Table of Contents
- Progressing to Paris
- Fascinating France
- The Place
- The Marvels of Montparnasse
- A Day of Tech & Nature
- The Urban Undertaking
- The Retrospective
- The French Finale
- Hurry Homewards
- The Road Ahead
I did not really plan to go anywhere this year, but apparently, fate had other plans for me. Once again, my work takes me exciting places. This time, the trigger takes the form of the VivaTech, an annual technology conference held in...
My team lead proposed and organized that we visit there as a mix of professional development and team event. And so it happens that before long I should find myself...
Progressing to Paris
21-May-2024
Direct train connections to Paris don't run all that often, and as such, it is that I find myself leaving the Fox Loft at the crack of dawn (read: 5:15), and making my way to the S-Bahn station through roads yet dark.
Theoretically, I probably could have taken an S-Bahn or two later, but the first rule about taking the S-Bahn in Munich is "Do not trust the S-Bahn to be on time... or run at all for that matter", so I always plan in a gratuitous buffer whenever punctuality is of significant importance. Even this early in the morning, the S-Bahn is already quite busy, what with it being a weekday today and all.
Thankfully, there are no issues with the S-Bahn at this time, so I soon enough arrive at the Munich central station, which is still undergoing massive reconstruction. At this point in time, the entire entrance lobby has been demolished, and most stalls have been relocated to containers standing in the main hall. Plus there's several new girders just standing around, which will at some point become central to the new design of the main hall. However, with how slow public construction projects go in Germany, I don't think it will be finished within the decade.
Fortunately, any further involvement with ratty German railway infrastructure will be limited to the rails, as my team lead booked our tickets aboard the TGV - France's famous high-speed train (TGV stands for Train à Grande Vitesse "High-Speed Train"). I've actually been fascinated by these trains ever since I was little, and with good reason: These are the fastest trains on earth, with the Project V150 TGV holding the record of a whopping 574.8 km/h! That's airplane-level speeds! Granted, the model that we'll be riding today - a TGV 2N2, also known as the Euroduplex - is a little bit slower, but it can still reach top speeds of 320 km/h.
Regrettably, the impressiveness does not extend to the actual travel experience: Once in our seats, the three of us (Robert, Fabian and I, with Martin and Fabi having already gone to Paris in advance) quickly find that the legroom is rather cramped, which is pretty uncomfortable on a six-hour ride.
Be that as it may, we are now on our way west towards Paris. The German half of the route zig-zags a lot through all the hills and takes us through the cities of Augsburg, Ulm, Stuttgart and Karlsruhe in turn, each of which is a scheduled stop. It takes us roughly four hours to get to the border, immediately after which we have the cultural border city of Strasbourg (which changed ownership quite a few times during its 2000-year-history). Once on French railroad tracks, everything goes much faster, and the TGV proceeds nonstop to Paris past the cities of Metz and Reims, covering the remaining half of the distance in less than half of the time it took for the first half in Germany. That is most likely due to the French railroad system being government-owned, which means that they can invest in straight long-distance lines with tunnels and bridges that help people get around quickly and provide a more environment-friendly alternative to airplanes. If the German side of the network was also this well-built, this whole trip would probably only take 3 or 4 hours.
Ride Duration: 6h
Approximate Distance: 890km
Average Speed: 148km/h
Anyway, having gotten up this early, I didn't have breakfast yet, and only grabbed a Nussschnecke and a Käsebretze from one of the bakeries in the station, which I eat now that I'm safely (if uncomfortably) sitting in the TGV. By the way, at the time of our departure, it's still only 6:45.
As I do, our journey takes its course, first slowly through Munich and the surrounding fields and forests under a gloomy sky, where my camera really liked focusing on the poorly cleaned windows of the TGV instead of the landscape beyond. Near Ulm, there's a bit where the tracks run parallel to the Donau for a while, and then it's fields and forests again until we cross the Rhine next to Strasbourg. After that, we're in France, and you can see the landscape change notably: There's far more fields and far fewer forests around. The TGV has to climb its way out of the great Rhine valley first, but after that it really turns up the speed and shows its full potential: Not only does the landscape fly by, but so do the clouds above, which are notably beginning to break up. It's a mad rush across the hills for the rest of the ride, and before long we're all the way in Paris.
(Click here to view the video in a new tab if this website fails to display it)
By the way, the top speed that our particular train reaches during this rush is very close to its maximum allowable speed: At 318 km/h, we are covering the maximum width of a soccer field in the space of a second!
It is shortly after lunch that we arrive in Paris' Gare de l'Est ("Station of the East"), which is one of Paris' seven terminus stations. Despite its name, it is not the easternmost of the five (that one goes to Gare de Lyon), and it is, in fact, located right next to the Gare du Nord ("North Station").
Depending on where you want to go in France (or even just near Paris), you have to make your way to one specific of these stations. I suppose that's also a way to make sure that there's not too much traffic at any one station.
From there, we still have a good ways ahead of us before we reach our hotel, but before that, we have to get local railway tickets for our stay. Fortunately, there's a solution for that: The Navigo card, which can be used in a variety of ways, including as a weekly ticket. Unfortunately, the procedure to acquire one of these is slightly more complicated than the modern 21st century way of purchasing it in an app or even the second half of the 20th century way of getting it from a machine. Instead, we first have to go to a counter... only to find that it is closed and we have to go to another counter, where we have to wait in line for 20 minutes or so. For some strange reasons, we also need to bring a passport photo (which we were thankfully aware of and prepared in advance), and then we get a do-it-yourself assembly kit consisting of a card, a cardboard sleeve on which we have to stick our photo (at least there's a self-stick area and we don't need any glue, I did specifically bring some too!) and sign, and finally a transparent plastic sleeve to put it all into. Now put that in contrast with the Japanese PasMo/Nimoca/Kitaca cards that you can just pull out of a machine and use.
On the other hand, the glass doors and high-resolution screens on the metro platform are the again very reminiscent of Tokyo.
Anyway, as mentioned before, we are right now at the Gare de l'Est, which is located to the north of the inner city of Paris. Meanwhile, our hotel is located in Clamart to the south, and the way there is not actually all that straightforward. At first, we have some trouble picking out a good connection, and then settle on taking the Metro line 4 to Montparnasse ~ Bienvenüe ("Mount Parnassus ~ Welcome"), walking from there to Gare Montparnasse ("Mount Parnassus Station") - another one of the seven terminus stations of Paris - and then taking the mysterious N line from there.
Inside the metro, we soon realize that these are more akin to underground trams than the underground trains that we have in Munich: For one they are a lot more narrow, but more importantly, the corners they make are rather sharp and sudden, unlike the wide, flowing corners of railway lines, so you have to hold on tight. It is also in this very first trip that I witness something that I haven't seen on all my travels before: A snatch theft! As the train is stopped in a station, a young man rips off an elderly woman's necklace just as the doors start to close, slips out of the closing doors and then inconspicuously walks down the station as the train departs. It all happens so quickly that no one can do anything against it, and few people even notice what exactly happened. For most it looks just like the young man suddenly remembered he needed to get off here and darted outside, but the shocked elderly woman being comforted by the passengers who were sitting or standing right next to her tells a different story.
Shocking, but let us not dwell on that. On a more positive note, it seems that the Paris public transport has taken a bunny as its mascot, because you can see that one everywhere, for example on the warning signs at the doors.
Once at Montparnasse ~ Bienvenüe, we have to pass through roughly half a kilometer of underground walkways to get to Gare Montparnasse. There, I am glad that I've taken my trusty backpack for my luggage, because there's quite a few staircases along the way where not only my co-workers have to carry down their suitcases. Afterwards, there's a long travellator next to which a couple of interesting signs are on display.
And then, we're inside the Gare Montparnasse, where we face our next challenge: Trying to figure out which train to take, and where it departs from. Technically, that should not be that difficult.
