Four go to France (Mousy, Mr Mousy, Cliff and Ger) (1 Viewer)

Graham and Jane

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What a fantasic read. This has us all fired up and ready to begin our adventures in october. Thank you all four for brightening up our days.

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Bacchus

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I'd like to add my note of thanks for this too; I kind of kept quiet whilst writing a "parallel" thread, but it seems that we have been to a lot of the same places in the last couple of weeks - in fact I am not sure that I didn't see you getting off the litte train up by the citadel in Cannes!! And maybe even on the same camp site near St Trope!

Anyway, it sounds as if you had an excellent adventure, as did we, didn't go the Annecy way this time although it is one of my all-time favourite places (brother worked there for two years), big ambition to take a litte boat down and sail that lake!

Thanks again, and keep on truckin' (y)
 

Popeye

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I swear the very nice Pashmina man would have sold his daughter to Cliff

So can you get Cliff to PM me, I need to talk to Pashmina-man, is he anything like Spider or super-man? and what age is the daughter 18-22 or more?

If the answer to the last one is less do not bother replying....... see you next week. xxx for Cliff from the Old Bird I share a bed with.

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Mousy

Mousy

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I have just checked Google Maps - and Camping Les Mures was where we stayed near St Topez!

What a very small world

@Bacchus Yes we did get off the train early in Cannes, did we look hungry? We were off in search of a plat du jour.

We would of welcomed your company had we known, we did joke about wearing our Funster badges...wish we had now.

I really enjoyed your blog too.

Thanks Ger for the shopping...

@Popeye , Griff, here are my girls, 24 and 26, both spoken for! Looking forward to seeing you next week (with cassette?);)

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Thanks for sharing your holiday, really enjoyed reading all your posts
 
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Mousy

Mousy

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I've just been looking back over my holiday photos and realised I didn't tell you all about Cliff's bike puncture,
We had cycled about 6 miles to St Raphael and as we got to the marina cliff called a halt. He and Martin went off to fix it, leaving Ger and I sat sipping cocktails...at 10 o'clock in the morning, amazing what feels normal on holiday. After an hour or so we meet back up, I'm slightly piddled and beginning to see why people like to drink.. Life seems rosier the more Rose one drinks!

Anyway after busy day of lunch, shopping, sight seeing and gate crashing a funeral, we return to the bikes.

The boys had been to the French equivalent of halfords and bought a can of tyre sealant. The good ideal was to just seal the puncture quickly and make a good enough repair to get back to the van, as time and tools were in short supply at the marina.

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Here's Cliff reading the instructions...in French...

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Sealant going in....

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Sealant coming out...

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What these photos don't convey is the 3 of us pissing ourselves with laughter as poor Cliff tries desperately to remove the can from the tyre as sealant just keeps spraying out.

Luckily it worked enough to get him home and our only regret is that I didn't video it all.

Here's Cliff determined to wait out the Misteral wind, not the same night but it's a photo that makes me laugh so I thought I'd share it with you all..

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It really was a great holiday and I've spent this week missing the laughter.
Cliff and Ger are back today and I'm hoping they will update us on their last days of the holiday.
I'm already planning the next one..Croatia anyone?....
 

big map

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Gate crashed a funeral! I missed that episode.

My dad fancies Croatia next year but with his three punctures on the trailer (I wish I'd taken photos because puncture doesn't really convey the tyre wrecking that occurred) it would take some serious planning. It's ok to get a load of tyres shipped to south of France but Croatia .....
 
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Mousy

Mousy

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Gate crashed a funeral! I missed that episode.

My dad fancies Croatia next year but with his three punctures on the trailer (I wish I'd taken photos because puncture doesn't really convey the tyre wrecking that occurred) it would take some serious planning. It's ok to get a load of tyres shipped to south of France but Croatia .....

Page 4 underneath the photo of Ger hugging a gorilla..

Yes your trailer woes sounded awful, glad you got it sorted and lovely to meet you at Calais. Our first unexpected Funster sighting. (y)

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Mousy

Mousy

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What a fantasic read. This has us all fired up and ready to begin our adventures in october. Thank you all four for brightening up our days.

