France > Across France

The alarm goes off at seven o’clock. Shortly after, an announcement sounds in the hallway—unintelligible. In the small bathroom, I take a shower. Since we have an inside cabin, we cannot see if we have already arrived in the port. We pack our luggage and go to the bar. We order coffee. The ship is approaching the port of Toulon. Drivers of the cars on parking decks 3 and 5 can go to their vehicles. We are on deck 2.

France - Cars parked closely on the ferry

Only when most cars have already disembarked can we go to our deck. The cars are parked very tightly together. Cars have to reverse up the sloping ramp. When it is our turn, there is more space to turn around first. Shortly after, we drive off the ship. We follow the route towards Marseille. At a gas station, we stop to refuel, have coffee, and a sandwich. The weather outside is pleasant. The sun is shining. It’s still about 700 kilometers to drive to the overnight stop in Troyes. We calmly set off along the Route du Soleil heading north. Along the way, we stop several times for the restroom, something to eat, and to refuel. Around five o’clock, we approach Troyes, a city east of Paris. In the suburbs, we have booked a simple transit hotel. We are warmly welcomed. Because it’s too far to walk to the city center, we decide to eat at the hotel. The menu offers a three-course dinner with a choice of fish or meat. But before that, we order a beer. Just as we are sitting outside, it starts to rain. We finish our drinks inside. Several workers arrive who likely stay at the hotel for an extended period. After dinner, we return to our room and prepare for the last night of our trip.