Eurostar: Paris to London
On our recent trip to Europe, we flew to and from most destinations to save time, but we wanted to give Jack the experience of going from Paris to London in just over two hours via the Eurostar high speed railway. We started our journey at Gare du Nord in Paris. With its iconic architecture and vibrant atmosphere of shops and travelers, visiting the station alone is a cultural experience. Before boarding we spent time in the duty free stores getting some of our favorite duty free items and in no time we were boarded and heading to London!
We booked the Eurostar Standard Premier class tickets. This reserved us a set of four seats with comfortable room to spread out. On the brief journey, we were served a complimentary meal and beverages (coffee, wine, water, and juices) at our seats. The food was decent and we had the vegetarian option of falafel with a couscous salad. l was happy to find a chocolate American football on my dessert! Onboard amenities include Wi-Fi and power sockets that kept us connected throughout the trip. Unfortunately, we didn’t count on the level of jet lag that Jack would have and he and I slept through most of the ride while somehow Lynette stayed wide eyed and bushy tailed the entire trip.
Arriving in London’s St Pancras International was a special experience. The railway station is historic and architecturally stunning with its grand Victorian Gothic facade. As we made our way from the train platform to the hub of shops and exits, we took in the sentimental "I Want My Time With You" art installation. Created by the renowned British artist Tracey Emin, the piece consists of a large illuminated sign featuring the words "I Want My Time With You" in bright pink neon letters. Beneath the sign is "The Meeting Place." sculpture designed by Paul Day. It depicts a man and a woman locked in a tender embrace. This larger-than-life bronze sculpture stands at 9 meters tall. Its placement beneath Tracey Emin's neon sign creates a poignant juxtaposition, enhancing the overall ambiance of the station and evoking themes of romance and togetherness amidst the hustle and bustle of travel.
Unfortunately, our duty free bags stocked with colognes, lip sticks, and champagne broke from the weight so we made our way to the conveniently located Fortnum and Mason at St Pancras station and found sturdy and on theme totes. From there we were ready to head to our hotel in Regents Park. Overall the Eurostar was a very comfortable and convenient way to travel from Paris to London.
