After much trial and tribulation between Charles de Gaulle airport and our apartment in the 10th arrondissement, we settled in to a table at Le Phare du Canal cafe, which is set just off the Canal Saint-Martin. It was a good choice for a salad, appetizer and some Provencal rose after some inconvenience on the way into the city.
The flight itself was flawless, on time from departure to arrival. Immigration, while busy, was efficient but baggage claim was slow, so we did not head for our ground transport until 8:45 a.m. after a 7:15 arrival. Then the trouble began. Because we hadn't taken it before, I wanted to hop the RER train to Gare du Nord, then take the metro to a stop at Republique, a block from our place. But the RER tracks from the airport are under repair, so the French railway company is shuttling travelers to another station by bus. And since automated ticket vending machines only accept coins or European chip-equipped credit cards, we had to wait in line for a half hour to get service at the counter.
The train ride was uneventful if slow, but then, it being Saturday, the same problem arose when it was time to buy metro tickets. Finally I had to buy a coffee in order to get coins and we were on our final leg. Fortunately it was only a block to our apartment, although we had to negotiate some stairs. (As we did in the railway station. Thanks to a helpful native, we found the escalator at Gare du Nord.)
Now we're just back from a stroll around Oberkampf, which is very nice, filled with cafes and shops as well as the canal park. Glad to settle in for a day or two before we move across town and are joined by our friends.
As for our connection, yes it saved about 30 euros compared to a cab. But it took a toll on our backs and legs, not to mention patience, so I can't recommend it except for those on a tight budget. Things are supposed to get back to normal in June 2011, which will make it easier.
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