However, in actuality, it is anything but straightforward, starting with the "timetable" which does not list any departure times, and illustrates that apparently the N line branches down into four. Fortunately, our stop is just two stops down the line, before it starts its forking nonsense.
Even so, I have to resort to asking, and although I don't speak more than a few words French, my international travelling aptitude is by now big enough that I can at least ascertain that one train that we were unsure about entering does, in fact, not run to Clamart after all. Eventually, my co workers (with some help from Google) figure out how things work here: Apparently, in France the departure times and platforms of local trains are not fixed, and the conductors simply ad-lib everything. So what people do is stand in designated waiting areas in front of screens, waiting until the departure time and platform of a train running where they want to go is announced...
...and then a throng of people heads over to the platform in question all at once. Great if you're a herd animal, but personally, I much prefer the Japanese version of having everything meticulously planned out in advance - or even the German version of at least trying to plan out everything in advance - over the French approach of simply giving up.
Anyway, this train is finally a real train, with plenty of space and legroom, and actually pretty modern equipment. It also features not four but five seats in each row, which works due to both the seats and the hallway being a bit more narrow.
Two stops later, we arrive at the Clamart station, where we can already see our hotel on the other side of the tracks.
Unfortunately there is no way across the tracks. Instead, we have to exit the platform via a bridge towards the far side of the tracks, then take a tunnel beneath the tracks, and then - because of construction - navigate around a whole (and actually kinda big) city block until we can finally reach our hotel, turning what could have been a 50m hop into a 1km walk. I am now not even two hours in France and I am already beginning to associate "French" with "cumbersome", should I be worried?
Anyway, I suppose the upside of this is that we're getting to see some admittedly pretty beautiful French buildings along the way, although I note that there seems to be a lot of construction going on around here, and incredulously, despite there being so many construction sites around, I see even fewer workers doing any actual work on them than in Germany.
With me being a seasoned traveller at this point, and quite used to carrying a fully-loaded backpack over large distances, walking this distance is not a problem. Not so for my two co-workers, who in addition to being less used to that also have to deal with navigating their nifty rolling suitcases over cobblestone sidewalks and whatever else construction works throw their way. As such, they are much, much more happy than I when we finally arrive at our hotel at the end of this last detour.
Having finally arrived in the hotel, I suppose this makes this a good time to share a few facts about...
Fascinating France
France is without a doubt one of the most defining countries of Europe. Not only is it the world's most popular tourist destination with over 100 million foreign visitors each year, at 550,000 km² of territory, it is also the third-largest country in Europe after the Ukraine and Russia (counting only area on mainland Europe for all). Add to that its rich history - such as the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars - and its 53 UNESCO world heritage site and add a pinch of Disneyland and Côte d’Azur ("Azure Coast") each, and you have a country without equal in the whole wide world. It is also one of the only two European countries bordering both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
Within France, we are within the Île-de-France ("Island of France") region, which is the beating heart of France, holding over one sixth of its population (12 of 68 million) on less than 5% of its total area (12,000 of 640,000 km²). This is a reflection of France's historic centralist design, remnants of which are still visible today, for example in the radial nature of the French railway network. Anyway, in terms of size Île-de-France is about as big as the little-known pacific island country of Vanuatu, while in terms of population it is close to Bolivia. Forming the ratio of the two nets us a population density of almost exactly 1000 people per km², which is a little less than Bangladesh.
And the heart of that heart is, unsurprisingly, Paris. Housing "only" 2 million people within its proper city limits, it is actually one of the smaller capital cities of Europe, netting only seventh place after Moscow, London, Berlin, Madrid, Kyiv and Rome. However, that comparatively low ranking is mostly owed to the fact that the area of Paris taken into account for that ranking is relatively small, and covers only the historic inner core of the city, an area roughly 10km across. If you use the Grand Paris metropolitan area as a reference (which is comparable in size to the other capital cities), then the population increases to 7 million, and its ranking jumps up from 7th to 3rd place. Immediately next to Paris are three so-called "departments", which I'd intuitively consider to be part of the city of Paris: Seine-Saint-Denis to the northeast, Val-de-Marne ("Valley of Marl") to the southeast, and Hauts-de-Seine ("Tops of the Seine") covering the hills responsible for the Seine's meandering course to the west. Incidentally, that last one is also where our hotel is located, roughly 2km away from the border of central Paris.
Now, with the broader geographical context having been taken care of, let's continue with...
The Place
The hotel we're staying in the Ibis Styles Clamart, which is one of over 600 hotels in a chain of budget hotels, which - as the name suggests - focus on stylish designs. And with "budget" I mean "only roughly four times as expensive as a comparable Airbnb". And with "stylish designs" I mean "look at this fancy graffiti outside the door".
Well, actually, they really do put a lot of focus on the style. For example, the lobby also features a mural that is both stylish and convenient, as it depicts the most important railway(?) routes in and around the city...
...and the breakfast buffet has its own cosmopolitan flair, featuring wishes for a pleasant breakfast in a variety of languages, including German, English and also Japanese.
But now to the most important part of the hotel: My room. I've got a room of my own, which is located in the souterrain and has a bed that is easily big enough for two. Also take note of the stylish mural here which continues the Ibis Styles promise.
It also features an... uh... "balcony?". I am actually not sure what to call this, given that it is actually located below the sidewalk level, but still gives me access to fresh air, should I desire it. Regardless of what you want to call it, it gives me a good view of the Montessori nursery across the road.
One thing it has over most Airbnbs is that my room has its own bathroom, which I suppose is a little plus.
What it sadly lacks, however, is a laptop-friendly workspace, and so I have to improvise a little.
Aaand, it is also one of these instances of design-failure places that just beg for you to lock yourself outside the room, because in order to enable the electricity in the room you have to insert your key card into a card holder by the door. Who even thinks of something hare-brained like that? During my three nights at this place it happened twice that I just barely remembered that my card was still stuck inside that blasted thing upon exiting and only just managed to push the auto-closing door open again before it locked me outside. Seriously, if they absolutely have to make such a thing, then they should design it in such a way that it is impossible to exit your room while the card is still stuck inside!
The power outlets meanwhile are more on the interesting side: Instead of the usual sockets, they feature surfaces at level with the wall that you can push inside if you want to plug in a device.
Back outside my room, there's a Yu Call button at the reception that you can press if you require assistance...
...and the breakfast isn't half bad either, offering a variety of different dishes, along with a fruit press for your daily dose of fresh orange juice.
Now, with our stay place covered, and our luggage off our collective backs, my co-workers and I agree that there's still enough time left in this day to go out and enjoy...
The Marvels of Montparnasse
Before anything else, my first order of business is getting some food, as it is now already 15:00 and I still haven't had lunch yet. A small stray through the neighborhood reveals that there are not all that many food options around, but we do find an interesting-looking fast food place called Chicken Story, where I am able to secure a tasty burger with some fries.
Afterwards, we decide to venture out into the cultural district of Montparnasse that we simply passed through on our way to the hotel and check that out. And since the train goes only once per hour or so, we take one of Paris' fancy new electric buses to get there.
Incidentally, by now we have met up with our team lead Fabi, who has been here once before and wanted to show us this particular area. This should really just be a short walk - little more than 1km in length - starting from the Froidevaux-Gassendi bus stop, going north through the Cimetière du Montparnasse ("Mount Parnassus Cemetery"), and then west along the street to Montparnasse-Bienvenüe.
As we pass through a walled boulevard cutting through the Cimetière du Montparnasse, we get our first taste of how the weather should be during the remainder of our stay here, and that is very fickle. Essentially, it is a very New-Zealandic "feeling lucky?" sort of climate, where the sun is out and shining one moment, and then five minutes later its raining.
One thing that I should soon come to see as very French are the interesting house facades: For example, this one is made from rough-hewn stone, with the exception of a fissure made of red bricks that widens towards the top until it becomes a set of chimneys.
