So, after a car ride (big shout out to magnificent mates), two trains, a second migraine and, yet again, no WiFi on the Paris bound train, we are here!

Unlike last time our ‘comfort’ room is bijou, to put it politely. But then, the hotel makes no secret of the small size of its ‘chambres’, calling the most petit ones ‘cosy’. We were spoiled last time by being put in a family room so had loads of space, free slippers, use of snowy dressing gowns etc etc. This evening I looked at the floor plans in the lobby and realised our present room is average. The night porter and I had a giggle together about the shock of discovering our fourth floor room! But at least we are next to the fire escape, something I take very seriously. Years ago when working in the West End, I went to a restaurant near Covent garden and an American actor in our group looked for the fire exit before he sat down. He was very concerned that cramped restaurants in old buildings was a recipe for disaster in the case of a kitchen fire. His concern has stayed with me, except I include hotels too!

It was cold in Gagnac this morning, much colder than recent weeks, and we were amazed to see fresh snow lying on the embankment and forest as we traveled north of Limoges. Mind you, we had an elderly neighbour for years who always referred to the area around Limoges as ‘les montagnes’ whenever we spoke about bad weather on our journey down.

Happily, as we pulled into Gare d’Austerlitz the sun was trying to break through the clouds and from our eyrie on the fourth floor we could see some blue sky which bodes well for tomorrow, fingers crossed.

I’d booked a local bistrot for our evening meal, just in case,and realised, as we walked in, that we had eaten there last September on the recommendation of the cyclist and his partner. It was still good, my Caesar salad and Mr McGregor’s cheeseburger, made from beef from the Aubrac. I reminded him about the sign I had read in Aubrac village about local people going off to Paris to open cafes, perhaps this was one. There are old black and white photos on the wall of previous proprietors, so who knows?

Across from the hotel the building work goes on with its many cranes, this one looking particularly patriotic with its red, white and blue floodlights…

Tomorrow, Musee de l’Orangerie for the Monets, lunch near Place de la Concorde and ‘home’ via Shakespeare and co to stock up on English secondhand novels.

Bonne soiree…