Hi, looking forward to reading about your travels. Where are you off to?
 

cliffanger

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We decided to move from Les Mures on Wednesday morning as the weather wasnt looking good, and I set our destination into the Co-pilot - a France Passion in Valence. Dolly has been consigned to the glove compartment since I now have 'Deadly' the Co-pilot on my iPad. I'm convinced the man giving instructions is Alan Deadicoat, Terry Wogan's sidekick on WUTW who was cruelly consigned to the newsroom when Ginge Evans took over the R2 breakfast show. Anyway, I put in a non toll route as we were in no rush, but was a little concerned as it showed us going through Marseille. No problem says Cliff, we've done it before (which was exactly why I didn't relish repeating the experience).

I started fiddling.... Toll route.... Alternative route..... Alternative vehicle - Car instead of MH..... The last bit of fiddling would have near disastrous consequences.....

We set off and made good time. After 100 miles we stopped for a quick coffee and I took the helm. Things were going well until we got to the outskirts of Marseille, and Deadly told me to take the 3rd exit off the Roundabout - into Centre Ville - I don't think so says I - done that before - don't want to do it again! I went round the Roundabout and straight back up the 5km dual carriageway I had just come down! The second attempt was no more successful than the first, same roundabout, different exit. Seeing a 3.2m height limit I shot off at the one before, sending us into the dodgiest looking part of the city, full of shady looking characters, and 'ladies of the night' obviously getting in a bit of overtime!

I drove through the streets shouting 'I told you so' and 'change it to toll to get us out of here!' Whilst following Deadly's instructions, and finally we are - you guessed it Funsters, heading up the same bloody dual carriageway again!

Right - third time lucky and Deadly is now on toll roads. We approach the Roundabout confident in the knowledge that we will soon be flying around the edge of Marseille, shelling out Euroes, but happy to do so. ' Take first exit' says Deadly - and we go straight into the tunnel with a 3.2m height limit. We know it will be tight as the van is 3.1m with the satellite dome, but let's face it Funsters, there's nothing on the telly worth watching and at that stage I was willing to risk it possible!

We got to the toll booth. The Wing mirrors were touching the barriers on both sides.... 'You'll never get through!!' Says Cliff. JUST PAY THE MONEY!!! Says I. He has heard that tone of voice before and knows better than to question it, so without further ado he paid the €4.30 and after very slowly inching through the booth, leaving about of paint on both sides, we were in the tunnel - all 4km of it - and there was no turning back.

I lined up the van so as to miss the emergency exit signs hanging from the roof, and with heads firmly down into our necks and bums clenched, in what felt like an Eternity, we were finally spat into the sunshine on the docks side of the town.

With a few more 'I told you so's we were on our way to Livrons and a FP that Cliff had picked. His choices certainly weren't great that day, as the FP was rubbish, in the middle of nowhere (nothing new there) and the farm shop only serving manky veg. They did however have a beautiful husky type dog who latched onto Cliff.

He asked me to look up the French word for 'sit' and to his complete surprise when he said s'asseoir she obeyed him!
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After many pats on the head and 'bon chiens', he thought he would take the lessons to another level, but I couldn't find the French translation of 'go fetch the stick'....
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By this time she had got fed up with the training session and another van had turned up, so she was off in search of a tidbit rather than listening to a mad Englishman telling her to go fetch a stick!

We moved off early the next day en route to Dole, and as William Brown said when he, Ginger and Henry were stuck in the Old barn, 'nuthin happened sept rain!'. We arrived to beautiful sunshine late in the afternoon and walked up into town for a well deserved regional salad and two amazing pizzas,washed down with a gorgeous local rose.

We moved off on Friday to head up to one of favourite Aires, Coucy Le Château Aufrique, and arrived there just in time to get the last but one pitch, and were amazed to see all but one of the others taken by Brits! No yellow smiley faces, but we had a chat with a couple of them before it started to rain again so we moved indoors to watch the telly and to get an early night in before the mammoth shopping trip the next day.

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cliffanger

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On our way to our last FP we stopped for a Mammoth shopping trip at St Quentin and two hours later the van was filled with wine, Christmas presents and a self fixing inner tube - Cliff's purchase after his debacle in St Raphael (see Dawn's earlier post).

We got to our usual FP site to find the shop still open and stocked up on ice cream and jam, made on the farm.

