We had to check out of our lodgings that last morning in Paris, but we tend to travel with backpacks just in case as well as the fact that most airlines in Europe only allow one free carryon. In this instance, we knew we would be walking around Paris on our last day with our belongings, so we didn’t want to be hauling luggage everywhere.
Backpacking it!
My husband found a gluten free restaurant called Noglu that had gluten free croissants and french pastries to try, so we walked there since we weren’t in any hurry, which allowed us just to look at a lot of the street views in Paris and enjoy the atmosphere. We had a couple of different views of the Eiffel Tower that we enjoyed walking to and from the restaurant.
After our tummies were full and we had gluten free croissants and baguettes to take with us, we walked down toward the Eiffel Tower and crossed the Seine before walking back to sit on the steps of the Grand Palais and enjoy the view of it and the Petit Palais before we walked up the Champs Elysèe. We enjoyed looking in the stores and stopped in at the Disney store where my daughter bought a hoodie before we took the Metro to Gare du Nord.
Arc de Triomphe!
The check-in and customs process was a bit different returning from Paris than it was at St. Pancras in London and we were a bit early, which fortunately helped. Our return on the train was uneventful compared to my delayed trip to London. I did find it a bit jerkier and since the train was flying at pretty close to max speed, it felt a lot different. Overall, the Eurostar isn’t a bad way to travel, but it’s definitely more affordable when you can get the tickets on sale!
From the time I was about eight years old, I wanted to go to Paris. Well, I finally went over Labor Day weekend! During a sale for Eurostar tickets, we booked the entire family. I had a friend coming in and we were seeing a play on Friday, so I traveled early Saturday morning to join my husband and children who were being terrible and sending me goofy photos from in front of the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
Very early Saturday morning, I drove thirty minutes to the local train station where I parked and took the train to London’s King’s Cross Station. If you’ve never been to King’s Cross, there is nearly everything you can imagine from shopping to restaurants right there. I arrived early enough to grab coffee and breakfast before I walked over to St. Pancras International.
Check-in at St. Pancras was a lot like an airplane. They didn’t have the liquids restrictions but you had customs, of course, and you do have an x-ray for your bags. Only difference was they had a tray for my coffee while I went through the security check and I got it back on the other side.
Eurostar, for those who aren’t familiar with it, is a high speed train that travels through the Eurotunnel to several destinations in Europe—notably Paris, Disneyland Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. The trip to Paris takes on average two hours and sixteen minutes and there are trains all day long. My train took longer because a train had stalled on the tracks so we stopped not far outside of Paris for them to clear it. Luckily we weren’t terribly late as a result. I do think we never accelerated to the speeds we had on the return because of the obstruction on the line. On the monitor on the return we traveled close to 300 km/h. The speed is a bit weird feeling. I don’t like to sit backwards on a normal train, and I absolutely couldn’t on the Eurostar. During the trip to Paris, I ended up sitting on the floor in a corridor rather than in my seat until a woman told me the seat beside her was free and faced forward.
The Eurostar arrives in to Gare du Nord where my husband insisted I take a taxi to where they were eating lunch. However, the woman who offered me the seat on the Eurostar warned me of taxi scams at Gare du Nord and they had several signs warning travellers of the issue when we arrived, so I bought a ticket for the metro and fumbled my way around (In all honesty, I would’ve done well if my husband hadn’t insisted I was going the wrong way!!) until I arrived at the metro stop near where they ate.
My daughters retrieved me from the station and we made our way back where we ate gluten-free crepes and I drank more coffee. After, we simply walked around the city, soaking in the atmosphere and enjoying the scenery. We walked as much as we could around Notre Dame, walked across Pont Neuf, and passed by the Louvre on our way back to the flat where we were staying.
My husband and my oldest had found a wine bar near the flat, so the three of us topped off the evening with a glass of wine and some cheese while my younger children readied themselves for bed, which they were perfectly happy with.
I’ve been getting asked and I haven’t had an answer. Too many things were up in the air. I’ve been writing the story posting at Austen Variations, I hadn’t finished Particular Attachments, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to have to search out an editor! I finished and I was still superstitious about saying a release date out loud, but after a few things going my way, I decided to bite the bullet.
My editor is plugging steadily away despite the rigours of having a new baby, and I am starting the formatting as I get chapters back from her. I also have a pretty substantial blog tour (for me anyway) getting lined up around that release date. So when is this release date you ask? Mark your calendars because September 14th is the date!
I know, I gush about Bath on here, but I always have such a great time when I go. I first travelled to Bath last year for the Jane Austen Festival, and then for a family holiday in March. This year, I returned for the festival and to have a girls’ weekend with some friends.
If you haven’t read it, don’t miss out!
As has become my habit, I took the train, which I adore doing. I generally prefer to travel England by train than car, but the method has become how I always go to Bath–it’s become a bit special for that trip. I’m not always a big reader on the train, but I brought along Cass Grafton and Ada Bright’s new book, The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen, which kept me entertained as I zipped through the English countryside.
