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During the months of May and June 2009 I
did an adventure trip in France, with a budget
of 450 euros, always hitchhiking (or almost),
sleeping in my sleeping bag on the street
outside, almost always eating from the supermarket,
for a total of 24 days. This aims to be the
summary of this journey, day by day, based
on notes taken in my travel diary, with the
purpose to help other travelers providing
useful information, thoughts and conclusions.
The only place where I
absolutely wanted
to get was Carcassonne,
since I am really
interested in medieval
history the medieval
castle destroyed and rebuilt
in the nineteenth
century to me was very
important.
Before this trip I did
other similar trips,
hitchhiking, but I never
slept outside on
the street, and I admit
that before starting
I was pretty scared, mostly
focused on what
the very first night would
have been like,
but years ago somebody
told me: Claudius,
to become stronger you must face your fears
and "kill your monsters", so I decided to put this advice into practice;
sometimes we are so afraid of failing doing
something that we give up even before starting,
and these are the moments when we are the
biggest enemy of ourselves, and as someone
said, the greatest battles are those that
we fight against ourselves. For the rest, just as other times, I left
home open to new opportunities
that might
arise, without a strict
route. |
| Hitchhiking in France map |
|
May 14th, 2009
I arrived at Chamonix in France
by bus from
Courmayeur, because the cable
car over Mont
Blanc was closed - my intention
was to get
in France by cable car from La
Palud, but
once arrived at Courmayeur, I
discovered
that the cable car over the Mont Blanc, due to
strong winds, it is open only for about a
month or two during the summer. The price for the bus Courmayeur-Chamonix
was 12 euros.
Train prices in France, compared to Italy,
are about four times more expensive - for
example if in Italy for 100 km you pay about
8 euros, in France you pay about 35 euros. Given these prices was obvious to me that
I could not afford the train.
At this point, I started to hitchhike;
looking
on the map, the next big city
to continue
to south-west was Grenoble. I
went to the
south exit of Chamonix on the
national road
and I put my thumb up. Not even
a minute
passes and a car stops and I
get in.
This is the first ride I got
after not even
1 minute waiting: Chamonix-Clues:)
The driver, that was more or
less as old
as me, was returning home from
work - it
was around 7 o'clock in the evening.
I discovered
that he was a hitchhiker aswell
and he was
returning the favor; after we
talked a bit
and I told him the purpose of
my trip (to
get to Carcassonne and stay in
France as
much as possible) he invited
me to his house
to sleep. Since he seemed a friendly
person,
I accepted. He was living with
his girlfriend
and another person - he allowed
me not only
to sleep in his house but also
to have a
bath and invited me to have dinner
with them
as if I were a member of their
family. Here
I could also taste the local
cheese of Savoia,
that from what I remember has
a very strong
flavor.
May 15th, 2009
 |
The next morning he gave me some information
on how to best proceed hitchhiking in France
and took me to the péage (fee station) of
the highway heading south.
In France, as opposite of Italy, the highway
symbol is marked on blue background, while
the national road is marked on green background.
At the péage, I began using
the sign with
the destination: "LE
SUD" (The
South). I hitchhike: Clues-Chambery;
the
free ride I got it almost
immediately.
After visiting Chambery I went to the south-east
exit to the highway but it did not work -
I waited for about an hour. Then I tried
the south-east exit to the national road
but even this did not work. After having
taken me a whole day (I walked all time)
to find the right location to hitchhike to
leave the city, in the end I went to the
north-west exit of the city to the highway.
Here I finally found a free ride after about
25 minutes waiting: |
| Payment station of Les Marches |
Chambery-Les Marches (peage). |
At the highway entry in Les Marches it was
already 9 o'clock in the evening and I was
lucky because the first person that passed
by picked me up: Les Marches (péage)-Grenoble.
Today two of the three drivers that picked
me up were women.
Very beautiful, for those who love nature,
is the landscape of the Isere region, just
between Grenoble and Chambery. In Grenoble, I slept on the street in my
sleeping bag near the Maisson De Turisme
(Tourist Office).
Concerning sleeping on the street outside,
I know there are two different opinions:
some travelers say that it is better to stay
far away from the eyes of the people and
others say that it is better to sleep in
the city center where lots of people walk
by because this way if somebody wants to
hurt you then it is less likely that will
do it because there are the others that are
watching - I agree with the second category:
sleeping in places closer to the center of
the city, where many people walk by, it is
much safer. I noticed that the train stations
are often the most dangerous places of a
city, it is better to stay as far as possible
and be very careful when you are nearby.
May 16th, 2009
 |
I visit the city and taste the typical dessert
of Grenoble: Noix de Grenoble.
I hitchhike at the exit
of the city to the
highway: Grenoble-Bourg
Les Valence, waiting
time 15 minutes.
I hitchhike Bourg Les Valence
(commercial
area)-Valence; waiting
time 1 minute.
In Valence, in addition to visiting the city I also
tasted the local cheese: Picodon - you can find it at the supermarket and
costs only about 3.5 euros each piece.
I hitchhike at the city's
exit to the highway:
Valence-Montpellier; waiting
time 5 minutes.
