Vincent was a dreamy boy who loved camping and poetry. He grew up in suburban Watford with his mother, who hung two paintings above his bed that he adored. One was a picture Vincent had painted in school of an old gypsy traveller following the bend in the road. His teacher Miss Weatherby said it was brilliant. The other was a painting of boats on a beach signed "Vincent."

Years later, while procrastinating on exam revision, Vincent examined the boat painting more closely. He realized it was by the famous artist Vincent van Gogh. Excited by this discovery, Vincent read more about van Gogh's life. He learned the boat painting depicted a beach in southern France where van Gogh had lived and worked.

Vincent became fascinated with going to the same places van Gogh had painted. One day the boat painting fell off the wall, nearly hitting Vincent's head. On the back was a note explaining his grandparents had bought the painting on the beach in France where van Gogh painted it. They gave it to Vincent as a baby.

Inspired by his close call and the note, after exams Vincent set off traveling in France, following country roads toward the sea. He hoped to find the beach from the painting, little knowing the journey would take him somewhere completely different.