A Sunday Drive From Caen To Paris Right Into the Tour de France

We zipped past the Paris Opera House - during the Tour de France.

We slept last night in an Ibis chain motel in Caen with the windows wide open and no screens. The air was just beautiful - no bugs - a mild breeze. Caen is 9 miles from the open sea so the ocean modifies the weather there - making it a tourist mecca in the summer. 


We walked downtown to find a pretty sleepy city of 100,000 people - where could they all be. Right before we were to hop in the car to head to Paris - Lulu caught a glimpse of something off to the side. She must have radar for open air farmers' markets and festivals - because this was the grand daddy of them all. For blocks it weaved through the city - some of the most beautiful produce I have ever seen or tasted. 

After an hour of shopping - and eating - we got on the super highway to Paris. It was supposed to take us two hours to the train station and return the rental car - our Hyundai I-10. I swear it was named after the highway that goes right through Tallahassee.

The super highway was much less congested - we did not run into any traffic jams - and the credit card toll booths were not a bother. We made a rest stop about half way to town - and were startled a bit at the toilet facilities along one of France's most used highways. The best was yet to come though.

West of Paris - the super highway goes through some very long tunnels - I am guessing that they are 2 or 3 miles long. They were long enough for our faithful GPS to lose the signal. Unfortunately - one of our exits was in the tunnel and we missed it without the GPS telling us which way to go. When we came out of the tunnel - we were headed directly toward the Arch of Triumph and the finish line of the Tour de France. We felt like the Griswalds. Our GPS did not know the race was going on - and it was steering us right for the 12 point star intersection that circles the Arch. Surely - the GPS wouldn't send us there. But it kept getting closer and closer. There were bikes all over - lots of scooters - and everyone was wearing yellow t-shirts. 

We wanted to get north and east of the Arch of Triumph and the Champs Elysees - but the GPS kept sending us closer to the action. We ended up driving along the Left Bank of the Seine River - the coupe de grass - we ended up driving right through the arches and into the courtyard of the Louvre. Just 2 days before we had the students there - and now we were driving around just like commuting from home - except we were surrounded by bikes - scooters - buses - and lots of tiny cars - like our Hyundai I-10. 

In a few minutes we got to Gare du Nord - the train station where our London train awaited. We had to circle the station twice before we found the tiny little tunnel where they store the rental cars 6 stories underground. 

Our train left around 7PM Paris time - and we got into London 8PM London time. Really the close to 300 mile trip took 2 hours - with the time zone change. Still 150 MPH was pretty neat - especially going thru all that water. Lulu's students were there and we had so much to gab about on the train - but before we reached the channel tunnel - most of them were in a very relaxed sleep. They left 3 days of energy in Paris. 

Lulu does not drive but she cleans a mean windshield. Note all the fuel choices.

This was an electric car in downtown Caen.

This cathedral was from the time when William the Conquerer lived in Caen.

Some pretty tomatoes in the farmer's market in Caen.

These strawberries looked fantastic and tasted even better. They were the best I ever had. From the streets of Caen.

Lulu can sniff out a street market - downtown Caen - cathedral and fortress.

The cathedral is almost 1000 years old - in the foreground - the latest light rail /bus system.

This scooter guy had a full camper - and someone in the side car. I'll bet they aren't married.  Once they marry - that rig will be the first thing on Craigslist.

This was a toilet at a super highway rest stop. No it is not a urinal - and guess who needed to use it. This picture was taken before I used it.

Riding near the Arch of triumph where the Tour de France was ending.

Lulu snapped these pictures as I circled the Eiffel Tower.

Harry cruising along the Seine.

That is one of the many Seine bridges.

Too bad the bridge was blocked - we had to keep going - we could not get across the river. We had more trouble crossing the Seine than Hitler did.

At least the people in Paris drive on the same side as the people in Tallahassee.

Some equipment trucks from the Tour de France.

Napoleon is buried under that gold dome - I swear he stood up to watch us drive by with the bikes. 

We finally got across the Seine River - now the insane river.

One more obstacle in our way - the Louvre - one time a palace  - made into a museum in the 1800s.

The gate to the Louvre - the last couple that pulled this maneuver lost their heads.

An opening to the north - and to Gare du Nord - the north station

We made it into the Louvre courtyard

That pyramid is the entrance to the museum.

Not the Arch of Triumph - but it was a victory for us -  in the Louvre.

Yes - a north exit from the Louvre - I have a clear opening to our finish line.

The Paris Opera House was in our path.

We made it to the Gare du Nord

Inside the station - that yellow and blue train is our ride to London.