Day 59 - Tuesday 28th June 2005

Our last day in Paris.  Very hot and steamy again.  We caught the metro round to Anvers then took the funicular up to Sacre Coeur.  Beautiful church, there was a choir of nuns last time we were here, but none today.  We then bought a map and followed a walking trail around Montemarte eventually winding our way back to Place Pigalle.  Metro back to Ch. De Gualle-Etoile and a climb of over 280 steps to the top of the Arc De Triomphe.  Views of Paris were excellent, if a little grey and hazy.  Left early for airport, rain started and might have been problem getting taxi extra time to get there.  Arrived in plenty of time, couldn’t check in cause a small typhoon around London had played havoc with schedules.  Not much in the way of decent food at the airport, had to settle for a toasted ham and cheese sandwich and tumblers of very vin de table wine.   Supposed to leave Paris around 9:30PM local and arrive London same time (local).  Eventually cleared London customs after midnight, after taking off late and then circling Heathrow for an hour.  No taxis, left luggage service closed, trains not running, so British Air organised a free hotel for us just up the road from the airport.