Dodging the Showers in Paris

---

This is our final day for sightseeing in Paris, indeed our final day in continental Europe, the end of four months travelling through 17 countries. Sometimes it seems impossible that we have really done this.
Armed with a list of what we really want to see on this last day in Paris, we retraced the now familiar train journey from our suburban hotel into the city. After a quick breakfast to fortify us for some healthy walking, we visited the Pantheon then Jardins de Luxembourg. These huge gardens are laid out with symmetry, beautiful shapes and stunning colours, all on a grand scale to surround and complement the former palace of Marie de Medici. We found one warning sign a little perturbing as it cautioned us to take care in high winds when branches may fly about. The Paris weather we have encountered has been bad but not that bad! Still, with the blackest of shower clouds fast approaching and who knows what velocity of wind as well, we hurried on to find shelter in the church of Ste Sulpice, the second largest in Paris. This very old church contains a meridian line set into the floor, dating back to 1727. A printed sign explains very clearly that this has nothing whatever to do with the plot of a recent best seller, The Da Vinci Code.
With the sun shining again we headed down to the river to eat a light lunch on a seat by the path. We soon realised we were almost in the sitting room of a man whose dining table and chair, double bed, a fridge and sundry belongings were set out on the path under a bridge arch. When the fickle weather changed again and rain briefly poured down we huddled under the arch beside this outdoor living arrangement.
After a trip to Sacre Coeur and with the afternoon going fast, we enjoyed a quick look at Musee d’Orsay with its rooms of paintings by Degas, Renoir, Monet, etc etc. Wonderful, but next time we will allow longer to enjoy this feast.
We had a quick dinner at a busy cafe, then headed back to the hotel for our last sleep in Paris. Tomorrow we’ll have a rare but welcome taxi ride to the station, then our final Paris Metro trip to the Gare du Nord, because England beckons.

---