tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post7282027821484064663..comments2024-03-19T11:13:18.852+00:00Comments on a house in france: TRAVEL DIARYJeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-77873545655434718322010-09-28T17:33:20.721+01:002010-09-28T17:33:20.721+01:00I have only travelled on the Eurostar train twice....I have only travelled on the Eurostar train twice. First time from Waterloo to Paris with my ex femme and most recently to Calais on a coach (I was amazed how it got on the train) and a big group of us then drove on to Lille, stopped overnight and then carried on down to Karlsruhe in Germany. I really enjoyed reading this travel piece and the pictures. Lulu looks sweet waiting for her cheesy treat. The thunder storm sounds exciting.Phil Lowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13481531408247859880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-34611909921046447492010-09-21T13:57:45.062+01:002010-09-21T13:57:45.062+01:00Hi Jean
Very interesting. We always go by Ferry (P...Hi Jean<br />Very interesting. We always go by Ferry (Portsmouth / Caen or StMalo) and then have a 2hr drive. It is getting very expensive however, and we are thinking of Eurotunnel or the like and having a 5/6 hr drive and arriving a few hours earlier than the ferry route. Fly and car hire is another option now that most things are already over there. I can have a return flight next month from East Midlands to Dinard for £32. As I miss the place already, I'm likely to be on that plane.Ken Devinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01659672111856249878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-61044173076868855102010-09-21T13:15:19.814+01:002010-09-21T13:15:19.814+01:00Martine - it's funny how you can be homesick f...Martine - it's funny how you can be homesick for somewhere that isn't really home. Although it feels distinctly like it when we're there.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-74415560263653793962010-09-21T06:47:35.436+01:002010-09-21T06:47:35.436+01:00Your post made me 'homesick' for France. H...Your post made me 'homesick' for France. How I wish I could just jump into the car and drive to Amboise ... I'm not sure my boss would be happy about it, though! ;)ladybirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05690656561242165157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-650012855456375662010-09-20T13:09:00.284+01:002010-09-20T13:09:00.284+01:00I'm a fan of Eurostar too. When I lived in Ams...I'm a fan of Eurostar too. When I lived in Amsterdam, I used to drive to the tunnel and often arrived erly for my booking train. They always waved me onto the next train. Polite and efficient - just wished that the loos weren't quite such a long walk on the train ;-)<br /><br />Looks like you have your route cracked. Just wish I could have said the same thing about the M1 on the weeked!<br />Mad xMBNAD womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11604195971368211750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-75228404976597922102010-09-20T09:46:42.706+01:002010-09-20T09:46:42.706+01:00I have never had a problem with the ferry....... ...I have never had a problem with the ferry....... I have to say if I had an animal of any kind with me I would use the tunnel despite how I feel about it. DianeDianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14782670749466305626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-40647842970069836912010-09-20T04:45:21.293+01:002010-09-20T04:45:21.293+01:00What a lovely travelogue your do, Jean! So nice to...What a lovely travelogue your do, Jean! So nice to get to know France a bit better.<br /><br />So nice also that you took "the road less travelled." Four miles shorter and €30 richer. But two hours slower. On the other hand, with whom would you have preferred to spend those two hours?<br /><br />And thanks for visiting this old Bear's blog.Rob-bearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00171692478879522588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-51819523352425322562010-09-19T19:21:38.342+01:002010-09-19T19:21:38.342+01:00Gaynor & Jean, I shot out of bed and unplugged...Gaynor & Jean, I shot out of bed and unplugged ours and the Livebox when I was woken by the thunder.... then one thunderclap went off 'right overhead'... or so it seemed [flash and bang almost simultaneous].<br />The cats loved it... sitting in the window watching the 'fireworks'... the storm was all round us [definately towards you at Petit-P... but also lighting up the sky over toward Chaumussay and towards Grand-P]. I think it went down the Aigronne valley eventually.<br />I got up and went and made some tea and joined the cats!!<br /><br /><i><b>Gaynor, Dabs.com are doing the Cisco Linksys router for around £30 at the moment.</b></i>Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16439261142732764451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-34139536848355489162010-09-19T19:08:55.489+01:002010-09-19T19:08:55.489+01:00We also do middle of the night or small hour trave...We also do middle of the night or small hour travelling back to France - and Mr FF is on his way back now in fact from Brittany. He went there for 24 hours yesterday because he wanted some French atmosphere - crazy or what. <br /><br />We're with you on car travel all the way - it's much the best way for people who love their dogs as much as you and I do.