Day 6: From the North to the South...

...of France. Lille-Toulouse, via Paris.

From Lille Flandres...

via Paris Montparnasse...

 

to Toulouse Matabiau! (feat. men on phones)

5½ hours from Paris Montparnasse-station to Toulouse, I got bored after 2½. CC happily made friends with the little restless girl opposite (the one singing Gangnam Style) whilst I made a decision never have to children. 

Random piano at Gare Montparnasse that anyone could play! - awesome idea!!

View from train

View from train, Bordeaux

Feelings on train

Got to Toulouse at six in the evening. Tbf, I wasn't impressed. The route from the station to the hostel (about 20mins), was highly dodgy and not very pretty if you don't count the trees around the road. Few people recommended Marseille to me while planning this trip because of its dangerousness with all the gangs etc, but I was never too bothered about this. But, now, I have decided to stay clear of Marseille at least at night – no one has ever mentioned anything about Toulouse being dodgy, and Toulouse already being as dodgy as it is I dread to think what Marseille would be like...

On our way to find dinner literally there was a guy with a crazy beard who had stopped in the middle of the pavement with his arms wide open towards an older business man who was walking towards him. An unlikely friendship, I thought, vaguely amused, till I realised this crazy beard-guy did not know Mr Old Businessman, he was just being creepy. Also, full of dog-people and groups of young dodgy men.

Our hostel was on a less dodgy street of the dodgy area. It didn't look too promising – a bit messy and the Reception hadn't seemed to be cleaned in months, but I like our room -  a 6-bed mixed dorm (bunk-beds.). Spacious as hostels go, with an own toilet.

Thefts, please be careful!

Went to get dinner via a very pretty park, Jardin Japonais. Bed early, ready for CARCASSONNE the next day!

Bye xxx