Locked Up in Paris: Escape to Valenciennes

So when I said that I had four days to spend roaming around the streets of Paris, all that was true… until Flo accidentally locked me up from his apartment.

I had everything planned out from the night before - from visiting bookshops, teashops, meeting friends and getting to know more of what Paris has to offer. When I was about to leave, it occured to me that Flo forgot to leave his keys. I thought, it doesn’t matter, I’ll be out the whole day anyway. But as I was opening the door knob, I then realized that not only was the apartment locked from the inside, it was also locked from the outside! I thought about jumping from the window but realizing that we were all the way up from the 4ème étage (5th floor), I hesitated.

Flo was deeply apologetic. I, having left no other choice but to wait till he gets back from work on a Friday Paris jampacked traffic night, decided to take the next (and probably last) train to Valenciennes.At 19h30 Flo took me to Gare du Nord where I was to take the 19h30 train to VA. But lucky me, all tickets were sold out. So I took the next best option, a train to Lille Flandres and hopefully catch another train from Lille to VA or any train for that matter that would pass by VA. At 20h20 I was on my 60-Euro / two-hour train ride to Lille Flandres, still a bit pissed about missing out on a day in Paris but thankful that Flo tried his best to appease me and also looking forward to another night / day with mon chéri amour.

So only after two days of being away, I’m back ! Valenciennes really feels like home to me, even after just a couple of days staying here.My boyfriend came to welcome me back at the station (in what seemed like a scene in a movie kind of way) and walked me back home. It was decided that on the following day, we would watch Skyfall (in French!) at Gaumont !

And that’s exactly what we did at 14h, a few hours before I leave for Paris that same day.

It was hard to leave him the first time, even harder this time around. But I had to go back to Paris. Why did I have to go back to Paris anyway ? Well first I left my things behind and second I still owe some time with Flo since he’s been so kind hosting me despite the unintentional lock up that happened.

Flo treats me like a queen and I know I would not get any better treatment or warm welcome in Paris than how Flo manages to do so. And I am deeply, genuinely, and sincerely thankful for it. But in spite all that, it was hard to appreciate and to love Paris as much as I know I could and would first because I am still overwhelmed from what had happened during the past week and second, I know that my mind and my heart will always belong to VA.