Paris - Day One & 'Le Train Capitale'
Monday May 26 2003

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Half way along the exhibition we broke off to walk down the Avenue Winston Churchill to cross the very ornate Pont Alexandre III on our way to visit Les Invalides.

Pont Alexandre III built in 1900 for the 'Exposition Universelle.' The foundation stone was laid by Tsar Alexander III, hence the name. May 26 2003 © Brian Bane

Pont Alexandre III built in 1900 for the 'Exposition Universelle.' The foundation stone was laid by Tsar Alexander III, hence the name. May 26 2003 © Brian Bane

I didn't know it at the time but walking from Pont Alexandre III towards Les Invalides we passed, on our left, the old Ouest Railway Gare de Invalides. The frontage of this now closed underground station are today an Air France office. The RER still has a station at Les Invalides but it is on a new site.

Les Invalides. May 26 2003 © Brian Bane

In this building on the far side of Les Invalides, Église du Dôme, Napoleon's tomb is housed. May 26 2003
In this building on the far side of Les Invalides, Église du Dôme, Napoleon's tomb is housed. May 26 2003

After a bit of lunch in the cafe at Les Invalides we made our way back to the Champs Élysées to pick up where we had left off with 'Le Train Capitale'.

In March 1955 this locomotive, BB-9004, set a world speed record by running at 331 Km/h (205mph). This locomotive is another normally found in the French National Railway Museum in Mulhouse. May 26 2003

In March 1955 this locomotive, BB-9004, set a world speed record by running at 331 Km/h (205mph). This locomotive is another normally found in the French National Railway Museum in Mulhouse. May 26 2003

Around Place de la Concorde a number of new built railcars and refurbished carriages were on show. May 26 2003

Around Place de la Concorde a number of new built railcars and refurbished carriages were on show. May 26 2003

Place de la Concorde, but with no trains on this side ! The Egyptian obelisk weighs in at over 230 tonnes and is over 3000 years old. During revolutionary days approximately 1300 people were guillotined here. May 31 2003

Place de la Concorde, but with no trains on this side ! The Egyptian obelisk weighs in at over 230 tonnes and is over 3000 years old. During revolutionary days approximately 1300 people were guillotined here. May 31 2003

6 euros to visit the inside of the Paris Opera House. It is well worth it !
After a stop for a drink in the Jardin des Tuileries we made our way via Place Vendôme to the Paris Opera House.

The very ornate Paris Opera house. May 26 2003. © Brian Bane

The very ornate Paris Opera house. May 26 2003. © Brian Bane

Inside the Opera house is even more ornate than the outside. This is the 2200 seat auditorium. May 26 2003. © Brian Bane

There was one final destination for the day - Sacré-Coeur. A Metro ride to Château Rouge and a flog up the hill really should have been avoided. If I had read the guide book properly we would have gone to Abbesses and caught the funicular railway up the hill.

Sacré-Coeur stands high on a hill in the Montmartre quarter giving good views over Paris. Work started on construction in 1874 and took until 1914 to complete. © Brian Bane
Sacré-Coeur stands high on a hill in the Montmartre quarter giving good views over Paris. Work started on construction in 1874 and took until 1914 to complete. © Brian Bane

From Sacré-Coeur we walked back to our hotel for a rest before heading out to eat in one of the brasseries near Gare du Nord.

On to day 2 in Paris.

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