On the far side of the cemetery, there is a pedestrian traffic light that was apparently specifically built to troll German tourists like us, because who else would wait at a red traffic light across a road that is blocked off by a closed gate?
Anyway, we soon find ourselves in the heart of Montparnasse, with its historic buildings, never-ending store fronts, and the great Tour Montparnasse ("Mount Parnassus Tower") in the background.
The Boulevard du Montparnasse is particularly interesting, because it features an interesting way to separate its six lanes: The leftmost and rightmost two lanes are for car traffic, while the middle two lanes are for buses and bicyclists, making it effectively a huge bicycling lane in the middle of the road, separated by curbstones from the other lanes. Now there's a good idea!
Eventually, we are drawn into a Café by the name of La Ruche ("The Hive"), and I mean that quite literally: Because with four people we were hesitating a lot where to go for dinner until it started raining again and a shrewd waiter ushered us to a table.
There, wanting to go for something authentic, I go for the Sausage du Touluse, which is not bad. It also comes with a basket of tasty fries, which makes this the second time I've had fries with a meal here today. I think I'm beginning to understand why they are called French Fries.
Afterwards, we take the metro line 12 to get back. The trains of this one are I think a little bit wider, but it's still pretty cramped and makes sharp tram-turns along its route.
Inside the train, I also notice something that none of my colleagues sees, and with good reason: It's a tiny network plan of the Paris metro and tram network (as far as I can tell), only about 15x15cm in size. Good luck reading anything on there, especially with how hard the metro is shaking!
Now, the reason why we didn't take the metro on our initial approach to the hotel is quite easy: The closest metro station - Mairie d'Issy - is still over a kilometer away from the hotel.
And that distance is also mostly uphill, which is a lot less bothersome now that we've already dropped off all our luggage at the hotel. That is another thing I am just in the middle of learning about Paris: Unlike Munich, which is mostly flat, Paris is a pretty hilly city, especially the part where our hotel is located.
Right now, the weather is also pleasant again, which makes this a nice walk, and once again we also pass by houses with very nice old facades.
Also, Paris apparently has these really futuristic-design recycling containers for bottles and cans.
We get back to the hotel by 19:00, which is still relatively early, but considering how I've gotten up at 3:30 this morning and barely caught any shuteye in the TGV, I'm pretty beat by this point. As such, it isn't long before I go to bed that evening. After all, today was only the arrival, and the main events of this journey start tomorrow, which should turn out to be...
A Day of Tech & Nature
22-May-2024
After breakfast, the five of us (Martin has now also joined us) get together to discuss our plans for today. They all involve going to the VivaTech for the biggest part of the day, but everyone also agrees that we want to spend some of our time sightseeing. Today, this should mostly be done separately, starting right with the decision of how we get to the VivaTech: While the others are happy with walking the 1.4km back to the Mairie d'Issy station and taking the metro from there, I for my part decide that I want to walk to the VivaTech, which is actually only about 10 STEPs away from the hotel, and as such within extended walking distance. Sure, it'll definitely take me longer, but in exchange I'll get to see something of the city along the way, and for me, that's worth it. So, while the others head back to the metro station, I for my part am up for some...
Park Parcouring
Distance: 4.0kmAscents: 30m
Duration: 1.0h
0/2🎁︎
The most direct route to the Porte de Versailles ("Versailles Gate") expo - where the VivaTech is being held - would actually be less than twice the distance to the Mairie d'Issy station, but the way that I take is a little bit more scenic and thus longer. First, I head northeast to and through the Parc Frédéric Pic and then continue that way past the Square Etienne Jarrousse. There, I head a bit north as the sprawling expo grounds necessitate, and then west until I reach the entrance to those two pavilions of the complex that are actually occupied by the VivaTech.
For the first part, I make my way through some suburban streets...
...where I unexpectedly come across a perfectly unafraid magpie perched atop a fence post. In French, by the way, these birds are called simply "pie". Isn't it just a cutie-pie?
Incidentally, some roads here are so steep that they eventually just give up and turn into stairs.
I also come across an E-Bike hub, complete with charging stations, which is something that I would like to see in Munich as well.
Next, I make my way through aforementioned Parc Frédéric Pic, which is a nice and green place that can be enjoyed by humans and felines alike.
Interestingly, this park also runs a policy of gradual reforestation by planting 11 new trees for every 10 trees that die in the park (or have to be removed because of safety concerns).
Right outside the north gates of that park, there's a quite unusual boulevard which features a sidewalk in the middle between two one-way car lanes.
A little bit further down the road, I come across the Place de la République ("Square of the Republic"), which not only features a little merry-go-round, but is also located right next the Église Saint-Remy de Vanves ("Saint Remy Church of Vanves").
After that, I ascend another hillside by means of a street that takes me past the Sushi Ba...
...and then walk past the Place du 8 Mai 1945 ("Square of the 8th of May 1945"), celebrating the date of Nazi Germany's surrender at the end of the second World War.
My path then takes me into a courtyard, where I come across an interesting structure. Fortunately, I did already come across something with the same function (albeit of much different design) all the way back in New Zealand (see Book I ~ Chapter 26 ~ The Opotiki Opportunity), so I know that the purpose of this structure is to make bicyclers get off and push their bikes through, and to make sure there's absolutely no way you can just ride through no matter how skillful you are.
What lies on the other side of that barrier is much less of a courtyard and more of a court wood, a veritable jewel box of trees, bushes and flours, surrounded on all sides by the artificial stone cliffs that are houses at least nine stories tall. And this hidden gemstone has a name: The Place des Provinces ("Square of Provinces").
Why, this little hidden park even features its very own dedicated doggy toilet. Now there's another thing I haven't seen yet in all of my travels!
By the way, up until now, I've still been in the Hauts-de-Seine district. It is only at the Place des Insurgés de Varsovie ("Warsaw Uprising Square") that I finally cross over into Paris proper.
At this point, I am already at the gates of the Porte de Versailles Expo. Unfortunately, that one's the back gate, and the expo is almost a kilometer across as its widest, with the VivaTech naturally being located at the far end, so I still have a little bit of walking to do.
That's no problem for me though, especially since it means that along the way I come across... whatever in the name of Dragon that is supposed to be.
Walking down the Boulevard Lefebvre, I get to see my first tram in Paris, which looks a lot more modern than the metro. It is also quite long with 7 cars in total. By contrast the longest trams in Munich feature only 4 cars.
After that, I finally reach the gates of the expo, and judging from the number of people here it's going to be quite a busy event.
With that, my first stray for today comes to an end, but I should do plenty more walking on the VivaTech, where I should soon see the...
Mirokai & More
So, here I am, at the gates of the VivaTech, Europe's biggest startup and tech event, featuring hundreds of speakers, thousands of exhibitors, and hundreds of thousands of visitors. Incidentally, most of these seem to be in front of me... I would say "in line", but there's not really a line here. It's more of a scuffle all the way to the gate.
Despite the large number of people, it only takes me roughly 15 minutes to get inside though since the procedures are pretty streamlined, and I also did print out my digital pass in advance. By contrast, I should later learn that some of my co-workers had much more trouble, since they only brought the digital version of their passes and the on-site printer had a technical malfunction. Now here's my personal impression of how that played out:
"Sooo, you are Europe's biggest tech event..."
>"Yeeeeeeeeeeesssss???"
"And you've only got one printer?"
>"...well, if you weren't smart enough to print out your digital pass, then doom on you!!!"
>>"Doom on you! Doom on you!!!"
Anyway, potential entrance troubles notwithstanding, it is once I'm inside the main pavilion that the VivaTech really starts to shine... quite literally.
In fact, there's so much going on here that it is quite stunning, both in terms of visuals and volume, so one of the first things I do is take the escalator to the upper level to help me get at least a little bit of an overview of the many, many stalls here. And all that is just Pavilion 1!
(Click here to view the video in a new tab if this website fails to display it)
And in addition to that hall, there's still the impact bridge, which is wholly dedicated to tech innovations that focus on making a tangible and beneficial contribution to the environment and society...
