This time I changed trains at Lille for my onward journey to Cannes. I had forgotten how long French trains are and the fact the TGV trains are double deckers. I had booked my tickets well in advance through the Rail Europe office in Lower Regent Street. This is highly recommended because whatever you estimate the cost will be after checking prices online, the staff at Rail Europe will always save you more even after taking account of their £8 commission fee. And you can guarantee your window seats too.
The one drawback of large double-decker trains is that while they get up some terrific speeds on the long stretches, they take at least 10 minutes at each stop to get everybody off and on with their cases.
The journey from Lille to Cannes could be described in two ways. The first half travelling through northern France is monotonous with a largely flat, factory-farmed landscape. The south is entirely different with a great deal of variation on the horizon. The only place we went through which looked seriously grotty was Marseille with huge tower blocks of poor standard social housing, and extensive ugly graffiti.
Travelling along the south coast, one saw no evidence of a recession and when I explored both Cannes and Nice on foot during the week, I could find no bordered up shop fronts or other vacant business premises. The main tourist centres were very busy of course and the main restaurants in Cannes were all packed to capacity by 8.00pm.
As a sole traveller this time, I did my usual trick of walking into my restaurant of choice as they opened at 7.00pm. While everyone was friendly and obliging the waiting staff knew that a table for two converted into a table for one is one less cover for the evening, and so my service was often rapid so they could get their table for two ready for service again. Fine food can be fast food when it is in the restaurant's interest!
I had done some research before I went. One restaurant - Mere Besson - had been highly praised by one reviewer, and after my visit on the Monday I could see why. So much so that I planned my last dinner on the Friday to be a return visit. Sadly a stomach bug took a grip straight after Friday lunch and I was confined to my room for the rest of the day. What was even more annoying was the cheery disposition of my hotelier who asked me on the Saturday morning whether I had enjoyed the civic firework display on Friday evening, an event I had slept right through!
Travelling back I was mightily impressed with the time-keeping of my train from Cannes to Paris Gare de Lyon, a journey of 5 hours 10 minutes, which it completed exactly to time. I was also impressed with an announcement at one station when the station staff apologised for a train running 5 minutes late. It wouldn't happen here.
My final journey was from Paris Gare du Nord to St Pancras. What really needs updating is the passenger facilities at the Paris Eurostar terminal. There are too few waiting room seats and the refreshments on offer are pathetic. They are a disgrace given the usual French hospitality standards, and the gents toilets were the worst I have encountered since my childhood.
The train back was only half full surprisingly. Perhaps those that had packed into my outgoing train were staying longer on the continent than my one week.
Back in the flat I had nearly 200 e-mails waiting for me, mostly instantly deletable, but a few will need proper digestion and response.
So I have been there and back and it almost feels like I have not been away at all...
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