Our first “Warm Showers”

After a triumphant night camping on Thursday night, Bois de Boulogne on the Seine and our first in Paris we decided to contact a few Warm Showers Hosts and see if anyone was able to provide accommodation for our remaining time here. Warm Showers is a touring cycling community that assists fellow cyclists with the provision of a place to wash, lawn to pitch a tent or an actual bed and roof over your head.
Ice on the tent and signs of pigeons in the vestibule, we woke feeling jubilant to receive a response from Parisians, Claire and Max inviting us to their home that very evening. Not only was this a place to stay but our first experience of WS and with all new experiences came excitement, as well as trepidation and wee mixture of relief for a place to re charge our batteries. Li’s legs thanks to a dynamo have been our primary source of power.
We arrived tired and dirty, probably smelly and wondering how on earth we would manage to be polite and sociable, and no idea of appropriate etiquette.
Fears were quashed the moment we were welcomed through the door. No expectations Clare and Max were familiar with life on the road. Showers and laundry, the offers if food and drink, caring and no requirements of us we were encouraged to unwind.
It was only after we had settled as if at home that we had the pleasure of getting to know our perfect hosts, about their lives in the saddle and living in Paris…..while the table was piled high with meats, bread, a mountain of boiled potatoes, pickled cucumbers, salad and best of all, bubbling raclette cheese which we melted ourselves on a grill specifically for the purpose. All washed down with heavenly monbazillac, sweet white wine……oh, and my third creme brûlée while in France.
Honesty and humour, assisting through sharing experiences are the greatest gift from Claire and Max helping to subdue self doubt and fears of the road ahead.

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