On the way home

The enormous, grand 18th century building where I stayed last night is only a 10 minute walk from the station. My tiny Airbnb room was on the 3rd floor, reached by climbing sweeping flights of stairs. Each tread (marble for the first flight, stone after that) has been gently worn down into a curve over the centuries.
As far as I could see, this once-grand mansion now houses a mix of rooms and apartments. Despite the peeling paint here and there, it's still impressive. Some similar places on the street have been polished up and made into exclusive restaurants; it was good to see this one still in more ordinary use.
The walk to the station goes via a park, offering a last glimpse of Nimes' grandeur.
Later, on the high-speed train to Paris, I had a nice chat with a man from a village in the. Cevennes mountains. He was on his way to spend a few days with an aunt and uncle near Paris. He told me about his work in a (plant) nursery and all about his vegetable plot at home. His dream was to make a long-distance canal journey one day. I told him about the old canal boat that Ruth lived on for 2 years in London. All in all, it was a delightfully soothing exchange.