Day 1 - Home to Paris (well a field somewhere near Paris)
We left Surrey bright and early for Folkestone and a morning Eurotunnel. We aren’t quite early enough to bump a train earlier and end up with a Flat White and a Mocha at the West Cornwall Pasty Co in the services style building near the terminal (coffees okay the breakfast in there looked very good). This terminal is mid refurb.
If there was ever any doubt that I’m travelling with a teenager it’s already dispelled. The refusal to appear in photos
, headphones as communication barrier and complaining, it was like travelling with my 14 year old self
Luckily I manage to pinch a photo here and there when she’s not paying attention, this one is actually from Efteling but illustrates the point.
Darth Teenagus
We’re called to the loading lanes fairly soon and away on the train. DD is admirably stuck into her art homework and I alternate between wandering around the carriage next to our car and trying to get a photo of her Audrey Hepburn sketch (which briefly recalls Groot before happily coming good). No joy on that photo… By 10:30 we’re already in France and heading to a Calais McDonalds for a breakfast.
I like to stop at this one because it’s only a few minutes from the Eurotunnel terminal in the right direction for Paris, you can park or drive thru and it’s right next to Calais Vins which is the wine place I’ve been going to for years on trips to France.
Eurotunnel terminal is just off the left of the pic and Maccers top right.
We weren’t that enamoured with the breakfast options - no hash browns! DD had an egg and bacon thing and I ended up with some odd bbq breakfast muffin burger that would convince anyone to vote leave (last Brexit reference I promise). We also shared a side of McGriddles that were a pair of syrup infused pancakes, those were nice.
After that and with a grumbling teen in tow it’s off to the wine shop to stock up. Quick scoot around and enough wine for me, DW and my folks for hopefully a couple of years
Also picked up a few Belgian beers that put in an appearance later.
Wine Haul
BTW I love Calais Vins (not a sponsor!). It’s not huge but they seem to have all the main bases covered. I’ve had a loyalty card there forever and I despite me turning up unannounced every couple of years and never having the card with me they always give me the money off (something like 5% discount on next purchase). So they’re forever in the good books
Then it’s off to Paris. Uneventful drive apart from the usual comedy of DD stretching across to pay the tolls - rule 1 pull up as far away as possible
We make it to our accomodation in Beautheil, East of DLP mid-afternoon.
Now the room is great, two separate rooms suite style and breakfast included all for a decent price.
I must admit it’s way out in countryside. Way out! You (I) forget that DLP is already a way East of Paris and this is 20 miles further out basically in the middle of some fields. We will not be popping out for the nightlife round here
So we head out later afternoon with the aim of visiting the shopping mall in Marne la Vallee so DD can browse for clothes and we can pick up some stuff from the big Auchan plus dinner. It takes about 35 minutes to get there - further than I wanted
and it turns out DD is not in much of a shopping mood. We end up getting a very late lunch snack, mooching around then hitting Auchan before grabbing dinner.
I want to make those!
Deciding to avoid junk food for the evening we opt to go to Hippopotamus, a steak place in the mall. We share a platter of various meats that is a little pricey but comes with unlimited sides and sauces (albeit only 2 of the sides we ordered turned up).
We ordered salad too, honest
This was really good and came to just over €60, more than I wanted to spend but I was trying to respect DD’s wish to not eat junk with all those theme park days ahead. She was very taken with the cheesy potatoes and our one green thing never arrived
After that it was back to the middle of nowhere and our hotel for an early night ahead of tomorrow’s DLP
