Day 4: Driving France

So we finally made it out of Paris.  I cannot tell you the joy we felt at that moment.  Paris did not seem to want to let us leave.  Now we're on the A10, heading to Orleans.  We figure we'll stop there for lunch, because it's getting on to that time.  Then we pass through a toll booth.  This is the first one, where you get a ticket, which is when we realize this is a toll road.  Luckily, Orleans is one of the first towns on the road. 

We're driving along, all happy, and get to Orleans.  We exit.  There's the toll booth, and I insert our ticket.  And I'm not sure about the price.  I put on my hazard lights so nobody pulls up behind us, and then I finally find a speaker phone.  I call the people and ask if they speak English.  She said yes, but didn't understand me when I asked the price, so I ask again in French.  Ten euros and 70 cents!  Mom and I are freaking out.  We insert some bills and coins and pay the toll, then bitch about it all the way into town. 

Orleans is pretty.  It's on a river, and we headed into the center of town to find some food.  We found a cafe and tabac shop, but the parking lot was full because it was next to a flea market.  So I turned around and decided to drive up the one-way side street by the cafe.  There's a parking spot!  So I got to parallel park, on the left.  Thank goodness for automatics!

We had the plate lunch, which was a stewed/roasted chicken, with English peas, and yummy bread. It was really good.  And I had the creme caramel for dessert.  The bathroom was interesting.  You walk in, and on the left, against the front wall, is a sink, and hand dryer.  Facing it were 2 doors: a hamam (Arab toilet) and a toilet with no seat.  Straight ahead, there were urinals against the wall of the toilets, with a small tile half-wall covering the urinal area.  So you could stand and pee, and if you leaned in close, the person coming in the door wouldn't see your junk.  There was a guy washing his hands when I went in, and one washing his hands when I went out.  I guess I should be happy about that!

Then it was off again.  This time we took a small road to the next big town, so we could see more.  And it was worth it!  We went through picturesque town after picturesque town, until we got to Vierzon.  I had fallen asleep by then, and we got on the interstate again to make up some time.

There was no toll at this point, but another ticket booth showed up later, and mom and I both grimaced.  We kept going, and hit Limoges.  We had to exit the toll area here but luckily it was only 2 euoros.  Then we took the road south to Souilac, and headed west to Sarlat.  This road was beautiful!  Small and windy through hills and small mountains.  And foie gras stores everywhere!