Bastille, Paris

A long and fascinating day today. Up early and away by 8.30am to catch the Eurostar train from Ashford to Paris to spend some time in the city with Marion, our friend from Canada who's over in France for 7 weeks, her sister and Debs a long standing friend from Gillingham.

Uneventful journey sous le manche and an on time arrival at Gare d'Nord followed by a couple of metro rides to our hotel on Rue de Bercy.

We dumped the bags and walked up to where the others were staying near the Bastille for another lunch. We'd already had wine, bread, cheese, nuts and apples on the train and this was supplemented with more of the same when we arrived at Marion's place.

What remained of the afternoon was spent meandering through the streets of the Mariais area having a good old chat as it's over a year since we last saw Marion. We made our way to the Isle St Louis, pausing to visit the haunting museum of the deported, dedicated to the French who were subjected to the Nazi concentration camps in the 1939-45 war and on to the Notre Dame on Isle de City.

Notre Dam was busy and not the quiet place we remembered. We also were turfed out of a bread exhibition in front of the cathedral.

From there back to the Bastille to find a restaurant for dinner, passing through the Hotel D'Ville where two amazing musicians were performing on guitar and violin. We eventually found somewhere to eat, most of us going for the Pigs Cheeks option. Very good too.

From there a walk back to our hotel, covered over 7 miles today.