Fay

When we decided to buy in France we were looking for the classic, idyllic middle-of-fields-in-Normandy at first. Then it struck us - there was already a place not so far away that we were already in love with, so we changed our plans and looked there (here). After a fair bit of searching we found ourselves outside the house in which I am now writing, and we fell in love with it from the outside (and the view, and the situation) and then we stepped in the door and we knew it was The One. Then my lovely man had the temerity to die between Compromis and Acte de Vente, but I am still in love with the house we chose together and the little town that we had already loved for a long time. The two of them kept me going and kept me sane, as have the wonderful friends I have made here. Had we gone with our first plan I would have been isolated and lonely, and probably would have sold up by now (or been stuck). So, yes, I am all for love.

I go along with what Will says. My work is book- rather than periodical-related, but I work for various UK publishers from home in both France and the UK, and to be honest if I didn't tell them where I happened to be at the time they would never know, and it doesn't matter. Hurrah for modern technology.

Buelligan, my fab fig recipe is rather like yours: cut top off each fig and cut a cross down almost to the base. Lay fig on side at one end of a piece of Bayonne (or other cured) ham, fatty side of ham at top end. Roll up and stand on base. Take a large teaspoon full of soft goat's cheese and insert in 'funnel' of ham at top, then pinch the top of the ham closed over the cheese to form a little crown. Bung as many as you have made into a small baking dish and whack in a 180C over for about 20 mins. The top of the ham goes crispy, the figs go molten and leak sticky juices, the cheese stays in shape. It is absolutely heavenly (imho)!

And the advantage of going to your local vet is that your pets are 'on the books' there, you build a relationship with that practice, and it makes things all the easier if (and I hope it doesn't happen, but it has for me, or rather, my cat) there is a health issue while you are there.

Tawny, I imagine the people who wrote the leaflet know the procedures but not the practicalities. It won't have occurred to them that hanging around at Calais for 24 hours might be a pain in real life, for real people, and real pets. I'm not sure why you are fretting about it. You have real people on here, with real pets, who have done this procedure so many times (25 in the case of me and the cat) that it's second nature. As to the form you mention, I've never heard of it, never been asked for it. On the Pet Passports it has your home address. Many people who take their pets over don't have a French address, so it can't mean a French address. It would probably be easiest if you phone them up or send them an email to ask.

Yep, that'd work! :D

I just looked at your route - 500 miles, about 7.5 hours. Say 9 hours with ample rest stops. Are you planning to drive in one go? Is your tunnel crossing 6am or 6pm? If 6pm (checking in 4.30 latest, ideally), and you were to set out very first thing that morning you wouldn't need an overnight stop, you could visit a vet near you on the morning of the day before you leave, which would be within the 24-hour window. If 6am - no, I'm assuming you do mean 6pm.

These guys are not cheap but, for a first time it might be handy to consider using them. They find a vet for you, make the appointment, and provide you with instructions on finding them: http://www.dogsaway.co.uk/main/vets.htm

Hi Tawny Glad to be of help. Let's say you are checking your dogs in at noon on a Sunday (you might be crossing at 1pm, 2pm, it doesn't matter. The time you check you pets in is the crucial thing). LATEST time you can have your dogs treated and their passports dated and timed is noon on Saturday (you need a clear 24 hours between treatment and pet check-in). EARLIEST time you can do this is noon on Friday (but that would be cutting it fine in case you were delayed en route). BEST TIME you could do it to give yourself flexibility on both ways would be sometime on Friday afternoon or evening, or possibly earlyish Saturday morning. This means you have to find a vet in the right place, with the right opening times. I'm a bit spoiled because I'm only an hour or so down the coast from the Tunnel, and my vet opens at 5pm on a Friday and I make sure to be first in the queue. And also, because of where we are, they get quite a few Pet Passports through the surgery, so they know the drill (not sure if this last bit applies country-wide, others can advise). Allow plenty of time for the vet visit, if mine are anything to go by (hence being first in queue). Well, that's the same in the UK. PS Sue, that's fine, lovely to be credited with wise words! It's true, that 24 hour window is crucial.

