Michelle28

Thank you so much for all of your helpful replies.  I will try to phone around and check whethere or not the rooms have a  'salle d'eau' rather than shower room but it sounds as if it should not be too difficult. Thanks again Michelle

Hi We are travelling from Normandy to the South of France in July and need wheelchair accessible accommodation, in particular 'wet room' shower facilities.  I cannot find any info on the Campanile site or more specific hotels.  We think that we will be stopping in the area of Tours for 24 hours so any suggestions re  particular things that we should aim to see while we are in the area would also be helpful. Our next stop will be around the village of La Tour Du Pin near Lyon.  Any info at all would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks Michelle

I would not miss driving over the large bridges for the world. It's not scary, just  a stunning experience and I love it.  I suppose it also means that we are on holiday so I am excited anyway.  Having got lost in the traffic on the outskirst of Rouen one time, I can honestly say I know which I would prefer. Good luck whichever you choose. Michelle

Not sure if I am putting this question it the correct section but here goes.  A friend of ours is hoping to cycle from Zeebrugge towards  Honfleur, we will collect him from there by car,  in June.  He would be wanting to take the quicker routes rather than purely scenic and hoping to cover about 100 miles a day.  Does anybody have any idea of websites that may have any information regarding cycle routes etc?  I am not sure of regulations with regard to the major roads.  He is pretty new to France although he did do the Paris Brest race a couple of years ago so the cycling should not be a problem but the logistics of the trip could be. Any help would be reallly appreciated. Thanks Michelle

Bonjour Monika Je suis tres heureuse que j'ai trouve ce 'thread', deja j'ai appris beaucoup de chose.  C'est vrai que Bayeux est tres jolie, nous l' aimons beaucoup par ce que c'est tres different du Shetland.  Aujourd hui il fait froid mais nous n'avons pas la neige.  Commes toi, nous sommes, tres, tres, tres, pres de la  mer donc peut etre c'est un peu plus chaud que dans le milieu d'angleterre. Je dois aller maintanent parce ce que je suis en train de travail (I learnt that last week!).  Pour mon 'open university' je dois ecrire une 'essay' du 'Rebecca' par Daphne du Maurier. C'est interesant mais je ne crois pas que elle a compris qu'est ce qu'elle a ecrit. Quand j'ai commencer lire le livre j'ai pense que c'etait amusant (I mean enjoyable) mais maintenant j'ai realise que c'est beaucoup plus complique!!!!!!!  Un petit surprise pour Daphne je pense. A bientot Please feel free to correct my French. Michelle

Moi aussie Frenchie, il faut que je me couche beintot. Tres vite - tes questions oui nous avons un bon (mais petit) hopital et le service est tres bien.  J'ai deux fils, David a vingt ans et il est a universite en St Andrews (en ecosse) et Richard qui a dix huit ans, a universite en dundee ( en ecosse aussi).  j'etais nee en angleterre, je suis anglais, mon mari est du galloise (??) est mes fils sont d'ecossais!!!! c'est bizarre mais il n'y a pas beaucoup de chiens du Shetlands ici (nous avons un labrador noir, qui s'appelle Dylan) mais il y a beacoup du Shetland ponies! bon soir

C'est vrai que les isles du Shetland sont tres joli mais  tres petit (?e), donc il n'y a pas beaucoup du choses a faire.  Par ce que nous avons le mauvais temps le bateau d'ecosse n'a pas visiter pendant trois jours. Normalement   le voyage d'ecosse part d'aberdeen at 6pm chaque jour et arriver le matin prochaine at 7am.  La semaine dernier il y etais beaucoup du vent et mon fils voyagerais (??????) dans le bateau pendant 24 hrs.  C'etait terrible pour lui.  En France nos maison est en Calvados, c'est tres jolie, il y a beaucoup du soleil, arbres, fleurs, etc etc etc.  Comme d'habitude le problem est le voyage mais normalement nous partirons d'ici en printemps ou ete quand c'est plus facile. Pourais tu me rendre un service?  Je voudrais comprendre comment on utiliser 'Il faut que.......'  Je le trouve tres difficile.  Pourais tu me donne des phrase avec 'il faut que......' Si tu aime Shetland, peut etre tu voudrais chercher des sites qui s'appell ... 'up helly a'  - c'est un grand fete, la dernier mardi en janvier donc c'etait la semaine dernier.  Si tu regard 'you tube' il y a des videos.  Beaucoup du vikings!!!!!! Merci