The driver was a man about
40 years old that
felt much younger inside,
and while we were
still on the road between
Montpellier and
Valence he looked on his
iPhone to see if
there was any party in
Montpellier that evening
and he invited me to go
to a party with him.
I gladly accepted, and
since we arrived in
Montpellier at 10 o'clock
in the evening
we went directly to the
party. There, I met
two girls that lived in
Paris and they were
in Montpellier only for
few days; after talking
for a while, the girls
suggested that, if
I wanted, I could go with
them to Paris after
few days when they were
returning, but since
I did not know how much
time it would have
taken me to get to Carcassonne
we exchanged
cell phone numbers to give
them the confirmation
in few days, telling them
that it's very
likely that I would go
with them to Paris.
After the party, I went
to the historic center
of Montpellier where I
slept on a bench in
my sleeping bag. |
| Square Saint André, Grenoble |
|
May 17th, 2009
After visiting the old town center I went
to the south exit to the highway to hitchhike:
Montpellier-Carcassonne; waiting time, 10
minutes.
Arrived in Carcassonne, I visited the wonderful reconstruction
of the Templar castle and I have tasted the
typical dish, Cassoulet, and typical wine
Plo Notre Dame (rosé) in the restaurant which is located just immediately
on the right after the main entrance of the
castle at about 50 meters; the Cassoulet
costs 14 euros, slightly more than the price
in town, but considering the fact that it
is prepared on time and the owner is a really
nice person it's worth it - I recommend it
to all. Here at the restaurant I met a person who
was traveling more or less like me that suggested
me a pro bono organization for travelers
with low budget.
In the late evening, walking around the castle
in search of a place to sleep outside, a
man from Germany of about 35 years old passes
by and suddenly says in a grammatically incorrect
english and with strong northern european
accent "Are you looking for a place
to sleep? Come with me." - at first
glance he did not seem pretty trustable but
around us was full of people sitting at the
tables of the bars and pubs within castle's
walls enjoying the evening in peace and I
thought it could not happen anything wrong
in a crowded area so I decided to follow
him for a while. Shortly after we arrived
at the place where he was staying. At the
reception, he told me that he was gay and
that if I wanted I could share the room with
him (also in sexual terms). The receptionist
was gay aswell:) But I am not:D so I felt
it was the right time to make it clear to
everybody, being careful not to offend any
of the two, especially the german tourist,
so I said "I am not gay, I am definitely
straight, but I thank you for your generosity
- I have slept on the street so far, and
certainly I will not have trouble finding
a place also today:)" to which he replied
saying that today is his birthday and that
he would be happy to pay half of the price
for a single room for me anyway. I did not
want to spend money for a room at all, so
I replied "Look, you're really nice,
but I cannot accept, I have nothing against
gay people, I consider myself with open heart
and mind so since it's your birthday I can
accept to have a drink together and conversate
but paying me half of the price of a room
would be too much.". Then he invited
his three other room mates, brought snacks
and various drinks and we celebrated in the
atrium of the structure. Finally, the receptionist
allowed me to sleep for free on the kitchen's
floor of the building in my sleeping bag,
agreeing that in the early morning I would
have left before his manager arrived.
May 18th, 2009
In a bar within the walls of the castle of
Carcassonne, around 8 o'clock in the morning
(because I noticed that in almost every city
that I have been to before 8 o'clock bars
do not open), while I was having breakfast
and meditating on the events occurred the
day before, I understood the true essence
of Karma for a traveler. What karma is actually?
The karma is the way of being of a person
mirrored in the others - basicly, the way
you are this way will be the kind of people
you will mostly attract to you. The good
and the evil you do to others will be done
to you; concerning the material things, what
you give to others will be given to you in
return equally measured but not necessarily
in the same form. The karma is of two types:
good or bad, and each of the two types can
be built in time doing good things or bad
things. Moreover, since is something that
is part of our own essence of being, and
so neverended, may be changed on the long
run - those who initially build a good karma
can lose it if they stop doing good things
to balance any eventual bad things done,
and who has a bad karma can make it less
bad, and so better, starting doing good things,
and even turn it into good karma on the long
run. The quality of our own karma may be
seen as two weights on a scale; from my point
of view, for a traveler is good to have a
good karma, to tilt the balance towards the
good. Asking people for things (like a begger
asks for money) contributes to the building
of a bad karma, laughing and making fun of
those in difficulty contributes to the building
of a bad karma, etc...; doing good things,
like helping people in need (but permiting
people to take your kindness for stupidity)
without demanding anything in return contributes
to the building of a good karma. If you're
a good person in the deep of your soul then
it will come natural to meet good people
who gladly will help you without demanding
anything in return - the case will do most
of the job, just allow it and let things
happen to you without opposing. Viceversa,
if you're a bad person then you attract bad
people to you.
A great view of the castle of Carcassonne
can be seen from the road that leads to the
camping area of the city.
