Hiking in France - Day 2 (Paris, Marseilles)

July 13th, 2006

Read previous "Hiking in France" posts:
Hiking in France - Day 1 (Paris)

Our second half-day in Paris was meant to cram all the tourism of this huge city into one four-hour capsule. Thanks to our low expectations it actually went fairly well. The metro ride to the Eiffel Tower was painless and we were able to gawk up at that monstrous edifice along with several other thousand people... although fortunately we were not standing in line for an elevator as they all were (the lines were very long).

Our second stop for the day was Notre Dame Cathedral. We toured the inside, which when you think of how it was built and by whom, really is enormous. Unfortunately my rudimentary camera skills quickly broke down in the darkness, so I don't have a real record of the inside. My favorite parts were the artwork displayed in each little "nook" that ran out from the main gallery. After making the rotation we came back outside and stood in line with other tourists for a chance to tour the bell towers. Alas, the line was just a bit too slow and we were forced to abandon our attempt right as our turn came. Instead of imitating Quasimodo we instead shouldered our packs and lugged off to Gare de Lyon to catch our train.

The TGV (high-speed train) from Paris to Marseilles should be considered one of the wonders of the world. My only prior experience with passenger trains was the decrepit post-Soviet rail network in Russia, which, when you combine the incessant "clank-clank" of the cars bouncing over uneven tracks with the stifling closeness of the cabins, make for one of the least desirable long-distance travel options in Europe. The French system was exactly the opposite. The train pulled out of Gare de Lyon with hardly a sound and began speeding along the silent rails so quickly it was barely noticeable. I'm told that the TGV attains speeds of 200 mph (320 km/h) for inter-city runs. I'll take that over an American freeway any day!

Marseilles was what I think of as a typical Mediterranean city: hot, crowded, and a bit on the dusty side. In fact when we arrived the main boulevard running from the train station down to the water was being completely torn up to install new tram lines. The city was packed with pedestrians, all weaving their way through thousands of cars, buses, and jackhammer-weilding construction crews. As in Paris, people-watching in Marseilles was fun but for different reasons. Rather than the masses of chic black-dressing haut culture Parisiennes, we were paraded with an endless stream of North Africans dressed in Islamic garb, intermingling with tanned French women sporting summer dresses and curly-chested men with wide open collars.

The evening was spent relaxing in Marseilles' excellent waterfront park. Families were out en masse to enjoy the sunshine playing with their children. This was something I was surprised to find in France but shouldn't have been in retrospect. I'd always thought of the French as a culture that valued adulthood over childhood. When you consider things like the obsession with food and wine, dining out, wearing the latest fashions and driving shiny little Euro sportscars, that might make sense. However, as we penetrated below that stereotype we found the French to be very family-oriented. The attitude and actions of the French in public witness to a deep love and care for children.

Unlike the crowded conditions in our Paris hostel, the Marseille Bonneveine Auberge de Jeunesse (youth hostel) was a spacious, welcoming place. The complex included a restaurant and common area and was easy to reach by public transportation. The AJ was also within walking distance to the waterfront. Kayla and I stayed in a double room on the second floor and got a well-deserved good night's sleep.

Kayla wrote in our trip journal:

We walked around Paris this morning and saw some gardens by the zoo, took the metro to the Eiffel Tower which was very tall from the ground perspective. Took pictures and then went over to Notre Dame again. Toured inside, waited in line for a tour up to the towers but ran short on time and couldn't go. Took the train to Marseilles from 3:20 to 6:20 and read my book! Evening walk along shore paths in a park--nice weather. We're staying in a nice hostel double room with really bright colors on the walls. Called the kids for two minutes on the phone.