...beyond which lies Pavilion 2, which is a lot smaller, but still cramped full of yet more stalls.
But one thing after another. First, here's the floor plan of this massive event, with Pavilion 1 to the right, the smaller Pavilion 2 to the left, and the Impact Bridge connecting the two.
Now, if I tried to cover everything I saw on this expo in detail, we'd still be here by the time the next VivaTech opens its doors. Instead, I'll just focus on the things that particularly stood out to me, such as Bioteos, who work on purifying the air of urban indoor spaces using micro algae...
...or these fancy holographic LED fans that are able to make it appear as though an image is projected into thin air, and animated images too! In fact, I tried taking a video of them, but unfortunately the frame rate of my camera in conjunction with that of the fans caused the images to be cut into eights in the recordings.
However, the most eye-catching exhibit is clearly that of enchanted tools. That stall - which is strategically located at the point where everyone coming across the impact bridge enters Pavilion 2 - is always surrounded by a thick crowd of people, and not only because of its fancy design.
No, the main reason why it manages to impress is its cure anthropomorphic and slightly furry Mirokai robots which are constantly on display... except for when they're under maintenance, which is actually quite often. It's very obvious that they're still under development, but with how much attention they're grabbing, I have no doubt that Enchanted Tools will be able to secure enough investors to perfect them.
(Click here to view the video in a new tab if this website fails to display it)
They also have cheap but adorable paper Mirokai ears as free giveaways, and of course I just have got to get a pair of these!
Apart from the exhibition, there are also a number of stages where experts talk about all sorts of technology-related stuff (this one is Stage 4, by the way), such as risk-management and best practices, such as for example communicating clearly and openly when you've had a data breach, because attempting to cover it up will never truly work, and only end up costing you way more trust in the end.
Come lunchtime, I head out to the food court, meeting with the others as we try to figure out how this works. There, they have a "Fo Cood Urt", which describes a long line of stalls that only accepts digital orders placed via a site to which a QR code links, and which requires you to pay by credit card. The sad thing for a technology conference is that the Free WiFi does not reliably extend all the way out here, so to order you either need to use your mobile data or go back inside. Also, the website is not very well done for a food site, lacking pictures of the food for reference, and sometimes also not having any English translations. After that, you have to wait for an indefinite amount of time in front of the stall until your name is called out and you get your bag. Not really what I'd call high-tech, but definitely very French!
Not finding any stall that sells something particularly French, I go for some Chinese dumplings instead, which come with a bowl of rice and are not bad.
After lunch, I stray around the Viva Tech some more, finding the international corner, where companies from all over the world congregate under the banner of their country...
...as well as some regional stalls from Germany, the message sent by which is dubious as best, because nothing quite says "High-Tech" like the Bavarian stall with its presenters in Lederhosen and giant inflatable Pretzels. Or maybe rather go for the Saarland, Germany's hidden champion? Let's see, maybe the chairman of superstars anonymous is around here as well?
Moving on to more interesting stuff, there's the quad bots of Unitree, which are quite impressive in their dog-like motions, and while not as cute seem to be a lot more sophisticated than the Mirokai. In fact, those are already used for evacuation missions, and the big one is strong enough to carry an adult human as the exhibitor was happy to demonstrate (though I didn't manage to capture that moment).
(Click here to view the video in a new tab if this website fails to display it)
I also come by Stage One, the One Stage to rule them all, and looking at the queue in front of it I quickly decide that it's not even worth checking what panels will be held there, because the chance of me getting in there is approximately zero.
And honestly, what is the point of spending my time waiting in line if I can just walk around and see something interesting at any one of the little open stages, such as the Pitch Studio where presently an university startup with the name of Think Nature (from Japan, by the way) is propagating their solution for identifying ecological problem areas by using AI.
But it doesn't always have to be high-tech end results: Sometimes the product is surprisingly mundane, even if the methods involved are innovative, such as these paper bags and cardboard boxes that are made from fallen leaves! How come no one ever thought of making use of this seasonally abundant resource before?
The last thing I see at the VivaTech today is this futuristic looking helicopter, which I assume is supposed to function as an air taxi. It looks ready to lift off at any minute, and it would have been so cool if they had let it hover a bit every now and then. However, disappointingly, all you get to do is take a look into the cockpit, and even that only if you're willing to wait in line for quite a while.
After that, I take my leave from the VivaTech for today in order to spend the remainder of the afternoon...
Meandering Meudon
Right in front of the VivaTech, there's a colorful array of barriers and construction fences and how in the name of Dragon do I get to the metro entrance?
Eventually, I find my way down into the slightly unusual Porte de Versailles metro station. What makes this one so interesting is that while it has three platforms, they are not all succinctly aligned with one another. Rather, the third track is offset by roughly half a platform's length, and has its own semi-separate "tunnel", while at the same time the trains coming from there drive along a third track running in parallel to the platform for the other half of the length. I'm sure there's a very French reason for that.
Anyway, since I want to focus what time I have on covering new ground, I take the metro to the terminus of Mairie d'Issy, which is where this stray begins in earnest. First, I head southwest for a few kilometers, making my way through cityscapes and parks, until I reach the main area of my stray for today: The Forêt Domaniale de Meudon ("State Forest of Meudon"). There, I continue my trajectory until the top of the Tapis Vert ("Green Carpet"), and then head north towards the Bellevue station, making a bit of a detour towards the west along the way in order to stay within the forest a bit longer.
Distance: 11.0kmAscents: 250m
Duration: 1.0h
2/5🎁︎
For starters, I make my way through the streets of the Issy-les-Moulineaux ("Issy-on-the-Mills") neighborhood, the name of which reflects on how this area once featured many watermills along the run of the Seine. However, today's stray should not take me anywhere near Paris' famous river.
Before long, I come across my second Place du 8 Mai 1945 today, which is only 1.8km away from the last one. Well, at least they're in different neighborhoods (the last one having been in Vanves). I wonder if every neighborhood has one of these.
Just beyond that lies the entrance to the elongated Parc Henri Barbusse, which starts out with a climb that would be no fun by bike, followed by a long boulevard of trees.
Regrettably (or maybe thankfully) it does not go up high enough to offer a good view of the city below. However, something that is blatantly obvious is the threatening sky above. Believe it or not, I specifically picked today for my stray because of all days it had the best forecast. Even so, the weather is still very "Feeling Lucky?" today, and I should yet get wet.
It is here that I come across a construction site of the ambitious Grand Paris Express metro construction project. Started in 2013, this huge project includes the extension of two metro lines, as well as the creation of 4 completely new lines. A total of 200km of new tracks (mostly tunnels) will be added, 68 new stations constructed, and all of that by 2030! That's over 11km of tunnels and 4 new stations being built ever year for 17 years! By contrast, the very embarrassing project of the Deutsche Bahn to build a second trunk line in Munich - which is also scheduled to last 17 years - only adds 10km of track and three new stations. Can we maybe fire the Deutsche Bahn and instead get whoever the French have in charge of their railroad system please?
As a result of that construction, the park exit is a little bit improvised, but hey, whatever works!
After that, I make my way through the Rue Emile Duployé - named after the author of the Duployan shorthand technique, a stenography technique that widely used in France in the early twentieth century - where I also come across an unusual house that has little stone dogs and windmills on its outer walls.
This road terminates at the railway trench, which is where the N-Line from Montparnasse cuts through the terrain. In fact, I arrive just in time to capture one of the hourly trains passing right under (but not in time enough to get to the middle of the bridge before I have to press the shutter).
Things get progressively more interesting on the other side, starting with more idyllic cobbled facades...
...continuing with a dispenser for Canisacs beneath a very intuitive "one way road except for bikes"-sign...
...and finally ending with a sudden rain shower that makes me glad I've wisely chosen to wear gear with Lv2 rain resistance for today.
