PARIS • London St Pancras and Paris Gare du Nord stations were on Friday united by dark humour and wistful nostalgia as the final trains linking Britain with mainland Europe pulled out before the .
The Eurostar trains that whizz passengers between Paris and London through the Channel Tunnel in less than 2½ hours should continue as normal, even when Britain woke up the next day as no longer an EU member. But there was a sense in both giant stations on Friday evening of an emotional parting, a fitting feeling perhaps in historic rail hubs that for decades have witnessed dramatic farewells in times of peace and war.
“It’s not the last one forever, right? They are not gonna break the tunnel tonight?” asked Dr John Burke, a British doctor who was leaving Paris after attending a conference. For him, the best way to get over the bitterness of Brexit was a “good bottle of French wine”.
For his colleague Arup Paul, the sadness of their trip was “we knew we were leaving as EU citizens and returning as non-EU citizens”.
The Eurostar began services in 1994 as a symbol of Franco-British cooperation, and has transformed the lives of regular travellers who previously had to opt for ferry or air transport linking France and Britain.
Mr John Earwicker, a pensioner from Oxford headed to Paris with friends, admitted he was plunged into nostalgia as he presented his British passport at the border as an EU citizen for the last time.
“I am especially sad for my grandchildren. They will not know the freedom of travelling, working that we had. It will disappear. And they didn’t even vote for that, because they were too young. It is very unfair to them.”
Nearby, a more light-hearted musical celebration was in progress.
“So goodbye Brussels, Amen! Here’s hoping we don’t meet again!” Sally sang lustily, while her husband Peter, dressed in a Union Jack T-shirt, accompanied her on the piano.
Impassioned Brexiters? Nothing of the sort. Just good old British humour. The couple were “totally pro-EU” but decided to play the unity card. They had three songs for the Remainers, three for Brexiters and, last but not least, “one for everybody”.
“Brexit has become far too serious. Far too many people in Britain are upset one way or the other,” said Peter.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE