Today I planned to do some washing, I have checked with the hotel and there is no guest laundry but a 24/7 laundromat in the next street. So off I trot with my bag of ‘smalls’ and a bottle of ‘Wilderness wash’ thank you Jacquie. How hard can this be….

There is signage in French and English and payment is by debit card and there are of course no staff on site. Into the machine go my items and lock goes the door and ker-ching goes the payment. Patting self on back very clever Sharise ….

Press start nothing, check payment check machine, nothing nada. Clothes in machine door locked and no one to help and no way to get all my items back.

I sit down and wait, not sure what for but decided to take matters into own hands and call the phone number on the wall, this takes a couple of goes then I connect with a French man who speaks no English I try to use my translator app but can’t get it to work, we have a few goes and he says ‘find a French man or woman’ so I stick my head out the door and wave a lady down who runs away at speed. The next person along is a young guy.. very French looks like he is on his way to a Chanel photo shoot.

I hand him my phone after asking for help in terrible pretend French. After much discussion in French with the guy on the phone he produces what might have been a bottle opener not sure but a tool on his key ring and he opens a latch to release the door. Phew! but then he removes the lid of the machine and reconnects a fuse and presto the machine has power I thank him profusely in terrible French and he is gone. Like a knight in shining armour I am left in the laundromat like a damsel who has been rescued to watch my 30min cycle followed by 30 minutes of drying.

Tour Saint – Jacques

My French friend Johann has told me about this place. I arrived around noon and the small park is filled with city workers eating lunch there is a small play area with children playing.

I sit while and enjoy the peace in amongst the gardens,

Built in 1508 – 1523 it is 52m tall. There was a church here but it was destroyed in the Revolution in 1793. The inscription reads..

“From this place where the Church of Saint Jacques de la Boucherie stood, millions of pilgrims of all nationalities left since the 10th century towards the tomb of the Apostle Saint James in Compostela.”

De la Boucherie because the butchers of the Halles market nearby were the patrons of the church.

This has been the starting point for many pilgrims walking the French routes to join the Way of St James to Santiago. But not me today I am off to the Sainte Chapelle, it’s just around the corner.

Pilgrims Spotted-None.

French Observations

Using a laundromat in France can provide a great deal of entertainment.

Cost to wash a small bag of smalls €4.40 and dry for 10min €1.50

Part two, the Americans, my Mum and a boat trip….