Chaos Yesterday

[Gardian]

Yesterday, we thought we'd go out and get a bit of shopping at the Avignon Leclerc. It's about a 40kms drive, but it's a better hyper than most around here.

Anyway, got there about 11.45, just as it was starting to snow. Decided to get round quickly and head back. Emerged at 12.30 - blizzard!  Roads gridlocked, artics jacknifed, cars in the fosse. Took till 16.00 to get within 12 kms of home.  Then the plan was to stick to the main road for as long as possible and drop down to our village - not the usual route, but it avoided the country lanes.

Hmmm - best laid plans. Road blocked ahead, just where we normally turn off, so took the usual country lane route.  Got along fine for a while, then 2 plonkers in a knackered old pickup got stuck on a little hill, having taken the central icy line. Nobody could pass in either direction.  Plenty of Gallic discussion involving the half a dozen or so people from vehicles that were now stuck. After half an hour, he got towed off by a mate who had turned up in a 4x4 and we were eventually able to get away with some welcome shoves from the locals. Home at 17.30.

There hadn't been that much snow - maybe 8cms, but it caused total chaos. Anybody else from down here get caught out?  

[woolybanana]

Actually, chaps, I was on the beach all afternoon! Lovely warmish sun.

[Gardian]

[quote user="woolybanana"]Actually, chaps, I was on the beach all afternoon! Lovely warmish sun.[/quote]

[:P][:P][:P]

[Christine Animal]

And I still haven't taken my parasol in yet.

 

[Benjamin]

We had big problems with all the ice creams melting.   [:P]

[Gardian]

Alright, alright, you load of sarcie so-and-so's. We'll have the last laugh down here in July, when it's piddling with rain on the Atlantic coast.

Actually, our neighbour Michel who knows ............ well, about everything, said to me this morning that this cold winter means that we're going to fry this summer. He's going to instal a clim system to combat the problem. That's when he gets round to finishing the swimming pool (5 yrs and still under construction), the extra bedroom, the new kitchen, etc, etc.

Oh, and he told me how best to drive in snowy conditions, presumably since I'd never encountered them in Angleterre.  Love it. 

[Suze01]

[quote user="Gardian"]

Actually, our neighbour Michel who knows ............ well, about everything, said to me this morning that this cold winter means that we're going to fry this summer.

[/quote]

Quite possible.  We arrived September 2002 and had a freezing winter down to -15 really bad for a week, what followed:  the canicule of 2003.

[andyh4]

 They are just not used to snow in the valley, so when it does turn up it causes chaos.  In the hills we just take things calmly and without drama - btw we had 40cm before Christmas and everyone coped.

Not really any different to the UK Gaurdian. 

I always used to say that when N Scotland had 8cm snow the traffic would slow down a bit but cope without any problems.  When N England had 8mm snow the traffic would slow down a bit but cope withpout any problems - and in London if a single flake fell from the sky the entire city would gridlock.

 

 

[Jonzjob]

[quote user="andyh4"]

 They are just not used to snow in the valley, so when it does turn up it causes chaos.  In the hills we just take things calmly and without drama - btw we had 40cm before Christmas and everyone coped.

Not really any different to the UK Gaurdian. 

I always used to say that when N Scotland had 8cm snow the traffic would slow down a bit but cope without any problems.  When N England had 8mm snow the traffic would slow down a bit but cope withpout any problems - and in London if a single flake fell from the sky the entire city would gridlock.[/quote]

Andy, London is grid lock without snow!![:D]

Busy around Carcassonne sometimes too![8-|]