Russell 23Russell

This service has now stopped for the year, does anyone know if it will return next year as the booking system will not allow it?   We are thinking of a cycle tour from Le Havre to Dieppe leaving the car at Newhaven and this route would make it possible.

We are to try the sleeper seats for our Easter trip and would appreciate any hints and tips to make the experience more comfortable.  For instance; we assume no bedding is supplied so do we take pillows and a duvet, would a blanket suffice etc?   Thanks in advance!   R&R

We have had a quote from our builder to remove the moss from the roof.  The roof doesn't look too bad to me but there is a green tinge when viewing from afar.  Anyway he has quoted 8.99€ per square metre and has said the roof is 106 sq m, which equates to 960€ plus 5.5% TVA, a total of just over a 1,000€.  He is using a chemical as he says the treatment is effective after 90 days. This sounds like a lot to me.  Is it an 'Engish' price?  [;-)]  Would anyone care to comment. "Démoussage d'une toiture en ardoises (efficacité du produit 90 jours après application)"    

Thanks Will, that sounds like good news.  Not sure about 'first class' though. [:(] So we think that there will be 80+ first class flat bed seats and a further 20/24 cabins with flat beds but no facilities. I might sleep on the settee and auction the second single berth cabin on our crossing and get a few pounds back. [:)]

We've just booked a crossing for mid October and have ended up booking two single berth cabins as all the two berth cabins have gone.  Looking at the LD Lines website there is a photo of what appears to be a single that must at one time had 4 bunks in it, it's huge!  Is that really a full length settee?   I wonder, would there be a customer objection to a dormetary type sleeping area that had tiers of bunks, like a youth hostel?  We (the public) are happy (but uncomfortable) sleeping in a public area in semi reclining seats, why would flat bunks be any different?  The packing denstiy would be higher than the seats and cabins and would give a better nights sleep.   Any thoughts?

[quote user="Mark"] Russell, your point regarding helmets offering little or no protection at speeds above 12 MPH isn't a 'fact' as such, [/quote]   OK, not a fact as such, but the design brief is to give that level of protection. I wear one in certain circumstances and find their most benficial feature is the ability to attach a peak. [;-)]

[quote user="Cassis"][quote user="Russell 23"] Oh dear, oh dear, so the helmet debate has reached this forum now has it?  Some facts: Pro riders are forced to wear helmets at all times.  There are no exceptions. [/quote] I think there is one exception, Russell.  I believe they are allowed to remove them in road races if the finish is a hillclimb of 5km or more, but not before the start of the ascent. [/quote]   That was last year, this year it is compulsary at all times.  No more free helmets at the bottom of the final climb of the day.

Oh dear, oh dear, so the helmet debate has reached this forum now has it?  Some facts: Pro riders are forced to wear helmets at all times.  There are no exceptions. Helmets provide protection up to speeds of about 12mph.  About the speed you would reach from falling down.  They provide little or no protection from an accident involving a car at even modest speeds.  They have to be correctly worn and sized to do even this. They are hot and uncomfortable to wear, especially in hot weather, even the most expensive - £130+ ones.  Helmets do reduce injuries, but from reducing cycle use, not by providing protection, as bourne out in Australia.  There has been a significant reduction in cycle use there since compulsary helmets were introduced.   And as a footnote; As for it being the drivers fault if a cyclist is injured (UK), do you remember the incident earlier this year involving members of the cycling club.  4 dead and the driver gets fined £180 for 3 defective tyres.

I realise that it was not a good day to travel, but hindsight is wonderful isn't it?  The A28, apart from the services, was deserted which is why the queue was a puzzle.   The viaduc near Le Mans is being widened now. Are we sure that UK cards work in peage machines?  Do they need to be Visa type credit, or Switch type debit cards? ViaMichelin recommend coming off at J14 and heading cross country and using the Pont de Normandie rather than hanging on to the end of the A28, may try that next time, cheaper on tolls, quicker and shorter as well.

We travelled back from Limousin on Saturday, maybe a mistake as it was the start of the French holidays, so we decided to retrace our route of the outward journey using the A28 Alencon, Le Mans etc which kept us as far from Paris as possible.  The roads were very quiet going north but very busy southbound.  The only problems were stopping at the services outside Alencon which were very busy (serves both north and southbound).  The A28 was almost empty with often only one other car in sight at times - until we reached the end outside Rouen, where we met a queue for the peage.  Several very clear signs indicated that cash payments in the lefthand lane and telepeage and bank cards in the righthand.  We duly joined the left lane which didn't move while the right lane was moving fairly quickly with a very large proportion of foreign registered cars in it.  It quickly became clear that most of these cars were then pushing in to the cash queue nearer the peage which meant that us poor folk doing as instructed took nearly an hour to do 600m.  As we had timed our journey to Le Havre with a small amount of slack this did not go down well.  A rather fast journey from the peage to Le Havre ensued - we had an hour to get from the peage booth to the ferry before it sailed.  We were the last onto the ferry, infact the draw bridge was raised before we had got out of the car.   This is a rant at the selfish B******DS who were pushing in and also at the operators of the peage as there were only 4 booths (1 later increased to 2 for cash) to service the end of the motorway.   Was this motorway built with private money, down to a price?  The aires being single sided, the lack of booths and the single carriage viaducts point to a penny pinching build.   This route, while being more scenic and quieter takes longer so it is hard to justify its use in future.   A poor end to a holiday [:@]

Many thanks for all the replies.  We will certainly be trying it next week.  I think we will be going over fully self-sufficient as, by mistake, we will be driving on the 14th. [:$]   I too, use viamichelin, but I cannot get it to use the A28 as a route.

