French trip

Hi all left dover at 3am Saturday can report sausage and bacon made it ok landrover started throwing communication warnings reset about 4 times in 400miles absolutely poured with rain maybe something to do with it stopped last night camping natural just north of caen slept 10hrs traveled to Pleven another 200miles is an ancient car show over weekend see pics what a model a the cheapest Gasol 190€ per liter peage 250€ traveling to roscoff tomorrow for a week fingers crossed designing the perfect D3 for European travel on the way ordering dunlop springs and module when wife goes to sleep can report sausage, wine and cheese are superb

Some travel in style.

you went in your disco

J

tyregeezer said:

Hi all left dover at 3am Saturday can report sausage and bacon made it ok landrover started throwing communication warnings reset about 4 times in 400miles absolutely poured with rain maybe something to do with it stopped last night camping natural just north of caen slept 10hrs traveled to Pleven another 200miles is an ancient car show over weekend see pics what a model a the cheapest Gasol 190€ per liter peage 250€ traveling to roscoff tomorrow for a week fingers crossed designing the perfect D3 for European travel on the way ordering dunlop springs and module when wife goes to sleep can report sausage, wine and cheese are superb

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We have seen gasoil at about those prices, always cheaper in a supermarket which you can use day or night.
But €2.5 per litre on the Autoroute? Robbing barstaff! Am wondering why you didn't drive to Portsmuff and go direct to Caen -Ouisterham or even do Plymouth-Roscoff, but you will have your own reasons.

Well done smuggling the meat in!

Hope the weather gets better for you. But in the deepest south west it has broken and we had more or less non-stop rain over the past 24 hrs.

Have fun whatever you are doing!!!

Stanleysteamer said:

We have seen gasoil at about those prices, always cheaper in a supermarket which you can use day or night.
But €2.5 per litre on the Autoroute? Robbing barstaff! Am wondering why you didn't drive to Portsmuff and go direct to Caen -Ouisterham or even do Plymouth-Roscoff, but you will have your own reasons.

Well done smuggling the meat in!

Hope the weather gets better for you. But in the deepest south west it has broken and we had more or less non-stop rain over the past 24 hrs.

Have fun whatever you are doing!!!

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I thought the same regarding the crossing,until I spotted where they are from.
We normally do the Portsmouth/st malo crossing & drive to roscoff. Easier driving that side than the uk

Thanks yes love traveling in discovery only way to travel France can highly recommend, is still the same that's why I love it we always run into some fun we love the drive down we usually stop at municipal sites 2 or 3 overnights and zig zag a bit see different places france is so big 120km south of caen for tonight with my vin rouge

Hicap phill said:

I thought the same regarding the crossing,until I spotted where they are from.
We normally do the Portsmouth/st malo crossing & drive to roscoff. Easier driving that side than the uk

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Always easier driving in Frogland! Once outside of big towns it's like driving in the UK back in the 60s or so!!
Pompey -St Malo you get a real good night's kip!!

tyregeezer said:

Thanks yes love traveling in discovery only way to travel France can highly recommend, is still the same that's why I love it we always run into some fun we love the drive down we usually stop at municipal sites 2 or 3 overnights and zig zag a bit see different places france is so big 120km south of caen for tonight with my vin rouge

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Bon Appetit!!! Somewhere near Saint-Paterne? Or Alencon? In the Parc Naturel?
Enjoy!!

Only in a green sense and there was cows it's was in a orchard was relieved when farmer turned up fully clothed was blissfully quiet after motorway ferry etc

Made it 200 miles to the coast on the site filled up 1.93€ cheapest so far suspension still tripping now and again have made a pact with it if it gets me home will build it instead of the 06, rebuilt motor, dunlop springs, etc this motor is chipped and has egr blanked and is manual all things I like but think D3 seats maybe more comfortable weather held think I'm going to check compressor dryer as issue seem to point to water ingress, believe it or not I brought a spare compressor, France is even more expensive than I remember, on the wine gonna chill for a day or two then change compressor and try to botch repair a dodgy supply pipe where I think water maybe got in will let you know

tyregeezer said:

France is even more expensive than I remember

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It's a question of local knowledge and experience.
We spend half the year in each country and for us France is in fact cheaper.
But you have to pick your battles as it were. You on holiday would not be interested in things like elelctricity and phone bills, burning wood as opposed to gas.
On holiday you probably shop differently, enjoy yourselves differently etc. Fule is a right barstaff at the moment, but apart from that, we are happy.
Just wish the exchange rate was the same as before the crash of 2008 when 67 p bought a Euro. Then you wouldn't complaining!!

