idun

 Judith sounds like we drive in a similar fashion. I have to say though, when I can I put my foot down, I do, and helas it is only 70mph in England, better than 50, but for a long journey very boring. And this reminds me of quillan, years ago we had one of our regular disagreements, this one about driving. He reckoned that blocked upper speed limit on the cruise control would stop speeding, but my argument was that sometimes one has to drive, put one's foot down, and in fact speed to avoid  an incident. Ofcourse, we could not agree. I'll stick with that. It has served me well so far, as everytime there will  be something different, sometimes one slows, sometimes drive faster always adapting to whatsoever is going on on the road.

Terrific?

What! have I driven higher than the legal limit, oh yes. In the early 80's when I moved to France, unless I had adapted my driving in traffic to that of other road users, I reckon that I would have been in at least a major accident. The thing with other nationalities is that there appears to be the idea that the french don't respect any laws and always drive recklessly, so when in France, there are those, germans included who happily drive at dangerous speeds. Thing is that when I got to France I realised that there must be some sort of unwritten rules about speeds, some sort of general concensus that say on the Route Nationales which usually had a limit of 90, that 110 was OK ofcourse there were a very  few who drove faster, but a steady 110 was normal. I don't know what it was like in other regions really, but in my alpine valleys, that was just how it was. There has been change in the last few years and many things pertaining to motoring are far stricter and the french in general have adjusted their driving accordingly. And yet there are still  foreigners speeding, yet not that many foreign  cars on the roads in summer especially, but of these the % of those speeding is far higher than the national average, with  too many speed to excess. I usually stick to the speed limits these days. Occasionally I creep over, but not that often, and do so if say following someone on a dual carriageway who goes between the speed limit and about 4 or 5 mph below, as if they have what I call restless foot, or worse, are simply not paying attention. Then I like to get past, as I do not trust their driving. And I also get past cars who are 'wandering' on the road, also I don't trust them. I am not bragging about speeding, it is the reality of driving, and I would not say drop my speed just to keep well behind a motorist who cannot remain at a constant speed or is wandering in their lane. IF you never ever break the speed limit, and you suggest that other drivers don't either then are there ever any accidents in Germany? Not really a question is it! https://www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Society-Environment/Traffic-Accidents/_node.html Similar figures to France for deaths it would seem and from figures I saw and cannot find now, non fatal accidents are worse in Germany than France. So IF everyone sticks to the rules in Germany, shouldn't they have the lowest figures.......... as ever, just wondering. EDIT:found it if it works https://www.statista.com/statistics/438238/number-of-road-traffic-injuries-in-france/says 73384 non fatal accidents in 2017. Couldn't find figures more up to date.

Yes, you [6] you, you should know me better than that. It would not have made if a 'apeth of difference to me if the UK had come first or last. [:D]

I am not very good at looking for transport options, and did look at this. I couldn't find a direct train, although there was one to Prague, which I found interesting too.

CT, have you not realised that your vitriolic posts get right up people's noses. And if you are not fully aware, they will never go without a further word from those you persist in sneering at. But I rather think that that is rather your goal, to create a stir and then say it isn't your fault, you didn't start it, to which I could only say............ 'really'. I have no idea if you think that you come out of this in a good light, or are showing some sort of superiority, but it doesn't work like that, not with an attitude like that. And I suppose that I am wondering why a german resident is posting on here as you don't seem to have much connection or interest in  France, although I realise you mentioned your father, but you don't seem to ask anything that may help with any problems pertaining to your parent.

I would imagine that you are right slowfox05. However, sometimes french bureaucracy is at the pace of a striking slug, so you may end up voting. You will have to let us know.

Thanks for that explanation auxadrets. And based on that, I do rather think it is all a load of 'nonsense'.  As I said, my experience of other countries is limited, I have visited quite a few, but as there are so  many on the planet, that is hardly any really. However, I can think of other countries that surely would top this, like at least one of the Scandanavian countries, or even New Zealand?

I am sure that others will reply to this. I have no experience of staying in land in Brittany, with living in the Alpes for so long, we always stayed as close as we could to the sea, I did miss the sea. But it is fortuitous that you have posted as I was thinking about you and was wondering how you were doing, and hoping that your house sale went through without any further problems.

On the side panel there is an article with the above title. I don't understand it, is it french people saying that being french is having the best nationality in the world??? Anyone can help me understand. I do know that for all I am happy to be english, I would never say that I was of a nationality that was the 'best in the world' because I don't know, I don't know enough of the 'world' to judge. And it would sound very arrogant. And yet everyone knows that the french are usually, fier d'etre francais..... but I am not french[Www] and never could be, because I could never completely think and feel like a french person, no matter how much has rubbed off on me.[blink]

Airbnb's perhaps have their place in rural areas. In cities they do not. I keep thinking that all those that keep life going, ie nurses, bus drivers, refuge collectors etc etc etc, an endless list of people that make our lives comfortable, on low wages should simply flee the cities and let the 'rich' get on with it. 

