Monday 15 April 2013

Spring in the 'lung' of Paris

14/4/13 Sunday
You'll have to forgive my excitement, but I can hardly believe it, today the weather is gorgeous!!! The forecast beautiful warm sunny day has actually eventuated, and we are definitely not going to waste it. It seems that the whole of Paris is outdoors and enjoying their lovely blue-sky Sunday, so we're going to make like Parisians and get out and about too. When we step outside our apartment, I can't believe the warmth in the air. No coats, scarves, gloves today, I even take off my possum socks ;-) We need sunscreen and hats, it's magnificent!!
We're off to spend the day in the "lung" of Paris - the Bois de Boulogne, an enormous green space on the west of the city, an entire Metro line away, but still only takes us 30 minutes or so to get there. It's situated just outside of the 20 arrondissements, in les banlieus (the suburbs), two Metro stops further than the Arc de Triomphe.


Bois means "wood" and that's exactly what it is. It's a part of the forest (Forêt de Rouvray) that once surrounded ancient Paris and has a bit of a chequered past that you can read about here but now there are lakes and little rivers, formal gardens, bike and walking tracks, and racecourses. It's 845 hectares of recreational space for Parisians to enjoy just west of the 16ème, 2.5 times larger than Central Park in New York, so I'm pretty sure we'll probably only scratch the surface today, but we're not here to cram, we're here to relax and enjoy this beautiful day.


It's such a pleasure to stroll the paths, soaking up the beautiful sunshine, and initially we can see the top of the Eiffel Tower as we walk, which reminds us that central Paris is really not that far away. We head first to the Grand Cascade, expecting to admire a beautiful waterfall, because I just love them and it sounds cool and inviting (I know, after 2 months in freezing Paris, that must sound bizarre........). What a disappointment this one is. Call me Tasmanian, but I don't consider a few man-made rocks above a stagnant pool to be a grand cascade, especially not when there's no water flowing over them. Give me Russell Falls any day!!!


Not to be put off on this gorgeous day, we continue on. There are other areas that are alive with people getting the best of the day - paddling boats on the lake, people on bikes, scooters, roller blades and lots of joggers and walkers. People picnicking and playing games, others racing very impressive remote controlled boats on the lakes. It's a flurry of summery weekend activities, and as we walk we're soon wishing we were wearing t-shirts, shorts and thongs!!!





After lunch we decide to join the fun, so we hire a couple of bikes from the nearest Vélib station. This system is fantastic, you use your credit card to hire a bike from one station, ride around as long as you like, then return it to any Vélib station you come across. The stations are all over Paris and if the one you come back to is full, there will be another within a very short distance. My only hesitation is that we don't have helmets, but Paris is a city for riding bikes and Parisian drivers are very cyclist aware, unlike some other cities, and I have yet to see anyone wearing a helmet. Still, I don't get out on a bike often and I'm a bit wobbly, so glad to be riding in a park to start with, until I get my bike legs back!!! My lovely husband says I become like a teenager when I get on a bike. I don't know about that - just because I yell out "nice bum" and "let me see you get out of the saddle" and "show me what you've got".............  Really he loves every minute of it ;-)


It feels wonderful to be on a bike, I thoroughly enjoy it, just riding around the Bois, not really caring which direction we're going and with daylight savings it doesn't matter what time it is either. We negotiate the paths and roads, dodge pedestrians (children are the riskiest, they change direction so suddenly!!!) and every now and then consult the large maps dotted around to see if we can work out where we are (it's not that easy!!!).
Thinking we're heading around the western perimeter of the bois, we inexplicably find ourselves having gone in a circle - oh well, just change direction and keep going. A tip for the Paris city council, you could do with a few more signs around the bois.............. jus' sayin'................ At the southern end is the Roland Garros tennis centre where they hold the French Open. We've also passed two large Hippodromes (horse racing tracks) and yet another château (the Château de Bagatelle) with its manicured gardens. But we're not here for châteaux today :-)


Eventually we exit the park and make our way to a Vélib station to return our bikes and hop on the nearest Metro. We're hot!!! It got to 25 degrees today (at least), and by the time we get home at 7pm it's still 23. Unheard of in the whole time I've been here, but I guess that's spring in Paris for you.
After dinner, just to consolidate the whole "warm day" thing, we head out to our local Amorino for ice cream - the first time I've had any desire for such a cold treat in two months - 3 flavours in a tub, it's delicious, and we sit by the canal to enjoy it and watch the sky darken :-)

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