Your Journey
to France
There are three main types of roads in France: motorways (AutoRoutes),
main trunk roads (routes nationales) and smaller roads known as ‘D’ roads.
These ‘D’ roads are a pleasure to drive on. They have less traffic
and usually pass through pleasant countryside. Try them and you won’t
regret it!
 Don’t
be over ambitious about the distances you are
able to travel in one day, especially if you
have a long drive to your UK port of departure.
This is especially important if you are driving
with a young family. It is better to travel
a day earlier, stop overnight and then take
time to enjoy the beautiful countryside.
There are numerous airports for you to choose from, all of which are
roughly between 1.5 - 2.5 hours away. There is Brive to the north,
Rodez to the east, Toulouse to the south and Bergerac to the north west.
We are lucky in as much as all of these airports are now serviced by
one of the budget airlines and car hire (which is essential for your
stay) is readily available if booked in advance.
French Railways offer an overnight Motorail service from Boulogne
to Brive-la-Gallarde, which is approx. 1.5 hours drive from
the property. Cahors is also on the main Paris-Toulouse rail
line and has a fast regular service.
Note: Our tip would be to book flights early
for maximum savings. |
|
click here for directions (pdf 36Kb) |
 |
| Distance and Driving Times |
|
The approximate distance
and driving time to La Merigue from the major ports
are as follows: |
| |
Calais |
Dieppe |
Cherbourg |
St Malo |
Roscoff |
540 miles
(10 hours) |
480 miles
(9 hours) |
455 miles
(9 hours) |
390 miles
(11 hours) |
470 miles
(10 hours) |
|
| |
| Temperature Guide (degrees
celcius) |
| |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
10.0 |
9.0 |
12.3 |
18.3 |
19.1 |
26.4 |
27.6 |
27.2 |
25.0 |
19.3 |
15.5 |
9.8 |
|
| |
Helpful Notes and Information
British Consulate
The address and telephone number of the British Consulate in Paris is:
109 Rue du Faubourg-St-Honore, 75008 Paris.Tel:(1)42 6691 42.
Credit Cards
American Express, Carte Bleue (Visa/Barclaycard), Diners Club and Eurocard
(MasterCard/Access) are widely accepted in hotels and restaurants. Some are
also accepted at motorway restaurants and many petrol stations. Be aware that
they may not always be accepted in hypermarkets. Ask your bank about the Eurocheque
and similar systems. Motorway tolls can now be paid by credit card.
Electricity
A 220 volt power supply is generally available. Two pin plugs are widely
used in France (occasionally three round pin plugs). Adapters are available
in the UK.
We have adapters should you forget!
Medical
Check with UK Social Security before travelling to determine whether
or not you are eligible for emergency cover under form E111. First aid,
medical advice and night service rota are all available from pharmacies,
recognisable by their green cross. Gendarmaries will give you their addresses.
Vaccinations are not normally required from mainland Britain.
Shopping and Business Hours
Opening hours are as follows:
| |
Banks |
9am - noon, 2 -4 weekdays. Closed either Saturdays or Mondays.
Banks
close early on the day before a bank holiday. |
| |
|
|
| |
Post Offices |
8am - 7pm weekdays. 8am - noon Saturdays |
| |
|
|
| |
Food Shops |
9am - 6.30 or 7.30pm |
| |
|
|
| |
Other Shops |
9am - 6.30 or 7.30pm |
| |
|
|
| |
Notes: |
Most hypermarkets open until 9 or 10pm Monday - Saturday (many close
Monday mornings) |
| |
|
Many shops close all or half day Monday. Some food shops (particularly
bakers) open Sunday mornings. |
| |
|
Shops in small towns often close from noon - 2pm |
Telephone
To dial UK from France, first dial 00, wait for the continuous tone
to recur, then dial 44 followed by your STD code minus the first 0, and then
dial your number.
Emergency numbers: Fire
18, Police 17, Operator: 13, Directory Enquiries 12.
Should you wish to be contacted in an emergency our phone number at
the property is 0033 565 202787.
Dog Owners
If you intend bringing “man’s best friend,” you require
a Pet Passport but please also be aware that the law in France states a Rabies
jab is needed every year, not every
two years as with the passport.
We are happy to accept dogs on request but please remember as you may
not be the only party holidaying, for both their safety and the safety of
others, they must be kept under control at all times.
Disclaimer: We
can hold no responsibility for the reliability or
accuracy of the information contained on this or any
of our other web pages, nor for any loss that may
be incurred as a result of this information. |
|
|
