The F1 chain, a national treasure of France. Glowing price signs pull guests from motorways to the friendly comfort of tired workers stacked for the night in identical box rooms. Just what is necessary - a hot powerful shower to ease the joints and warm the bones, a microwave for basic hot food, a place to sleep. Being in France, fresh croissants, coffee and juice appear each morning in the lobby, served by the very young French woman who seems to run the entire hotel with just one other young woman helping with the cleaning. And of course free WiFi.

Feels strange to be part of this community when we are interlopers. English speakers without enough French to hold a conversation, and getting into our van each day not to work, but to climb in the forest.