menthe Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/aug/11/from-normandy-to-the-dordogne-readers-favourite-spots-in-france There you are, something for (nearly) everybody🙂 Lehaut will definitely be interested because, yes, there is mention of Nantes AND cycling! After saying that summer is not the best time to visit on holiday on another thread, I feel obliged to post this to make amends for appearing perhaps a bit too discouraging. By all means visit in summer or autumn or winter or, best of all, my favourite spring time. I have some older French friends who are convinced, for whatever reason, they they do not need to holiday anywhere but in France because "we have everything here". By that they mean you could do sea swimming or mountain walk or cycle or some other form of locomotion and I do have to agree because France indeed does have it all😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 Well I suppose it does have it all, really, mint. It's a big country, so hot in the south, cool in the north, wild in Brittany, high in the mountains. Plus the French are convinced that their food is superior to all others. So, unless they are interested in culture of other countries, why travel further? One sees a lot of Belgians and Dutch, as well as Brits, on the French roads, but very few Italians or Spanish, so maybe inhabitants of those other large countries feel the same? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, menthe said: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/aug/11/from-normandy-to-the-dordogne-readers-favourite-spots-in-france There you are, something for (nearly) everybody🙂 Lehaut will definitely be interested because, yes, there is mention of Nantes AND cycling! After saying that summer is not the best time to visit on holiday on another thread, I feel obliged to post this to make amends for appearing perhaps a bit too discouraging. By all means visit in summer or autumn or winter or, best of all, my favourite spring time. I have some older French friends who are convinced, for whatever reason, they they do not need to holiday anywhere but in France because "we have everything here". By that they mean you could do sea swimming or mountain walk or cycle or some other form of locomotion and I do have to agree because France indeed does have it all😁 Another daft article from ‘The Gurdian’ about France. I can name 10 (or a lot more if you like) better places to visit in ´France’. With no crowds to bother you. Incidently, I drove back from the very loverly rural Southern Bourgogne (in my top 10) early this morning. I left at 1 am ! Do you know what, the roads were really busy. Even at that time of night on Friday. The A71 was not packed but very busy going South at 2/3 am. Where are they going…..I guess to the top ten Gurdian places to visit in France. Naaa…forget summer. And that list…lol. BTW The Gurdian…..the only time to visit Alsace is in the Autumn or Winter. Most peeps we know go abroad. Edited August 11, 2023 by alittlebitfrench Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lehaut Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 Indeed Menthe. We did a 26km cycle ride from the flat last week, Mostly on cycle paths, past the lock and fish ladder at Vertou, along the Sévre under the trees, up a steep hill and into the vines. Coasted down tracks and through a forest, dived down some tiny lanes, through a disused quarry to the locks. Back along a different stretch of the Sévre and home. You can do a different route alongside a river 6 days a week here. Have done the Route Napoléon on a motor bike - one of the best in France, if you ignore the wreckage of motor bikes along the way and stories of them coming off and ending up in a tree etc. Did not like "Die" being one of the points on the route though, sounded like bad omen. France really does have it all, if you are one of the ones fortunate to make the most of it. And you do not have to be rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menthe Posted August 12, 2023 Author Share Posted August 12, 2023 How right you are, Lehaut, about not having to be rich😄That's the bit I like best; so many things to do that cost nothing or only at minimal cost. Well-kept public spaces, areas to walk along lakes, rivers, mountains. Footpaths more or less nearly always usable. Walk along the edge of a field and no farmer shouts at you to get off his f.... land! Despite years of walking in France, I am still nervous about walking inadvertently on someone's private domain. So I only venture on paths that could be privés with my more knowledgeable French friends. There are areas of parks and lakes managed by the municipal authorities and free for access. It gladdens my heart to know that people of modest means can still enjoy the great outdoors. As for the villages des vacances, whole families can enjoy some very well kept and plentiful activities at modest cost. Of course government policy as well as the better weather enable all these things to be there for everyone. I belonged to the Ramblers' Association when I lived in the UK and there were always endless arguments with landowners and the local authorities about the accessibility of footpaths. We had a large garden with woodland access in our previous house and now and again, we would have requests from local walking groups to cross the bottom of the garden. We always said, yes by all means, and laid on some cold drinks and light refreshments which were always appreciated. Like you and Mrs L, I love being out of doors even though I might not have your level of fitness or adventurous spirit😏 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 5 hours ago, Lehaut said: Have done the Route Napoléon on a motor bike - one of the best in France, A few years back we did Alpe du Huez…Bourg-d’Oisans…(over the col)….Gap…Salon de Provence……through the Carmargue to Montpellier. In one day. The route takes the most of the Route Napoléon. I agree it is one of best routes. We were in car. It was fantastic and beautiful. As close to Scotland as you can