The day before, while I was tasting the cassoulet
at the restaurant, the same person that suggested
me the pro bono organisation also suggested
me to visit Beziers, after having discovered
that I was passionated about medieval history,
as also this city was of relevant importance
due to the massacre of the population during
the Crusade against the Albigensian in 1208
demanded by Pope Innocenzo III; since Beziers
was located on my way back to Montpellier
I decide to go there aswell.
I'm hitchhiking at the exit of the town to
national road: Carcassonne-Beziers; waiting
time, about 25 minutes.
I visit Beziers and particularly the church
La Madaleine, which is the site of the bloody
massacre.
I hitchhike at the exit of the city to the
highway: Montpellier-Beziers; waiting time,
about 45 minutes. From the center of the
city was difficult to walk to the péage at
the entry to the highway.
The driver was a young student at the University
Of Montpellier - since I had never been before
to the beach of Montpellier, Palavas, he
has offered to take me there and to thank
him and balance my karma in the same time,
I offered him a drink and then we went to
downtown Montpellier and showed me the young
core of the city where the students usually
gather for a drink; here he insisted to offer
me a drink in return and I accepted - Montpellier is the young heart of southern
France, as university city is full of students.
I slept on the street in my sleeping bag
downtown St. Jean De Vedas - it is a very
safe village.
May 19th, 2009
The girls from Paris met at the party few
days ago seem to take it seriously, so I
go with them to Paris.
Once in Paris, were both really nice and
they called a friend of them that was an
artist that allowed me to sleep in his studio
at the association of artists in the abandoned
building that once was a clinic. The two
girls not only have found me a place to sleep
but they have also given me food for free
and allowed me to wash my hair in their bathroom
- I really needed it.
May 20th, 2009
I visit the center of Paris and
I walk to
Porte de Bercy, one of the eastern
city exits
to highway, to hitchhike to Reims.
I wanted
to visit Reims, Rouen, Chartres
and then
return to Carcassonne to stay
in that area
of the Languedoc region for a
while.
At Porte De Bercy I wait for
about 90 minutes
but nothing, the other exits
are really too
far to go there and try them
and it's already
9 o'clock in the evening. I noticed
that
Paris is a too dangerous city to sleep outside
on the street and it seems that I am trapped in the city.
I look on the map and realize that Reims
and Rouen are poorly connected in relation
to the distance that separates them and investing
in the train ticket for one of them would
be a waste of money so I decided to give
up to both of them and go directly to Chartres
and then proceed to south. The train seems
the only way to exit the city at this given
situation. Being short of time I take the
metro from Porte de Bercy to the center of
Paris and I go to the nearest train station
but it seems I am in the wrong one because
there are no trains to Chartres from this
one but only to some other destinations,
and discover that in Paris there are several railway stations
depending on the direction of the geographic
area in which you want to go. While I was in one of the several railway
stations, I look at the schedule
of the trains
to Chartres to see if I have
time - the last
train was departing in about
35 minutes.
In a big rush I take the metro
again to go
to the right train station -
a timed race,
if I lose my train I would be
trapped in
Paris for the night. I exit the
metro station
and run to the departing trains
timetable
to find out the track. I still
have about
10 minutes available to get into
the train,
but I do not have the ticket
and around me
all the ticket offices are closed
and the
automatic machines operate only
with credit
card that I did not have - I
had only cash.
Finally, I manage to find an
opened information
point where I find out that because
of the
late hour I can buy the ticket
on the train
without paying any additional
tax on the
ticket price. I rush to the track
and I pass
by a group of promoters that
were distributing
for free listings of hostels
all around France
- since I was running, a guy
threw one at
me and I instantly decided to
keep it considering
it as a source of amusement that
I would
have browsed once on the train.
Arrived at
the train's ticket controller
he tells me
to get on in the meantime because
he would
have come later on to sell me
the ticket.
 |
I get on the train, and after about an hour
I'm in Chartres - the ticket controller has
never come to sell me the ticket and so from
Paris to Chartres I moved for free, like
hitchhiking.
Chartres is exactly as I thought: a small
town and very safe to sleep outside.
Is it not mysterious all
this? From Paris
I cannot get out as hitchhiker
and the destiny/fate
or my karma still allows
me to leave the
city for free so that I
can sleep in a safer
place and continue the
journey?
Arrived at the cathedral
of Chartres, close
to midnight, I was amazed
by the lights projected
on its facade accompanied
by great music
as background.
I sleep in my sleeping
bag on a bench in
front of the cathedral.
May 21st, 2009
Benches are not so good to sleep on - a lot
better completely on the ground with the
mattress and the sleeping bag over it using
the backpack as pillow.
I visit the cathedral of
Chartres, which
together with Carcassonne,
Beziers and Montpellier
is an important step to
discover the warrior
monks. After the visit
I also take part to
the Mass with gregorian
singing in the cathedral
of Chartres - a really
unique experience.
In front of the cathedral of Chartres, I
met a traveler more or less like me and I
gave him for free my Campingaz cooker because
until now I've never used it |
| Inside Chartres cathedral |
and since I noticed that I ate cold food
from the supermarket most of the |
time I thought it only made me heavier.
I hitch hike on the national
road: Chartres-Montargis.