The BBQ was fired up just as the Ladies were wandering back to the field after evening milking. They have walked past Cliff's BBQ four times in the last two years, but they still stop and look with wistful eyes, as if to say 'I wonder if that's my relative on that grill......'
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We are always welcomed by the funniest looking little farm dog who seems to rule the roost, and tries to get into the van every time!
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If I was to Smuggle in an immigrant - it would be her!
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Believe you me, The biscuit was to STOP her from coming in!

After guiltily eating what could well have been Daisy's aunty, I quietly sat (with an obligatory glass of Rose of course) and thought about the last three weeks, and came to the conclusion that it was one of the best holidays we have ever had.

So many experiences, Mont Blanc, even with the altitude sickness was amazing, a lovely evening with Martin's sister and her husband, learning the art of 'noodling' in Lake Annecy, gate crashing a funeral in St Raphael, the rubber face mask in St Tropez, the cycle trips, even the disasters (both tyre related), somehow turned into the funniest experiences, helped by the fact they were shared with two of the nicest people we have ever had the pleasure to spend time with.

The laughs were plentiful and priceless, and we hope to repeat them next year, if they'll have us!

I know this concluding post is somewhat late, but it's been hectic since we've been home, and the van has to be made ready for our trip to Pembrey this weekend, but apologies all the same.

On behalf of @Mousy, we hope you've all enjoyed the posts as much as we've enjoyed writing them!
 

sedge

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Have enjoyed reading this thread so much! Thanks to all of you.

Le Petit Train from Le Crotoy (pronounced 'Crott - wahhh' apparently, as if the Y on the end was an I - which does make sense in French really, but there again I haven't got much of that so Pete says!) goes firstly to St Valery, opposite, and then in high season goes further round - Cayeux is it? can't remember) But be warned - those seats are wooden - and ruddy HARD ! In low season it only runs at weekends and the last one back is about 6pm-ish ISTR.

Good fun, though!
 
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"Like" seems an inadequate word for the enjoyment the postings of the "Famous Four 4 go on an adventure" tale. Timmy the dog may have been missing but there were plenty of stand-ins.;)
Thank you all - you're not the only one looking forward to you doing it again.:)
 

Cleve

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Thoroughly enjoyed reading all these posts. Did the train from Le Crotoy to Sainte Valerie in June. Caught the first one thinking I would get off take pictures and catch the next one back. Had not allowed for the 12-1400 lunch so was forced to take moules et frites + rose at nearby outlet.

Thank goodness for digital cameras.

Thanks all four of you for an informative and amusing set of postings.

Clive

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Mousy

Mousy

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@cliffandger God Marseille sounds horrendous, glad there was no damage. The husky looks lovely, but the farm dog needs a good haircut.

Yes of course we'd go again! Will discuss on Thursday at Bury Port.

Glad you all enjoyed, although time consuming to write and upload it's a great way to remember what we did and when and I hope it inspires other Funsters to cross the water.
 

cliffanger

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I forgot to post this photo as a warning to fellow Funsters who may be suffering from constipation whilst on their holibobs in France - the aires at Coucy Le Chateau Aufrique is perhaps not the best one for you....!

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:Eeek:
Sorry it's a bit blurred but I think you can read it and be warned!

On our way to Burry Port - wish me luck with the pashminas Funsters!
 

cliffanger

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I promised you photos of Cliff at the same spot on a St Tropez beach, spanning a 41 year period - at least it will give everyone a smile!

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Paul, @Popeye and Phil @Taran_Las - awaiting a response..... Please try to be nice...;)

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Debs

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@cliffandger Ger, Cliff looks fab, he's one of those lucky ones that looks better the older they get(y):D
.........and every pic I've seen & when we met the pair of you, Cliff has always, always got a smile on his face:)

Hope to see you again sometime
X
 

Popeye

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I promised you photos of Cliff at the same spot on a St Tropez beach, spanning a 41 year period - at least it will give everyone a smile

Paul, @Popeye and Phil @Taran_Las - awaiting a response..... Please try to be nice...;)

Are you sure that was 41 years ago, I know he's coming up to 50 now so that makes him... times three...... take away the number you first thought of........

Jeeeezuz.............. he was one hairy git at 9 years old.


.........hang on, are they the same shorts....................?

.....................Is it just me or can you see a face here, sort of Angry hairy E.T.

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Hasn't changed one bit.;)

See, I can be nice sometimes:eek:

(But not very often:D)

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