Another day focused on driving. Today we covered about 380 kilometers in 6 hours. We made a couple of stops at rest areas. The first stop was to by some LP gas as we will be running the heater over the next few nights as temperatures are going to drop into the low 40’s.
I had to go inside and pay for the fuel and all of the staff in the large restaurant/ shop had on really creative and well done costumes for Halloween. I gave a cute witch my credit card to activate the pump. When I got out there a guy in a Dodge Ram pickup with New York plates on the front had pulled up behind me. I asked if he was from New York he looked confused and answered me in French. I pointed at the plates and he responded in very heavily accented English that it was a decoration.
The pump wouldn’t come on so I went back in and asked the Zombie behind the counter to activate the pump, she said she would. I went back out and the pump still wouldn’t come on. New York and I did some troubleshooting together but still couldn’t get the pump to come on. I was going to go back in when he volunteered to go in and explain the problem in French. After a few minutes the witch came back out with him and in about 10 seconds jiggled a couple of things on the pump and it started working.
Both New York and I looked ashamed-she gave us a look of pity which was reinforced by her witches costume as she headed back into the store. Ton wanted to know what all of the fuss was about and I told her, but I also explained about how good the costumes the staff were wearing were, so she was curious and wanted to go in. I parked François and we headed back into the store.
Ton was impressed by the costumes, but she was more impressed by the regional products on sale. After years of driving thru France and seeing regional products displayed, along with all of the other services like fuel, food, and rest rooms you expect in a rest area. She had never been inside to see what was on display in the stores. We ended up with a couple of regional candies and some socks she liked. Later on the drive we saw another rest area with regional products displayed and I asked if she wanted to stop and take a look, she said sure, and then laughed because she knew I didn’t expect her to say yes. This time we ended up with some mustard from the area.
We finally got to our campground around 2pm. I went for a reconnaissance to check on the best way to leave in the morning. The route we took in had a big do not enter sign on it, so I wanted to see where to go. I didn’t expect much and then I came around a corner and immediately turned back and got Ton.
France is full of picturesque villages. Grez-sur-Loing is one of them. It has a 19th century stone bridge, a 12th century fortified tower, and a 16th century church along side the Loing River. The setting is amazing and exudes calm and history.
When you add in fall colors and evening light it was a magical walk. What added to the magic was we had no idea it was less than 200 yards from where we were parked.
Experiences like this is what makes France magical for me. You never know when out of the blue you will fall into a place of calm and peace that makes you consider moving to some obscure place in a country where you can’t speak the language.