Fortunately, the shower doesn't last for too long, and by the time I reach the Forest of Meudon, it has stopped raining again.
In fact, even while I'm still walking the initial paved road deeper into the forest, the sun sheepishly comes out behind the clouds again.
Before long, the paved road gives way to a wide dirt road...
...and with all the rain of the last few days, it does not come as a surprise that this dirt road soon enough turns into a mud road, which makes my advance just a little bit more complicated.
Eventually, the road reaches the top of an incline that looks precisely like a landslide recently took place here. At any rate, trying to go down here - especially with the ground being this muddy - would be a daring act even by my standards.
Having passed my lunacy check for once, I manage to find another path that is both smaller and less muddy, and also takes me down the incline at a less challenging gradient.
At the bottom, I come across what might be a forest camp built by children...
...and then it's up the other side again, through what kinda seems to be more of a little riverbed than a path.
However, eventually I manage to find my way back to a proper big forest road again...
...which I subsequently follow all the way to the top of the Tapis Vert. This historical garden dates back to the 17th century, where it extended south from the Château de Meudon (which was destroyed in the french revolution, rebuilt, destroyed again in the French-German war of 1871, and now is partially rebuilt as the Paris Observatory). It was eventually abandoned, and only restored in 1942, albeit not in its full former glory. However, it is still impressive, and since it extends right into the Avenue du Château on the other side, that means there's an axis all the way to the Bellevue station here.
By the way, there is an unusual type of animal that makes the Meudon forest its home. I've caught glimpses of individual members on my way thus far, but haven't been able to get a good shot... until now as I stray down the side of the Tapis Vert: Chipmunks! Specifically, Siberian Chipmunks. As you can tell by the name, they are not native to these parts, and yet these cute critters clearly thrive here. They actually came to Europe via South Korea, where they were bred and sold as exotic pets, some of which escaped into the wild. A total of 200,000 animals were sold and shipped to Europe before the EU classified them as invasive animals in 2016, officially banning any further imports.
Eventually, I arrive at the Étang de Trivaux ("Trivaux Pond"), the first of several ponds located in the forest of Meudon.
There, I am able to observe a pair of grand cormorants perched just above the waterline, as well as a pair of coots and their chicks swimming in the water. In French, those are called "Grand Cormoran" and "Foulque Macroule" respectively.
Not far from there, the perfectly hexagonal Étang de Chalais is located ("Chalais Pond"). Unfortunately, there's no way for me to get into it from here. My best guess is that it is attached to the nearby Hangar Y art gallery and restaurant or something.
Moving on, I next pass by a roundabout featuring a wireframe airship overgrown with plants...
...and then make my way into the woods once more.
Before long, I reach the Étang de Meudon ("Meudon Pond") - my final pond for today...
...the trees near which are interestingly adorned with photos of many local animals.
Moving north from there should end up with me having to navigate some really muddy paths...
...so I am quite grateful when I finally get the opportunity to turn on a more solid path...
...which eventually takes me back to a proper road again.
Though out of the woods, I am still atop the heights of Meudon, which means I get a pretty good view on the skyline of the metropolis below. Specifically, these skyscrapers are located in the La Défense neighborhood of the northwestern part of the Hauts-de-Seine district.
Incidentally, I can also see the Eiffel Tower from here. Since I was already at the top the last time I was in Paris (when I visited Disneyland with my father as a little kid), I decided I didn't need another go of that this time around. By the way, at this point I am roughly 130m above the base of the Eiffel Tower, which puts me a little above it's second level.
One downhill jaunt later, I arrive at the very long and straight and green Avenue du Château, which forms the counterpart to the Tapis Vert in the hills of Meudon.
At the end of the Avenue du Château, I find another junction with something on its middle isle. This time it's a telescope, befittingly pointed towards the Paris Observatory.
Eventually, I reach the Place du Souvenir Français, which has nothing to do with actual souvenirs. Rather, this is the French Remembrance Square.
And right beneath that place, there's the Bellevue station, where I am pleased as punch to see that one of the hourly trains is just about to arrive. With how much walking I've already done today, I really didn't feel like adding the 4km back to Clamart on top.
Two stops later - after riding the train through the very trench that I crossed over earlier - I arrive in Clamart, where I embark on another short-ish stray in search of some dinner.
That stray should yet take me up and around through the narrow streets of Clamart...
...until I loop back around to where the Chicken Story is located. Near there, there's also a little Restaurant. It's a bit shabby looking, but I suppose it will do.
...except it really won't, because I am informed that they only serve food for lunchtime. So instead I head over to yet another food place in the immediate vicinity (those are kinda clustered here)...
...where I order myself a "Taco" to take back to the hotel, and Dragon was that a good choice! I don't know how much the many miles that I walked today factored into this, but I think this "Taco" was the single most tasty thing I ate in my entire stay in France. And it's quite filling too!
With that, my first full day in France comes to a close. Time to update my maps, and then get some much-needed rest. After all, tomorrow I need to be prepared for...
The Urban Undertaking
23-May-2024
On this second day, I should resolve to do a bit more with my co-workers... at least later in the day. Once again, I want to start out by walking another route to the VivaTech, which this time around should result in some...
Garden Gaiting
Distance: 4.0kmAscents: 20m
Duration: 1.0h
1/3🎁︎ (+2 passed)
Today's approach should be closer to the most optimal route to the VivaTech, taking me mostly north, zig-zagging through the streets as necessary while also taking some small detours in search of Geocaches, before looping around the far side of the VivaTech, thus bringing it into my territory.
I start out making my way through the streets, some of which have pretty narrow sidewalks...
...before reaching the Parc de l'abbé Derry ("Abbot Derry Park"), where people are invited to report garbage via smartphone app. How progressive!
Interestingly, that park borders another park, but instead of a gate or stairs or anything, the two are connected by a ramp running parallel to the boundary. It's actually hard to spot from a distance unless you know it's there or - like me - persistently walk right up to the border in search of a way to get to the other park.
Said other park is the Parc Saint Jean-Paul II - named after the former pope - which naturally also features some Christian motifs within.
Right beyond the gates of that garden, there is a curious narrow street clamped between two walls, and also featuring flowerbeds separating parking bays. Lots of greenery around here.
A little further down the road I come across the hotel that flirts with a false advertising lawsuit...
...and then I reach the Place Paul Vaillant Couturier ("Square of Paul, the Valiant Fashion Designer"), where a whole bunch of electric bikes in charging stations stand ready to be used.
Not far from there is the Église Maronite Saints-Sauveur-et-Maroun d'Issy-les-Moulineaux ("Maronite Church of the Saints Savior and Maroun of Issy-on-the-Mills")...
...which features another very lush garden behind its arching walkways.
Moving on from there, I come across a very admirable bike parking lot, where two car lots have been converted into seven bike lots. Very admirable! There's another thing I'd like to see in Munich.
Approaching the VivaTech, I come across the historic site of Les Caudron, where the two brothers Gaston and Rene Caudron established a flying school in 1911, and later in 1915 a plane factory which produced the Caudron G.4 biplane bombers of WWI. Today, all that remains is a memorial plaque as the old halls have long since be replaced by modern office buildings.
A little further down the road, there's the stereoscopic space invaders underpass (near the parking lot of the Aquaboulevard, a sprawling indoor water park)...
...and then I'm already at the entrance to the VivaTech. Much to my delight, there's not that much of a queue this time around. However, that delight only lasts until I get close enough to realize that this is the entrance for VIPs, speakers, press, investors and others with elevated access rights.
Meanwhile, normal guests such as I need to walk half the width of the expo to get to another entrance, where the usual queues await.
However, it still doesn't take me too long to get inside, and with nothing big planned for today I should have plenty of time to indulge in...
Lego & Lectures
So, here I am once again, teetering at the threshold to this terrific and turbulent technological treasure trove.