I have never stayed in a B&B in France. We stay have stayed in chain hotels, little hotels, and auberge, but never a B&B. We have rented Gites though always french owned as it happens. A few years ago, an irish friend who lives in France had booked a B&B in eastern France, and when they saw us, his french girl friend said that it was dirty, AND run by les anglais. That was their experience, and these days, I daresay that would be clearly flagged up on one of the web sites. We have rarely used B&B's in England either. And these days I rather think that Four in a Bed has put me off. Only the odd one that I have thought, maybe IF I was in that area, I would stay there. And Glamping, well, looks like a right expensive do about nothing to me. I'd rather stick to my quality Cabanon french tent if I was camping.

I have used the tunnel at least twice, and if I had lived closer to it at either end, would have been happy to use it, as said, it would have cut down journey times.

Ferry or Tunnel. When I did our 1000mile trip on my own, frankly I preferred the ferry. A forced longer stop, stretch my legs, get some fresh air and maybe something to eat. Both sides we had a long journey.

I was not well pleased when my husband went away and used airbnb. He hadn't booked it, the team he was with had, but it did not stop me being very unhappy about it, as I am  anti airbnb and uber. I will not use either.

What is going on here, CT, people have debates, we do in our household, and are completely not in agreement about a lot of subjects either, but heyho, how awful would it be if we all thought the same. Your posts rather remind me of a previous poster who was so sharp in accusing folk of this and that and saying that folk always want the last word. Now there is a thing...... who doesn't usually want the last word? Isn't that just what folk do? In real life that is what usually  happens.

Ah the dear old subject of driving and how good we are, or not, at it, bit like the subject that is never mentioned on here.... s e x...... I suppose most people have their own 'views' on their personal 'skill', or not[Www] Me, well, my son has recently visited and was out with his Dad and a friend of ours, who is now retired, but used to have an international haulage company and drove if needed, now retired, and he told my son that I was a good driver and he was very comfortable in the car with me. I try to be a good driver, and hope I am, and it was very nice to hear. And yet, I make mistakes from time to time, I would hazard a guess that we all do. And that brings us to those who believe that they are rather perfect, and that ranges between them being rather ridiculous and funny and sadly it can also be dead boring.  In this case I am talking about those 'I' know in real life here, because the absurd always amuses me, tickles me no end. The bores, well, what can one do hein!

We avoided them, although sometimes that was not always possible...... ie the post about booking in advance, as when we just set off sometimes, choice would be limited. We have had a few awful meals too, so a resto we avoided in general.

I have been looking at the various statistics for this. Quite surprised that the UK in general drinks less than France, but maybe it is because beer is of less strength than wine?? Just a thought. I do know that the french ladies in my entourage all too often seem to drink surreptitiously and will often refuse a drink in company, taking water instead. And yet, I could quite often smell drink on their breath, probably because I drink so rarely that I can always smell it. And the most surprising was the teachers, but there you go[Www]

And now we are in the very grubby world of power and money, and if priests had children, then they would surely inherit and not the church. Wasn't that the reason? I do know it made us smile when on some history program when they said that they had to stop nuns and monks/priests consorting.... to put it politely[Www] And this old retired Pope, what did he do about all the abuse when he had the power, children abused over years and years and years?? So having sex with children is celibacy?? Reeks of hypocrisy, isn't as if he didn't know.

As I have said before, I do not understand religions, but I do know that Peter was married, well according to the Bible he was......... and yet doesn't the catholic church say that the Pope's are Peter's successors. And I doubt that Peter would have been celibate in his marriage, because wouldn't that have gone against the jewish religion. [blink]

I would hope by now that the generic were the same, 'molecules' is it? as the original for most things? They started dishing out generics donkey's years ago and I remember well all the folk I knew who simply didn't trust them, which was nonsense to me. However, I would understand that some specific strong drugs may have strings attached to their being copied, so there could be differences, but for bog standard things, well, keep 'em cheap, helps the health service.

We regularly travel without proper plans, unless we are going on a proper planned one place holiday. I am not silly though, (although we have taken the risk sometimes of finding somewhere, even with a baby in the car[Www]!  But we would feel the need to book if it were a bank holiday or some specific time of the year, ie french school holidays, or change over times. We have never slept in the car. We have never had to rough camp as we usually stick a small tent and sleeping bags in the car too, just in case, but if it came to that, we would have hoped for a camp site for the night. Truth is that there has always been somewhere to lay our heads, whether it be a bit rough and ready or a bit on the expensive side. If you are worried, then book, if not, then just go for it, because often, if you see somewhere and they are full, they usually know of somewhere locally that may take you. And in spite of the internet etc, I would still do it without a thought.

Yes, I think that that is how they distinguish what the S1 is covering. Seem to remember, but who knows could be wrong, that Newcastle asked for the S1/ E121 when they were pursuing us for said form.

 Egalite...... ah dear, women couldn't work without their husband's permission that until the mid 60's! And still there is a gender pay gap! Wooly of all the things that 'marked' my time in France those two words were not words that I remember particularly hearing in any context. What I do remember is that friends would say that if the government pushed toooo hard, that the people would take to the barracades again, but that was always from 68'ers, the men of which, never lost that 'look', dire as it is.