Paris - Avignon 27th April, 2016

As we left the apartment in Jussieu we called the taxi, which arrived within 5 mins.  The driver was born in Paris to Chinese parents.  He was not your typical taxi driver - dressed in a suit, and an immaculately clean car.   He chatted all the way to Gare Lyon. We arrived at the station with enough time to have a coffee/hot chocolate.  In Paris, they don't announce the platform where the train is to depart from until 15-20 mins before the train is due to depart, at which stage people converge on the platform.
Again this trip we have booked 1st class train travel, as it is much more comfortable and costs not a lot more.
We had to change trains in Lyon on this trip, with only 10mins in which to do so !! The railway stations in major French cities are huge !! As the train stopped we were ready with our luggage, hoping that we would only need to move to the other side of the platform.  We found an attendant, who rolled his eyes, as if you'll never make it.!! Down the lift to the right to platform I - 3 platforms across, back up in the lift, and the train is almost ready to leave.  We ask another attendant and he tells us the wrong carriage - too bad !! We made it by the skin of our teeth - even if we stayed in the wrong seats.
The countryside in France is beautiful even when the train is moving at 299 kms per hour.
On arrival into Avignon TGV Station, we were waiting for a taxi, along with some others.  When a taxi pulled up, one lady offered to share her Taxi with us.  We were dropped off at the address and waited for Philip to arrive with the keys.  The internet wasn't working at the apartment on arrival, so Philip took us to his shop, so that we could use his wifi to contact Shelly to find out about Lewis who had been admitted to hospital. Thank you to Philip for his help and understanding.
A short stop at the supermarket and then we went to dinner at La Cuisene du Dimanche, a very interesting eclectic restaurant, with stone walls and antique crystal glassware as well as an old border collie, Casper, who laid down in the middle of the restaurant - can't imagine that happening in Australia !!!