Can I shamelessly bump this up to see if anyone has some updated information since the replies 2 months ago?  The visit beckons!  [:D]

We have just realised that we are going to be travelling from Le Havre to Creuse on the 14th July, Bastille Day.  What can we expect in the way of changed traffic conditions and opening hours of sevice stations and supermarches? Thanks  

It appears that the A28 from Le Mans to Tours is now open, can anyone confirm this?   Also is there a service station (or an aire) near the start at Rouen?  For a breakfast stop following an overnight ferry to Le Havre.   And can anyone comment on the section of N road from Tours to Chateauroux compared to the Evreux (via Chatres) to J12 of the A10 near Orleans section?  We are thinking of using the new A28 to get to Limousin from Le Havre rather than Rouen, Evreux, Chatres, A10.   Thanks

[quote user="Alcazar"] Ours came from "Ets Forgeneuve" at Tous Vents near Piegut-Pluviers in Northern Dordogne. M.Forgeneuve came to us, measured up, and the windows were made to measure, to our design, (to match others in the area), and to our specification as regards opening, handles etc. They cost an average of €250 each, fitted. Quality is as good, or better than UK ones. Alcazar [/quote]   Were these uPVC windows?  We need to replace ours sooner rather than later, but would like wood ones.  We are near Bourganeuf.

We bought in Creuse last Christmas and found knotweed on our July trip although there was no sign of it at Easter or a year ago September when we viewed.  During our summer visit we cut down all the shoots, some up to 7ft high, and poured 50/50 weedkiller into each stem.  We now have many blackened and very dead looking stumps with only a small amount of regrowth.  These were sprayed twice last week as the stems were too small for injection, so we are hoping that as it is only a small infection we can beat it.  We are hampered by only being able to visit 3 times a year at the moment.  One reason for optimism is that one particularly large stem had started to grow a side shoot after being cut down and treated (7cm in less than a week) but is now dead (well it appears to be dead!).    

Just got back from a week's trip to France travelling LDL, and our reactions to the new service are mixed.  The fare was £246 with a cabin on both legs for two people with car.  Although this was claimed to be a promotional fare "free of accommodation", not sure what that meant though.  Out bound Friday night, return following Saturday.   Check in was quick and easy both ends, helped by very few passengers.  Only the lower car deck was in use and even this had space to spare.  The ferry reminds me of vessels as they used to be with large promenade decks on several levels around the stern and maybe even a sun deck, although that was closed off.  The interior was very clean although rust around the windows belied the age of the ferry.  Claimed to be a "recent fast and comfortable vessel" incidently.  There was a sense of adventure about the place as it was all so 'new' and different.  The cabin was as small as it can get for two berths and the shower (not used by us) was tiny.  All was spotless and worked well.  Although there was no soap on the return journey.  The outward journey was in winds of force 7 - gale force 8 and we slept as well as could in the circumstances, so the boat must be fairly stable.  The staff were generally friendly and helpful, although neither British nor French.  The captain (Webster) was British though.  There were many places to sit in addition to the recliners at the front.  All in all a very pleasant experience until....   On the out bound journey we teated ourselves to a cup of hot chocolate and a slice of cake each (no prices visible) before settling down - £8.00.   On the return a light snack for two (no drinks or other niceties) but with a side salad in lieu of vegetables (known as sidings[sic]) was £16.00 .  When we queried the expense we were told that it was good value - not good customer relations there.  It seems as though you can take as much as you want for a set price (which is why it is 'good' value), so I suggest that one plate and two sets of cutlery is the way to go.   The other niggle was that with an hour to go before we docked at Portsmouth, a tannoy announcement asked us to vacate our cabin, which we ignored, but then 10-15 mins later our cabin door was knocked upon and opened simultaneously by a crew member again asking us to vacate.  Firstly we had paid for a cabin for the voyage, not for 80% of it, and then to open the door without waiting for a response was unforgivable and downright rude.   The route is so convenient for us we will use it again (subject to pricing) but we will be more careful over using on board facilities.

Huis Clos do wood grain effect, but I would not reccommed them at all.  We made the mistake of contacting them and were subject to pressure selling and sharp practice.  In addition they were VERY expensive.

Nick   You reckon that the nylon should seal to the brass without anything?  I'll try it next time, hopefully October.   There were no plastic isolating adaptors in the kit.  Where and how do they fit?  If the inlet/outlet are nylon, what do the adaptors do?   The tank is a very cheap one as it is only a maison secondaire and will only be used for a few weeks a year until we can reorganise our lives to enjoy it more.   I put a stopcock on the inlet and outlet so didn't think of turning on a tap - doh!!   Thanks

Hello All   I have just returned to the UK (boo hoo) after installing a chauffe-eau electrique and I have two questions.   The instructions appeared to say that no jointing compound should be used between the group de security and the tank.  As there did not appear to be any way of sealing the joint I used PTFE tape anyway.   I now have a very small weep.  The weep is rusty which is my second question, see below.  The outlet is a flexible hose that came with the kit and sealed with a fibre washer.  The inlet flexible is connected to a pressure limiter (sealed with a fibre washer) and the limiter is sealed to the group with an integral rubber seal. The tank inlet is nylon and the group appears to be brass.  A fibre washer might work but the water channel in the group is not central which might be a problem.  All items bought from Mr Bricolage.   The weep above is rusty, after a few days from new, and when I drained the tank to remake the joint, the hot outlet was rusty as well.  Why?   OK, a third as well, is there a quick way of draining the tank?  Operating the red knob on the group allows only a limited amount of water out, until one disconnects the hot outlet to let in some air.