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I didn't see it but got a text from my friend telling me about it and how he would be switching the channel over!
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I'm not surprised to see that OP will be going somwhere else next year, because France is now very expensive, particularly for Brits exchanging pounds for euros.
As predicted earlier this year, the B and B business in France in particular seems to have been badly damaged by the soaring euro - chambres d'hotes in this part of France (SW) are quieter than anyone can remember. Rather than try to make France more attractive to Brits already suffering a squeeze on incomes the European Central Bank and, by association, the French government, seem happy to see everyone suffer.
Having lived in France for some years we are less affected than many, but it still all seems very sad to me.
BTW - the best way to see the Millau viaduct is to go down into the town and look up. And if the toll seems expensive, it isn't when you know how much time the new route saves on your way to and from the south. Having said that, tolls on all French autoroutes seem to have shot up this year - we have just returned from a brief Blighty run and I was amazed at how much more the convenience of the autoroute now costs.
Edited by mike hannon on 15/07/2008 at 15:54
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Mike, agree with you re the cost.
Re Millau, unfortunately I didn't go into the town itself and now everyone tells me that this is the only way you can fully appreciate the sheer size of the structure. If there is a next time, I will do it then!
Re the cost, I don't object in the slightest to the toll, I remember being stuck for hours on the old road trying to head south. As a toll it is fine, its just that on that particular day, with me choosing to visit it and go back, paying double toll wasn't too appreciated!
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Gosh Bobby, what an experience. Serves to remind us all how a moments inattention on someones part can have the most dire consequenses. I hope your friends are making a good recovery.
It's funny you should say that you enjoyed yourselves less than previously. I suppose some of that reaction must of course have been as a result of the unexpected problem. I do though, understand what you mean. I was always a great fan of taking the car to mainland Europe rather than flying. Both holidays and business trips always seemed more of an "adventure" somehow if you drove yourself. Recently however, I seem to prefer to fly. Can't really say why, as airports are nowadays just about the most undignified process you can subject yourself to while willingly paying for it. Driving abroad just doesn't seem to give the same sense of freedom as it did.
Edited by Humph Backbridge on 15/07/2008 at 21:10
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I have just been to Italy and had a flight, a Hertz hire car and 1/2 board in a good hotel for £425, each. This was the North end of Lake Garda; there is no way I could have had that holiday for anywhere that price if I had taken the ferry/tunnel and driven my own car, even from within an hour of Dover.
I tend to fly and hire now; I agree the airports and the LoCo airlines are a bit dire but once you get there you find yourself in a 6 month old car with the steering wheel on the correct side!
I am driving to France/Belgium next month as one can't easily fly to Brugge and I want to fill the car with Vino Collapso, beer and smelly cheese on the way back!
Edited by Armitage Shanks {p} on 15/07/2008 at 21:41
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"I have just been to Italy and had a flight, a Hertz hire car and 1/2 board in a good hotel for £425, each"
How long was holiday AS ??
"I am driving to France/Belgium next month as one can't easily fly to Brugge and I want to fill the car with Vino Collapso, beer and smelly cheese on the way back!"
And this is the crux of the matter - depends on what type of holiday you want and where as to whether fly/drive is the best or driving there.
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The holiday was one week/7 nights. When I researched the individual costs of the three elements of the holiday I couldn't have constructed the package myself for less. I didn't look into the BA flights (Gatwick to Verona) but the hotel was £110 a night for the room and half board, so that alone was what I paid the agent for the whole holiday ie the flights and car were 'free'. At my age, and with a partner who doesn't drive abroad, I am unable to regard the journey, by car, as part of the holiday. The flight is hell but only last 5 hours overall - not 2 days! Excellent hotel can be found by Googling "Hotel Lucia + Lake Garda" sensational location and views and the area features in the new Bond film. They wrecked 2 Astons during the shooting!
Edited by Armitage Shanks {p} on 15/07/2008 at 22:15
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Sounds excellent AS - and you are right of course - week at Garda not really possible by driving - by time you get there it would be time to come back! Garda is lovely - spent a fair bit of time there many years ago ( first visit 1963, last time was about 1992ish usually near Malcesine - must go back). I remember the hot days and also the thunderstorms at night, watching the lightning pinging off the metal veranda over the bar while having a bottle of the local vino!
Phil
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Sounds excellent AS - and you are right of course - week at Garda not really possible by driving - by time you get there it would be time to come back! Garda is lovely - spent a fair bit of time there many years ago ( first visit 1963 last time was about 1992ish usually near Malcesine - must go back). I remember the hot days and also the thunderstorms at night watching the lightning pinging off the metal veranda over the bar while having a bottle of the local vino! Phil
Also went to Malcesine on Lake Garda, many moons ago, now. Drove down there from Calais but that was when driving was something exotic and exiting and not so mundane as it is nowadays. Stayed at an hotel just outside Malcesine called Lago di Garda (or something like that) which had a lovely lakeside walk intto Malcesine.
