After a quick breakfast we returned to the room to finish packing and were checked-out and on the way to the station at 7:45am. Our train was scheduled to depart at 8:21am, so we were nice and early and didn’t have to rush. We were waiting on platform 8, with heaps of time to spare. In Switzerland, the platform monitors tell you which position you should stand on the platform if you have a bike or wheelchair. That way you don’t need to rush down the platform when the train arrives. We boarded, waited about five minutes and departed on time. Our bikes were the only two for a number of stops, then one other cyclist boarded.
We arrived at Geneva on time at 9:10 on platform 2 and had 15 minutes to get to platform 8, with only one lift available. There was a rather lengthy queue when we got to the lift for platform 8, so Greg just carried his bike up the stairs! Wendy removed her panniers and Greg carried her bike up. Lucky we didn’t wait for the lift, as there were only two spots (hanging) left. We were in like Flynn and no more than 30 seconds later another two bikes arrived and decided to check for another carriage. By the time we left Geneva, there was one bike parked haphazardly against the hanging bikes and as the train departed, on time at 9:25am, it fell over and the handle bars almost hit Wendy in the head! She re-adjusted the position so it would not fall over again. Two other people with bikes boarded a few stops down the track and the three extra bikes created a bottle neck close to the loo and many people got tangled in handlebars. These trains are all no-smoking but that didn’t stop some goose using the toilet to light up. We smelt it immediately and so did the conductor who was checking tickets not far from our carriage. She was quickly onto the culprit. We think it was the man with the haphazardly parked bike because we saw him arrive with a smoke hanging from his lips. Anyway, we think we was fined on the spot and not long after, the conductor made an announcement “ne pas fumer dans le train”. Even we understood that, and just so there could be no mistake, she repeated it three times. A heck of a lot of French people still smoke, far more percentage wise than back home.
There were no more incident dans le train and we arrived at Lyon on time at 11:22am. So began the untangling of panniers, bikes, trailers and riders. We were in no rush this time as we were at our destination. 35 minutes later we were checking in at our hotel, Greet Hotel Lyon Perrache, room 406. At least we have a view, but not as salubrious as the first room we had.
After lunch in our room, we cleaned the bikes and packed them away in their boxes. Cleaning them was not easy as we have had a couple of wet days and ridden on some gravel and dirt paths. We did a pretty thorough job so there shouldn’t be any hassle with the customs/quarantine mob. Wendy said that if her bike is inspected and doesn’t pass they can have it!
Back to the room to clean up and go for dinner. We were going to go for a walk to Bellecour place for dinner, however, when we got outside, the wind had picked up and it was hot. There were also some dark, ominous clouds hanging about and it looked like there was a storm on the way. We chose to get dinner from our favourite Boulanger - Paul and had it in our room, watching the final stage of the 2023 TDF.
We have checked-in online already and have our boarding passes. Now, we just have to get there!
Not sure what we will do to tomorrow, the forecast is for rain; 99% chance of 23mm! Thankfully, we have done all we wanted to do here, although in reality there’s so much more to see in this lovely city. We’ll see what the weather is doing in the morning then decide.
Our train from Lausanne to Geneva; a very immaculately clean Swiss beauty.
So quiet that you have to listen carefully to hear it.
On the train, just about the whole carriage to ourselves.
Train scenery
On the train from Geneva to Lyon, before the extras turned up.
Our room at Greet Hotel Lyon Perrache, room 406
The back of the hotel and our room
The view from our room and where we cleaned and packed the bikes.
The bikes all packed up