It was no coincidence that my roomie for the weekend (I travelled in on Friday and departed on Monday), was none other than Cass Grafton herself. We first met at Jane Austen Regency Week last year and became fast friends. I’m not a huge fan of staying alone when I travel, and she came to my rescue with a great flat in my favourite part of town. One day, I do want to stay at 4 Sydney Place, but I will never complain about Great Pultney Street!
Most of my time this trip was spent visiting with Cass and doing a bit of shopping, but we did meet up with a few friends along the way as well. I had a great time at dinner Friday night when Cass and I met up with fellow JAFF author Alexa Adams. Nothing like wine and great conversation to spend an evening! We were staying close to one another, so we even walked back to that part of town, taking a quick stop for a selfie in front of the Abbey.
Saturday was a bit dreary, but we walked up to the Assembly Rooms to watch the promenade and see everyone in their best Regency finery. I always like to bring home special items for my children, so I did a little shopping before I met Cass and an old friend of hers for lunch.
Promenade as it passed the Circus
Joana Starnes and Mira!
I spent the afternoon on a comedy walk of Bath. Natural Theatre Company does a play called Austen Undone that is performed as the characters take you on a walk through Bath with the Gravel Walk and Royal Crescent being a part of the tour. The performers were excellent and even engaged the spectators so we were a part of the fun. I certainly recommend Austen Undone to anyone who is in Bath for the festival. I laughed so hard and when Alexa Adams and I happened upon the vicar after the performance, he remained in character and held a conversation with us when we wished him luck. It was a great time!
Please forgive my finger!
The funny, bumbling vicar!
Sunday, we walked down to the public library for a reading of Sense and Sensibility. Jane Odiwe read the second chapter, and she did a brilliant job of capturing the tone and the humour of Austen’s work.
Jane Odiwe reads S&S
Me and Jane… Odiwe that is. 🙂
Jane, Cass, and I talked over glasses of wine and dinner. We had a marvellous time and I truly enjoyed the afternoon.
My trips to Bath are always over so quickly, and this one was no different. Before I knew it, I was finishing The Particular Charm of Jane Austen on the train home. I had hoped to stop in Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross before I left London, but I didn’t even have time if I wanted a ride home from the train station!
Tucked away just outside a village of the same name in Devon is Berry Pomeroy Castle. This castle is quite unique in many ways. The land was first awarded to Ralph de Pomeroy by William the Conqueror as a reward for his loyalty during the Norman invasion and the Battle of Hastings. Some sources claim the construction of the castle began in the late 15th century and some the late 14th. English Heritage, who now owns and runs the site, claims 15th. The Pomeroys fell into debt and the land and the castle were sold to Edward Seymour, the first Duke of Somerset, in 1547.
(In the event you are wondering if Edward Seymour is the same family as Jane Seymour, wife of Henry VIII, then yes, Edward Seymour was her eldest brother. He was also Lord Protector of Henry VIII’s only son with Jane Seymour.)
Remains of the Seymour House
Seymour began a project in the hopes of making the family home there one of the greatest in England, and if you look at the photos of the front of the castle, you can see what remains of the Seymour house to the right.
Seymour was executed by the crown in 1552 and his lands for a time were forfeit, yet they were later re-instated to the family. The Seymour family remained at Berry Pomeroy until the late 17th century when the castle was abandoned when the current owner, Sir Edward Seymour (fourth Baronet) moved to Wiltshire.
The ruins of Berry Pomeroy Castle were rather popular in the late 18th century when the Romantic era favoured castles and other structures beaten down by rain and time. Berry Pomeroy during this time was overgrown with ivy and commonly visited by artists and even illustrations of the place were featured in books of the era.
Now, Berry Pomeroy still sits in the same valley. It is no longer covered by ivy, but surrounded by a thick wood to the rear of the property. Guard rails and other protective measures allow tourists to walk through what is left of the structure and there is still a portcullis and you can see where hot liquids could be poured down on any attacking enemy.
For those who enjoy haunted sites. Berry Pomeroy is said to be haunted by a number of ghosts and supposedly one of the most haunted castles in Britain. The “White Lady” is said to haunt the dungeons. She rises from there to St. Margaret’s Tower when she is seen. It is thought she is the ghost of Margaret Pomeroy. Margaret had the misfortune of loving the same man as her sister Eleanor. Because Margaret was more beautiful, Eleanor locked her in the dungeon until she starved to death.
Another spectre, is the Blue Lady. She beckons help from passers-by and lures them into one of the towers where the unsuspecting helper falls to their death (thank goodness we didn’t see her!). It is suspected she is the daughter of a Norman Lord who wanders the dungeons mourning the loss of her baby, which it is said she murdered.