Bonjour Odile et Sweet 17.  j'appris beaucoup ce soir , c'est incroyable.  Je ne sais pas pourquoi j'attende avant j'ai commence. Oui, Odile nous avons le loutres ici on Shetland. Quel que fois ils traverse la rue avant les voitures!  je n'ai jamais vu ca mais mon amie m'a dit.  Les isles de Shetland sont 250 kilometres plus nord d'ecosse donc c'est tres (bleak, je ne sais pas le mot pour ca).  Nous n'avons pas beaucoup des abres, peut etre la raison est le vent. Aussi les isle sont tres mince donc, la mer est toujours pres et je pense que le sel est un probleme. J'aime aussie lire, je voudrais aller au cinema mais nous n'avons pas un cinema ici - c'est domage! Quand j'ai plus du temps a nos maison en France je voudrais aller a l'ecole pour apprendre la langue.  Je crois qu'il y a les lecons pour les etrangers, c'est vrai? Michelle

Merci beaucoup French, vous etes tres gentile.  Je suis tres heureuse que enfin j'ai essaye ecrire en Francais.  Mais quand j'ai cherche le mot 'chouette' dans mon dictionaire, d'abord j'ai pense que vous avez dit que je suis une 'owl' mais apres j'ai vu que c'est aussi 'smashing'.   Je voudrais mettre un visage jaune avec un sourire mais je ne sais pas comment! Maintenant je vais ecrire un copie de tous mes posts (et corrections) par ce que je pense que ce sera tres utile. Michelle

Yipeeeeee ....Merci beaucoup clair. Comme vous avez dit, il faut commencer quelque part.  A ce moment je travail avec mon 'open university', c'est tres difficile est ce prends beaucoup du temps. C'est jusqua pour 'interest' mais c'est dur.  J'espere que je le finirai l'annee prochaine. Il'n'y a pas beaucoup de choses a faire en Shetland pendant hiver, c'est tres sombre (? dark) tout le temps donc il faut qu'on (?) utiliser des etudes pour interest.  Errr....... think that could be better! Est vous?  Vous habitez en France? Je suis tres heureuse que je n'ai pas fait beaucoup de fautes. Merci beaucoup pour votre attention. Michelle

Bonjour J'ai besoin de pratique mon francais. Oh la la, je le trouve tres difficile mais 'in for a penny...' Je m'appelle Michelle et j'habite en Shetland, c'est froid ici et il y a beaucoup du vent!  Nous avons une maison secondaire pres de Bayeux mais malheureusement nous n'avons pas beaucoup du temp pour les vacances.  Nous esperons que nous allons visiter plus souvent cette annee. Je suis tres desole si j'ai fait beaucoup d'errors mais il faut que je commence quelque place (don't think that's right somehow - argggh)  Si il y a quelq'un avec un peu de patience pouriez vous correcter mon post. Oh dear! Merci Michelle

Hi We are in the process of looking to change our open fireplace to accommodate a wood burning 'insert'.  We went to a national company showroom yesterday and were told that our original fireplace would have to be taken out (the house and fire place are 18months old) for a complete new fire to be installed.  The cost being about 8 - 9000 euros.  This seems an incredibly high estimate.  Far more than we were expecting.  I have been looking online and finding it very difficult to get any other idea of costs from anywhere, this company have been recommended to us so we had been hoping to just use them but on the other hand if it is going to be so much more expensive than anywhere else we will have to re consider.  We need an output of about 11kw and they are telling us that our fireplace would be too small to take an insert big enough for that.  The opening of the fireplace is 50cm high by 70 cm wide and as I said it is pretty much new.  Any ideas? Michelle

I was also told that we would have to take our modem into the local france telecom shop when we suspend the line and collect it again when we are ready to resume.  I think that I have come to the conclusion that it may not be worth the hassle. Mich

Having just bought a holiday home in France (for the weather among other things) I could not believe what I was reading in our local newspaper just now. Shetland has experienced the second driest June on record since records began on the islands in 1914.  Whilst other parts of the UK were battling with heavy rain and severe flooding Shetland had only a fifth of its average rainfall for the month of June!   I don't believe it.  In a place where the rain is usually horizontal and the windspeed off the scale, what is happening.  It still won't stop me heading to France later this month.  Hopefully we can take the weather with us! Michelle