In Montargis, looking for a good
hitch hiking
spot to proceed to Orleans, I
get lost, ending
up in the middle of the fields,
and in the
evening I fortunately get recovered
by a
local driver that takes me back
to town center.
I sleep in my sleeping bag on
the street
in the town center of Montargis. |
|
|
May 22nd, 2009
 |
I take the bus Montargis-Orleans (2 euros).
Orleans: the city of Jean
D'Arc; during the medieval period Orleans was small:
a dozen houses and the cathedral. Today,
of the medieval period it left only the Cathedral
and nothing else, the rest is a modern city.
I hitchhike at the exit
of the city to the
highway: Orleans-Tours,
waiting time to get
the ride 15 minutes.
Tours was not really in
my plans but walking
around to find the right
place to hitch hike
I noticed that it is a
nice old town; Tours, a medium size city, is as alive as
Montpellier since it is also a university
center.
I sleep in my sleeping
bag on the street
in the historic center
of Tours.
May 23rd, 2009
Getting a free ride from
Tours to the south
is becoming a challenge.
I'm hitchhiking from Tours
to Limoges (commercial
centers area); waiting
time: about 45 minutes.
I'm hitchhiking from Limoges
(commercial
centers area) to Brive
La Gaillarde; waiting
time: about 20 minutes.
I sleep in my sleeping
bag on the street
near a church in Brive
La Gaillarde (not
downtown). |
| Statue of Jean D'Arc, Orleans |
|
May 24th, 2009
I hitchhike at the city exit to the highway:
Brive La Gaillarde-Cahors (north péage).
I am going south and I am at the north exit
of the city - definitely in the wrong place,
the peage is about 14 km far from the city.
Given the situation I decided to try hitchhiking
towards south even if I was at the north
peage, but after about 1 hour that I was
there and still nobody was going south then
I decide to walk for 14 kilometers to downtown.
On the road to downtown I find a bar where
I taste the local wine of Cahors, Malbec De Legende, and since I really needed to have a good
bath and wash my clothes I choose to look
on the list of hostels that happened to get
into my hands in Paris and decided to keep
in my backpack; I notice that in Cahors there
is a hostel with 13 euros per night and I
decide to go there. Now I understand why
the road has led me to Cahors - when you
need something the fate or your karma (if
you have a good one) helps you reach your
goal.
I sleep in the hostel. I noticed that many hostels are quite full
and it is best to book a bed few days in
advance with a phone call; I was lucky, I must have a good karma:)
May 25th, 2009
In my hostel's room I met a man about 60
years old that was going by bicycle from
Germany to Portugal; we talked of many things
and like all real travelers was very open
and wise.
When this man went away he left me 10 euros
near my things but I could not thank him
because I was in another room. This event
reminds me of a few days ago when, at Chartres,
I gave for free my Campingaz burner to a
traveler that was in need - I did a good
thing and now a good thing happened to me.
I realize that what really counts is not walking around
to see a city you've never been to before
or visiting its museums to know perfectly
its history, but it is the people you meet
because talking with them and listening to
what they say about the culture of where
they live and what they have learned from
living up to that point of their life you
become richer inside, this is one of the
great values of the trip: the inner richness
that you get as you proceed.
I hitchhike at the exit of the city to the
highway: Cahors-Toulouse; waiting time for
the free ride: about 10 minutes.
For those who love nature, the landscape
between Cahors and Toulouse is very beautiful.
I visit the historic center of Toulouse -
also known as the pink city - and I try to
get to Carcassonne within the end of the
day. Since also Toulouse is quite large,
and given the previous experience concerning
Paris, here I decide to take the metro.
I hitch hike close to city's exit to highway:
Toulouse-Carcassonne; waiting time, 10 minutes.
I want to explore for few days the area south
of Carcassonne before returning to Italy.
I hitchhike on the national road: Carcassonne-Limoux.
The driver was a young guy who was returning
from work and because it was evening, he
says that if I want I can sleep at his place
and adds that he makes intensive use of drugs
but if this is not a problem to me then I
can go. I understand that even if he was
taking drugs he was a good person inside.
It is strange how, when traveling like this,
you develop a sort of sixth sense that permits
you to understand almost at first sight who
you can trust and who you cannot, and you
become aware of having it but it's good not
to consider yourself wise or thinking that
you are better than people around you because
every time you'll do it mother nature will
prove that you are wrong; however, attention
must be always payed to what surrounds you.
I do not take drugs of any kind and I don't
even smoke and I've been very clear about
this with him since we met, then I thought
that it would be a good opportunity for me
to better understand this category of people
that, usually who is commonly called "normal"
and never take risks try to avoid them maybe
because it's a lot easier for these commonly
called "normal people" to ignore
them instead of trying to understand them
and eventually help them; I decide to accept
his invitation, being aware of taking a minimum
risk. Now just popped in my mind a phrase
of Michael Jackson, whose music I have always
loved: some of us do not want to ever take risks
and they take life as it is, while others
choose to live a wild life.
