Paris trip - Photo TR

[caffeine_demon]

A couple of weekends ago I had a long weekend in Paris

 

DAY 1 - Parc St Paul

 

Took the overnight coach from london to paris, dropped my luggage in the lockers at Gare du Nord and got the train to beauvais.

 

Beauvais was a nice little town, and worth the hour or 2 I spent before getting the bus to the park - I took this picture of an amusingly named shop

 

There are 2 or 3 buses a day that go to the park from the bus station in beavais (about 200m from the train station), although the timings worked so that I either had just over an hour there or 5 hours.

 

this is the sight that greets you at the entrance

and the kiddy drop tower just to the right

 

First ride of the trip was the "maison foldingue"

a cute little family spinny ride

 

it spins and giggles and makes fart noises!

(when it farts it emits the mist you see above, and a rather strange sweet smell!)

 

Next up was the Telepherique - the rather strange aerial slide

 

cred or not, it was a fun ride, and quite scary holding on when you're a bit on the weighty side!

the little disks which you stand on

 

I didn't do the mini mouse coaster (zamperla)

or the family coaster(big apple)

as I'd done similar before, and I'm not THAT much of a creho

 

and I had to do the walk of shame on this little boat ride...

 

onto the coasters:

Wild train was a pretty good fun, compact family coaster (by PAX)

 

The "souris verte" (green mouse), spun lots and lots and lots!

and I was a bit dizzy when done!

 

There was also a nice drop tower

NICE TOUCH:

The stairway on the right is actually part of a viewing platform that goes around the tower.

 

the star ride was Formule 1 (also PAX)

a wild mouse type ride with a super steep lift hill

outwards tilting track

and insane slam you into the lap bar airtime on this 2 stage hill

 

after all this, I realised I could either leave on the bus in 20 minutes, or stay for another 4 and a half hours - I decided to get the next bus back, although I'd have liked another hour there - there just wasn't enough to keep me there for 4 more hours! (on the way back I realised I'd missed the haunted castle and 3d thingy)

[caffeine_demon]

DAY 2 part 1

For Bastille day morning, I thought it would be really busy and decided to go to one of the lesser known attractions in paris

 

I took this picture from the walk there:

 

It was this little tower thing -

I can't remember the name - anyone know?

 

I joined the queue, and 2 hours later I had my ticket

and got in the lift to the first of the 2 floors

 

the first floor had nice views:

structure porn

and a queue for the lift to the top

 

The top floor had more views:

 

is it just me, or does this look a little phallic?

 

You can also see this rather cool 2 level road / rail bridge

 

I had a rather average pizza lunch, which wasn't too terribly priced at about 6 euros, although I didn't bother with a cold drink as they were 5 euros for a bottle of coke! Coffee wasn't too bad at 2.5 euros - so I had one of those!

 

I also bought some "eiffel sours"

 

I made sure I didn't leave anything behind

 

and then walked down the stairs - I can recommend this as it gives a good impression of the scale of the thing!

 

The tower had this big shiny dangly metal ball! - Maybe part of the bastille day fireworks

[caffeine_demon]

DAY 2 part 2 - Jardin D'acclimatation

 

After spending most of the day at the eiffel tower, I went for a couple of hours in this nice little city centre park.

 

It's a five minute walk from the tube stop "les sablons" or there's a mini train that goes from somewhere near the "porte maillot" RER/tube stops - I couldn't find the station (and rather cleverly, left my map in the hotel) so walked.

the train station in the park:

I was thinking of getting the train back, but it wasn't running just before closing time.

 

It's a nice large green park with a few smaller areas for rides

 

Entry is 3 euros, ride tickets are 2euros70

 

First coaster was Tacot express

A nice little powered coaster by Soquet

 

There was also the dragon - another Soquet coaster:

SPLASHDOWNS!

NOM NOM NOM! (looks fierce, doesn't it?)

RAHRRRR!

 

Both these were 1 token each, however, I got to the spinning coaster:

and saw

CALL THE POLICE, We're being robbed!!

 

There were also some flat rides, and a strangely disorientating mirror maze, and just what every park needs:

Exercise equipment - in case you have to do any walks of shame

 

Oh - and some wildlife:

mmm - worms!

I JUST SAW A G-G-G-G-GHOST!!

[caffeine_demon]

Day 3 - Parc Asterix

 

Thinking it would be very busy on the sunday after bastille day, I splashed out on the premium passes - queues weren't too bad at all - only Oziris topped the hour mark - so I could have got away without them - even if it was great to get on the big rides a few times. One word on the premium passes, is that you enter via the exit ramps - and they usually ask where you want to sit - I couldn't find where it was on the madhouse, it's not that obvious!

 

I guess everyone's waiting for an Oziris review - so here goes.

 

The ride isn't as forceful as nemesis or batman, but it does have some lovely pops of airtime throughout - I'd describe it as a kind of "troy with inversions" - which I think is a pretty good thing - I really enjoyed it, had 4 rides, I think row 5 (or was it 6?) gave the best ride..

 

Also - it looks lovely!

 

and an arty shot!

 

Also - it's the only ride there which has a loose article drop off - all other coasters you have to take your bags with you.

 

first rides were the spinny flat ride hydra, and Vol D'Icare - a strange Zierer coaster, which was decent fun

 

and then on to transdemonium

a rather strange dark ride

Wasn't too sure about it to be honest - didn't wow me like Brean or the haunted house at knoebels

 

Next up - Trace du hourra

Was ok - but I still think avalanche in blackpool is the best bobsled coaster!

 

SOS Numerobis is next to oziris, and is what you expect from a zierer medium tivoli...

 

Goudurix looks awesome

but rides like it wants to snap your neck! (particularly in the first 4 inversions)

 

Tonnerre de zeus was a ride I was really looking forward to

definitely better in the front, but rather disappointing - not much airtime

looks like zeus is about to smite a duck!

 

I then plucked up the shame to ride ronde des rondins

Glad I did - it was surprisingly fun!

 

Another main attraction is the Vekoma Madhouse - there are 2 preshow rooms, the second one is a sort of "hydrotherapy" room and is rather lovely! (no pictures - seems I forgot to take pics!

 

Other rides included - l'espions de cesar

a monorail thing - don't bother with the pedals as they don't seem to do much

 

one of those circle boat ride thingies

 

the park also had a dountain area for kids:

lots of shops:

odd signs

and nice theming

 

The premium passes included a 3 course meal in the fruitbowl themed restaurant

you only had a choice on the main course, but the starter and desserts were fixed.

[The49er]

Very nice! I might have to visit France someday...