The man, whose name was not released, said his family of three left Paris for a summer vacation. They made several stops at service stations along the highway. Around 4:30 a.m., he drove off from a rest stop, unknowingly leaving his wife behind.

After driving about 300 km, the husband realized his wife wasn't in the car and immediately called emergency services.

"We received a rather confusing call around 8:30 a.m.", a Landes police representative said. "The man said he had forgotten his wife at a gas station, but he couldn't remember which one or what time he had stopped."

Their 22-year-old daughter, who was in the car with her father the entire time, couldn't provide any information because she was asleep.

Police quickly mobilized to check service areas along the route from Orleans to Landes, but found no trace of the woman.

Authorities suspected the man might have intentionally abandoned his wife. They requested data from toll booth cameras to determine the car's travel times and whether the family's statements were consistent.

"We found some inconsistencies, such as the daughter claiming to be in the back seat, but camera footage showed her in the front," an officer said.

Finally, using the wife's phone location, police determined she was at the Pamproux service station in the Deux-Sevres region. She had been waiting there for over 4 hours.

An investigation concluded it was a genuine oversight, with no signs of intentional abandonment. Police instructed the husband to return for his wife. The family continued their journey to Morocco.

Nhat Minh (Theo OC/France3)