London to Troyes: the hard way

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We get off to a bad start. On our journey from London St Pancras to Paris, with an external temperature around 30 degrees, the air con in our Eurostar carriage isn't working. The attendants tell us that they can't bring water while the train's in the tunnel, so refreshment arrives only an hour or so into the journey. They walk through the carriage handing out plastic cups and pouring water into each in turn.

At Gare du Nord, we have our second setback. The hire car that we booked several weeks ago isn't there. We spend two hours in the Hertz office with nothing to drink, thinking of our friends waiting for us with dinner in Troyes. Hertz finally hand the key over at 8pm.

By the time we reach Troyes, the evening is winding down in the bars and pavement cafés. Couples and small groups are walking home as we drive through the narrow streets of timbered houses. The GPS leads us only to roadworks and signs saying "route barrée". When we ring Erwan, he offers to meet us at the cathedral and guide us in. He welcomes us to the house with a bottle of blanc de blancs champagne in the warm night garden.

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