Toulouse so it was just getting dark when I got here. Also, there was protest in front of a statue at the train station which was interesting. It was not very large and nobody was really paying attention to it.

Reims seems like a very beautiful city. There is a large Ferris wheel, similar but smaller than the London Eye in the heart of downtown and a walking street. There is also a merry-go-round along the street. It was very lively when I went out after I had checked into the Airbnb. There are also lots of shopping arcades to wander through in the area.

I went out to wander and found the Reims Cathedral. It is quite amazing to look at and visit inside. It was mostly destroyed during WWI but was restored after the war. A large portion of the funds to restore the cathedral were provided by the Rockefeller Foundation. There are some very beautiful stain glass windows by modern artists, including Marc Chagall. It was dark when I went in and, interestingly, it was not well illuminated so the effect was quite beautiful.

After visiting the cathedral, I found a nice cafe and had chocolat chaud and a raspberry tart to ward of the chill and relax after the train rides and wandering.

For dinner I had made reservations at the Cafe du Palais. A French bistro started in the 1930 and still in the same family. It was quite over the top in its decorations.

It was filled with both locals and tourists. Reims, as can be imagined as the home of champagne is much more a tourist destination than Toulouse, so I saw a lot more tourists in the restaurant than I usually see in Toulouse. There was a large party of Chinese at one table. I was bracketed by two American women and a Chinese woman. The food was good and I got the local Jambon de Reims, a traditional way of making ham, with cheese, boiled potatoes and salad. It is a traditional Reims meal.

Also had my first glass of champagne.

It was a fun day. I will head out to find more champagne tomorrow.