Weekend in Paris - travelling there

I drove to Angoulême to catch the TGV. It's 90 minutes away, but easy to park there and less hassle than catching an ordinary train from Saintes or Jonzac and then changing - at least, I think it is. Getting up before sunrise is always difficult, and more so after only 3 hours' sleep; I set off a bit late, having gone back into the house three times to find things I'd forgotten - the third time for something which was already in the car. Fortunately the route was easy to follow and there was hardly any traffic, so I was doing well until 10 miles from Angoulême. Just at the end of the stretch of dual-carriageway (isn't it always?) I came up behind a lorry travelling slowly. Soon I realised it wasn't the lorry driver's fault - in front of him was a line of cars, or rather a parade. Seems there was a vintage car rally. There was nowhere safe to overtake (especially in a RHD car); after a couple of miles the lorry driver gave up and pulled into a layby. Usually I'd be delighted to amble after a beautiful Mk 3 Triumph Spitfire; I think both the Spitfire and the MG in front of it could have gone a lot faster if they hadn't been behind a small 1920/30s car (I didn't find out what it was). Eventually there was a piece of road with a clear view of nothing coming the other way.

I arrived a little later than hoped at the station, but still in time... except that I couldn't find a way to the platform, nor anyone to ask. There was quite a queue for the only person in the ticket office, and by the time I found the desk (nowhere near the ticket office) where I needed to request assistance in crossing the track, the train was already waiting at the other platform. There was only a small queue here, but when it was my turn someone shoved in front of me (I was so tempted to clout his ankles). The person at the desk said it was too late to find a member of staff to take me across and I'd have to catch a later train.

Disconsolately I trundled back to the ticket office and joined the queue again. Suddenly a stationstaffer appeared and said he'd come to take me across and they were holding the train! Oh joy! And what a nice thing to do (though when we arrived in Paris 4 minutes late I wondered if I should apologise to the other passengers, but was comforted by the memory of the frantic group of Anglos who'd realised that they were on the wrong train and if the train hadn't been held back they'd have been travelling north instead of south).

The elevator-thingy is so much fun, unlike the ramps that are used on UK stations. One feels quite regal.

Lovely ride, those TGV trains. Being Saturday, first class was only 6 euros extra, so of course I'd gone for it. When they changed my seat booking to the wheelchair space, I wondered if it had been necessary to pay the extra.

Gare de Montparnasse is a bit of a nightmare, but after a few circles I got out on the correct side. I'd checked bus routes, but it wasn't necessary because the hotel was quite close, the weather was sunny, and it was fun to trundle through the streets past all the busy cafés.