April 2015
We leave London today bound for Paris with a heavy heart. We do love London & the Cotswold and wish we would be back soon. We will be taking the Eurostar from St Pancras, London arriving Paris at Gare Du Nord. Travelling time will be 2 hours 21 minutes arriving Gare Du Nord at 2:52 p.m.
St Pancras International waiting hall. You need to go through customs airport style, as well as French immigration here. You board your train on the upper floor.
The Eurostar train that we boarded.
Eurostar’s train interior. There are forward facing & backwards facing seats. So book which one you fancy. Hand carry baggage are place overhead (ample clearance, 2 tiers) while bigger one at dedicated areas near the exit. The coach are air-conditioned and toilet available.
Safely arrived at Gare Du Nord.
Gare Du Nord train station.
In Paris, we had booked Hotel Richmond which is just across the street from Gare Du Nord. It’s hardly one minute walk from the exit of the station. We had chosen this hotel as we will be traveling to Amsterdam by train via Gare Du Nord. The location of this hotel avoids us from the need to take the metro, as Paris metro stations rarely have escalators and has many staircase going up & down unlike London’s tube. If you have big or heavy luggage, I advise you take a taxi. Don’t tire and frustrate yourself and curse unnecessarily. You’re on holiday. 
For Muslim travelers, there are a number halal restaurants around Gare Du Nord. The nearest is to your right exiting the hotel about three shop lots away.
Hotel Richmond just across Gare Du Nord. Taxi stand is just in-front of the hotel.
Gare Du Nord from the doors of Richmond hotel.
Our room on the 3rd floor.
A couple of English cabel channels available.
Useful Paris metro route. Click to enlarge.
Credit : mapaplan.com