Not complaining lived in Holland for a few years things always seemed a bit more expensive apart from basics rent electric, the expense is mainly because I'm on a campsite and tourist area definitely wouldn't complained at 67p per euro, 6 months in uk and 6 in france sounds fantastic retirement is creeping up one of my many plans is to tour Europe more, love france bit grey this morning but mild, may I ask someone told me you need french at GCSE level to live here permanent now is this correct, off to get breakfast

tyregeezer said:

Not complaining lived in Holland for a few years things always seemed a bit more expensive apart from basics rent electric, the expense is mainly because I'm on a campsite and tourist area definitely wouldn't complained at 67p per euro, 6 months in uk and 6 in france sounds fantastic retirement is creeping up one of my many plans is to tour Europe more, love france bit grey this morning but mild, may I ask someone told me you need french at GCSE level to live here permanent now is this correct, off to get breakfast

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It depends what you mean by live "permanently". I don't think you need it for a carte de séjour, which is what we will go for maybe if getting visas continues to be such a pain. But to gain more permanent residency you do need some fluency in the language, GCSE wouldn't cut it, you need A2 french for that according to these people. I used to teach French so could pass any test my wife cannot speak french but as she is an old pensioner living with me it wouldn't matter. As we have a house over here proof of integration wouldn't be a problem and in any case the mayor would speak up for us if needs be.
Bizarrely it doesn't mention "cartes de séjour" but these are good and our son and his family lives in France with them..

Talking of prices, the wife just mentioned that stuff for people with sensitive skin i.e. soap powder, washing up liquid etc, is the same price in France whereas the Brits are allowed to profit from their problem by charging more. And it smells nicer!
She is currently working out how much meat we will need to buy to bring back in our 3 freezer boxes.

And of course the wine! and the home produced apple juice. But that is just cos we grow them over here.

Thanks for that will look into on return may I ask the general area that you are? walked into local shop this morning that have a huge block of cheddar had to laugh but still bought brie, produce similar prices some higher some lower but all taste great

tyregeezer said:

Thanks for that will look into on return may I ask the general area that you are? walked into local shop this morning that have a huge block of cheddar had to laugh but still bought brie, produce similar prices some higher some lower but all taste great

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We are in the Montagne Noire in the very south east corner of the Tarn, a short ditance up the mountain from Mazamet.

Our favourite cheese-monger, that we go to on a local market, stocks very high quality cheddar and stilton but obvs we go for his other stuff much of which is goat and ewe's milk seeing as we live in an area famed for "délainage" (Stripping the skins of dead sheep for their leather and wool). In fact the part of the field we bought to put the house on was owned by a farmer who only ever put ewes on it.
We bought here cos it is not even well known by the French yet has everything you could want, scenery, nice people, etc etc . 45 minutes from Carcassonne.
Don't hesitate to pm if you want in detail info.

Wow fantastic have visited lozier in the tarn valley we have kayaks and get dropped off in the mountains travel back to river site or wild camp on the way also down to valdras,, sete, love that area, around the etangs but my favorite is the tarn, carcassonne, Bordeaux is one of the next trips down many thanks for the info will chat in future

tyregeezer said:

Wow fantastic have visited lozier in the tarn valley we have kayaks and get dropped off in the mountains travel back to river site or wild camp on the way also down to valdras,, sete, love that area, around the etangs but my favorite is the tarn, carcassonne, Bordeaux is one of the next trips down many thanks for the info will chat in future

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Anytime!

Hi rain today quiet cards in the awning type of day today went into carantec yesterday fully stocked up with all favorites especially walnut and hazelnut soft cheese and local wine and cider so can stuff face all day, Took compressor off after trip suspension still tripping no water plan to travel back with diagnostic plugged in hopefully resetting on route, I think issues are down to calibration. Beautiful views of harbours and carantec across the bay beach not really a sunbathing one more fishing and rock pools

Quick picture of my sea shell and part of today's wine collection mostly french had a cider and watched the spectacular sunset over the bay fully stocked up with galettes cheese and other favorites for journey home leaving in the morning for overnight stop in caen or somewhere nearby

tyregeezer said:

Quick picture of my sea shell and part of today's wine collection mostly french had a cider and watched the spectacular sunset over the bay fully stocked up with galettes cheese and other favorites for journey home leaving in the morning for overnight stop in caen or somewhere nearby

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Notice you don't really go in for the reds much do you! Or have you drunk them all??!! Or are they out of the picture in the other part of the collection?!
(Juice of Matooss! huh Portugee!)
Lots of rosé, including one from the Aude, next to us.
We began not drinking rosé but quite like it now. Good on a hot day!

Lovely sunset!!

Have a safe journey back!

Yes we have reds too some quite recognizable some local, like your regional wines, was rose day yesterday our record is 96 bottles + 36 drunk over 36 day trip to the etang (counted the corks) sardines on the barbecue little salt local bread and chilled rose to end the day