Sunday 15 December - Longueville

I decided to go back to Longueville to see the steam locomotive used on the Santa specials. Gare de l'Est was not very busy and I had a little time to see people enjoying the pianos the SNCF has installed in its main stations.

This little girl was practicing her scales under her father's supervision

Heaters have been placed in the area where people wait until their train is announced.

The weather was completely different from yesterday with a clear blue sky all day and just a few Simpson clouds in the afternoon.

At the Longueville roundhouse a few parents and children had gathered in a two stall area that had been cleared but the access was uneven over half buried rails, puddles and slicks of oil and grease. 

In the roundhouse was this upright boilered 0-4-0 tank engine

This engine was used on the Santa Special.  It is here running round its train.

I was able to get some pictures of the suburban tank engine running around its train and decided I didn't need to follow it to Provins and back.

The ride back to Paris Est was in bright sun and the #30 bus was pleasantly full.

We had thought about going to Le Train Bleu this evening then took a look at the prices and decided to look around here. We ate at Le Bistro D'Id, the closest to the apartment and had two two-course meals and wine for the price of a formule at Le Train Bleu. A very satisfying meal soup/terrine and chicken. We tried a red Sancerre for the first time. It turnrd out to be a good light red.