Sunday 15th September 2024

Aki up with alarm at 0400 to meet the gang downstairs and head for Paris with the Meaux rowing crew. I got up at 0630. Packed and descended to find myself alone in the breakfast room this time. Downed a coffee and a couple of mini-pain au chocolat and checked out. Walked across the bridge over the Marne, getting to the railway station in good time to meet Bernadette off her bus. We caught the 0750 train into Paris, then Ligne 7 to Pont Neuf. 

As we got onto the bridge, the rowers were going under the southern half of the bridge, taking them on a counter-clockwise route around the Ile de la Citie, and Notre Dame, before heading back the 12km to the start line at the Parc Nautique near Pont de Sevres. I was tracking Aki via her mobile phone, and her boat was still four bridges away to the west, so we walked east for a couple of bridges. Here the problems started, since from our new vantage point I could see through my binoculars that the city-bound boats were now being turned around. Unbeknown to us, there was a cut off point, presumably coinciding with the amount of water traffic now heading back to the start. We decided to catch an RER train from Musee d'Orsay, jumping out three stops down-river at Javal and taking up posts on Pont Mirabeau, but too late, as I could see Aki's boat had already gone through. 

We stayed at our posts on Pont Mirabeau, and managed to photograph one of the Meaux boats with David, Lucy, and Piers, who was coxing, aboard. I walked Bernadette back to Javal RER station. As we walked, Aki FaceTimed me from the Parc Nautique, and persuaded me to come meet her there. I waved farewell to Bernadette, and walked back across Pont Mirabeau. 

Found a brasserie near the Metro station and enjoyed a cafe au lait and a pain au chocolate, before heading for Pont de Sevres on the metro. Walking across the bridge, I could see the boats being de-rigged and put back on trailers, in a field adjoining the Parc Nautique buildings and boathouses. I bumped into one of the Meaux rowers, and she guided me through the field of trailers to Aki and the crew, who had just finished loading the last of their three boats onto the trailer...champagne corks were popped, and photos taken, before they all headed for the Parc Nautique office building to pick up their picnic lunch. Aki brought back enough for us to share, sat on the wheel arch of the trailer in the sunshine. She was obviously very peeved not to have gotten around the whole course, but had managed to row past the Statue of Liberty, and the Eiffel Tower, and had very much enjoyed the experience.

The party broke up...we said farewell to the admirable bunch who make up the Meaux team, and went our separate ways after a swift beer in the office atrium. Aki and I walked across Pont de Sevres and made our way to Le Peletier to book into our hotel for the night...almost directly opposite the hotel we had stayed in on Thursday night. Rested in our room, exhausted after the last two days of full-on action. Ventured down the Rue Faubourg for dinner at Le Chartier Bouillon, a 19th century establishment, originally a workers canteen...the food is still pretty cheap. The place was heaving, but we found a table without having to queue. Aki thought she'd ordered a glass of red wine, but it turned out to be a half-bottle of Bordeaux. She was a little tipsy by the time we left. We walked down the Rue Faubourg, taking a detour or two down interesting looking back-streets, eventually winding up on the Pont Neuf. Stunning sunset over western Paris which had attracted a large crowd to the bridge. Walked on to pay our respects to Notre Dame, before heading wearily back to the hotel via Chatelet and the metro. Will sleep well tonight...