get. At one point high in the Ecrins….the road is split in half by a river. And you had to drive over it. That was scary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lehaut Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 17 hours ago, alittlebitfrench said: That was scary. I got caught in a mountain storm on the Route. Its the only time I have had to stop whilst on a motorbike because of the rain. The roads turned into rivers. I arrived at the camp site to find it half flooded and no electricity for most of the night - still charged me the full amount though. Very like Scotland 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menthe Posted August 13, 2023 Author Share Posted August 13, 2023 21 hours ago, alittlebitfrench said: A few years back we did Alpe du Huez…Bourg-d’Oisans…(over the col)….Gap…Salon de Provence……through the Carmargue to Montpellier. In one day. The route takes the most of the Route Napoléon. I agree it is one of best routes. We were in car. It was fantastic and beautiful. As close to Scotland as you can get. At one point high in the Ecrins….the road is split in half by a river. And you had to drive over it. That was scary. So, contary to your usual rants about how dreadful all of France is and how you are continually thinking about moving to another country, you can still find places that are "fantastic and beautiful"? Is that why although you are always THINKING about moving to England or Scotland or FantasyLand, you remain here in la Belle France? Now there's a surprise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveLister Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 Now now Menthe, No need to have a go at ALBF. He's always agreed that there are beautiful places in France. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anotherbanana Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 I get the feeling that ALBFs wife who is French may be the one who unsettles him as she seems to be very unsettled in France and would like to return to UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 1 hour ago, menthe said: So, contary to your usual rants about how dreadful all of France is and how you are continually thinking about moving to another country, you can still find places that are "fantastic and beautiful"? Is that why although you are always THINKING about moving to England or Scotland or FantasyLand, you remain here in la Belle France? Now there's a surprise? I just let off steam on the forum…..Mint. I love France and you know that. I will fight for France until I am six foot under. France has always looked after me since I moved here. I will always be grateful. That said…I have no resect for Macron and what he is doing to France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, anotherbanana said: I get the feeling that ALBFs wife who is French may be the one who unsettles him as she seems to be very unsettled in France and would like to return to UK. No….we are all happy in France. OH would never move back to the UK. Well…..maybe if we did not have kids. OH…and the 3 half bred Froganglais love the UK….but they prefer France. Because that is what they know. Me….I go with the flow. I’m too laid back to worry about such things. Edited August 13, 2023 by alittlebitfrench Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menthe Posted August 13, 2023 Author Share Posted August 13, 2023 2 hours ago, alittlebitfrench said: I just let off steam on the forum…..Mint. I love France and you know that. I will fight for France until I am six foot under. France has always looked after me since I moved here. I will always be grateful. That said…I have no resect for Macron and what he is doing to France. Don't worry, ALBF, he'll be gone soon enough. So which of Macron's policy decisions don't you like? Perhaps you should wait till Marine LP is installed at the Elyssé, before complaining about what we do have now. I am no dye-in-the-wool macroniste but, to me, he's done a more good than harm and, these days, THAT is a lot to be grateful for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 (edited) 6 minutes ago, menthe said: Don't worry, ALBF, he'll be gone soon enough. So which of Macron's policy decisions don't you like? Perhaps you should wait till Marine LP is installed at the Elyssé, before complaining about what we do have now. I am no dye-in-the-wool macroniste but, to me, he's done a more good than harm and, these days, THAT is a lot to be grateful for. No Mint…he has done more bad than good. In fact he has done no good. So it is all just bad. That is coming from someone who encouraged everyone I know to vote for him…back in..whenever he turned up. That man is one dimensional. Like Trump…like…Boris. Its all about him. Everything else is secondary. Edited August 13, 2023 by alittlebitfrench Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anotherbanana Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 What bad has he done, albf? I tend to agree with Mint on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 22 minutes ago, anotherbanana said: What bad has he done, albf? Everything he does is about him. He comes first…France comes second. It is the way he was genetically made. He is there because there was no one else to vote for. But most did not vote for him. And quite rightly. But he is there. He is the same as Trump and Boris. Biden vs Trump…..2024…..lol. Who does America want ?…..ummmmm neither ? But on this point…and lets talk about UK politics. Would you vote for this utterly embarrassingly hopless UK conservative government or Keir Starmer and his sidekick Angela Rayner In the next election? I would go for the conservatives. And I hate the conservatives to the bone. We are doomed Mr Mainwaring…..we are doomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menthe Posted August 13, 2023 Author Share Posted August 13, 2023 ALBF says: We are doomed Mr Mainwaring…..we are doomed't Don't panic! Don't Panic!😝 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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