Trip to France

[Pudsey Bear]

He'll be home by lunch at this rate.

We've done over 2,500 miles so far, possibly will double that by the time we get home.

Mostly we're on back roads doing 30 to 50 mph so not exactly rushing about.

I expect to have a few fines waiting for me when we get back, the limit signs are bonkers, you'll be in a 30 and you don't see any more until folk start passing you, Googles and velociraptors speed limit indicators are reallcrap and should be ignored.

 

[barryd]

Bossy boots has decided she doesn't want to extend the trip, I'd be happy to live down here.

Thats a shame Kev. You planned this for a long time. Has liz not really enjoyed it so much then? There is so much more to see and do. If you are not pressured to being back, dont rush would be my advice but no good if one of you has had enough. I know what you mean. There are certain parts of France I can never tear myself away from.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Nah, she's fine, I'm not one to let her bully me but there are pressures to be back early June appointments etc, but we also have a few places to visit if possible, wants to do at least one chateau, and I want to do Normandy stuff.

 

[barryd]

Nah, she's fine, I'm not one to let her bully me but there are pressures to be back early June appointments etc, but we also have a few places to visit if possible, wants to do at least one chateau, and I want to do Normandy stuff.

You might like Normandy. Some nice wild camping spots, quiet beaches etc. There is a good one here right next to the worlds third highest lighthouse (Phare de Gattville) just outside Barfleur which is a cracking little fishing village.

Phare de Gatteville

Details for Phare de Gatteville a Off site parking Gatteville-le-Phare, Manche, Normandie, France, 50760

tinyurl.com

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Funny country isn't it, we went all the way south, but coming back up to the east to avoid Limoges is really beautiful very rural country with quite twisty roads and long views, which we both like, and we have seen hundreds of semi derelict farm houses we'd buy in a breath, just having baguette and cheese in a forest clearing.

Why dont they sell fresh milk here? It's all UHT stuff which is okay but very odd, why is everywhere closed when we want lunch? Why have not met any called Renee yet? How is it that even the little kids manage to speak French so well.

 

[barryd]

Funny country isn't it, we went all the way south, but coming back up to the east to avoid Limoges is really beautiful very rural country with quite twisty roads and long views, which we both like, and we have seen hundreds of semi derelict farm houses we'd buy in a breath, just having baguette and cheese in a forest clearing.

View attachment 131532


Why dont they sell fresh milk here? It's all UHT stuff which is okay but very odd, why is everywhere closed when we want lunch? Why have not met any called Renee yet? How is it that even the little kids manage to speak French so well.

LOL! You have to get in early if you want lunch in rural France Kev. It shuts down for a lunch four or five hour around 1pm. Better to buy some nice stuff and find somewhere nice and have picnic.

 

[mark61]

In the good old days, lunchtime was a good time for driving. Truck drivers were well hammered after a good lunch.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Fortunately we already knew but it would have been nice to have a proper french meal somewhere, evening is no good as we're usually parked up by then and I'm not up to walking at all by then.

 

[mark61]

Find a relais routiers. Always good for lunch.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Been looking but we're not on the trunk roads much Mark.



Can any one see a dog?

 

[Robmac]

Been looking but we're not on the trunk roads much Mark.



Can any one see a dog?

View attachment 131537

Sorry Kev, just a Chien.

 

[TJBi]

If you go to Monet's garden you can overnight on the car park, if you do decide to visit the garden, make a very early start to get to the front of the ticket queue and head straight for the water garden before the gardens on the house side. Why well the tour coaches arrive very early as well and its a nightmare once the Japanese arrive.

Even better, avoid the queue for tickets by booking on the Internet the night before. French TV showed very long queues for tickets for Monet's garden a week or two ago.
https://giverny.org/gardens/fcm/ticket/ The See tickets platform looks to be the most competitive.

 

[Tonybvi]

When we lived in Paris in the late 80’s Monet’s Garden was one of our go to places whenever we had visitors from the UK. In those days we never needed to queue, even at weekends, and it was pretty quiet all the time. I hesitate to go back now as it would spoil the memories we have of such a great place to visit.

 

[Val54]

When we lived in Paris in the late 80’s Monet’s Garden was one of our go to places whenever we had visitors from the UK. In those days we never needed to queue, even at weekends, and it was pretty quiet all the time. I hesitate to go back now as it would spoil the memories we have of such a great place to visit.

That's so true of lots of places that we count ourselves lucky to have been to when "over tourism" wasn't a thing but that's possibly another subject for a thread without hijacking this mammoth whistle stop tour of France, Switzerland, Andorra, Spain (just) and back to France .....phew

 

[Canalsman]

Funny country isn't it, we went all the way south, but coming back up to the east to avoid Limoges is really beautiful very rural country with quite twisty roads and long views, which we both like, and we have seen hundreds of semi derelict farm houses we'd buy in a breath, just having baguette and cheese in a forest clearing.

View attachment 131532


Why dont they sell fresh milk here? It's all UHT stuff which is okay but very odd, why is everywhere closed when we want lunch? Why have not met any called Renee yet? How is it that even the little kids manage to speak French so well.

Fresh milk is available but the supermarkets don't stock large quantities. You'll find it tucked away in a small section of one of the chiller cabinets.

 

[alcam]

In the good old days, lunchtime was a good time for driving. Truck drivers were well hammered after a good lunch.

Still see them having a drink at lunchtime .
Small towns usually have at least one bar doing a lunch . Usually 3 courses for not too much .
Relais routers are always good value though quite a few seem to have shut down

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Still see them having a drink at lunchtime .
Small towns usually have at least one bar doing a lunch . Usually 3 courses for not too much .
Relais routers are always good value though quite a few seem to have shut down

We haven't managed to find one yet.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

We went Château de Chenonceau, Chenonceaux today, one of two Liz had earmarked, I do hope the next one is better for the scooter, crap surfaces for small wheels and no access to the upper floors.

We're here for tonight.

Not my cup of mint tea at all but we're both whacked today, Liz with the walking, and me because Liz gave me my hormone jab yesterday so I was very uncomfybubble last night, but give her her due, she did a better job than the professionals did, much less muscle pain.

 

[barryd]

The Gardens are very nice at Villandry which is just up the road from you. The Chateaux itself I thought was a bit boring and half empty but I bet they are all like that as the French probably burned or trashed most of it during the revolution when they were lopping the owners heads off. I think they are nice to look at from afar really but not my thing at all to look around.

 

[SimonM]

We just visited Frederiksborg Slot in Sjaelland, Denmark. It is huge with a wonderfully laid out gardens, well worth a long visit. By heck it was hot.