We have been in France for a week now and are about to leave the French island of Corsica for the Rhone Alps.
The flight from Sydney to Paris via Singapore was trouble-free. However we had a very busy day upon arrival. We caught the train from the airport to Gare du Nord then transferred to another which took us to Gare de Lyon. Then a brisk 800metre walk to Gare de Bercy. On the way we stopped at a Tabac and purchased tax stamps which were needed for later. The 150km train trip from Bercy to Auxerre was straightforward; we checked into a hotel and then walked across the river to the préfecture where we picked up our new titres de séjour (long term visas) and handed over the tax stamps as payment. Then we hopped onto another train to deposit various items on the barge and pick up some extra clothing. After that, we trained back to the hotel for a low key dinner and some much needed sleep. We had just flown half way around the world, caught five trains and walked 14,500 steps!
The next day, we were on the train again plus a bus to Orly Airport, from where we flew to Ajaccio on the French island of Corsica. We picked up a rental car at the airport and ended up in a pleasant apartment in a very convenient part of the town. We look over the Mediterranean and are only five minutes from shops and restaurants plus a number of historically interesting sites. In the next blog, we will detail some of the things we have seen and done in Corsica.
Best regards,
David and Penelope