Though I did already explore it yesterday, there's still so much more to find, such as the Lego Eiffel Tower and volleyball stadium in the orange section, built from thousands of bricks in dozens of hours. It also features lights that you can light up at the press of a button.
This is not the only Lego exhibit on display on the expo: After looking a little more, I also come across a fully-fledged logistics centre built at 1:80 scale from Lego using over a hundred thousand bricks in over two hundred hours.
And you know what the real eye-catch with this one is? Motion! Because the conveyor belt actually perpetually moves around!
(Click here to view the video in a new tab if this website fails to display it)
Apart from looking at Lego, I should also feature quite an array of lectures today, frequenting different stages as I do so. For example, there's an interesting lecture on Stage 2 talking about how generative AI is nothing to be feared, since it is just another tool, like photography, that will make many things easier, and pave the way for new forms of creativity.
Come lunchtime, I decide to give the "hi-tech" Fo Cood Urt a pass in favor of a food truck at the far end that caught my eye sometime yesterday afternoon. This one promises a genuine french Le Grilled Cheese sandwich with french fries, and although the sandwich looks like something you could just prepare at home, the grilled cheese turns out to be really, really tasty. On the minus side, we have to sit on the concrete pavement for lunch since there's not enough benches or other sitting opportunities around. Great planning, Monsieurs!
Straying around the expo after lunch, I get to ponder whether I'd rather live in the Toyota Woven City, or in the Seamless Post Human City...
...and I also notice a number of convenient Power On-the-Go stations, where you can check out power banks to charge your smartphone with by using a smartphone app. Only problem: If your phone is already dead, it's too late.
Next, my path leads me to Stage 3, where such topics as cyber-security strategies are on the agenda.
I stick around for some of these lectures, but eventually, I've had enough of sitting and listening for one day, and proceed for one last lap of the expo space. During that, I note a number of cute robots (though none near as cute as the Mirokai)...
...as well as some interesting generative art featuring images dynamically morphing into one another. I don't know if those are pre-rendered or generated in real-time, but at the very least I did not notice any repetition while I was watching.
(Click here to view the video in a new tab if this website fails to display it)
And that's it from the VivaTech for today. Leaving the pavilions behind, I notice that the Porte de Versailles expo really is quite busy, because not only is there another conference going on right now at Pavillon 6, but there's also a third expo schedule to start tomorrow, ostensibly at the Pavillons 3 and 4.
Meanwhile, I should now head back to the hotel, making my way through...
Reverse Roads
With my legs still being tired from the great Meudon stray yesterday in conjunction with me walking both to and on the expo both yesterday and today, I decide for myself that it'll be okay if I take the Metro back to Mairie d'Issy and only walk from there. To make up for that, I choose a route that is at least a little bit scenic, arcing towards the east a bit and thus taking me through roads I haven't been through yet.
Distance: 1.6kmAscents: 40m
Duration: 25min
Despite this being technically a suburb of Paris, the roads are still pretty urban. Also, it's uphill almost all of the way to the hotel.
Along the way, I soon come across a burger place that takes escalation very seriously, for the menu contains - among other burgers:
- Cheeseburger (45g steak, cheddar)
- Double Cheese (2x 45g steak, double cheddar)
- Big Cheese (100g steak, double cheddar)
- Mega Big Cheese (2x 100g steak, triple cheddar)
- Super Mega Big Cheese (3x 100g steak, quadruple cheddar)
I also come across another Ibis Styles hotel, this one featuring dynamic pricing displayed on LED displays outside, and while that is kinda fancy, I still can't help but wonder if that has any effect. After all, who in this day and age books his hotel by walking through the streets and comparing prices there?
Something much more progressive is being adverted on the public announcement boards: Turns out that the district of Issy-les-Moulineaux has launched an AI chatbot named Issy GPT focused on answering questions regarding the district. Now that's what I call progressive!
Also, I note that the push buttons for pedestrians' crossings come in many different shapes around here. However, what they all seem to have in common is that the box is black, and the button red.
A little further up the hillside, I come across a road where apparently someone just got sick of all his mobile fences and decided to simply spread them all out along the roadside.
And then, there's this interesting 5-way junction that features quite unusual bike routing. Also, take note of the bike parking lots to the side. How often do you see those in other cities?
Eventually, I reach the very under construction roads of Clamart again, but let's not talk too badly about those. After all, they have BS protection with 24/7 intervention.
Back in the hotel, I take some time to upgrade my trusty laptop Liete with some stickers that I've gotten from the expo, specifically the Mirokai stickers as well as two cute/cool Unifox stickers. Those latter ones are an AI stock trading platform, which is not of particular interest to me, even though they did manage to catch my eye through their choice of mascot.
And then, it is already time to head out for dinner with my co-workers. That should be exciting, because we would get to see some...
Burning Burgers
Distance: 1.6km
Ascents: 40m
Duration: 25min
This stray should include a reasonably short walk to a burger place south of our hotel, followed by me making a postprandial stroll to the west, across the route of my Meudon stray, crossing the railroad trench one bridge further west, and then making a beeline back to the hotel.
As the four of us depart (Fabi, Fabian, Robert and me - apparently Martin did not notice the Power On-the-Go stations on the expo and ended up with a dead phone, and consequently is unreachable right now) the weather spontaneously decides to shower us with rain while we make our way through the streets of Clamart.
It is still raining by the time we reach the restaurant, a place with the melodious name of "Oui Chef!"...
...which not only impresses through its artfully designed interior...
...but also its burgers, which are all about presentation. Naturally, they also come with french fries.
However, the one of us who gets the most impressive burger is Fabian, who daringly ordered Le Flambé, and is rewarded with a burger that is literally on fire.
(Click here to view the video in a new tab if this website fails to display it)
One delightful dinner later, the four of us step outside to find that the skies have cleared up again, which is one of two factors in why I decide to part ways with the others here and go for a little after-dinner stray here, the other being that by doing so I'll be able to close an open wedge in my territory as I connect to the Meudon stray here. Plus this is our last evening in Paris, and I want to make the most of my time here. It may already be 20:00, but with it being late May, there's still plenty of daylight left.
Walking through these roads, I come across all the food places that I was looking for yesterday evening. However, I also take note that most of them are either Italian pizza places or Japanese sushi places. Not much genuine French food around here, it would seem.
Though I'm sure it still beats eating at this place with the the blood-red marquee and inviting name. I wonder if they also serve pain extraordinaire.
Playing right into that same category is this eye-catching billboard, which I really hope is only an advertisement for a musical and not a doomsday prophecy for Saturday the 1st of June 2024.
Moving on to more pleasant things, once again I get to see these beautiful old facades of French houses...
...before crossing back over the railroad trench one last time.
Right next to the railroad trench, there's a row of e-car charging stations, which are labeled with a simple-yet-intuitive pictograph.
On the way back to the hotel, I get to see one last of these beautiful old houses. With its compact nature and many chimneys, this one almost looks like a medieval castle.
The last bit of the way takes me through an array of narrow paths, first one between some gardens and the railroad trench...
...and then the rat run through the construction site, which looks exactly like the sort of path that is normally off-limits. At least by now I've captured enough information to guess that all this construction is probably part of aforementioned Grand Paris Express metro construction project, and that they're probably building one of the 68 new stations right here, right now.
Soon thereafter, I am back in the hotel for one last night. Tomorrow should feature our last day at the VivaTech, followed by our ride home. But before that, it's now time for...
The Retrospective
In typical hotel fashion, I had my own room with a private bathroom. The beds were comfy, the WiFi worked, and by some miracle I also managed to not lock myself out despite the devious lock-yourself-out card holder trap. Breakfast was included, and it was good, but nothing really outstanding either. However, due to the proximity of the railroad, it was quite noisy at night, and I woke up whenever a train rolled passed, interestingly less because of the sound and more because of the vibrations in the ground, which made it feel like a very light earthquake. In terms of location, there were stores and restaurants reasonably nearby, as well as bus stops and a semi-regular train, so I guess that's good. The temperature was also agreeable. As for the price... I am really, really grateful that my company paid this for me, because personally at a price of over 130€ per night I expect Ryokan-style awesome breakfast and dinner included along with hot springs (see Book II ~ Chapter 5 ~ A Trip Together).
