From exhaustion to exhaustion.

Day three and day two undid me. Two days of struggling to find accommodation which is a reasonable cost(€126.04 for two nights works out as tres expensif).

The night was hot in the hotel bed. The covers were too warm for me, but the tiny window and thick curtains kept it quiet in the space and I don't think there were bedbugs...

Back in the centre. Actually Mantes-la-Jolie is a bit disappointing as a city, but it was largely destroyed in 1944 as Patton crossed the Seine here. It's as average as Bastogne...

Today I revert to backpacking and try to find a more reasonable option: there appears to be an Auberge du Jeunesse in Rouen, but I can't get an answer from them.

Caught the 8:49am to Rouen. Mantes-la-Jolie was nothing that I expected it could be. The mix of middle eastern, north African, west African, etc, made me feel uncomfortable. Really I saw only a couple of folks who appeared 'French'. The gentleman from the Amis Saint Jacques back in Beauvais didn't know the town having only visited once. Perhaps I have to stop attempting to walk Camino along unrecognised ways.

***

Sat down to have breakfast in Rouen, having booked on Airbnb along the way north in Mont-Saint-Aignan, it's what I needed. Emjicafé in Place Dominique Laboubee for a fresh lemon and orange juice and a pannacota with a tart refreshing raspberry coulis.

From the notes of the local Amis Saint Jacques in Rouen there is a way between here and Amiens, but the weather on Monday and Tuesday makes me wonder? Heading north, back along the way I came in 2014, seems more sensible - a sea breeze or the coastal influence might reduce the dangers of being inland. Yesterday was tough and the people and my mind wasn't helping me forward from Mantes-la-Jolie (shittown). At one point I had accommodation in an Abbey, miles from Mantes-la-Jolie, but when I called for the second time it wasn't possible: which wasn't very charitable. Maybe they're out the habit of helping desperate men - them being nuns?

Coming down from Mont Saint Aignan to the town directly to Les Berthom - the same outlet as I visited in Dijon and Reims ( before I attacked Glenn with a baguette outside the station). They sell a lot of French craft, but I could be bothered with IPA this DDH that. When in France drink Schlenkerla? On a roasting day a smoked beer? It is definitely a winter beer...

***

Sunday morning dispatch box before departing the way I came 2014. The lady of the Airbnb says it's free buses on a Saturday, but I walked up and down that steep hill three times: in the sweltering heat at 2 and then there and back for food and beers.

Rouen is a nice proper French city. A small Paris. The lady host commutes to Paris to work: she's a data analyst - I was once and it was a very tedious job back in 1997/99.

The train line intersects with the Chemin along the way, and their are trains between Dieppe and Rouen regularly if it gets too hot. I need to get moving again after the break yesterday. No 45 kilometres today thank you!