The long walk back to our favourite kebab joint to catch the France vs Switzerland match right after we had our farewell dinner in the city centre, turned out to be a walk to remember. When the French team scored their second goal, the streets burst into a succession of honks, cheers & merriment; crowds of fans running out of the bars in high spirits and proudly waving their flags in the air, people in the cars rolling down their windows shouting ‘Allez les Bleus!’, the entire town coming alive to celebrate. The atmosphere was magical.
Indulging in the incredible feast, saying our goodbyes and promising to keep in touch, basking in the World Cup fever in France on the streets, running to the kebab stall to catch the last 15 minutes of Les Bleus playing beautifully in the match… couldn’t have spent a better way to end summer school.
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| My last glimpse of the town on the day we left |
That afternoon, as we made our way to the Gare, luggage in tow, I remember the sun shining its brightest, the streets awash with gold, and the sky ablaze with the softest shade of blue. The train pulled up just as we arrived, and I looked back for one last time to catch the tail end of Troyes in the summer light, fading quietly, like a sigh.
The Book Jacket 