The Sweet Escape

Michel, in his 50s, married, children grown up and out of the house, nine-to-five job, stuck in his daily routine. When he gets on his motorcycle after work, he dreams of a different life. How he would love to soar through the evening sky in a propeller plane like his hero, airmail pioneer Jean Mermoz. One day, Michel stumbles upon a photo of a kayak by chance - and is captivated by the object's perfect beauty and elegance. It's love at first sight. One click - and the boat, which he can assemble himself, is his. For a few days, Michel manages to keep the purchase a secret from his wife Rachelle. Full of dedication, he assembles his kayak piece by piece on the roof terrace and accumulates more and more expedition equipment. He spends entire afternoons in his half-finished vessel, dreaming of it. Finally, Rachelle discovers the equipment store, puts an end to the dry runs, and drops her husband off at a river so that he can finally get going and get out on the water. Rachelle senses that Michel's time off could completely turn their life together upside down. And indeed, on his very first break, Michel encounters a rural, eccentric bohemian scene at a roadside restaurant with the beautiful Laetitia. He immerses himself in an exotic world outside of space and time, characterized by lightheartedness, cherries, sensuality, and ice-cold absinthe.