Once at his home he has been very kind and
respectful towards me, told me how he got
to the point of being addicted to drugs,
feeling the need to take drugs everyday and
wanting to stop but being unable to do so,
and when he was about to inject the daily
dose he wanted to protect me somehow suggesting
me to go to another room but I decided to
stay and watch, because until that moment
this kind of thing I had seen it only in
the movies. It's different to see lively
certain things - it makes you more aware.
May 26th, 2009
The same person who, in Carcassonne, suggested
me the pro bono organization for travelers
with low budget and visiting Beziers, also
showed me a postcard with a small village
here in the area named Cucugnan. I want to
go there.
I hitch hike: Limoux-Quillan-Cucugnan.
Who took me from Quillan to Cucugnan were
two guys, a norwegian boy and a canadian
girl (also them have been hitchhikers in
the past), that offered to take me directly
to Cucugnan; to thank them, once in Cucugnan
I offered them a glass of local wine of the Corbieres: Corbiere Rouge. They shared a travel experience telling
me that exactly where they found me, last
year a driver had stolen their backpacks
with all documents, money and stuff leaving
them completely empty.
In fact, when hitchhiking with the backpack
and sleeping in a sleeping bag on the street
using the backpack as pillow, as a rule to
follow it is good to keep the documents and
money always on the body scattered in various
places and always be ready to lose the backpack.
When sleeping in a sleeping bag it is best
to put in the bag also the boots, just to
avoid finding yourself shoesless in the morning
- if anyone is willing to steal your backpack
may also want to steal your boots if they
are left outside the sleeping bag.
Near Cucugnan, on top of a mountain about
750 meters there are the ruins of one of
the many castles of the Cathars located in
the Aude: Chateau De Quéribus. By what people I have talked to think about
the Cathars, I noticed that even today, lots
of them that live in the Aude are supporters
of the Cathars.
I'm hitchhiking from Cucugnan to Maury. Here,
in Maury, someone suggested me that in Villefranche
De Conflent there is a nice fortress so I
decide to go there.
In the area, buses to and from Perpignan cost only 1 euro and so I decide to take the bus because
given this price I think that hitchhiking
it would be like taking advantage of people's
kindness and this would be bad for my karma.
Bus Maury-Perpignan-Villefranche De Conflent
(2 euros).
South of Perpignan it's noticeable how castles'
architecture changes. Next destination: Perpignan
and Collioure.
I hitch hike from Villefranche De Conflent
to Ille Sur Tet.
Concerning hitchhiking: on the national roads, people
drives for short distances so if you want
to get to a place which is farther it's better
to use the "thumb up" and go from
village to village, rather than wait for
a driver that goes far away because it might
take too long to find it; the highway is
very good for long distances (50 km minimum)
and here it is better to use a sign with
your destination written.
I sleep in my sleeping bag on the street
in Ille Sur Tet.
May 27th, 2009
I hitchhike from Ille Sur Tet to Perpignan
and then I take the bus from Perpignan to
Collioure (1 euro).
Collioure is a small city on the sea full
of tourists who have come here to enjoy the
beautiful beach - almost too crowded for my tastes.
Life is beautiful but also strange once in
a while; sometimes it is like a sort of signals
are sent to us and it's up to us to catch
them or not or to try to understand them.
I take the bus from Collioure to Perpignan
(1 euro).
I want to find an honest way to make money
to travel for longer time, months and years
following; I believe that learning juggling
or do magic tricks to entertain the people
would be a good thing. I decide to buy the
juggling balls to learn to juggle but it's
quite hard to find them and as a matter of
fact I look for the balls all around Perpignan
for about 3 hours and, just before taking
the bus to return to the area of Carcassonne,
I find them in a place where I least expected.
I take the bus from Perpignan to Quillan
(1 euro) and then I hitchhike from Quillan
to Couiza.
I arrived in Couiza around 8.30 in the evening.
I want to eat some french fries, so I try
to buy them from the restaurants and bars
open there but the answer is everywhere the
same: "Usually we have french fries,
but not today." - almost as if they
had an agreement on not selling french fries.
Then someone tells me that in the nearby
village, Esperaza, which is 3.5 km far from
Couiza, maybe I can find them.
It's almost dark, but I decide to go get
the chips and then return to Couiza to sleep.
The road between the two villages is not
illuminated by any pole lights and can be
a bit scary by night.
Once arrived in Esperaza, after I looked
for french fries in various restaurants,
in the end I found them. At this point I
need to get back to Couiza and outside it's
completely dark; luckily I have a led flashlight
powerful enough in my backpack so I turn
it on and in spite of my fear that there
could be any wild beast coming out from the
forest along the road between the two villages,
I dive into the darkness of the night and
proceed. After about 40 minutes I'm finally
back to Couiza and I look for a place to
sleep.
Thinking about the whole french fries thing,
there is a lesson in all this: I managed
to find the french fries because I was determined
in my research - the determination that a person has when
intends to reach a goal is very influential
on the results.
I sleep in my sleeping bag on the street
near the post office of Couiza.
May 28th, 2009
In France, the typical breakfast is the same
as in Italy: coffee or orange juice and croissant.
