BJSLIV

I put a trip into Viamichelin from Calais to Beaune....... I repeated your experiment, but the cost was less. This was because the visit to Troyes meant that one missed the stretch of Autoroute to the east of Troyes!

no use to him if he lives in Cannock Im not sure that people from Cannock would have any use for Puff Pastry

Back in 1965 I thought he was already 100 years old!

Like so many things it varies from commune to commune. The authorities can levy a Redevance (Annual Levy) for each system not connected to the mains in their area. If they choose to impelment this it will cover the admin and an occasional reinspection.

LD did say that the Arrow would return and run in tandem with the Leader. As Will says, there has been much speculation as to whether the Leader would ever put in an appearance on Portsmouth-Le Havre, but they have included it in their booking engine wef the end of April. However with that update in place its perhaps surprising that they haven't at the same time included the Arrow's crossings. The speculation is that they are deciding whether to use the displaced Alabtre or the Arrow to support the Leader. At least Albatre could provide a year round service unlike the Arrow. I can't see how it can possibly make financial sense to have a Fastcast which is used twice a day for a maximum of 6 months of the year. I guess it will all depend on whether they can find someone willing to take on the Arrow and thereby let them off the financial hook.

The number to call is on your bill. You will need your account number too.

You should be safe booking through FNAC http://www.fnacspectacles.com/place-spectacle/manifestation/Danse-traditionnelle-MICHAEL-FLATLEY-S-LORD-OF-THE-DANCE-TLORD.htm  All the options are listed at the city's own website http://www.toulouse.fr/cultures/musique/le-zenith  

The procedures are set out when you sign up to their scheme, including the special logons required. They will credit you retrospectively as long as you send them the relevant boarding cards... That's also set out in the rules.

For anyone who hasn't already seen it, Indigènes is on France2 next Sunday evening.

I assume they said that the would offer a transfer to the Portsmouth service, as the nearest equivalent. It's a bit mean not to allow you to transfer to St Malo with a couple of overnight seats. I guess you would have been happy with that, even if you had to pay the extra if you wanted a cabin.

LD Lines appear to have cancelled the Arrow's sailings for the rest of the season. That might well mean it has sailed it's last trip from Portsmouth to Le Havre, IF the larger capacity of the Norman Leader actually arrives early next year.....  

Why?  Maintenance / tides ?   Why any other reason than the usual one? En Greve!  

And I notice 'Pierre's Blog' (contact their chief exec) has disappeared from their website. Pierre has retired , yes seriously, so presumably he has taken his blog with him.  

Ryanair are currently blocking all bookings to or from Tours after the end of August. Its supposedly about the local council delaying payments that Ryanair says are now overdue. The council says that Ryanair have acted precipitously and the money should be paid by mid August. I guess we will have to wait and see. However it's also a symptom of the long running tensions between the airline and the authority which faces growing budgetary pressure, and an electorate which is becoming increasing dubious of subsidising  foreign visitors.      

On some routes  (Portsmouth) you do have to select seats or cabins , but the seats are a no cost option. On other routes .(Newhaven) you just click through without selecting accommodation. I have just checked!  

Things should get even better on this route now that they have introduced a second boat . As Will says I think they are quite satisfied with the way things are shaping up.  

From this year's return onward furnished rentals only qualify for a 50% reduction unless they are categorised as Gîtes Ruraux Meublés de Tourisme Chambre d’hotes So it will depend on the precise nature of the appartements to determine the reduction which can be claimed.

Will there be no BF crossings from Poole to Cherbourg next winter at all? That's the current intention, though meetings are taking place between BF and the French local authorities who are trying to get the service reinstated.  

A news item in mid February said the price has increased to 0.67 Euros per lite compared to the record high of 1,0143 in 2008. http://droit-finances.commentcamarche.net/news/101322-fioul-domestique-le-prix-du-litre-repart-a-la-hausse I should check they haven't filled you up with Diesel!  

For those willing to try Seafrance  (!)  (Dover-Calais) their £40 return UK-France-UK  is still available (one more week)  for travel during most of the year. http://www.ferrycheap.com/seafrance    

Their FAQ defines vehicles qualifying for personal use thus.......... Van: Any van (including roof box, roof rack or cycles) over 1.85m in height, used for private, tourist or leisure travel. This excludes minibuses, campervans, trailers, caravans, motorcycles and any light commercial goods vehicles carrying commercial goods for resale. Please note, the maximum laden weight for a van on our Passenger service is 3.5 tonnes. Elsewhere in the definitions the main emphasis is on being able to prove that the goods are not intended for resale.  

For this kind of situation you are unlikely to better Air France. They can get you back from Toulouse to Aberdeen at less than a days notice, with a choice of 3 or 4 flights changing at CDG. If you are lucky it will be around £450 single, but if demand is high it could be up to £900. But in this kind of situation there really isn't much choice or  opportunity to book ahead with Ryanair.  

Everyone arriving at Portsmouth suffers because of staffing levels at  border controls, though Brittany Ferries usually arrive before LD which gives them a head start. However LD Lines will always  suffer delays whatever the staffing levels due to the design of the Cote D'Albatre. Anyone who has travelled on this vessel knows that unless there is very little freight the cars are loaded, on the upper decks, and must wait until all the freight has off-loaded before the cars will be allowed to disembark. Most modern ferries allow simultaneous unloading of freight and cars using separate ramps this is not available on either of the Newhaven ships.        

Using the Norman Leader in Boulogne and moving the ex-Brave Merchant to Portsmouth is already being discussed elsewhere, so those fingers need to be very firmly crossed. But wouldn't that be the worst of all worlds? A Ship with little living room (rather like the Voyager) but fewer cabins on the long crossing, while the Leader would have acres of cabins unused at Dover. Unless freight really is the only important matter...... If they were going to divert the Leader to another route I would have thought that the new Brittany-Spain route would have made a better home for the new ship, especially as the start date keeps going back.

I suppose all the changes are a Ryanair effect. as LD Lines, unlike the traditional operators has smaller margins they can't afford to ride out the bad patches and must continually adjust their deployment in an attempt to minimise losses. We will all have to keep our fingers crossed that the next big change at Portsmouth, the arrival of the Norman Leader, is A: Beneficial. and if it is B Stays there!