Daktari

Something I haven't seen mentioned is that if you hold a "Blue Badge" as a disabled driver the requirement for a Crit'Air vignette doesn't apply. "As per French decree Décret n°2016-847 from 28th June 2016 vehicles bearing a parking card for disabled persons need no Crit'Air Vignette. Parking cards for disabled persons are the same all over Europe so that vehicles of handicapped persons are recognisable abroad, too." https://www.crit-air.fr/en/information-about-the-critair-vignette/french-environmental-zones-zcr/exemptions-to-the-rules.html

Perhaps it's time to enjoy a bottle of wine with our evening meal, then break out the breathalyzers to see whether we would fall foul of the limit or not!

.... and I've just (yesterday!) bought a pack from Amazon (UK) as I couldn't find them anywhere on my recent travels. Still, the price has come down (£3.99 for a double pack - NF approved)

Eh bien ... we've been back in France for 10 days, driving from Calais down to Provence and stopped off at a variety of supermarkets most days ... I've checked every visit for ethylo-testers and not even seen an empty rack on a shelf! For my guidance, can someone who has seen them on sale tell me whether they are usually stocked with the auto products, in the wine / beer dept, or by the checkouts? Thanks to all

Because the regulations are not going to be enforced before November, I shouldn't bother! If you plan to return later in the year, and you happen to see one whilst shopping, it's probably worth buying, but they have a finite shelf-life, so not worth stocking up for next year. Incidentally, they are on sale (NF certified) on Amazon.uk for around £5.50 for a twin pack

made near Meaux. Isn't breizh from round there ? Presumable breizh can give account for himself ... but on the basis that Breizh is Breton for Brittany it seems as improbable that he would hail from Meaux as a French President being called Hollande - although a precedent was set by a 19th C British PM (D'Israeli)

[quote]No need to contact NormanH or sid. They are well-known on the forum for the pranks they play on new forum members! [:P] As a Mod (and a French person), I feel it's my responsibility to offer help and assistance. [I]In this instance, please send the 10€ notes directly to me and I'll look into the problem on your behalf.[/quote] Thank you Clare - I've really appreciated how ready members of the forum are to help. I've found 2 of the German 10€ notes - if any of the helpful members would care to send me 21€ (french!) to cover P&P I'd be very happy to take up their kind offer :-)

[quote user="Frederick"] Just looked at the Euro notes I have at the moment They are S.X .U. and N ..... Havent a clue where they were printed and dont care they will still get spent ! [/quote] I didn't care where they originated either ... until my wife was singled out as attempting to pass a dud note by proffering a German 10€ note in a French supermarket! It wasn't as though it was Greek ... or Irish!

Thank you, that's very helpful .... can you tell me whether it is illegal to keep them in my possession until I can visit Germany?

Another summer visitor yesterday, and today my wife, both had the embarrassing experience of having their 10€ banknotes rejected by a local Intermarche store. They were identified by the cashier as being subtly different from the norm - the only obvious difference being the signature. Further internet research has indicated that they are German, rather than French 10€ notes (the serial numbers begin with X rather than U. I'm sure that if forum readers look at notes in your possession you are likely to find some with serial numbers commencing with letters other than U. My question is, does the supermarket have a right to reject otherwise legal tender on the basis that it originated in another eurozone nation? If it does, the demise of the eurozone is more imminent than I had realised!

Enjoying the sun??????? WHERE??????? It's been chucking it down all day here!!!!!!! Light drizzle just started to fall (6pm) - otherwise sunny day (and each day for the past week since we arrived!) .... nr Thuir (west of Perpignan)

Thanks for all the feedback - we've got another week enjoying the sun before head back to UK, so I'll keep looking, but won't be too anxious if I don't find any before our next trip in September.

[quote user="Jo"]Try looking on the wines/spirits aisle, that's where I found them![/quote] Thank you Jo, I've looked there too ... without success! I'll keep trying ...

On the understanding that the new regulations requiring an approved alcohol breathalyzer to be carried in the vehicle will be legally enacted from July 1st onwards (though I've also read that the regulations will not be enforced until November), on my present holiday in Languedoc I've been looking in the motoring sections of a number of supermarkets for them. I've occasionally seen an empty rack, but have had no success in finding one. Am I looking in the wrong place ... or is there a national shortage?

So ... can I conclude that despite all the initial excitement when the legislation first was enacted, nobody has actually experienced a check on their SatNav?

Thanks Pickles, I think I read some time ago that the gendarmes didn't have the right to examine the satnav - but that the douaniers could do so. I've got a clear conscience as my satnav is supposedly now "road legal" - but I was interested to learn whether anyone had actually experienced any action as a result of the new legislation - or is all the excitement now about impending breathalyser requirements!

I'll be driving in France again this weekend, my first return trip since before the legislation banning satnavs giving warnings of speed cams. I've just downloaded the latest software for my Garmin which supposedly complies with French law. Having read all the posts a couple of months ago when the new legislation was first introduced I've seen nothing much on the topic since - my question is whether any contributors to the forum have actually experienced police checks on their satnavs, or has it been another storm in a teacup? Ian

Another bit of useless information .... its termed "E85" not because of the RON but because its a mixture of 85% Bioethanol and 15% regular unleaded gasoline

Pugwash - going back to your query re those travelling illegally at 75mph (I presume you are referring to UK rather than French motorway limits at this point) - I would suggest that not only is it inappropriate and potentially dangerous to the "innocent party" to hold-up these motorway speedsters by not moving over, but also warn that you shouldn't assume that your car speedo is necessarily accurate. Car speedometers generally over estimate your speed by up to 10% (this is part of the design specification) - so if your speedo indicates 75mph you may actually be travelling at 68-69mph and holding up other vehicles unnecessarily. The advent of GPS systems with true speed values (so long as the vehicle is travelling in a straight line) means that many drivers now have a better indicator of their speed. To extrapolate to French autoroutes - an indicated speed of 130kph is probably a true speed of nearer 118 kph - so a car passing you travelling 12kph quicker than you may not be exceeding the speed limit!

I like the change of perspective, viewing the shutters from inside out - here's a more conventional shot [IMG]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y100/daktari360/CRW_5859-LaRomieu.jpg[/IMG]

Hi, they are wood anemones, attractive little plants found in established woodland Ian

It's excellent news - my family will be delighted!

Strange ... in my last post I wrote a "chink" of light - as in chin + k, but it has been transcribed to *** as though I was using a patronising term about a Chinaman - but that's just a funny ball from a leg-spinner!

I'd almost given up hope - but perhaps there is still a chink of light that the Southampton - Avignon route might yet be resurrected next summer. Following on from your earlier suggestion Ian, I did contact the Vaucluse Tourist Board in an effort to enlist their support, but didn't seem to get anywhere (but perhaps there has been some "behind the scenes" negotiations - who knows?). The prospect of Luton - Nimes on Ryanair as the closest alternative doesn't really appeal, so we live in hope!

Val, re battery lifespan - if you still have the original battery after 6 years it has certainly given you service over & beyond the normal call of duty! With all the electrics in modern cars the average life-span of a car battery from new is probably 3 - 5 years, anything more is a bonus!