Lost in Avignon: Why Getting Lost Can Help You Find Yourself

I arrived in Avignon in the south of France via the TGV, the fastest train in Europe. When I stepped off of the train, I was overcome by a wall of dry heat, discovering the temperature was much higher than in Paris. My friends and I decided to make the most of the city; our bus to Arles was not scheduled to leave for a few hours.

By chance, we had decided to come to Avignon in the midst of its summer festival. Everywhere we went, people handed us fliers for plays, shows and musicals. Street musicians and mimes entertained groups outside le Palais des Papes, the Pope's Palace. Admiring its regality, we decided entrance to the building was a must.

After touring the Pope's Palace we left the building, excitedly talking about its charming courtyards and ancient chambers. So enthralling was our conversation that we failed to notice we had wandered far away from any familiar sights. We meandered through narrow European streets, all cast with the shadows of high buildings. It was impossible to distinguish one road from the next.

Since I spoke the most French, I asked people we passed in the streets if they knew the location of la Place de l'Horloge, the center of Avignon. Many responded that they were also tourists. A friendly man gave me a map, which I gratefully accepted. However, because there were few posted street signs, we found it impossible to navigate back to the city's center.

We continued to walk through the twisting streets, hoping to miraculously stumble upon a familiar sight. By now we were all in poor spirits and were becoming increasingly annoyed with each other. However, as we passed a small restaurant, an elderly man stepped outside, beckoning us in. We agreed to grab a bite to eat, overtired and dehydrated. We were seated and brought cold glasses of water. To our surprise, the elderly man took a seat at our table as our waiter took our order. He explained that he owned the restaurant and was always interested in serving tourists.