lol, kerouac, that's exactly the sort of french phrase I was taught at school more decades ago than I care to recall! They sound great when you can remember them but hardly run trippingly off the tongue if you've not been taught them young.

St C - exactement. Bill and I stopped off in some town in Brittany on our last trip there and we were both desperate for the loo - somehow we spied a tiny sign pointing to the WC down the side of the Marie. Not easy to see in the first place let alone when half hidden by huge hydrangea blooms.

My father had prostate problems and developed toilet radar. He could arrive anywhere and figure out where to find the nearest toilet immediately.

kerouac - I wish your Dad could travel with me :) Thanks for the French phrase, I will never remember that but will write it down in case of emergency.

Kay

I hope you got out of the way quickly.

Sure did, Nikki.

Clochemerle.

I was wondering about the Mairie. We do bike touring trips in France - a few weeks last time, a month this year. It's horrible trying to find bathrooms in the countryside. At times we spent half our time searching for a bathroom, only to have to give up and find some cover and just go on the side of the road. Most of the places we went didn't have McDonalds, often no open cafes we could spot either. Of course, no "rest areas" on rural two-lane roads. But just about everywhere there were Mairies. We'll have to check there more often this time.

I often wonder where the locals go to the loo. Or do they just learn from a young age to hold on and not worry about being uncomfortable? We did manage on our four week trip to France but sometimes I felt desperate. One of the main criteria I had for booking hotels was a central location. At least then you can drop back to use the toilet if necessary, though difficult if you are miles across Paris :unsure:

Kay

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