I'm so sorry all you Parigots....I hear it's raining there again. These pictures are from the first or second weekend of "la Grande Evasion". When it was still brilliantly sunny and vacation was still ahead. We were returning a rental car to the Gare de Lyon and decided the thing to do immediately after was to have breakfast at le Train Bleu.
Shockingly this place, which has at least been landmarked, is not these days so well maintained, in terms of its food, and its image. The banal train station cafe below was packed and churning with activity, but upstairs here, an atmosphere not unlike Miss Havisham's house! I think the restaurant must be owned and rather neglected, conceptually, by the SNCF - the national railroad company. I generally think the French have the right idea about the government role in it's cultural patrimony. But I'm guessing the SNCF think they're in the transportation, not the food, industry. Fair enough but in the case of Le Train Bleu, a rethink is in order! This should be a destination par excellence. Not a "lost relic".
What do you think?
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Not only was there sun, but people too! It's odd to see all the people milling about in the station.. It seems like a movie set packed with extras! Paris is a veritable ghost town now.
ReplyDeleteFunny you bring up le Train Bleu...someone just mentioned that to me...it sure looks lovely in your photos!
I love this!! What a fabulous train station. :-) I will have to investigate it one day. :-) And hope, hope, hope that someone gives it the TLC it deserves. :-)
ReplyDeleteI have never heard a train station described as "banal" before. I do remember Gare de Lyon and its palm trees.
ReplyDeleteI'm surpeised to see Le Train Bleue being used like a waiting room and the cat - quelle horreur!
I would love to dine at Le Train Bleu some day. So sorry to hear it's getting shabby, definitely an historic site worthy of protection I'd say!
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