Most of the days I had breakfast in bars
because the majority have toilets that allow
not only to brush your teeth and shave but
sometimes are so large that you can quickly
wash a t-shirt or a pair of socks or pants.
Some quick clothes washing can be done also
in the large shopping centers such as Carrefour
or Auchan because they have very large and
multiple toilets.
I'm hitchhiking: Couiza-Arques-Laroque De
Fa-Crossroad D106/D611-Fontcouverte-Crossroad
D111/D6113-RN Carcassonne; six rides, totally.
I took this road because I wanted to stop
in a small village called Villerouge Termenès
but then I changed my mind.
On national roads (RN), also hitch hiking
far from cities/villages works perfectly
so the myth which states the opposite (as
it may be weird to see someone trying to
stop cars in the middle of nowhere) is not
fully valid in France.
Who took me from Arques to Laroque De Fa
was a farmer specialized in cheese, so to
thank him for the ride and balance my karma
I bought from him a little piece of cheese
and then he offered me for free another one
bigger and tastier, the Pélardon, typical cheese of Languedoc, produced by himself.
I taste the local wine of Carcassonne, Plo De Notre Dame (rouge), in the same restaurant as the first
time.
Before returning to Italy I want to visit
two more places - two abbeys: St. Hilaire
and Fontfroide.
I hitchhike: Carcassonne-Pomas. From Pomas
I walk to St. Hilaire (8 km).
The inner courtyard of St. Hilaire is always
open to the public - when I arrived it was
about 8.30 in the evening and everything
was so quiet, so I entered the courtyard
of the abbey - there was nobody there, so
I was all alone - and I just stayed there
for about 20 minutes to listen to and enjoy
the sound of the absolute silence and stillness
so pure that I had never found so far. It
worth to come here.
In a small tavern near the abbey, I tasted
the local wine of Limoux, the Blanquette.
Someone suggested me to visit also the Abbey
of Lagrasse, before going to Fontfroide.
It is not useful to buy a map of a specific
area of the country before arriving on site
- is enough to have a map of the entire country.
I sleep on the street in my sleeping bag
near the school in St. Hilaire.
May 29th, 2009
I hitchhike from St. Hilaire to Carcassonne,
then I walk from Carcassonne to Trebes (6
km), and from Trebes I hitchhike again to
Lagrasse.
I have breakfast in a bar in the small and
ancient village of Lagrasse.
I'm hitchhiking: Lagrasse-St. Laurent-Fontfroide.
To get to the abbey of Fontfroide - situated
between the hills - from the national road,
you need to take a small path for about 2.5
km.
At the abbey of Fontfroide I taste the typical
wine of the Corbières.
I'm hitchhiking from Fontfroide to Narbonne.
I'm visiting the ancient city on the Via
Domitia and in the evening, before looking
for a place to sleep, I'm going to a pub
for a drink where I meet a young anglo-american
writer. Among other things he tells me that
he is going to live in Séte for a while.
I sleep in my sleeping bag on the street
near the historic center of Narbonne.
May 30th, 2009
Since Séte is located more or less on my
way back to Italy I decided to stop there
aswell, before getting to Nimes.
Hitchhiking: Narbonne-Coursan-Séte.
Séte is a small port developed around a hill.
Hitchhiking: Séte-Montpellier; here I hitchhike
again at the north exit of the city to the
highway (shopping malls and amusement park
area): Montpellier-Nimes.
On my arrival in Nimes I found the city in
full celebrations - the Feria; I did not
know anything about this festivity before
my arrival and I did not even know it was
at this time of the year. Then I found out
that this festival, the Feria, is celebrated
twice a year - during the Pentecost and another
time; for the whole time of the festival,
the traditional dish is the spanish Paela.
I prefer to visit a city as it is during
the most days of the year and not as it is
during a festival because I think its view
it's slightly altered, so I decide to go
to Avignon and return to Nimes after few
days when the festival will be over.
Hitchhiking: Nimes-Remoulins-Avignon.
The person who took me from Nimes to Remoulins
told me that near Remoulins there is Pont Du Gard, the
ruins of an enormous roman aqueduct. I sleep in my sleeping bag on the street
near the Palais du Papes.
May 31st, 2009
After visiting for good Avignon I'm heading
to Orange.
Hitchhiking: Avignon-Courtizon-Orange.
Orange is very small, and the town center
is concentrated all around the ancient roman
theater. Here in Orange I taste the typical sweet of the region: the calissounet.
Jun 01st, 2009
I hitchhike at the city exit to the highway:
Orange-Nimes; I'm hitchhiking on the national
road: Nimes-Marguerittes-Pont Du Gard.
I noticed that almost all drivers that picked
me up have been able to give me information
about what the food or wine in their local
area is - the local wine in this region is Cote
Du Rhone.
At Pont Du Gard, the best view of the roman
aqueduct can be obtained from the top of
the hills along the river.
I walk from Pont Du Gard to Remoulins - the
shortest way goes through the countryside
and on both sides of the road there are cherry
and apricot trees.
