Day 2: Le Jardin d'Acclimatation

We left Parc Astérix early so we could make a quick visit to Le Jardin d'Acclimatation in Paris. To be honest, it looked less than impressive from its website, with what looked like a couple of kiddie coasters and a few other children's rides. Hardly the kind of place worthy of leaving Parc Astérix to go and visit. Especially in the rain. Unsurprisingly, a few people elected to remain on the coach rather than pay to go in, but more on that later.

What we found was a nice surprise: three unique coasters, albeit small ones.

Le Tacot Express is a powered coaster with a kick, diving down through a hidden tunnel (yes, another tunnel) and picking up a lot of speed.

This is one powered coaster where you do need to hold on!

Powered kiddie coasters aren't supposed to be this fun - even in the rain!

Next was Les Papillons d'Alice

It's a Reverchon spinning mouse with a couple of differences: the trains were half normal size and the track was half height

Just space for two adults as opposed to the usual four

The park's other coaster is Dragon, again rather special

Dragon is helped over the hills by a set of mini tyre lifts

Could it really be? Yes, Simon's smiling!

Jardin d'Acclimatation would definitely be a great place to spend a lazy sunny afternoon

After riding the coasters and attempting (and failing) to get on one of the kids' rides, we made our way back to the coach. Interesting happenings had been, erm, happening, while we were away.

Those who had stayed on the coach had been watching a guy who kept walking up and down beside the road. As we returned things started getting weirder as his circuit repeatedly took him into the nearby woods and back. After a while he approached the supposedly empty van parked behind us and talked to somebody obviously hiding behind a curtain obscuring the back of the vehicle. Soon there were more men wandering up and down, into the woods and back. Great. We'd been brought to the Paris equivalent of Hampstead Heath. Luckily nobody wanted to stay.

The coach took us back to the hotel ...

... passing a few famous landmarks on the way

We arrived safely, with only minor damage to a small tree outside the hotel as the coach reversed into it whilst trying to park.

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