Hello

[Jiml]

Hi Jane and welcome to the forum

Hi and thanks for the welcome

You're welcome I don't live in France but it is my ambition to maybe one day, I hope you will enjoy the forum

Thanks. Do you have a second home in the area Jim, or do you holiday there a lot?

Hi Jane no I wish I did have a second home in the region, it is something I would like, but unfortunately my wife is rather ill and at the moment we are not able to travel as we would like. But I like to keep an eye on Fred and make sure he doesn't get into to much mischief  

[Jane]

Hi Jane and welcome to the forum

Hi and thanks for the welcome

You're welcome I don't live in France but it is my ambition to maybe one day, I hope you will enjoy the forum

Thanks. Do you have a second home in the area Jim, or do you holiday there a lot?

Hi Jane no I wish I did have a second home in the region, it is something I would like, but unfortunately my wife is rather ill and at the moment we are not able to travel as we would like. But I like to keep an eye on Fred and make sure he doesn't get into to much mischief  

Sorry to hear that about your wife, and wish her well. As I type this we are travelling the long journey home. This is the worst bit for us, the distance. When I get back I will be able to post a bit more. Not so easy posting on a phone, whilst being a passenger in a van. The joys of transporting furniture

[Jiml]

Hi and thanks for the welcome

You're welcome I don't live in France but it is my ambition to maybe one day, I hope you will enjoy the forum

Thanks. Do you have a second home in the area Jim, or do you holiday there a lot?

Hi Jane no I wish I did have a second home in the region, it is something I would like, but unfortunately my wife is rather ill and at the moment we are not able to travel as we would like. But I like to keep an eye on Fred and make sure he doesn't get into to much mischief  

Sorry to hear that about your wife, and wish her well. As I type this we are travelling the long journey home. This is the worst bit for us, the distance. When I get back I will be able to post a bit more. Not so easy posting on a phone, whilst being a passenger in a van. The joys of transporting furniture

Thanks for replying I hope when you read this your Journey  is at an end. It can't be much fun travelling through France in a van. But I'm sure the inconvenience of transporting furniture will be worth it in the end
And I hope you are enjoying the tranquility of the area.
To my mind speaking with Fred it sounds very like living in England 30 years ago before the country went to pot.
I hope you enjoy the forum it is good to read your posts, the forum needs activity and you have certainly injected some of that  

[Jane]

Thank you for the comments. We're still travelling. We set off at approximately 5.15am, French time, and probably won't get home until about 8pm, due to Friday traffic. These things are sent to try us 

[Jane]

sorry, forgot to add to that post, yes we always say it is like stepping back in time, but in a good way. it seems like another world there, where health and safety haven't taken over and barred people from doing the most simplest of things. A shopkeeper can handle a baguette with their bare hands, which admittedly takes a bit of getting used to, dogs can go in restaurants and no one actually gets struck down from this 

[Jiml]

Thank you for the comments. We're still travelling. We set off at approximately 5.15am, French time, and probably won't get home until about 8pm, due to Friday traffic. These things are sent to try us 

Take care and keep your doors locked as you get closer to the ports.
Have a safe journey. With plenty of coffee breaks

[Jiml]

sorry, forgot to add to that post, yes we always say it is like stepping back in time, but in a good way. it seems like another world there, where health and safety haven't taken over and barred people from doing the most simplest of things. A shopkeeper can handle a baguette with their bare hands, which admittedly takes a bit of getting used to, dogs can go in restaurants and no one actually gets struck down from this 

Just the way life should be lived Jane ..laid back ... Let's hope the French don't go the way of Britain where everything is so sterile and ridiculously  health and safety conscious, where common sense has gone out of the window and kids can't play conkers, you're frightened to say anything that might offend a minority group... It's all gone belly up ( careful choice of word ) over here ...
Enjoy France away from the bright lights of England
I think the word for rural France is ..... Rustic

[Brian]

I hope your journey goes well.  At least the roads in France are rather emptier than those in the uk.

We tend to use the Caen to Portsmouth ferry as that means the driving time in France is about 4 hours - much beget than that long drag to Calais.  Whether it works for you depends where you need to be in the uk. When we return is usually to Cambridge and journey times to Dover, Folkestone and Portsmouth are pretty similar, but with Newhaven taking a bit longer.
Brian