So much for that, now on to...
The French Finale
24-May-2024
This should be our final day in France. Following a last breakfast here, I pack up my things, leaving one last empty room behind...
...and then I buckle up, not quite in full gear, but pretty close.
Now, lugging this much stuff around, not even I feel like walking a great distance, and so for once when it comes to getting to the VivaTech today, I choose to follow the lead of the others and...
Fast Forward
So, for once instead of walking from the Mairie d'Issy station to the hotel, I walk from the hotel to the station, which has the clear advantage of this direction taking us downhill.
Along the way we also come across yet another new thing: A solar-powered flashing zebra crossing. Sure, it would probably be better if it also worked at night, but maybe it has a battery?
Once at the station I notice a very odd "Access forbidden" sign at the entrance to the metro. However, no one seems to pay it any heed, so I'm sure it'll be alright... right?
We manage to make it safely into the metro, which at this time is still pretty empty...
...and a short time later arrive at the Porte de Versailles station, which features a curious narrow one-way exit door that all passengers have to squeeze through in single file.
With that, we're already at the VivaTech, where I direct everyone to a third gate that I scouted out yesterday. This one leads straight to Pavillon 2 and is a bit hidden, which also means its not as busy as the other two gates.
Once inside, our first order of business is to temporarily drop off our bags and backpacks at the luggage tent, which is also conveniently located right behind the gate that I scouted out...
...and then its into the fray once again, enjoying one last day of technological marvels. This one should mostly be about...
Robots & Rovers
So, here we are, for our last round of the VivaTech, and once again I just keep stumbling across things that I did not notice before, such as these three-dimensional LED arrays that allow for semi-holographic displays...
...or the Alice & Bob fault tolerant quantum computers that are guaranteed to be save from Eve.
However, the clear focus of today is once again robotics, or more specifically, rovers. For one, there's the DPD delivery rover, which I'm sure is great for getting stuff around flat and level surfaces, but what I'd really like to see is how this thing would go about delivering a parcel to my Fox Loft, which is located on the second floor of an old house.
(Click here to view the video in a new tab if this website fails to display it)
Then, there's this company planning on making really futuristic-looking hover cars...
...and another one that features a car that is of older design, but clearly has more personality. I suppose making things that blink is a bit of a theme this year.
By the way, if cars are not for you, then maybe this guy can interest you in some green backpack technology.
I also go on a few last panels today, though these ones turn out to be less informative about technology and more people trying to advertise their companies...
...and before long it's lunch time. Rather than trying to make my way through the main throng, I take a "back road" to the side of Pavillon 1 that is relatively quiet...
...making my way to the Fo Cood Urt, where I order a tasty Thai noodle bowl with shrimps. This time around I take a pass on eating on the ground, and instead carry it all the way into Pavillon 1 where I marked down some sitting opportunities near some open stages that I now take advantage of. As an added advantage, I can also look around as well as sift through some fliers as I sit there and eat, but it turns out I didn't pick an all-too-interesting spot there.
By now, it feels like I've found most of the interesting things on the VivaTech, but as I go around on one last stray, a little rover from Blue Frog crosses my path, and although it is not at all shaped like a frog and the amount of blue in its design is homeopathic at best, it is still very cute, and also kinda impressive how it manages to proactively roam around without getting trampled by the constant stream of visitors.
(Click here to view the video in a new tab if this website fails to display it)
After that, I'm really done. It's been a rush of information, and my brain is pretty full, and although I probably won't use most of what I've seen an learned here in my daily job, it was still very educational on a high level. But for now it's enough, and so I check out my bags from the luggage tent and leave the VivaTech behind for good.
With that, all that's left now is getting back home to Munich, and that journey begins with me...
Getting to the Gare
It is now 13:15, and our train back doesn't depart until 15:45, so I still have a bit of time to kill. Earlier today, we all decided to go our separate ways and meet up at the station, and I for my part still have to get some souvenirs from Paris. Also, I haven't taken an actual tram here yet, and with one line running right in front of the Porte de Versailles, I decide to tick that off my list first, taking one of the very modern trams... uhh... generally east. At this point I don't have a very concrete plan where to go yet.
Though generally the same size as the metro, I find that the tram is much more modern. It also features a sign that would probably have been helpful in that first metro.
Checking the route map as I go, I decide to get off at the Porte de Vanves (apparently this tram line runs along the course of the old city wall), where I notice yet another Sushi restaurant.
From there, I take the M13 north, and heading down into the metro station I notice that this one must be quite old: Not only is the platform kinda narrow, but the displays are quite inflexible in what they can display.
The inside of the metro reflects this, as not only are the chairs pretty old-fashioned (yet still in good shape), but the route display is also "hard-coded", featuring a board of a fixed route with inset lights for every station. Also note that this metro line actually branches halfway through, with half the trains going to Saint-Denis, and the other going to Asnières Gennevilliers. For my purposes, both are equally valid options though.
In one of the stations along the way, I notice an old cabin for station attendees that has been repurposed into a sort of cultural mini-exhibit...
...as well as several new cute rabbit mascot advisories, some of which are even understandable without any French language skills.
My next destination is the Montparnasse station, where I first spend some time navigating through the maze of underground passages that I last traversed on the day of our arrival...
...and guess which of the countless exits I end up taking completely by chance? It's the one in front of the La Ruche, where we ate on our first evening in Paris, and through which we entered the metro on our way back to the hotel. What are the odds?
Anyway, souvenirs. Fabi suggested looking at a shopping center, and Martin actually went to one in search of souvenirs. Meanwhile, with me being an experienced traveler, I know just where to look for souvenir stores: Near tourist hotspots. I was prepared to check out a few, but it turns out I was dead-on with Montparnasse on the first try, as I run into a souvenir stall not even 50m away from where I emerged, and am subsequently able to secure my traditional keychain and magnet souvenirs.
By now, it's 13:45, and I still have two hours until the train departs. That would in theory be enough to walk the 5km from here to the Gare de l'Est and have time to spare for some detours, but... I'm still carrying all of my luggage, and I already passed on walking a shorter distance than that carrying all of it this morning, so... time for a lunacy check!
Aaand, I fail! So here we go, doing a fully-burdened stray from Montparnasse through the heart of Paris and to the Gare de l'Est. And because this clearly was a critical failure, I'm not even taking the direct route, but making a detour over the Jardin du Luxembourg ("Garden of Luxembourg").
Distance: 6.0kmAscents: 20m
Duration: 1.5h
So, off I go through the bustling streets of downtown Paris, with all its iconic house-fronts bristling with balconies and frescoes.
Before long, I reach the Jardin du Luxembourg, which I enter through the Porte Fleurus. Originally built in 1611 at the command of Marie de' Medici, the widow of Henry IV, it owes its name to the fact that it was built on the grounds of the Hôtel du Luxembourg, which the queen regent purchased. A palace, fountain and iconic gardens were then built, which persist to this very day, as does the name, which leads to the potentially confusing situation of Paris having a Luxembourg metro station nearby. Incidentally, if you take the TGV, the travel time from Luxembourg to Luxembourg is roughly two and a half hours.
Curiously, the Grand Bassin ("Great Basin") in front of the palace is also a popular spot for playing with RC sailboats. In fact, there's a little vendor renting out RC sailboats for just that purpose at a rate of 6€ per half hour. I wonder if there's some sort of story behind that tradition.