Once in Remoulins I decided to taste the
Cote Du Rhone and to do it I thought bars
would be a good idea, so I went to some and
asked if they had local wine and what was
its name, just to make sure they were not
making fool of me. To my surprise, many responded
that they did not know the name of the local
wine and others have tried to fool around,
but without success, answering to my security
question on the name "...we have country's
wine;)" to which I just smiled and left
the bar to seek the local wine elsewhere.
In the end I found it in a restaurant where
I also tasted the Galettes Provencale.
In conclusion, just to avoid being cheated by bars' and restaurants'
owners is better to inform in advance about
what local food and drinks are. Some restaurants
have a license that does not allow the sale
of only alcohol, but only combined with food.
Finished eating there's 9 o'clock in the
evening and I decide to make an attempt to
return to Nimes, so from Remoulins I try
to hitchhike on the national road. After
less than 5 minutes that I was hitchhiking
a van stops to pick me up - the driver is
a punk girl with two giant dogs. (I have
always been afraid of punks but in the same
time I wanted to understand them better.)
She gets out of the van and asks me where
I'm headed, and me, in less than a second
I realise that this is my opportunity to
better understand this type of people so
I say Nimes and she moves the dogs from front
to back of the truck, I get in and we leave.
She was going to Toulouse on the national
road because the highway was too expensive
for her pockets. We talked a lot... she told
me that most of them are friendly, gentle
and modest, willing to help if you are in
need. She also told me many useful things
for a backpacker like me, for example where
I can eat and bath for free in France - she
told me things that would have helped me
a lot if I knew them in advance: she said
that in all quite large cities, it is possible
to request at the Tourist Office a booklet
called SOS Galere, a list of associations
in the city that offer free aid services
(food, hygiene, rest) to people in great
difficulty. She was working in a circus, so I also
asked her for some tips to learn juggling
with balls faster. Finally, when we arrived
in Nimes, to thank her for everything I offered
her a cup of coffee.
When I was in Avignon I had seen a lot of
punks, but I was always afraid to approach
them to talk and I thought that sooner or
later I would have found a way to get to
know these people. Only few hours later I
had the opportunity to meet one - it is amazing
how destiny leads you to accomplish some
of your true wishes if you let things happen:
in my case, when the truck stopped and I
saw that it was a punk as driver I could
have said no but doing in such a way I would
have pushed away this opportunity to better
understand their lifestyle and I would have
continued to have prejudices about them;
once again, this situation demonstrated that
it is very important not to close into yourself
but let things happen - to be open to the
world of heart and mind.
I sleep in my sleeping bag on the street
in Nimes near the city center.
Jun 02nd, 2009
The Feria is over, so now it's what Nimes
looks like usually.
I'm hitch hiking: Nimes-Bellegarde-St. Gilles-Arles.
I visit Arles in the evening and decide to
stay here for the night; the city, although
small, does not seem very safe so I sleep
near the police station in my sleeping bag.
Jun 03rd, 2009
I'm hitchhiking: Arles-Highway péage-Aix
En Provence.
After visiting Aix En Provence I decide to
go to St. Tropez, just to see if this city
will be so special also for me as for others.
It's hard to find a driver to pick me up
from Aix En Provence so after about an hour
of trying at the entrance to the highway,
I go on the national road but still nothing
so in the end I decide to go away from Aix
En Provence on foot, walking to the next
small village and once there to try again
to get a ride; Aix En Provence is not a large
city, and in southern France I noticed that the average
waiting time to get a free ride is 10-15
minutes, so not finding a driver to pick me up in
one hour is very strange.
I walk from Aix En Provence to Le Canet (7
km). I hitchhike from Le Canet to Pourrieres.
To thank the driver for the ride I offer
him a drink in Pourrieres and he accepts.
I taste the local wine (rosé) of Pourrieres.
I walk from Sacaron to Pourcieux (5 km);
I hitchhike: Pourcieux-St. Maximin La Ste
Baume. As soon as I got here I discovered
that this tiny village, St. Maximin La Ste Baume, is a very important
place of pilgrimage for many Christians because
in one of the three sarcophagus within the
church's crypt scientists state that there's
the body of Mary Magdalene, the woman that
Jesus saved from the killing with stones
as found guilty of prostitution and who stayed
by His side for the rest of her life afterwards. I did not know of the existence of such
a place of pilgrimage and is an honor for
me that the road took me here allowing me
to visit the crypt of the Basilica of St.
Maximin La Ste Baume with the sarcophagus
and the relic.
I taste bread made with local mediterranean
fruit (fig).
I'm hitchhiking: St. Maximin La Ste Baume-Brignoles-Flassans
Sur Issole.
The driver who took me from St. Maximin to
Brignoles was a young man that hitchhiked
in the past aswell and he told me that Aix En Provence is "the hitchhikers'
hell" - I do not know why this city
is such a rare "hitchhiking unfriendly"
sample here in the south of France, a city
where hitchhiking is so difficult not because
of lack of favorable locations, but of lack
of drivers with favorable mentality towards
hitchhikers; I didn't like that much even the city,
and if I knew these things prior to get there
I guess I would have avoided it.
