jane shakey

Exactly--you pays your money & you takes your choice!  We use RA frequently, and play their game--online check-in, Electron card, only hand baggage--never ever eat or drink--or even use the loo--on board.  It is just like a bus journey of just over 1 hour--and always on time --are we just lucky?  we just can't understand anything the flight attendants say--even the english/irish/scouse ones!!!  Do they undergo special training in how to speak quickly and unintelligibly??[:D]

I am also interested in going to a weeks "total immersion" French language tuition--preferably with full or half board in a small hotel or gite.  I have searched the internet, but not much success.  Anyone out there running such a "school"?  I'd like it to be fun/informal !

Has anyone heard any news of a "new" airline flying out of Manchester to Angers in Loire--poss by Aaron or Arvon Airlines?? As we have a cottage there it would be great--we have tried several Ryanair flights but all need a 3 hr drive either to Stansted, or from La Rochelle or Limoges-- but just due to try E. Mids to Nantes.  Interesting reading about Ryan air's baggage restrictions--we fell foul of their1 suitcase rule, but as we had only paid 1p each way we couldn't really complain--but I fail to see any logic in this--especially in these high security times when a good idea would be to restrict hand baggage to one see-through carrier bag--not encourage people to trudge the kitchen sink, poachers jackets & a fortnights supply of groceries onto the plane!! [W]

Hi to all "maison secondaire" or gite owners---  Does anyone have any experience of "swapping" a week in your house with a week in another house in a different departement of France?  It occurred to me that there are many people out there, like us, who own a maison secondaire (that they may or may not rent out to giteurs), but who also might like the chance to visit another part of France without having to pay rent themselves!!!  So how about a swap shop? Our gite sleeps 4/5 & is in Loire Valley (Dept 49 -Maine et Loire)  approx 25 mins from Saumur, near lots of chateaux & vineyards--Chinon, Bourgueil, Saumur Champigny--all good stuff!  We'd be very interested in a swap in June with someone in Languedoc region-- just big enough for the 2 of us!  Is there anyone out there interested??  More details on request.

After reading all the e-mails ref. transfer of funds from English bank acc.(ours is HSBC--mentioned several times) & being a keen advocate in UK of internet banking I decided to try to instigate this to transfer approx £500/700 euros to our French account with Societe General-(-incidently fee-free so far -as we don't need a cash card, as only ever pay money for electricity, water, taxes etc)  Met with absolute stone wall!! I tried phoning Internet helpline( think it was in India!!) they eventually gave me a different no. to call--he must have been from Barcelona as he "knew nothing!!" in end I went to local branch, who were very dismissive, told me NOT possible, so I used the archaic snail method of World Pay & paid £9.  In this day, SURELY there must be a way of e-transfer?? Anyone a recommended way round this--I have tried the foreign exchange guys, but they only seem keen on bigger, or monthly transfers & still charge a fair bit to do so.: