French Roads - Bliss

[Broadway]

I’d forgotten how great French roads were for motorhoming!! It’s been a while.
Having spent six hours to do a four hour trip in the UK, travelling from the north to the channel tunnel, on appalling roads with road works where nobody works and interminable delays it’s an absolute pleasure to be driving through France on almost empty roads.
Champagne yesterday, Beaujolais today, somewhere further south tomorrow, what a treat.
what does anyone else think?

 

[yodeli]

Well... What do you think? I love driving in my country!

 

[Bramidan]

Broken Britain, every thing crumbling.

 

[MichaelT]

Broken Britain, every thing crumbling.

You too could have great roads and even a decent health service but you would also have to pay 55% tax.....

 

[Dart]

Yes, we just got back a fortnight ago from a 6 week trip and said the same thing. Not only that but there is usually an abundance of good free parking in most villages so it is easy to stop to visit the small shops, unlike over here where we are driven to use large supermarkets and out of town complexes.

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[DerryW]

You too could have great roads and even a decent health service but you would also have to pay 55% tax.....

And there my friends hangs the truth.

 

[Lenny HB]

I first drove in France in 1979, roads were awful compared to ours, how times change.

 

[DandJ]

You too could have great roads and even a decent health service but you would also have to pay 55% tax.....

Is that everyone? Or just a certain salary threshold?

I enjoy driving/riding (moto and push bike) on French roads and having just come back from Portugal and Spain, also enjoy their roads and general driving courtesy.

 

[EuroTrotters]

What is the longest traffic jam in France?


Guinness World Records on X: "The longest traffic jam stretched from just outside Lyon to Paris in France. It lasted 176 km (109 miles)." / X.

 

[DavidG58]

Love it, prefer non motorway though

Plus we also now cross from Hull, really can’t face the roads in south east of our country

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[JRT]

My heart sinks when we pull onto the M20 from the Shuttle terminal at Folkestone.

Straight into lane and speed restrictions along with an adverse camber for miles. That sets the trend for the rest of the trip home. And of course our delightful 'smart' motorways.

Yes the Autoroutes are pricey but worth every Euro.

 

[peterc10]

Driving on UK roads my motorhome rattles like a tin of nails. Looking forward to driving in France again in peace and quiet.

 

[97243]

Yep, one of the real plusses to living away from the cities in France. Love travelling here on a Sunday when it's even quieter owing to the absence of lorries. Travelling east - west or vice versa can be a bit of a challenge sometimes, but when there's no hurry to get somewhere, that's of secondary importance.

 

[rolosroller]

We could have nice roads if we pay the same as France
The nations falling short of the NATO alliance's target in 2023 were France (1.90%),
UK estimated 2.07% in 2023.

Then there's Overseas aid

France

$12.18 billion

United Kingdom

$19.37 billion

 

[JRT]

Or we could spend less on vanity projects like HS2....

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[Fdhadi]

You too could have great roads and even a decent health service but you would also have to pay 55% tax.....

But retire at 62 with £238 a week pension.

 

[Spriddler]

Having spent six hours to do a four hour trip in the UK, travelling from the north to the channel tunnel, on appalling roads with road works where nobody works and interminable delays

During my 24 years with a motorhome I've never toured in the U.K. but on my 20 mile toddle to the Newhaven ferry I often find myself thinking about the rotten journeys others must have to suffer, since the same distance that many have to drive to get to the South coast gets me to the Loire Valley. It's the proximity of France that has put me off driving to the Lake district or Scotland.

 

[EuroTrotters]

My heart sinks when we pull onto the M20 from the Shuttle terminal at Folkestone.

Straight into lane and speed restrictions along with an adverse camber for miles. That sets the trend for the rest of the trip home. And of course our delightful 'smart' motorways.

Yes the Autoroutes are pricey but worth every Euro.

not as bad as Harwich

 

[Brains]

You too could have great roads and even a decent health service but you would also have to pay 55% tax.....