Only downside of the stay there was a boat trip onto the lake, one afternoon, when we nearly could have drowned. We hired a boat with outboard motor and at the time the weather looked clement, but when we were someway out, a storm came out of nowhere, from the north and made the water very, very choppy.
We had great difficulty getting back to Malcesine and some boats came out to help us return. Never again, needless to say. I though we were gonners - I couldn't swim and still can't.
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>>Sounds excellent AS - and you are right of course - week at Garda not >really possible by driving - by time you get there it would be time to come >back! Garda is lovely - spent a fair bit of time there many years ago ( first >visit 1963, last time was about 1992ish usually near Malcesine - must go >back). I remember the hot days and also the thunderstorms at night, >watching the lightning pinging off the metal veranda over the bar while >having a bottle of the local vino!
>Phil
I will be there next week. Getting the ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam on Sunday, overnight stay at Munich on Monday and then over the Alps on Tuesday to Malcesine. Cant wait!
Looking at the weather they do seem to get thunderstorms coming out of nowhere so will have to keep an eye on those and not leave the roof of the MG when unattended!
Back to the original thread though, Im glad everyone is OK and praise to the Scenic for standing up to such a smash
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Glad to hear you are all ok. Everything else is replaceable.
Dont want to minimise the accident, or otherwise offend you, but that accident could have happened anywhere including in England.
Shame it ruined a trip, but dont let it put you off enjoying the europe experience.
Its dearer now than it should be, but (imo) there is still a lot to be enjoyed over there. That includes other europe countries too.
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BobbyG,
You don't seem to be having a lot of luck this year - main thing is that family is OK - metal things and houses can be repaired so lets hope the latter part of the year and the future is good for you.
Hope you feel like going to France next holiday - as yorkiebar says, there is a lot to be enjoyed
Best wishes
Phil
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Wow. Glad all safe!
Back in July 2006 we had a bad accident in Italy and the Italian emergency services were also excellent. Ambulance, police, emergency room, CAT scan, etc. In fact due to seriousness the traffic police stayed with us almost all day even after taking a statement. And their boss turned up too! Quite I bad accident that shut some autostrada around Milan though.
After a year "investigating" they found the HGV driver to blame.... and that closed that episode that could have been worse.
BobbyG just forget about it and move on I think. We never knew what happened but I lost consciousness after head trauma.
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Been there, done that on my honeymoon a few years back. Spectacular place. Some of the narrow mountain roads are fun. Reminded me of the opening sequence of the Italian Job, although not as much fun when driving a Lancia 'Dodo' 1.2 whilst the aircon was wheezing at full blast!
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BTW - the best way to see the Millau viaduct is to go down into the town and look up.
I will be driving via Millau next month for exactly this reason, and was intending on going in to the town as you suggest (and probably even staying the night there).
If I'm coming from the North, am I best going into town before crossing the bridge, or after?
I assume before, but thought I'd ask someone in the know to be sure.
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"I am driving to France/Belgium next month as one can't easily fly to Brugge"
And since Bruges is an easy 1hr 20 from Calais, it's not exactly a hardship. Look up Bergues, about 15 mins S of Dunkirk. A small fortified town that also has canals!
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Thanks ONB, that looks like an interesting side trip on the way back to Calais!
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To go thro' Millau coming from the north,you exit the autoroute immediately before the tolls.
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Yes, go down into Millau first.
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Also worth a look if you're using that autoroute is Eifel's"Viaduct du Garabit" built in the 19th.C.Clearly signposted-you leave autoroute at junction before and rejoin at next junction in either direction-probably only adds two miles.
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Also worth a look if you're using that autoroute is Eifel's"Viaduct du Garabit"
Yes that has become a landmark for us on our Summer trips. Can't stop my eight year old calling it the "Gay Rabbits Bridge" unfortunately. Looks like his sense of humour is not going to be an improvement on mine sadly.
;-)
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You can get a brilliant view of the Eiffel viaduct without even leaving the autoroute - there's a service area called Garabit just south of St Flour with superb views of the structure as well as food, fuel and loos! It's an hour or so north of the Millau viaduct.
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I wonder what happens to the 'offender' in France if you say you don't want to pursue action?
A friend said she didn't want to, as she was more worried about her family at that time, two of whom were still in hospital. She regretted that decision when leaving the police station. The motorcyclist who had caused the accident was there and she met him. She said that she hoped he would learn from his actions, his reply basically said he had done nothing wrong and would not change his manner of driving.
He had been riding fast behind a car, which signalled, braked and turned. He decided to steer off the road rather than hit the car. Unfortunately there were a family walking there who flew off in all directions, father head injuries and unconscious, 7 year old semi conscious, 9 and 11 year olds cut, bruised and traumatised, mother badly bruised but hadn't even realised she had been hit having watched her family airborne.
He said at the accident site that he had seen the people but felt it would cause less damage to go that way ...
She learned that the French are wonderful too, as when she and the older boys got back to their rented cottage there was dinner and offers to look after the boys while she was at the hospital, from locals. No mean offer as the eldest is autistic and quite wearisome (unless he has a car to valet).
When they finally got back to the UK they discovered the joys of England. They had been burgled.
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