Hi Tawny Have you read the FAQs at the top of this section (sorry if I am asking the obvious)? It's just that you sound a bit vague about the procedures, and preparing to take your pet over (or rather, bring it back to the UK) needs a fair bit of preparation and, especially since you are quite a long way from Calais, timing and organization in terms of when and where to visit a vet prior to your return to the UK. You mention 'boosters' - do you mean the rabies one for the pet passport? That is the crucial thing in terms of bring a pet into the UK, along with the French vet treatment. As others have mentioned, you have to visit a French vet for the necessary anti-flea/tick etc treatment between 48 and 24 hours before you check in (NB check-in, not crossing time) at the Tunnel. This is crucial and you will not be able to bring your dog into the UK if you are outside that 24-hour 'window' in either direction. So you can't nip into a vet in Calais and then bowl directly along to the Tunnel. Believe me, I have stood behind people in the pet check-in office who have blown their timing and this rule is strictly enforced. You may need to find a vet en route in order to achieve this, and that will almost certainly involve an overnight stay. Plus research into opening times. NB DO check that the vet has filled in the date and time correctly in the passport. It must be within that crucial 24-hour period. If they make a mistake you are again stuffed. Cost for my small cat is about 30 euros. The two treatments are both drops to the back of the neck, no pills or jabs these days. Having said all this, the pet check-in process at the French terminal (there is no check-in when leaving the UK) is usually very quick and efficient - as you approach the main check-in booths you are signposted off to the right to the pet check-in. You take your pet into the office there along with its passport and your booking details (you'll need to give your car registration number too). They (or you) scan the microchip, and the passport details are thoroughly checked. Then you are all sorted and off to the main check-in.

Just did a quick google and found this on 'the other' site: "I thought I would try this wheeze some years ago and as the fares were so cheap I purchased two day return tickets for different dates. Went out on the first one and obviously didn't turn up later that day for the return trip. Arrived at Calais two weeks later and presented my return ticket for that day."Ah but you did not come out from Folkestone this morning!! Oh yes I did said I. This went on for about five minutes until she said you aren't going anywhere unless you purchase a new one way ticket. It was a bank holiday Monday in the UK and my "cheap" ticket cost me £210 one way. Not to be recommended." Mind you, that was two UK-outbound day returns, which would be a bit of an instant give-away. Someone there (hearsay, I know) says that ET does operate a blacklist system

Not rich at all, Ab, a hard-working freelance travel writer and editor (so sense of humour working well as I smile at myself for not having spotted the change of plan in your posts) lucky enough to divide my time between a very beautiful part of the English countryside (none of the places you mention) and the gloriously lovely Baie de Somme. But unlucky in that the reason I can do this is because I was widowed horribly young and my wonderful man had taken care to make sure I would not end up a bag lady.

Sorry Ab, my mistake, yes you did say with your card in your most recent post.

Personally I would be a bag of nerves if I were to do this. What it comes down to is that, by buying the ticket, your son is entering a contract which is governed by law. Eurotunnel's Terms and Conditions make that clear. And by travelling on that ticket you are doing so under false pretences. So all three of you would, effectively, be breaking the law or at least a contract to which your son agreed. Now, while I am sure that they wouldn't want to make an example of a pensioner, I wouldn't be surprised if they were to ban you from future travel. That notwithstanding, I'd rather save the 40 euros some other way and travel guilt-free. So hope I didn't give the impression in the previous post that I thought it was worth a try.

You are supposed to have the card with you that was used for the booking. If you go through a manual check-in they would ask you for it. If you go through a self-check-in you are supposed to be able to key the booking ref in as an alternative to putting the card in, but I've never done that as I have my card and it's quicker/easier. I don't know what would then happen if they then did a check, since you (and your son I guess) would be in breach of contract. A ban? Made to lick Tunnel clean wit' tongue? I imagine you would at least find yourself missing several trains and charged the excess.

