The Sweet Escape

Fifty-year-old Michel is a computer graphics artist. He has a passion for the aerial postal service and thinks he's French aviator Jean Mermoz whenever he hops on his scooter, even though he has never piloted a plane.
One day, a series of photos of a kayak stop Michel in his tracks: the kayak looks just like fuselage.
He falls in love immediately. Unbeknownst to his wife, Rachelle, he buys a kayak kit and all the material that goes with it. Michel paddles for hours on his roof, dreaming of solo flights, but decides not to cast off out to sea. Rachelle discovers his paraphernalia and encourages him to weigh anchor.
Michel finally sets off down a pretty, unfamiliar river. At his first stop he discovers a open-air cafe on the riverbank. Here he meets the owner, Laetitia, the young waitress, Mila, and their clients - whose main occupation is to tinker about beneath the trees and to drink absinth.
Michel makes friends with this group of folk, sets up his tent for the night nearby, and finds it very difficult to leave the next morning.