OOH, LA LA - PARIS CALLING…

I love train journeys, and one of my favourite journeys is from London to Paris. I enjoy going to Paris for the day. For the day, I hear you ask? Yes, for the day. The beauty of London - Paris is now only 2 hours and 12 minutes on the Eurostar from St Pancras.

An Early Bird catches the Eurostar

You can have a wonderful packed day in Paris if you get suitable times. I booked my tickets in advance, which meant I could get the best deals too. I booked the 7 am weekday from St Pancras Eurostar.

I thought there'd only be a handful of people going, but it seemed like many other people had a similar idea. So my train was packed on the way out.

As I didn't have luggage, it was easier to go through security and passport control. As the U.K. is no longer in the EU, the immigration checks take a little longer. It is worth bearing this in mind if you're considering travelling to Paris on a U.K. Passport.

Once we pulled out of London, it was a very smooth trip to Ashford in Kent and then the best bit, going underneath the Channel Tunnel. No matter how often I go to Paris, the part under the tunnel is amazing.

Not Quite the Bullet Train but…

The Eurostar might not be like the Bullet Train in the Far East, but it's fast by European standards. The Eurostar picks up speed as it enters French territory. It can travel up to 300 kilometres per hour (186 miles per hour).

It feels fast, especially as you look out the window and see the French countryside wiz past. My train made a routine stop at Lille before travelling to Paris.

Before you know it, Voila the train pulled into Gard Du Nord in Paris by 10.15 am local time (9.15 am London). I was scheduled to catch the 9 pm from Paris the same evening, which meant I had the whole day. When in Paris, Do What The Parisians Do.

Skip The Queues

On this occasion, I had a specific reason for going to Paris: to go to the Louvre Museum. I pre-booked tickets from London, which meant I could waltz in..literally. I skipped the queues and went straight in. It was busy.

Walking around the Louvre is beautiful, and you can't do it in one day, but I tried to see the rooms I wanted to. As expected, the room with the Mona Lisa was heaving and felt very claustrophobic. However, I'd seen the painting before, so I wasn't too fussed.

Lunch In Paris At The Louvre

I was expecting a mediocre lunch menu at the Museum, but surprisingly, it was perfect. Our table overlooked the courtyard, and we stopped for an hour's lunch. After all that walking, it was nice to sit down and take the magnitude of the history and the beautiful building.

The Magnificent Rooms

The Napoleon rooms are charming. I also found the Delacroix room to be exquisite, with the fine art, jewellery and intricate priceless objects, including the ornate and awe-inspiring ceiling.

Museum Fatigue

I don't know about you, but I get Museum fatigue after a couple of hours. However, at the Louvre, it was 4 hours, given that it was only a day trip. I also needed some fresh air and walked around the Louvre.

We then left the Museum to walk along the River Seine, cross the bridge, and head towards Jardin Du Luxembourg. One of the things I love about Paris is that it's walker-friendly and straightforward to walk around Central Paris.

After another pit stop in the gardens and catching the views of the Eiffel tour, it was time to make our way back to Gard Du Nord.

Homebound

I find Gard Du Nord a bit overwhelming compared to St Pancras, especially as it's a bustling mainline station with lots of people coming and going. However, you can sigh in relief once you go through the Eurostar area.

Catching the 9 pm from Paris was very smooth, and there were no delays on the train, and I got into London at 10.15 pm.

I would rate my day 10/10 for the adventure.

For more information https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/train/france/london-to-paris

Louvre Museum https://www.louvre.fr/en

Thank your attention.

Tabby