<br /><br />Lovely photos.French Fancy...https://www.blogger.com/profile/04941577892849157015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-8802851780388107332010-09-19T15:31:08.246+01:002010-09-19T15:31:08.246+01:00Diane - in our experience the tunnel is far more r...Diane - in our experience the tunnel is far more reliable than the Dover to Calais ferry. We had so many delays and bad experiences on the ferry, the last one being that, having arrived at the port in good time, well ahead of our check-in time, the check-in staff were so slow that by the time we got to the front of the queue we had missed our boat. The check-in person was extremely rude and not at all apologetic. So, having had a long and hard journey to get there, we then had to wait for the next boat, which was late.<br /><br />We vowed we would never travel by P&O again, and we haven't. The other reason for using the tunnel is that we don't much like the idea of leaving our dog in the car by herself on the car deck. On the tunnel you stay with the car.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-50069969427760941372010-09-19T12:47:54.909+01:002010-09-19T12:47:54.909+01:00Strange how things are so different for people. I...Strange how things are so different for people. I hate the tunnel not just because I am claustrophobic, but also because we have had many delays!! I will take the ferry any time. I am surprised about the motorway being jammed at Le Touquet, but then I always go down the N1 off the motorway as we have friends on that road not far from Boulogne. We also miss out Rouen, but we go off onto the N29 going through Yvetot and then South to join up with the N28 to Le Mans. It may not be the shortest route but we have found it by far the quickest as it is always almost empty of traffic. DianeDianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14782670749466305626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-92002887413566310352010-09-19T09:27:50.977+01:002010-09-19T09:27:50.977+01:00Gaynor - it was the most spectacular thunderstorm ...Gaynor - it was the most spectacular thunderstorm I have ever experienced, even rivalling the one we had when camping in the Auvergne a few years ago. It was so close and so loud, I imagined the château tumbling down on us any minute. It must have been so frightening for your neighbours.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-77324327961509373272010-09-19T08:48:47.872+01:002010-09-19T08:48:47.872+01:00Jean, great post. It is interesting to see how oth...Jean, great post. It is interesting to see how others make the same journey! We have got into the habit of crossing at about 9pm and stopping over near Boulogne. We then set off at about 5am and if we make really good time and one short stop (we haven't got a dog - yet) we can be at the Intermarche in St Maure around 10.30, and home in Le Petit-Pressigny shortly after. We might give your method a try too as it cuts out the overnight stop.<br />The storm...... was fantastic! We were woken by the thunder and opened the curtains to see the lightning. I told Tim to turn off the computers. He did, but didn't unplug the router. There was a flash followed instantaneously by an almighty bang, and we knew it was close but didn't realise how close! A barn and contents about 200 m away were destroyed by fire. We didn't see anything but learned the next day that half of the village were out watching, and doing what needed to be done. Thankfully no one was hurt, but I suspect the owner and near neighbours were shocked and lost some precious possessions. We lost out router, and our neighbours said that France Telecom were providing everyone with new 'liveboxes', but we had unfortunately brought ours from the UK.<br />Keep posting Jean, as it is really helping us to settle into the area, and your love and enthusiasm for it is infectious!GaynorBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-19371934246489093892010-09-19T08:45:26.246+01:002010-09-19T08:45:26.246+01:00Leon - you must really, really love France to go t...Leon - you must really, really love France to go to so much trouble to get there. Especially as Australia is full of wonderful places where you could take your holidays.<br /><br />I do think we are very lucky. Each time we turn the key in the lock my heart skips a beat and I still don't take it for granted.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-3969818973472897092010-09-19T08:20:35.481+01:002010-09-19T08:20:35.481+01:00We envy you, only 12 hours (LOL).
Our trip earlier...We envy you, only 12 hours (LOL).<br />Our trip earlier this year was close on 36 hours. How lucky are you? And how lucky you are to have a home in the Loire, oh well, we can dream and keep on reading your blog before our next trip.<br />Nice piccies BTW.Leon Simshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17609891995057827081noreply@blogger.com