Last night I decided to go for a stroll around Angers before I went to bed. The streets were mostly abandoned save the elderly couples, dog walkers, and tourists, like myself, that aren’t used to the world shutting down on Sundays. The lights of a few creperies and kebab shops were bright against the dark shade of the sky. And the water glistened off the cobblestones of the back alleys from the recent rainy afternoon. The scene was set, further, when I heard the nearest cathedral’s bells sounding. All of these seemingly nondescript factors combined to create the ideal French evening in Angers. (Of course choosing to ignore the local Subway and McDonalds symbols of American commercialism.) I really didn’t have a motive for my excursion other than to see the city at night.

I kept walking up and down the hilly alleys that make up centre-ville. I past an Irish pub alive with young adults watching their favorite sports team, one boulangerie serving those ignorant individuals that don’t know that France shuts the world down on Sundays, and a small creperie with a blue LED lit sign with a single “e” burnt out. As I walked by the creperie the first time, I glanced at the menu and kept walking. However, I could not pass up on the delicious crepes that waited inside. So, I made another lap and circled back around to the creperie with a blue LED lit sign with a single “e” burnt out. I entered and was quickly informed that the creperie was closing in exactly 35 minutes. After, I was asked if I could eat fast. At which I thought, of course I’m an American. I replied enthusiastically, bien sûr!

As a sat down in the empty restaurant, I gave the menu a fast look and chose the caramel crepe. After a few banging dishes and soaking in my surroundings, a waiter brought me the most extravagant crepe I have ever seen. It was folded in half and covered the circumference of the plate. Also it was topped with toffee ice cream, whipped cream, and drenched with a rich caramel sauce. But more important than it’s presentation was the fact that I was going to eat it! Needless to say, I finished in less than ten. I paid and left the small creperie with a blue LED lit sign with a single “e” burnt out and walked back to my foyer feeling full and accomplished after my first authentic creperie experience.