France

Looks to me like the typical lower earner in France pays considerably less tax than the typical lower earner in the UK.

For the top few percent in either country they are about the same.

You can have a decent NHS, Roads, Education, Transportation and military if you want.
You just have to think long term for the benefit of all, not short term thinking for me, me, me.

 

[iandsm]

I’d forgotten how great French roads were for motorhoming!! It’s been a while.
Having spent six hours to do a four hour trip in the UK, travelling from the north to the channel tunnel, on appalling roads with road works where nobody works and interminable delays it’s an absolute pleasure to be driving through France on almost empty roads.
Champagne yesterday, Beaujolais today, somewhere further south tomorrow, what a treat.
what does anyone else think?



View attachment 868234

View attachment 868235

View attachment 868236

When I come back through the tunnel to the UK within about the first mile or so I feel ashamed of our roads and that doesn’t get better as my journey continues

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[EuroTrotters]

When I come back through the tunnel to the UK within about the first mile or so I feel ashamed of our roads and that doesn’t get better as my journey continues

I just wish we had the lane discipline of German Autobahns

 

[LithiumConvert]

French Roads - Bliss

Not so much in and around Paris

 

[JRT]

Not so much in and around Paris

Absolute nightmare agreed, a great test of your driving skills and use of the horn button...

But once you get out of Paris and it's environs things open up very nicely for mile upon mile.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Not so much in and around Paris

lyon
vannes
gap
Bordeaux

etc

As I often mention on here

The Itinéraires Bis, simply translating as "alternative routes" is a network of secondary routes designed to take long distance traffic away from congested roads. The scheme was born following the summer of 1975, where on 2 August the N10 route (a 800km road from Paris towards the Spanish border) was badly congested.

 

[Insider]

15 years ago we'd arrive back in Rosslare from Cherbourg and the rattles would start. Last week we arrived back in Rosslare from Pembroke and the rattles stopped. Spain is the best though. Toll free for the most and phenomenal roads. Some of the concrete motorways in the UK are cruel.

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[Just smiffy]

What is the longest traffic jam in France?


Guinness World Records on X: "The longest traffic jam stretched from just outside Lyon to Paris in France. It lasted 176 km (109 miles)." / X.

How long is the M25… that could be considered one big jam at times…

 

[97243]

France
View attachment 868266
View attachment 868267

Looks to me like the typical lower earner in France pays considerably less tax than the typical lower earner in the UK.

For the top few percent in either country they are about the same.

You can have a decent NHS, Roads, Education, Transportation and military if you want.
You just have to think long term for the benefit of all, not short term thinking for me, me, me.

Tax rates don't reflect the whole picture. National insurance is much higher in France plus 30% of medical costs have to be covered by top up private insurance. Ours for 2 70-somethings has just increased to 200 euros a month.

Great health service, great roads here but political suicide if any UK government tried to levy realistic levels of charging for these through tax or by making the NHS part pay.

 

[Carpmart]

It’s the 2nd and 3rd generation ‘British’ benefits scroungers that have been deducting from our economy for decades, that are the biggest inhibitor to UK investment in critical national infrastructure like roads!

As for roads in EU land, Spanish A and AP roads are in the main good, BUT there are some sections of these roads in north west Spain and southern Spain coast which are pretty horrific now too. The probably need to start charging again and get em fixed!

France Peage is always fabulous.

 

[MichaelT]

France
View attachment 868266
View attachment 868267

Looks to me like the typical lower earner in France pays considerably less tax than the typical lower earner in the UK.

For the top few percent in either country they are about the same.

You can have a decent NHS, Roads, Education, Transportation and military if you want.
You just have to think long term for the benefit of all, not short term thinking for me, me, me.

Isnt there also some kind of NI in France for social costs?

Edit: FREXPT already posted.

 

[bobnick]

We will be there on Wednesday evening again.

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