Montparnesse Train Station


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Europe » France » Île-de-France » Paris
September 2nd 2013
Published: September 2nd 2013
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I am writing backwards....You should have seen us arriving at the Montparnesse Train station in Paris. Two bike boxes, and bags containing our panniers...first we dragged the boxes while carrying the panniers...at the escalator, Bill took one up the escalator and then I rode the escalator carrying the panniers and watching the bike. Then Bill followed.

A "tout" appeared, although I am sure that he would not be called a tout, and suggested that he could help us...while I watched the bags, Bill & the man found a cart to hold all, bought two tickets to Tours. Man got his money and disappeared.

We snacked and waited for our train to appear and when it did, we were delighted that we remembered to get our tickets stamped and rolled the cart directly to the car marked "Bicycles." At that moment, 4, count them four, conductors, etc. descended on us explaining in French, which we could not understand, but clearly understood, that the parcels were too big to take on board, and that there was a place for only one bicycle, which was reserved for someone who PAID for the reservation! We looked as helpless and as clueless as we could, and finally, it appeared that they all decided to turn their backs on us so that we could quickly load our bikes onto the train.

So, we are on the train, and I am totally freaking out, holding my breath, until the train started. A conductor, different from the ones that we had seen earlier, JOVIALLY appeared in our car, and POINTEDLY looked away from the boxes, took our tickets and we were really on our way to Tours!

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3rd September 2013

LOVED THE SCENE
I can just picture this.....it is hilarious at this end but I suspect it wasn't on your end. Pretty scarry I guess but thank g-d you got on and were on your way. SS

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