There is also the story of the Pomeroy brothers, who were besieged in the castle; however, rather than accepting defeat, they donned their full amour, mounted their horses, and leapt from the castle ramparts. This part of the castle is still called “Pomeroy’s leap.” It is claimed the ghosts of the two brothers have been spotted here.
Berry Pomeroy Church
Berry Pomeroy is not far from Torquay, but once you turn off the main road, it is a lot of little one-laned roads. I am still bummed I missed a photo of the church from the end of Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility. I was driving when I came to the end of one of those tiny roads, looked up, and there it was. I thought I would catch it on the way back, but the GPS/SatNav took us a completely different route. Figures!
Next: Tintagel, Cornwall
Image of Berry Pomeroy Church: Image Copyright Paul Hutchinson. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA
For this trip, I decided to take the train, which was an adventure in itself! I caught one train into London and then travelled the tube to catch the train from Paddington Station to Bristol, so I could go to “Bath Spa.”
The best part of taking the train is not only that you don’t have to drive, but also that if you go out the front doors of the station you are right there near the town centre. Of course, I took the wrong way out and exited from the back and had to walk around, but even with the detour, it did not take long to find the Roman Baths, the Abbey, and where I needed to go to meet up with friends.
Leads to the Roman Baths, Pump Room and the Abbey
I planned my trip during the Jane Austen Festival, but opted to go later than the famous promenade and only had a few days that I could spend before I needed to return home. I do feel like I got a lot in, but I do look forward to returning and exploring other parts of the city at a more leisurely pace.
I travelled to Bath on Tuesday, making it in time to attend a talk on transportation in Regency England given by Hazel Mills, went to lunch with friends, and was then left to my own devices for the rest of the day. I do feel I made good use of my time by walking through the Holburne Museum and walking through Sydney Gardens.
Holburne
Where there used to be a balcony
Canal in Sydney Gardens
Temple in Sydney Gardens
The Holburne was once the Sydney Hotel and sits at the end of Great Pulteney Street with Sydney Park directly behind. In Jane Austen’s time, the rear of the hotel held public breakfasts every morning as well as three Galas a year–on the King and Prince Regent’s birthdays as well as one to coincide with the Summer Horse Race Meeting at Bath. Jane Austen’s letters even refer to both the public breakfasts and that she attended a gala or two. Unfortunately, the balcony where the orchestra would play is no longer there, but the rear is glassed in with a tea room and more exhibit space.
4 Sydney Place
Laura Place down Great Pulteney to the Holburne at the end
Since Jane Austen lived at 4 Sydney Place, she often walked in Sydney Gardens and it was nice to take a tour of the park as well as walk the canal as she probably did often. The park is not large, but it is pretty with a temple/folly or two and the iron gates which lead you down to the canal as ornamentation.
Pultney bridge
Weir
I walked down to Pulteney Bridge and the Weir before calling it a day on Tuesday.
Royal Crescent
One Royal Crescent was the first place I stopped on Wednesday morning. After a somewhat long walk uphill, I took my time touring and enjoying each room. The guides were lovely to speak with and were very knowledgeable about the house and the 18th century time period it depicts, even explaining about the presence of a pineapple on the table. People would rent them for an evening because a pineapple was a symbol of status–only the very rich could afford to rent one for the evening. One that graced your table one night, might grace another family’s table the next evening. Crazy!
The Circus
After Royal Crescent, I walked down to The Circus, then to the Assembly Rooms which are reconstructed versions of the one from Persuasion (The Bath Assembly rooms were damaged by a fire in 1821 and had to be rebuilt), and then to Gay Street to the Jane Austen Centre. After, I walked down to the Pump Room where I ate dinner and tasted the waters (blech!!!). Then, since I had plans for the evening (I’m hoping we’ll write that up for a post at Jane Austen Variations and post it in the next few weeks. For any Jane Austen fans, it’s exciting news!), I walked down to Queen’s Square and back to where I was staying down by Great Pulteney Street
Waxwork of what JA may have looked like
Assembly rooms
The Pump Room
The famous waters
Thursday morning, I attended an art exhibit at the Victoria Art Gallery. Cassandra Grafton and I wandered through and enjoyed all of the art, but especially the exhibit they featured on Jane Austen’s Bath. Paintings of people, places, and of the city that figured into so much of Jane’s work were displayed and it was fascinating. They even had two of Jane Austen’s letters to her sister, Cassandra on display that Cassandra and I had a giggle over as we read them. Jane really did have quite a sense of humour and it is often seen in her letters to her sister.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and I had to return to real life at some point. I had a great time and catching up with JAFF friends was definitely part of the reason I came! I even managed to fit in a meet-up for tea just before I boarded the train. I arrived home later than I had originally planned, but it was worth it!
Thanks to Jane Odiwe, Cassandra Grafton, Hazel Mills, Joana Starnes, Mira Magdo, Sophie Andrews, and Mary Buzzuto! It was so much fun to see you all in person rather than online!
