Shows you how long I’ve been here - CV - Carte Vitale - yes of course it’s usual to carry around a CV. 
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And after that opening line, what happened next that indicated you were being propositioned?
CEAM if I’m not mistaken 
I only carry copies of my CdS & driving licence in my wallet (inside a money belt) when out and about (ie when not driving), plus of course (!) a photo of my wife, and the vet’s emergency address. I can’t risk losing either CdS/DL so prefer the copy route…
On my phone I have copies of passport, AXA private medical insurance contact details, driving licence, CdS etc. Only if driving into a major town or on a long journey I will then take actual DL, Carte Grise, insurance details.
Are copies of CV, driving licence , carte d’identité etc acceptable to the gendarmes etc if stopped ?
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Interestingly, not really. In London I was going up an escalator and looked down to see a hand across the top of my handbag - I just had to turn round and glare at the man on the step below me. Same thing in Paris - someone behind me as I was getting on the metro trying to get at the contents of the rucksack on my back (which under those circumstances would have been better across my chest). Again a glower, and they fled. From the screams I heard in the next carriage later I think he had more success elsewhere.
NB: I have a very fierce glower.
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An explicit hand gesture, the whole proposition thing was about as succinct as it could be - simply, “I like your shirt do you want to have sex?” However, my reply was even more succinct…
Strange guy, middle-aged, about 2m tall, with a pot belly, shaved head, hooked nose and a big black beard - all no, noes in my book and I imagine those of most people. Also he was queueing to buy an energy drink and a croissant in a supermarket at lunchtime - altogether someone who hadn’t got life very together.
The following day related the episode to our hiking group - response, “Mark, you might be seventy, but it seems you’ve still got some pulling power.” “Er, thanks guys…”
Sounds like an extra from pirates of the Caribbean !
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So who would be your ideal guy?
Upon reflection, think I could have omitted ‘strange’ from my no noes - ‘guy’ would have been sufficient…
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You got it - just needed an eye patch! But maybe swap his energy drink and croissant for something a bit more piratey - bottle of rum and a cutlass? You don’t often see that combo in Decazeville Casino!
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Just after passing his licence to fly light aircraft, spouse left his wallet on the roof of the plane and didn’t notice until he landed that it was missing from his jacket. One airfield rang another which confirmed that the wallet had been found by the runway and it was flown over to Jersey by the next plane. No cash remained in it, but his credit cards were still there.
I was equally lucky a few weeks ago when I realised (while unpacking the shopping) that I’d left my mobile phone in Lidl. We drove straight back, asked a member of staff who disappeared for a few minutes and returned with my phone. I wanted to make a friendly payment to say thanks but this was declined.
Reassuring!
Please do consider trousers with pockets with zips or velcro flaps. I even have comfortable shorts with zipped pockets. I may be neurotic about it but your story tells me why. What do you do if you are on public transport with predatory pickpockets? My friend just lost his brand new UK passport while travelling and was stressed out rushing to get anothet.
An interesting read
I note, the end of the article suggests
if non-law enforcement agencies such as banks, airlines and legitimate fraud investigation services could access data on lost and stolen passports security could be significantly increased.
I foresee more personal data tracing in our future.
Thanks for your suggestion and sorry to read about your friend’s loss. Certainly if I’m hiking I wear shorts with zip pockets (and the pocket with the car key always remains zipped until the walk is over). However, for daily wear, I much prefer Gant chino shorts, which, incidentally do have secure back pockets. I lost my wallet because I didn’t put it back in my pocket after leaving the hardware store with some lengths of timber and then putting it on the car roof!(!) instead of in my pocket while I loaded the car.
What do you do if you are on public transport with predatory pickpockets?
The only public transport I’ve used in many years is the Paris metro and one simply puts the wallet in a front pocket. My passport seldom leaves the house, In fact, last year it got left at home and I didn’t realise until I was asked for ID at a rental apartment in Barcelona! I shouldn’t have entrered Spain without my passport, but my titre de sejour did the job.
Sometimes it’s welcome rather than sinister. Today we replaced a large and complicated parasol that we bought a few months ago, and whose cord had snapped. Unfortunately, although we had the assembly manualand the parasol as proof of purchase, we couldn’t find the receipt, but nevertheless tried to get a replacement. To their credit the people at Le Clerc searched their database for our Visa card purchase and when they found the record, exchanged the parasol.
Of course the new parasol’s cord is no thicker and the problem will probably recur, but if it does and the rest of the parasol is OK, (ven though we’ve kept this receipt, I’ll probably just take it apart and replace the cord with a light stainless steel cable.
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Use a Moeny belt. I bought a couple for us to use in Athens a few years back, and while it’s hard to prove a negative, we had no trouble in a city with a reputation.