France

[zcacogp]

Guys,

A word of warning. Don't go to France.

It's a nasty place, full of French people, with awful food and terrible plumbing.

And it rains a lot.

And the petrol is expensive.

And NO-ONE here has ever seen a 944 before in their life, ever, so you constantly badgered by French muppets asking "C'esque que c'est, monsieur?" (or something like that - I don't speak the lingo) whenever you park anywhere, or fill up with any of their overpriced petrol.

And it rains. Did I say that?


Oli.

 

[Pastry]

i loved it! went to le mans 2003 and 2007. drove there in a 911 and was waved at from the roadside pretty much all the way.

it did rain a bit though

 

[Frenchy]

I live in Cumbria it rains all the time but the last 2 weeks we have had sunshine which was a very nice change !

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: Pastry
i loved it! went to le mans 2003 and 2007. drove there in a 911 and was waved at from the roadside pretty much all the way.

Nah. It's crap mate.

Leave it for the French. They deserve it.


Oli.

 

[billus99]

I was there all last week, in Limousin (a region, not what I was driving...), weather was beautiful, roads aren't full of holes, brilliant driving, although never taken the 944 there. Did take the TVR out there once, the French liked that...
Last week, tho, I was slumming it in the SMax (diesel still cheaper in France). Oli's right about 1 thing - cost of fuel - remember the days of "brimming it" at calais, cos the french petrol was so much cheaper? - long gone, its 1.55Euro for full fat.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

And NO-ONE here has ever seen a 944 before in their life, ever, so you constantly badgered by French muppets asking "C'esque que c'est, monsieur?" (or something like that - I don't speak the lingo)

Hah. "Neuf Quatre Quatre" is simple. Try taking Hungarian Vizslas to France.

"C'est un chien", "un chien Hungarian, sounds like Rizla"". Doesn't work at all. [][]

 

[billus99]

have you been drinking , Paul?!

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: billus99
weather was beautiful, roads aren't full of holes, brilliant driving

(May be why I am telling everyone it's crap - to keep it all to myself. It would be ruined by a bunch of Brits!) [:'(]


Oli.

 

[TTM]

Perhaps the worst thing with the French is that most of them don't even drive S2s! []

 

[poprock]

We were just working out, last night, that we can't afford to drive to the south of France to visit my Dad.

So at least we won't have to worry about the staggering awfulness of the place.

 

[944s2]

Wonderful place

Especially when they find out you are Scottish[]

 

[bergan]

Nice touring last year in my s2 cab. We had to wait a few times for the people looking at it in the car park to go away so we could avoid the questions. We do not speak much French. Great driving on empty roads

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: TTM
Perhaps the worst thing with the French is that most of them don't even drive S2s! []

Yes. That, and the fact that putting those little beam reflectors on the headlights means you get the square-root of bu99er-all light out of them. (Even with some huffing puffing big wattage bulbs in there. Which I don't have. At all. Promise, Monsieur Le Flic.)


Oli.

ETA: The swear filter doesn't like "Bug-ger". Is it me, or is it getting more and more perniticky these days? []

 

[944 man]

I was surprised to discover that the French are actually quite nice - when you approach them correctly. Due to our cultural differences we approach them differently and I thin that they perceive this as rude/ignorant and then treat us accordingly.

They do need to bathe more, of course.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

I was surprised to discover that the French are actually quite nice - when you approach them correctly.

Absolutely. The same thing with Italians, as long as you speak very loudly and add an "a" to the end of every word they are very obliging.

I recommend you use the "Allo Allo" french pronunciation. It's the most authentic. [8|]

 

[Super_Marv]

Is Oli's original post sarcastic? I can't tell!

I think France is a wonderful country and the people are far more friendly and helpful than here. Driving standards, in general are far better (their lane discipline is fantastic, but they do like to follow the car in front very closely) and you can blame the weak pound for the 'expensive' fuel - it's the same price as almost everywhere else in Europe.

 

[944 LIL]

Its a great place - just back from 7 days of very sunny skiing at Easter - no rain at all - and they produce the best wine in the world. If Mr Brown hadn't screwed up our economy so badly the pound wouldn't be so weak and we would be able to afford their petrol.... and wine and ski passes and beer and bread and cheese and....

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Is Oli's original post sarcastic? I can't tell!

Oh yes. []

If you know Oli then you read his posts as if he was speaking to you in person, and the humour comes through. Always the problem with forums, things do get lost in the posting!

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

Is Oli's original post sarcastic? I can't tell!

Oh yes. []

If you know Oli then you read his posts as if he was speaking to you in person, and the humour comes through. Always the problem with forums, things do get lost in the posting!

Bu99er. Busted.

Just home. Tally of around 1250 miles (not added it up yet), three chateaux, more vineyards than I can remember ('Degustation' in the sun on a hot day is deadly) and four other Porsches seen (not counting other brits on the ferry on the way home). One of which was a French-registered 944; Lux/S of some kind, coming the other way in a village somewhere near Saumur, yesterday afternoon. (And I flashed and waved at him, and he resolutely ignored me. Which goes to reinforce one of my earlier points that Les Francais are rude. And would it be churlish to also point out that it was a red one ... [])

Paid eur1.359/l for super. Which, given a current exchange ratio of 1.148 gives a cost of £1.18 per litre. Which is cheaper than the £1.25 I paid when I got off the ferry in the UK ... []

Seeing as McNulters has busted my cover, I can truthfully say that it is a simply superb place, French roads reveal the sorry state of the UK network as it truly is; miles and miles and miles of smooth, well-surfaced, wide open blacktop with very few other people around and impeccable driving from the French (lane discipline? Oh yes ... !) The people are universally friendly (I speak the lingo pretty well, which probably helps) and welcoming, and I'd highly recommend it for a week's holiday. Chambres D'Hotes (B&B) are cheap and excellent (<eur50/night), as is eating out (genuinely gourmet 3-course meals for around euro18-25/head; apologies for being foodies).

Why do I live in the UK? I'm not quite sure, at the moment. Although, with the ferry crossing being merely £75, I intend to go back there again pretty soon ...


Oli.

 

[jasonp]

yes,loved the roads in france, i was on my way to umbria in italy and came back via portafino, lots of lovely cars parked up in portafino, roads in italy were fine also, beggers the question!, why are our roads so awful?, regards jason p