Moving on from there on out, it's sightseeing marathon time. With me being in the cultural center of Paris now, I end up walking past one cultural site right after another. I could probably spend days if not weeks looking at them all, but since I only have less a bit more than an hour and a half, all I can do is look at them as I walk by. The first such place is the Panthéon, a great edifice built in the late 18th century at the behest of King Louis XV. Originally intended to serve as a church dedicated to Saint Genevieve, it was only finished after the French revolution had started, and the citizens voted to turn it into a mausoleum for distinguished citizens instead.
Next up is the Sorbonne Chapel, a chapel dedicated to Saint Ursule of Sorbonne. Originally, it looked different, but the original building was torn down and rebuilt in its current form on orders of Cardinal Richelieu in the 17th century. The outline of the original building can be seen inlaid into the adjunct courtyard.
After that, I walk past the Librairie Gibert, allegedly the 1st independent book store of France. In 1886, Joseph Gibert started selling books from bouqiniste boxes just opposite of Notre Dame and was so successful that he could afford to open a proper book store not far from today's location only two years later.
Approaching the very heart of the city, I make my way through a walking mall that also features rows upon rows of electric bikes ready to be taken for a rent...
...and then I cross the smaller arm of the Seine, getting a good view of the Notre Dame as I do so. The great church is still undergoing the final stages of reconstruction after the fire of 2019, and is presently expected to finish in December this year.
But Notre Dame is not the only noteworthy building on the Île de le Cité ("Island of the City") - the 56 acres big island formed by the two arms of the Seine. There's also the Sainte-Chapelle ("Holy Chapel") - a royal chapel from the 13th century that features marvelous stained glass windows - which is located right next to the Palais de Justice de Paris ("Paris Law Courthouse").
I then cross the northern arm of the Seine via the Pont au Change, a historic bridge which was originally named for the money changers and goldsmiths that made their shops on an earlier version of the bridge in the 12th century. Over the ages, various bridges bearing the same name have stood in this spot, with the current one having been built on orders of Napoleon III in the 19th century. This is also notably the bridge on which inspector Javert commits suicide in the novel Les Misérables, which is of special significance of me since I did at one point play inspector Javert in a school theater play back in 12th grade or so.
After not throwing myself off the bridge into the Seine, I walk past the Tour Saint-Jacques, the only remaining tower of the 16th-century Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie ("Saint James of the Meat Market"), which was demolished in 1797 during the French revolution. Today, it stands proud and tall and lonely in the middle of the eponymous Square de la Tour Saint-Jacques, which is really more of a little park than a square. Incidentally, the sky looks like it's thinking about rain once again.
By now, I am on the Boulevard de Sébastopol, which is one of the major roads of central France, featuring luxuriously wide sidewalks. It also makes a beeline to the Gare de l'Est, although at this point that is still roughly 2km away. Still, navigation should consequently be a breeze from here on out.
But we're not out of historic buildings just yet! Next, there's the Église Saint-Leu-Saint-Gilles (Church of St. Leu and St. Gilles), which dates back to the 12th century and was rebuilt several times over the centuries until it got its current appearance in 1871. This is actually the rear view of the church, as the main entrance faces the next street over.
Now, as you know I've already eaten back at the VivaTech, but if I hadn't, I would now have the choice between eating at the Sacré Frenchy ("Holy Frenchy")...
...or instead going for some Euro Fried Chicken ("Euro Poulet Frit").
Next up, there's the very green Square Émile-Chautemps, which contains a memorial column dedicated to the legendary French politician Émile Chautemps...
...and finally, the Église Saint-Laurent ("Church of St. Laurent), parts of which date back until the 10th century (though the facade was completely rebuilt in the 19th century). It's amazing how many historical buildings survived in Paris, and there's a good reason for that too: Unlike most other big cities in Europe, Paris only sustained relatively minor damage during WW2, making it the historic treasure trove that it is today.
It is now 15:15, and I have reached the Gare de l'Est with roughly half an hour to spare, and let me tell you, at this point I am really looking forward to the coming 6-hour train trip where I get to sit in a chair that is hopefully more comfortable than on the way here.
Until then, I leisurely stroll around the station, getting a nice view of the bustle from a balcony that is only a tiny bit off-limits, and after getting chased back downstairs by a station attendant I purchase some food for the ride from one of the station's several stalls.
Shortly thereafter, I meet up with my co-workers who are also momentarily arriving, and after that we should...
Hurry Homewards
Ride Duration: 5.75hApproximate Distance: 890km
Average Speed: 155km/h
Right at the start, we get to enjoy another round of "wait until the departure platform for the train gets announced, then head to the platform all at once together with all other passengers", which causes a jam that is only further intensified by the fact that this time they make ticket check even before we're allowed on the platform. Good thing the train doesn't leave for another... uhh... five minutes or so?
Fortunately, we manage to make it inside in time, and this time around we're travelling first class, because apparently due to some booking technicality, the first class tickets were actually cheaper than the second class tickets for this ride.
The experience for the ride back could not be much more different than for the ride here. For starters, we're on the upper floor now, and the first class trains also have only three seats per row, which puts me in the very comfortable position of having a corridor and window seat simultaneously.
Much more importantly, however, is the legroom, which while still not luxurious is much more comfortable than what we had to contend with on our way here.
The route back home is the exactly the same as the one we took from Munich, just the other way, and yet I spot different things along the way this time. For instance, there's plenty of windmills on the French side, as well as the lakes around the Moselle that I missed the last time around. And in contrast to the French side where the tracks more or less make a beeline through the landscape with only few towns cities along the line, the German side pretty much lines all the towns and villages up like pearls on a string. Also, my elevated position gives me a better view of the surroundings, and the clean windows certainly help a lot too. After we pass the vineyards near Stuttgart, night slowly begins to fall, with the train driving straight into the dusk, and by the time we reach Augsburg, it is already completely dark outside, so that's where I stop filming.
(Click here to view the video in a new tab if this website fails to display it)
Along the way I eat the dinner that I bought at the station earlier, which consists of a cheese-and-bacon Croissant, as well as some sort of twisted bread stick the name of which I can't recall, no matter how much it pains me.
We're also riding the train right into a bad weather front, which makes for some badass lighting conditions as both the sky and ground turn dark due to clouds and lengthening shadows, while the lateral rays of the setting sun brightly illuminate everything in between.
Eventually, the sun sets beautifully behind the hills in the west, and for the remainder of the ride, everything outside is draped in the darkness of night's veil.
It is 21:30 by the time we finally arrive at the Munich central station...
...and Robert and I are in luck as we just manage to catch the next S2 towards Petershausen. The two of us live in the same direction, with him having to get off a few stops after mine, so we share this last ride of today together, telling one another about our divergent experiences in Paris (after all, since I had my single seat on the TGV, we didn't get to talk much during that ride).
Once back in Untermenzing, the dark clouds above decide to shower me with a veritable deluge on the walk back home. And hey, is that thunder and lightning? Why yes, it is thunder and lightning! Just great! =>,<=
So I hasten my steps, and arrive at the porch of the Fox Loft quite drenched, but blissfully unelectrocuted.
Inside, my two cats - Jamie and Toledo - are quite happy and excited to see me back again...
...while my own feelings at this welcome are soon sharply dampened by the discovery of a broken dish in my home office. And not just any dish, but a unique decorative dish and memento of my late grandparents. There goes another piece of the past.
Less permanent damage also exists in the form of the half-ripped-off map of south Rida on the wall, and that one is quickly remedied with two new tacks. As for the ones that came loose and are now hiding on the floor, I should find one immediately, and I'm sure I'll find the other one at some point in the future, ideally not by stepping on it.
It takes me another 15 minutes or so to clean up the whole cat-astrophe, and by that time it's 22:30, and I don't want to do much more than just drop into my bed and sleep. Anyway, this concludes my trip to France, and brings us to...
The Road Ahead
There's not much more left to cover, but one thing is still missing. One thing that I started and could not finished. Something that was broken and now needs to be fixed. Can you guess what it is? If not, you'll get to find out in the next chapter of the Travelling Fox Blog. And until then, stay tuned, and be of great cheer! =^,^=
