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"I really wish as women we could say to each other, wear what suits you, look clean and tidy, and put your good manners on show more than your clothes."
This is one of the nicest things I've read about travel. You are right, good manners are crucial. You won't remember a woman who was fashionable but you will remember when someone was polite and kind. |
Signing on a little late (pesky work) but so glad to see you back in France, cheska! I remember the 2020 saga well. Happy belated anniversary! Your trip sounds wonderful so far.
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Leasing a car and Critic’ Air Certificate. Long Story.
I have briefly mentioned the trouble we are having to apply for a Vignette Critic’ Air Certificate. If you plan on leasing a car this may be relevant to you. When leasing the car it is registered in your name, and if you need one of these stickers, you are responsible for applying for one, if you are going to a place that requires it. We are travelling to Rouen and Lille therefore one is required. The website has a panel to enter the fuel type, vehicle category & Euro standard, once you’ve entered that it asks you to order your certificate. We have made several applications and is rejected every time due to Pour vous délivrer un certificat, nous vous invitons à vérifier que les champs TYPE D’ÉNERGIE (P.3) et TYPE DE VÉHICULE (J ou J.1) figurent bien sur votre certificat d’immatriculation. There is not a list that comes up to select any of the above. None of the panels provide a free form or comment field where you could enter the data either. We have rang the English help line, and they only speak French. The TT ( Temporaire Transit) company have been unhelpful, and Driveaway Aust say it is nothing to do with them. Aftef spending yesterday going to the Marie, ( told us to go to the PREFECTURE) because it was suggested we need an ANTS account, to get that we needed a attestation domicile. The Marie would not give us one because we are not residents ( fair enough we don’t think we are either) We have finally found a form to fill out to apply by mail. Visited La Poste to get it printed, pay the €3.60 by check send it off. We couldn’t get a check because we don’t have a French bank account. However, the staff were incredibly helpful and told us to go to the impots office and we should be able to pay it there, then go back to them to send off. The queue was very long at the Financial Office, and a woman came out obviously checking with people what they were there for. My husband showed her the form and she told him to wait. Then came back a few minutes later gave him a piece of paper with an email address to scan and send form and copy of the registration certificate, and they will get back to us advising on how to pay. It has been a very frustrating and stressful time trying to do this. We are not the only ones, as people in other groups have had the same problem. I don’t know if this will be resolved by the time we leave on the 21st May. Funniest part about it is the sticker is sent to our home address in Australia. We should be home by then. |
Thanks for this info cheska15.
We pick up our lease car at the end of May in Lisbon and are travelling to quite a few cities that require it. Driving seems much more complicated than it used to be with quite an assortment of traps to negotiate. I'll keep an eye on this thread and am thinking about chasing it up before we leave. Everyone leasing will be in the same boat.unless it gets sorted |
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Sorry I posted this twice and can’t remove it.
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You only need a Crit'Air if you are driving between 8am and 8pm during the week. Not required at night, on weekends or on bank holidays. Besides that, since a lease car with red plates is obviously brand new, I doubt that the authorities would even give it a glance. Even with crummy old cars, you almost always never get in trouble unless you have been stopped for some other violation.
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kerouac the place where we are staying had advised that we will require one. I think most tourists would arrive after 8.00 am and before 8.00 pm. We usually try and arrive around check in time. As we are in Lille for seven days, no doubt we will be taking some day trips. Really looking forward to heading north.
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Well, the Crit'air is very cheap, but if you don't get one, you have an excellent epxplanation in case of meeting the authorities on the road.
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Yes that’s what we thought.
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What a headache for you. I am pleased we are not going anywhere that requires one. We return the car to Lyon airport and do not need one. They register the car in your name, so you would think they could possibly apply for one and you pay when you collect it.
Good luck. |
If you’re not French (or at least a resident), then I would not rely on the French authorities being sympathetic, so to avoid fines of 68-135 euros each time, I would avoid the restricted areas.
BTW. Apparently if you manage to get your on-line submission accepted, you will receive an invoice with sample of your Crit’air sticker. Supposedly you can use it temporarily as a proof that you applied. Good luck. |
We were very happy to see the sun today when left home at 8.45 this morning for the one hour ten minute drive to Chambord. Took an early exit of the motorway and went through some lovely looking villages. Walking from the car park I had my first glimpse of this beautiful Chateau.