In Flassans Sur Issole, before finding a
place to sleep, I go to a small pizzeria
to buy french fries and as the owner saw
that I am a traveler with little money he
offers me a glass of peach juice (balance
of karma?).
I sleep on the street in my sleeping bag
in Flassans Issole Sur.
Jun 04th, 2009
At breakfast I offer two coffees to a man
that looks poor.
Looking on the map to decide the best way
to St. Tropez I come over a medieval abbey,
Thoronet, and since medieval history is one
of my passions I couldn't help to go and
visit it.
I hitchhike: Flassans-Abbaye Du Thoronet;
from Flassans I walk on the road for few
kilometers but then I found an employee of
the Forest Guard who took me directly to
the abbey.
In the morning, around 1030 o'clock, the
atmosphere inside the ancient Abbey of Thoronet,
created by the penetrating sunlight, a total
absence of other people and absolute silence,
is magical.
At the abbey I met a boy from the countryside
of Kyoto; together, we visited the Abbey
of Thoronet and to me it had been an opportunity
to increase my knowledge about the shoguns
and about the actual Japanese culture; then,
he had to get to Les Arcs by 5 o'clock in
the afternoon to catch the train but he had
no idea how to get there as soon as possible
and had no experience in hitchhiking so I
decided to help him and I suggested him to
hitchhike with me.
We hitchhiked: Abbaye Du Thoronet-Thoronet-Le
Cannet Des Maures-Les Arcs; we changed three
drivers and we arrived at Les Arcs in about
an hour - finally here, each of us has continued
its own way.
I'm hitchhiking: Les Arcs-Les Valises-Ste.
Maxime.
Arrived in Ste Maxime I take advantage of
the beautiful beach and do a swim in the
Mediterranean sea.
From Ste. Maxime to St. Tropez I went on
foot (14 km).
I realize that St. Tropez is nothing special, apart from
the prices that are higher than I've ever
seen in my life.
I sleep on the street in my sleeping bag
near the center of St. Tropez.
Jun 05th, 2009
In the early morning, a poor boy born in
Paris but working in St. Tropez, wakes me
up and invites me to his house to sleep and
have a bath so I accept and at his place
I have a great bath; I was expecting to happen
to meet again somebody so kind after the
boy of Limoux because I really needed to
have a shower - it's been about a week since
then; as thankfulness I give him a bottle
of Fanta of 0.5 lt. He tells me that many rich people come to St. Tropez especially
because this city is famous as "the
paradise of drugs" - in fact, crossing
the port in the late evening can be seen
many yachts with people who party like crazy
and it is not difficult to imagine that they
may be also taking drugs.
From St. Tropez I decide to go to Ventimiglia
through Cannes and Nice.
I'm hitchhiking: St. Tropez-Port Grimaud-Ste.
Maxime-Cannes.
Most of the drivers I spoke with told me
that in the south of France people as well
as being very friendly are also very superficial.
In Cannes, for those who love cinematographic
art, it's really wonderful the square in
front of the Cinema Pallace because on the
pavement there are various handprints of
many actors and film directors. Here I met
a german girl of about 25 years old that
was hitchhiking aswell and she told me that
she never had problems, contrary to the common
thinking that for girls it's more risky.
I hitchhike: Cannes-Antibes-Villeneuve Loubet-Nice.
One of the drivers who helped me to get to
Nice was a poor man who was returning home
from work - he had two little girls so to
thank him for the ride I gave him a bottle
of Coca-Cola of 0.5 lt for the girls, this
way also taking the opportunity to balance
my karma.
I visit the old city of Nice and I notice
that the architecture of the historic buildings
is similar to those of Grenoble.
I sleep in my sleeping bag on the beach of Nice - the moon and the black
sea that hosts the projection of its light
are gorgeous.
Jun 06th, 2009
I visit again the historic part of Nice and
then I take the bus Nice-Monaco-Menton (1 euro each ride).
After visiting the small town of Menton I
take the train to cross the old border Menton-Ventimiglia.
Here ends this adventure in France.
Conclusions
France is a multi-ethnic country, where racism
and nationalism does not exist almost at
all and where good education stands above
all when it comes to relate to other people;
french people are generally very willing
to help without asking anything in return,
friendly and handsome, very open in the south
but at the same time superficial, colder
in the north but once you get talking to
them for a while then they are reliable when
it comes to move to action. Concerning the
persons who you may meet I think that this
still depends on your karma. Concerning hitch
hiking: in France there is a strong and solid
culture of hitchhiking and I noticed that
even on roads far from towns, people pick
up hitchhikers; the average waiting times
to find a free ride, I noticed that in the
south is 10-15 minutes while in the north
is 25-35 minutes; to my surprise, I noticed
that people who picked me up during these
24 days were approximately 60% women or girls
and about 40% men or boys. It is said that
the truck drivers pick up hitchhikers - I
have given them many opportunities but no
truck driver has ever picked me up.
Food and drink: there are supermarkets such
as Carrefour Discount or Carrefour Market
where there are good quality products that
cost very little.
By Longhaul.
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