Hi Llantony The one way charge is correct - the cat in the pic just completed her 21st return tunnel crossing (accompanied by me, her driver, of course). I can take her out of the UK for free but have to do the vet thing (within the 48–24 hour 'window'), pay the £30 when booking, and check her in at the Tunnel on the way back to England. This last bit takes a matter of minutes unless you are stuck behind someone whose paperwork is incorrect, in which case...

Hi Sweet 17 - ah, yes, I understand now. Yes, they only charge for the admin of checking an animal into the UK.

Sweet 17 - I am intrigued. How come the dog travels free?

Nectarine that was my thought exactly. It was a heartbreaking documentary. And, while Keith Allen was professing to be sensitive to the whole situation, I did feel that he (a notorious hellraiser himself) did egg Floyd on in a way that was pretty shameful. I know, though, that I shall remember him in happier, healthier days every time I refer to my battered, stained old copy of Floyd On France.

This is a great place for tartiflette, fondues, raclettes and the like but I see it says it's only open until 7pm! Might be worth checking, I'm sure I've eaten there in the evening: http://www.boulogne-guide.co.uk/restaurants/la-cave-du-fromager.html No good for a low-cholesterol diet, though... Further to original post, found this: http://www.bouldauduc.be/CaveFromager//restaurant.htm Meh, it does look like it shuts at 7pm... NB not only cheesy dishes, see menu.

I loved this one but actually think his earlier novel, Ghostwritten, is even better. Truly outstanding. Neither are books suited to being read in brief, sleepy snippets at bedtime, however.

Mel, is it a long time since you visited a Tesco? I love Waitrose and M&S food hall as much as the next person, but for basic brand-name products like loo rolls, cat food, or whatever, where's the sense in choosing to pay a higher price for the same thing? Couple of examples. My mobile phone died on me recently and I whizzed into my local small Tesco and bought a new Nokia at around half the price I would have paid elsewhere, even online. Their Loratadine non-drowsy anti-allergy tabs, of which I have to take one a day, are a quarter the price of the same thing at Waitrose. In these tough financial times, it's Tesco or Sainsbury's for the basics, Waitrose and M&S for the treats. I hope I'll be able to say the same in a year's time! Sorry, madly off topic now, but related because my new mobile is also helping pay for a trip to France - result! And, no, I don't work for them.

I was lucky then, with my 'no charge'. Good for Towcester Veterinary Centre!

What a rip-off! So long as the rabies jab/tests haven't expired, meaning you'd need to start from scratch, there 'should' be no charge! Or a minimal one at most/ Pye used up her first passport about 6 months ago (15 return trips in 3 years!), and my vet simply transcribed the necessary details to a new one, stamped it, and gave it me for free. The passport itself costs them nothing, it's the vaccinations that cost. Though I would have happily paid him for the 5 minutes it will have taken him to copy over the info accurately. There was no mention of additional pages, just a new passport. I hope she gets through many more in her travels with me :) I was advised to carry the old one with me for a couple of trips, in case of queries, which I did, but no-one asked to see it.

I'm a big fan of Caisse d'Epargne. Have never had any of the problems mentioned here, can do fast and efficient online banking, and all bills are paid by prelevement. I pay a small fee for a gold card, cheque book etc. I have a lovely personal banker, too, in case I have any queries (though admittedly he doesn't speak any English). More RIBs can be printed off from the website and I've not had one rejected. Plus, they pay better interest on current and savings accounts than my UK bank does, and this pretty much covers the fee. I use Currencies Direct for a monthly £150 transfer for which there is no transfer fee and which keeps the account more than topped-up enough for all the bills plus a bit extra in case I need it suddenly. Before I set that up I was able to pay cash into the account with no problem when here. It's just over four years since I opened my Caisse d'Epargne account and I don't have a bad word to say about them!