Rain was rattling on the roof terrace when I threw back the shutters this morning so I logged on to www.tennis.paris.fr to see if we could switch to an indoor court. Some hope! I thought about cancelling, but I could hear my father's voice as he stood in the doorway of the tennis pavilion looking out over a rain-sodden court: "I think it's brightening up. The birds are singing - we'll be back on in 15 minutes!" So, ever hopeful, we put on waterproofs and set off. And guess what? By the time we'd registered under my son's name (I've discovered that if we're playing with the children we get a reduced rate) and paid for the court, the rain had stopped - and the man in the office promised us a refund if it started again before our time was up.
There was not a soul to be seen on any of the six courts - clearly the French lacked our British optimism in the face of a downpour. The courts dried out surprisingly quickly so there was no danger of slipping and we were soon into the game.
It's not the first time I've played at Léo Lagrange and it remains one of my favourite spots. A short walk from the metro with well-maintained courts and the feeling of playing at a tennis club surrounded by trees and flowers rather than in a high-rise housing estate on a court that has been crammed in as an afterthought.
It was an unusual sensation having the courts to ourselves on a Saturday morning and we had nearly the full hour before the rain started again. But the man in the office was as good as his word because as we sheltered in the reception while the rain pelted down he gave us a refund. A good lesson not to be deterred by the weather. Hope for a break in the clouds and if you do get rained off, at least you'll get your money back!
68 Boulevard Poniatowski
75012 Paris
Metro: Porte de Charenton
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