Day 8 - Travel problems

When planning our trip south, we decided to take an earlier train so we could check our bags at the station in Brive and wander about the town a bit. We were betting on there being a bag check at the station, and booked a train that would get us there an hour earlier than the scheduled pickup by the tour operators.

On Sunday morning, we hustled all our baggage onto the metro, did the transfer at Place d'Italie, and arrived at the Gare Austerlitz about 2 hours before our departure.

We had a morning coffee and croissant (11 Euros) and waited for the 12:50 departure to come. Compared to air travel, there is no security for trains. We had our ticket punched and boarded the train, with luggage. At the appointed time the train pullled out of the station, the passengers started eating their cheese and bread, and then we stopped. It was announced that there was a problem with le traction (the engine) and further info would be provided. There seemed to be two options, load all the passengers onto other trains, or get another engine. After 90 minutes, it was announced (in French only) that we would be pushed back to the station and assigned a new engine. 

Meanwhile, the next train to Brive departed, meaning that our early train was now the later one. We contacted our tour person and told her about our late arrival and waited for departure. Our train left about 2 hours later than scheduled. We were not on the super-fast TGV, so we were looking at a 4 hour trip.

Upon arriving in Brive, we went to the front of the station and looked from someone from the Caves and Castles tour. After 30 minutes we were becoming concerned. Finally an older man with frizzy hair (Steve) appeared with a sign.

He had been waiting for us inside the station all the time. We proceeded to his car and met Megan, a young woman from Vermont who had come in on the other train, (the later one that arrived earlier). Upon arriving at their house (Les Rosiers) we met Steve's wife Judie, and the other two members of our group (Jack and Bernadette) who were from California.

We were then treated to a full French meal, with ample amounts of wine,and given our notes for the week's adventures.

Bernadette looks at notes with Steve and Megan looking in.