[Again, for the last time in a while, I had a host for tonight. Thomas, a French university friend who I'd last seen in March 2020 fleeing home after the onset of COVID, agreed to host me. He lives in Versailles.]
Woke around 10 pretty hungover. Sonny had bought me a croissant and pan au chocolat as promised. They were really good. Very buttery. I packed the half kilo of wrap I had left [In fact I had to go back for it shortly after setting off, having forgotten it in the fridge] and went down into town to buy an Opinel knife. I had luck in the second tobacco [Tobac] shop. [I had intended to bring one from home, for cutting up bread, cheese and meat, or repairing brake pads etc. I didn't want to risk taking it on the ferry however, so simply bought one from the source. It turned out to be a very useful tool. Would recommend.]
The cycle today was an odd one. It started and ended with relatively built up suburbs and industrial estates around Evreux and Versailles. In between were many, many wheat fields (increasing in size), churches, and old, sleepy looking French villages made of small cemented together stones. I stopped in a field to finish my kebab. I almost managed it. Many fields and many Sherlock Holmes stories later I stopped, exhausted, on a big hill by the side of the road, and polished it off. [I believe I sat directly by the side of the road, under some trees, atop a drain cover…]. Money well spent.
I stopped later in a particularly pretty old village to take a quick look at the church, then continued on through alternating drizzle and sun towards Versailles. The last few km were exhausting and full of busy roads. Eventually I got to Thomas’s. He lives on a literal military base. I felt lost until I saw some of the public wondering in. I followed. People in camo were sauntering about and giving me curious looks.
Eventually I found Thomas’s place. We locked up my bike and he welcomed me in. His English has definitely got worse and there were a few awkward silences, but overall it was good vibes. I took a shower and changed into clean, dry clothes. I handed him my dirty clothes to wash, including the shorts I was wearing, complete with Airpods in the pocket. They are drying on the sill right now. Good job Max. I pray that they work.
We drank and chatted for a bit. Thomas too has recently broken up with his girlfriend (or been broken up with). There must be something in the air. After the washing was done and my clothes and Airpods were hung up to dry Thomas drove us into Versailles itself. On the way he told me about the protests [At this time they were raging throughout France in response to Macron's pension bill, though by July they had calmed, and I saw none] and how he usually took a gun with him because so many police officers have been attacked [he’s a gendarme].
Versailles was pretty enough. The palace, when we passed it, dominated everything. It was spectacular. We parked in an underground car park where comforting music played. We went to a fancy looking restaurant and sat outside. Thomas insisted on paying. I managed to persuade him to let me pay for my own beer [you can tell this is at the start of the trip! Later I took any generosity I could get]. He agreed to that. They brought out starters – bread, gazpacho – then the main – duck, truffle mashed potato and foie gras. I was not a fan of the foie gras – the rest was incredible. For dessert I got a chocolate mousse which came encased in its own solid chocolate casing. That was possibly the best part of the meal. We went back, drank a little more beer, then I went to bed.
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