Originally after our late evening arrival, we were going to catch the RER from Paris CDG to our hotel but after separating the panniers from the bike bags to meet airline weight requirements, and surveying the resulting array of bags we made a last-minute decision to pre-book a Mini-van to collect us, the 2 bike bags, 1 additional bag and the pannier we each had as carry on. The RER was never going to be a practical solution with that many things to keep track of!
First thing the next morning we found a very Parisian outdoor space to set-up the bikes, complete with stunning architecture…and Poodles. After breakfast we set about confirming logistics. After an initial wobble when they saw the size of our loaded bike bags, the hotel was much happier with the packed down versions and confirmed that we can indeed store them for the next three months – phew!
Next step – where to store the assembled bikes when we were not riding.
Here is a tip – ensure that your hotel will also allow for you to store your assembled bikes – trying to find a secure storage place is near on impossible. We tried so called Velo storage at the major stations (which we still can’t find!), carparks and even asking a bike store to assist. Once again, Henri of the Hotel Notre Dame came to our assistance and cleared a space for us to keep them overnight – A small tip is well and truly due here.
After another Petit Déjeuner, we made our way around the major Paris landmarks and headed to Versailles through the Bois de Boulogne and then the beautiful Domaine National de Saint-Cloud. We have both been to Paris a few times, but the opportunity to ride through these lovely green spaces, with their ornate lakes and fountains, wooded tracks and trails made this a great way to get to Versailles.
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