Having been horribly sea sick for many years I was prescribed  the patches by my GP.  They changed everything, no more sickness, able to eat, walk around etc.  I would really recommend them.  I believe that you can get them over the counter now. Good luck Michelle

We  often do this journey and last year we did the drive from Aberdeen to Hull (we live in Shetland so had already endured a 14 hour trip) to then continue the journey from Zeebrugge to Bayeux the next day. Anyway stupidly, we were surprised at the length of the journey from Aberdeen to Hull,DOH!!!  It took forever.  About 5 to 6 hours I think.  Obviously in comparison to getting to the south of England it was nothing, but to be left with another long drive the next day meant it was very hard work!   Quite often we have done Portsmouth to Caen but that obviously includes overnight stays etc.This year we are going to do the Rosyth to Zeebrugge trip, it is expensive but we are hoping it will be worth it with the reduction in driving. Good luck Michelle

I recently approached the builders of our new house to see how we could sort out the problem of the scaling etc in all of our appliances.  They have come up with the following devis: Fourniture et pose d'un adoucisseur fildo new disign tete volumetrique de 20 litres y compirs raccords divers et main d'oeuvre Montant 2657.89 Euros I have kept the spelling exactly the same so not sure if its supposed to say New Design or not.  My questions are: what exactly are they proposing to put in? and doesn't it seem awfully expensive?  As I have been reading previouse posts I had expected a figure in the hundreds rather than the thousands.  Any advice would be really appreciated. Many thanks Michelle

Hi Anybody know of any garages in or around Bayeux where we could hire a small car for a week.  Any help would be really appreciated. Many thanks Michelle

Had a phone call from our vet yesterday to say that they have been advised by the powers that be that micro chips should be checked before travelling abroad.  Apparently some have been failing and the consesquences of that are obvious.  I had intended to do that anyway but thought it might be worth suggesting to others. Mich

Thats brilliant, thanks very much. Michelle

Hi Anybody know of any markets in or around Bayeux .  Have family in the area and having done a lot of sightseeing they will need something to do tomorrow. Thanks Michelle

Hi Does anyone know if there is a public swimming pool anywhere near Bayeux?  Many thanks Michelle

It may be of use for you to know that different antibiotics are usefull for different things.  It could be that the Penicillin is not the right one for your particular problem or that you have not given them enough time to work.  We usually tell our patients to wait at least 48 hours and to have painkillers to hand as well.  The best ones tend to be the paracetemol plus codeine.  I know that you can buy them over the counter in the uk.  YOU MUST  NOT exceed  the recommended dose of paracetemol.   However, if you are having other symptoms, such as increasing swelling, up to the eyes for instance or in the tongue/throat it would be necessary to visit the local emergency dept of the local hospital because this could become a real emergency.  Unfortuantely dental pain is not considered 'life threatening' so the term emergency has to be used carefully. I would advise against exagerating symptoms in order to be seen.  It is usually quite obvious to the dentist how much pain someone may be experiencing , believe me, we have seen it all over the last 25 yrs!  As for the long waiting list in France, it might be worth remembering that although we have twice daily clinics for dental emergencies the waiting list for an appointment is March!  In my opinion an appointment in December is excellent. Good Luck

Thank you for all of your replies.  I have, in fact, just got back from Bayeux and believe me, I have eaten an awful lot of omelettes!  One slightly amusing incident did occur.  I was in France to collect the keys to our new build (absolutely first class service from national building company but thats another story).  Having met up with the chap who is going to sort out the garden we received a phone call from his wife asking if we (myself, mum and sister) would like to go around for aperitifs.  We were so thrilled and really excited to have been asked.  Little did I know that this aperatif business can vary.  Having been told to be careful not to outstay our welcome we started to make moves to leave after about an hour.  At which point the food was brought out.  Fish stew!  How was I to know that I should have told them about being vegetarian when we were invited round.  I am afraid that prawns, scallops etc in a cream sauce are an impossibility for me.  I explained that I really could not eat it and apologised profusely, horrified that I might have offended her.  No such worry, she quickly produced a couple of fried eggs!.  All in all we had 5 courses.  We tried once again to leave at 10.30pm. at which point the 20 year old family Calvados was brought out.  I can honestly say that the excitement of getting our keys was nothing compared to the fun we had that evening.  I have never before met such genuinely kind and friendly people and this particulary experience was one I shall never forget. 

Awful thought but it made me smile