Today I stayed in Paris in order to buy the remaining items for the tour. I needed the white gas for the camp stove and some food. The white gas in France is called “Essence C”. It is usually sold in hardware stores. There was one nearby and it had a 1 liter bottle available.
I had some time available in the afternoon so I decided to visit the Eiffel Tower (since I am in Paris). The Google directions said that it would take 1.5 hours via public transportation to get there. It is only 13 miles so I decided to ride a bike there instead.
This was a fun ride. At first I was concerned that the streets were full of cars and the bike lanes were narrow and sometimes were not there at all. But I soon discovered that the drivers are very forgiving here. They expect bicycles (and scooters) on the road and they give them enough space.
Interesting thing I noticed is that cyclists do not obey the traffic lights and cross the road on red. I don’t know if this is allowed here but the drivers do not beep or yell at them.
Nice – way to ride there! The drivers in France are super nice, we love cycling there. You’re off to a great start! Looking forward to following your blog!
Thanks! Will try to post regularly when I have internet and time.