Nathalie Birli, a 27-year-old professional cyclist, was training when a car knocked her down. The young woman broke her arm when she fell. Her attacker got out of the car, beat her with a tree trunk, and took her home, isolating her in the countryside.

"When I woke up, I was naked, sitting and tied to an armchair in an old house," the young woman said.

Her kidnapper forced her to drink alcohol and tried to drown her, then put her in a bathtub full of cold water, she reported.

The woman noticed that the man was growing several orchids. She began to compliment the flowers. Her aggressor, initially "full of hatred," began to "soften up" and explained his passion for gardening and his difficult childhood.

The young woman finally managed to get her kidnapper to release her and take her home, not forgetting her bicycle.

Police were able to locate the crime scene thanks to GPS data from the bicycle. The 33-year-old man, who has mental health issues, was arrested, and police are now investigating whether he was involved in other unsolved kidnappings.