As is so often the case, we find that the hotel is trying to pay off the French national debt through their charge for breakfast. So sod ’em, we went just down the road and had a better breakfast at a café for just about half the hotel cost; this was the place.

Much refreshed we took the tram across the city to the Les Chartrons district and the Rue Notre-Dame in particular. Any Bath resident would feel comfortable here as it is full of interesting independent shops selling everything from jewellery to designer clothes and in particular antique shops right across the spectrum from bric-a-brac to high end serious. There are, of course, interesting café too. Creepers grow up the buildings and there are charming little side streets.

We decided to walk back towards the city centre for some lunch and some shopping that needed doing. On the way we crossed the Esplanade des Quinconces, an enormous open space at the top of which is the magnificent Monument aux Girondins. This is a real ‘in your face’ piece of a monument erected in honour of the deputés from Bordeaux guillotined in 1792; with massive fountains and a column topped by “Liberty Breaking Her Chains “, it really is something to behold,

After lunch we walked along to Cours Victor Hugo, a rather more down market area but with some lovely side buildings

and the Porte de Bourgogne at the bottom.

There’s a tram stop there too, so we hopped on one to head back to the hotel for a cup of tea and to rest tired feet after a busy day before heading out to supper.

8 June 2018