The Da Vinci staircase is certainly impressive and wonderful to walk up and down. The apartments and salons were lovely, although I did wonder why they have so many tables in the salons. Im not sure if the rooms now are true to size now as they were jammed packed with furniture. I really loved this place as you can get up close to the different structures. The way they were built is amazing. We then walked around the grounds and felt right at home listening to the sound of lawnmowers. I did have a moment of pinching myself to see if I was really here. After three hours we headed for lunch just outside the Chateau as I wanted to continue to stare at the magnificent building. Lunch was fish and vegetables and Tarte Tatin for dessert was good. As the weather was still sunny we decided to head to Chaumont, a nice 45 minute drive. However we turned right instead of left at the end of Rue du Chateau and got completely lost. We couldn’t find the car park and ended up parking near the river and walking up the hill. We went through the Chateau and it’s ok. At this stage I was thinking at €20 each to enter I probably wouldn’t recommend this one. We then walked around the gardens, and there aren’t enough words to describe how magnificent these are. If you ever want to see an example of perfect garden rooms this is the place. Each room has a theme and done in such an elegant design. You could visit this place many times in each season, and now understand why friends have the yearly pass. We arrived back at the apartment at 6.45pm. I tell our daughter that holidays are tiring and she doesn’t believe me 🤣 We have visited all the Chateau’s I had on my list. Du Clos Luce, Chenonceau Villandry, Azay-Le- Rideau, Chambord, Chaumont, Amboise,Blois and Langeais (bonus) and they have all been different. Some I have enjoyed more than others. My top three are Chambord, Villandry and Chaumont. I can’t say which is my all time favourite. My husband’s favourite was Du Clos Luce. We are in our last week in the Loire Valley and will spend the days taking day trips. I’m sure my husband never wants to see another Chateau. It has been a dream of mine to visit these magnificent places to get the feel for them, as I have always been fascinated by the actual buildings. I have loved every minute. My husband just checked this and made the comment “ you missed “ Amboise” guess he has been counting🤣🤣🤣 rhon you would think the company would do it. uk traveller, hopefully we will have an email before we visit. Rouen we can cancel, but not Lille. |
Fantastic greenhouses.
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kerouac yes they are. My husbands glasses and camera lens fogged up and he was happy that they turned out at all.
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Loches
After a late start of 9.45 am we were on the road to visit Loches. Many people had told us how beautiful it was and we didn’t have any expectations as it is Sunday. Well they weren’t wrong as it is a gorgeous town. The Office of Tourism was open and very helpful in explaining you follow the blue Fleur- de-Lis signs on the footpath and that takes you on a circuit of the town. When I asked my husband if he wanted to go in, his response was a half hearted “yeah”. At a cost if €22 the first thing you see is the beautiful Church. We couldn’t enter as there was a Mass being conducted, although it was beautiful to hear the organ being played. We then looked at the beautiful view near the Kings Lodge. Shame it was so foggy and cold. It was an interesting visit and then walked up to the Fort. We entered the first tower and there are lots of steps. The histo- pad explains everything. It took quite awhile to go through the tower and by the time we finished we were hungry and ate our lunch that I had made at the apartment, in the gorgeous walled garden. As my knee was sore, I sat out the other towers, and my husband went off on his own. We ended up spending two and a half hours there. We then had a coffee break and I will now give you the laugh of the day. I thought I ordered a Tarte Tatin. The waiter raised his eyebrows, and I thought oh no you aren’t allowed to order dessert only. Other people who had sat down after us had so I didn’t think it was a problem. The coffe was good, and imagine my surprise when a half of baguette with butter and jam was delivered. Note to self don’t get cocky and think you can order without asking for a menu. We had a good laugh and my husband happily ate it and enjoyed the very good strawberry berry jam. We then finished the circuit, and although we didn’t get to see everything we loved the place. The town is very clean, and I particularly loved the sandstone buildings. We then travelled to Chedigny and deserves its on post. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fd41823bf.jpeg The structure is so tall and all I could think of was how did they get this high. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6a310c136.jpeg Foggy weather until the sun came out at 3.45 https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1784254a2.jpeg Interesting room when you get up close. The amount of work is incredible https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9c19da28b.jpeg Explains the room https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9bc07639b.jpeg All this knowledge from so early on. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0e90f6da3.jpeg Found this book fascinating https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f0b638c45.jpeg Love the frescos and panels https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bb25ee941.jpeg The entry https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fa6015566.jpeg Where we sat to have our lunch. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2f86d7a76.jpeg The Royal Lodge |
Chedigny
I had read about the Rose Festival here and being a little obsessed with my own garden, I was really looking forward to our visit here. However, as it has been cool with a lot of rain I was hesitant in visiting. When we arrived the advertising for the festival was for May 27-28. So I did not expect to see the town at its best. Of course I was mistaken. A gardeners heaven is the only way to describe this place. While the roses are a couple of weeks away, the early ones are out ( although some rain damage) and they are still stunning. When you enter the village all the houses, walls, fences, and any structure has flowers, and all named. Absolutely beautiful. We then continued walking down the street and I was in awe. The best display of what I think is Wisteria I have ever seen, and also the big Clematis. Please forgive the excess photos from an obsessed gardener. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...089546a18.jpeg The entry to the village https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0f5f6eec8.jpeg One of the many climbing roses https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0b1fac6a8.jpeg Stunning Clematis. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a36b0e396.jpeg One of my favourite colours https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cb38f18fe.jpeg Beautiful Azeala https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ffb47c277.jpeg The wisteria from the front view https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d83483a45.jpeg So full and lush https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...106cf5c0b.jpeg Breathtakingly beautiful https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f8e07da19.jpeg Beautiful arch and will look fantastic in a couple of weeks https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...61bab38d6.jpeg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c0e16e57e.jpeg Behind a fence and still for the world to see. |
"All this knowledge from so early on."....My husband and I said this many times in our travels, cheska. So true. The pix of flowers are stunning!
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Gorgeous gardens, and those foggy shots, love them.
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