The Journey: Comparisons

One of the joys of motoring long distances in France is the Autoroute system. Where there is a national road supplying the same route then the Autoroute is toll otherwise it is free. What it means in practice for me is that when I leave John and Sue's near Charroux I can join the Autoroute after 40 minutes travelling North and thereafter travel in supreme comfort with the cruise control set for the next 655 k when I arrive at Boulogne-Sur-Mer where I invariably stay before resuming my journey home the following morning. The speed limit on most Autoroutes is 130 kph (82 mph) in the dry and 110 kph in the rain. For the greater part of the journey, except where the Autoroute skirts or goes through cities like Tours, there is little traffic at the time I travel. There are plentiful rest and coffee stops.

Despite the misgivings of friends like Fiona I favour travelling through the Channel Tunnel on a Eurotunnnel train. I can arrive at the Tunnel in Calais at 0720 French time and be driving off the train at 0725 UK time. This give me a good start on the UK sector of my journey North.

Initially the Motorways through Kent were not too busy but as I got nearer the M25 the traffic slowed as the volume rose and by the time I was on the M25 it was dire.

The Thames crossing at the Blackwall Tunnel and the Queen Elizabeth Bridge was not as bad as I feared:

The M1 and M6 were horrendous so I opted for the toll M6 which gave a respite from the constant traffic.

Later the journey skirting the Lake District was almost the joy it was in France:

Exeter to France

I started out early today from Exeter with the aim of getting the 1550 train through the Eurotunnel. Fortunately I went the route that Garmin (I must give her - my SatNav - a proper name) suggested along the A303 to the M3 and M25 because if I'd used the motorway all the way (M49 and M4) I'd have been stuck for hours because of rush hour traffic round Bristol and the total closure of the M4 for hours because of an accident. As it was I arrived at the Eurotunnel at 1230 and was put on the 0115 train so didn't even manage a loo stop at the terminal.

Despite what some of you who may be reading this think the Eurotunnel is a brilliant way to travel. It saves at least 3 hours travelling time. Today, for a variety of reasons, it probably saved me six.

Driving off the train onto French soil was a dissappointment because it was dull and raining and much worse than the weather I'd just left in the UK 23 miles away. This did not bode well for the sun I was hoping for. I arrived in Neufchatelle-en-Bray North of Rouen at 1700 hrs after driving nearly 600 kilometres today and having been guided by Garmin to the front of the Hotel, booked in and went for a walk. The evening has been very enjoyable and relaxing. I have managed to hold all my conversations (except with an English couple) in French which appears to have been understood without any problem or concessions by the Patron and the lady of the Hotel. This has given a considerable boost to my self-esteem which has never been high when it comes to languages and that then makes it easier for me to understand what people are saying to me. I'm not sure whether that makes sense to you but it does to me.

The bonus for the evening is that I have a new love in my life. Transitory it may be but then I've come to the conclusion that 'transitory' is a relative term. Many things in my life that were 'permanent' were simply of a longer transitional nature than others. Tonight's fling is probably only a one night stand and we have been inseparable. I may not even see my love again in the morning but while it lasted ............

Noay

Noay

Tomorrow will be another day. I hope. When you go to sleep you just never can tell.