Gardian Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 Mrs G subscribes to two UK 'women's mags' for delivery to our home here in France. You know the kind of thing - rubbish really & my steam railway mago is much better content and interest. ?Anyway, the cost of the subscription has been edging up over the years and the latest renewal invitation was for an eye-watering £111 - this for a monthly magazine with a UK cover price of £4.30. Now of course it has to be mailed, but they airfreight a pallet load of French deliveries over here somewhere and La Poste does the rest. On the volumes we're talking about, the rate will be a small fraction of what it would normally cost to send from the UK (£5.60).I suggested that she have a conversation with them and point out that the rate for new subscribers was £102. If she could get that, she'd have been happy-ish. Otherwise, she'd cancel.So .......... a lot of humming and hahing on the other end of the phone and after not too long, the offer was made of £61 !!Confirmation just received by email, so not a case of poor hearing on her part as I uncharitably suggested. That's 45% less, which is even more than I ever got when shopping around for car insurance quotes (a notorious con).So 'les filles', don't take it lying down ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 I just go down to WH Smiths in Paris. They sell all UK mags.They even sell 'Living in France' type magazines which I have always found quite a bit strange. Why buy such a magazine when you already live in France ?Off subject question ( given you subscribe to my steam railway) do trainspotters exist in France ? Never seen trainspotters at the end of platforms collecting numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 Train spotters do exist in France and there is also a quite strong contingent of railway modellers.With Vigipirate, sitting at the end of a railway platform with a camera, note book - and maybe a flask (maybe not with sweet tea in it) - is not recommended and is why you have not seen such individuals. They do however exist and a number report in the French railway and model railway press - for example Le Train and Voies Ferrées to name just two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted October 3, 2016 Author Share Posted October 3, 2016 ALBF - it's actually 'Steam World' that I subscribe to and a fine mag it is too. It's just £4.50 if you buy it over the counter in the UK, but the enthusiast ones over here are €10+ , so quite pricey. Andyh4 is quite right I'm sure, but I just get the feeling that there's nothing like the interest that there is in the UK. A bit simplistic maybe, but main line steam went out in the 50's over here, whereas it was a decade later in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 I actually had a sneeky peek at the top shelf rail mags at gare St Lazare in Paris today and there are plenty of mags. Not all about modelling. So there is a passion for trains. There are many forums about as well I have discovered.France have some brilliant rail routes but their trains are a bit less inspiring.Having said that there are still some proper locomotives still operating. No steam mind you. I would love to buy and renovate an old train station in France. Living next to a train line (well apart from a TGV) is quite romantic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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