Saint-Germain-en-Laye

The weather in Paris has been great for over 2 weeks so yesterday we decided to put a bunch of stuff into the day pack and to head out of Paris for the countryside. The RER is a system of trains that runs through Paris' subway, connecting the suburbs to the city. We walked over to Gare du Lyon from our apartment, bought 2 R/T tickets for less than 10 euros each, and went out to the small town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye 19 km from the heart of Paris. The town is known for its château and attached gardens that were particular favorites of King Louis XIV. We actually exited the RER below ground and came up right across the street from the castle which creates a dramatic entrance to the town. By the time we arrived we were ready for lunch so immediately found a terrace restaurant where we ate a salad before heading back to the grounds of the castle. It was really too pretty to be indoors so we postponed the visit to the château for another time and went straight into the gardens. The castle and grounds sit along a high plateau overlooking a long valley stretching all the way to Paris. As a matter of fact, from there we could see the Eiffel Tower with the towering contemporary buildings of La Defense in the foreground. We first walked through the château's large gardens and then continued into a connecting forest for a long walk. Afterwards, we sat at a café in the gardens and had a drink while we played cards in the sunshine. It was really so easy to get away from the city to enjoy nature and a lovely historic setting.