First time in France on a bike
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Re: First time in France on a bike
will you need any covid related travel documentation? not been this year so have no personal experience. It appears you are on a whistle stop run so may not have time in any case, you probably know but nearby are The Thiepval Monument https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiepval_Memorial that can be seen from the road but deserves a walk around and in Albert there is a pretty good Great War Somme museumhttp://www.musee-somme-1916.eu/. If you were tempted to stay I found Amiens a pleasant place to stay and wander around in the evening, some other high speed tourists visited there once before too
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Re: First time in France on a bike
I have a smattering of French as I used to travel there a few times a year on business... but that was 25 years ago. My wife and I have been speaking rusty O level French since I decided on this trip, any true French speaker would cringe at the linguistic mess we are making, but at least we are trying.ErikGustav2 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 04, 2022 8:20 am Small polite words like bonjour and merci are very apriciated
To say nothing is taken as a bit rude.
Bikenav. I will have a few hours to pass, although I do wish to spend some time with the boys, one of whom I don't think has ever been visited before. I will try and visit a little of the surrounding area.
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Re: First time in France on a bike
French people are always highly amused at my terrible FrenchNeilM wrote: ↑Tue Oct 04, 2022 2:00 pmI have a smattering of French as I used to travel there a few times a year on business... but that was 25 years ago. My wife and I have been speaking rusty O level French since I decided on this trip, any true French speaker would cringe at the linguistic mess we are making, but at least we are trying.ErikGustav2 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 04, 2022 8:20 am Small polite words like bonjour and merci are very apriciated
To say nothing is taken as a bit rude.
Bikenav. I will have a few hours to pass, although I do wish to spend some time with the boys, one of whom I don't think has ever been visited before. I will try and visit a little of the surrounding area.
And now, Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.
Suzuki DR200 Djebel.
Suzuki DR200 Djebel.
- ErikGustav2
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Re: First time in France on a bike
It is all about attitude.
If you try so say some polite words, that changes the atmosfere.
Better with pople lafing thqn beeing upsted deu to rude behaviur,
PS Loire VallYE is my favorite area.¨Castles, WIne farns, Green, the river....
https://www.wanderluststorytellers.com/ ... ey-france/
If you try so say some polite words, that changes the atmosfere.
Better with pople lafing thqn beeing upsted deu to rude behaviur,
PS Loire VallYE is my favorite area.¨Castles, WIne farns, Green, the river....
https://www.wanderluststorytellers.com/ ... ey-france/
- 92kk k100lt 193214
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Re: First time in France on a bike
I go a lot and just back after 3 weeks there.
Almost all fuel pumps card operated and no cash.
Be prepared for your cards being refused at fuel pumps. Issue of reading them!
Total have a big promotion on and a lot of their stations out of fuel.
Petrol stations have become scarce so dont let fuel run low. Many have recently disappeared.
Remember automated card pumps block off €119-150 on your cards each time you use them. You could have 5 or 6 of these stacked up so your card gets refused.
Almost all fuel pumps card operated and no cash.
Be prepared for your cards being refused at fuel pumps. Issue of reading them!
Total have a big promotion on and a lot of their stations out of fuel.
Petrol stations have become scarce so dont let fuel run low. Many have recently disappeared.
Remember automated card pumps block off €119-150 on your cards each time you use them. You could have 5 or 6 of these stacked up so your card gets refused.
1992 K100LT June 2010 110,000 miles
1984 K100RT July 2013 36,000 miles, 90,000
1983 K100RS Nov 2018 29,000 miles, 58,600 miles
1996 K1100LT Oct 2020 37,990 miles, 48,990 miles
1984 K100 Sprint March 2023 58,000 miles, 62,000 miles
1984 K100RT July 2013 36,000 miles, 90,000
1983 K100RS Nov 2018 29,000 miles, 58,600 miles
1996 K1100LT Oct 2020 37,990 miles, 48,990 miles
1984 K100 Sprint March 2023 58,000 miles, 62,000 miles
- Scott_rider
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Re: First time in France on a bike
Very true. I got caught out by this a few years ago. I took a pre-payed visa debit card with me for a trip with only £500 on it. After the first 2 days I'd only filled up 3 times for about £50 in total...but nearly £150 for each transaction was 'pre-authorised'...so 48 hours into my trip I'd had £450 pre-authorised and only about £50 left to spend... .92kk k100lt 193214 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 1:44 pm
Remember automated card pumps block off €119-150 on your cards each time you use them. You could have 5 or 6 of these stacked up so your card gets refused.
The system is meant to return the pre-authorised amount (less the actual amount spent) within about 24 hours but of course it doesn't. I seem to remember it took nearly 7 days for it to come back.
Suzuki GSX-S1000F...the KTM 450 EXC-R has gone
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Re: First time in France on a bike
do the local [small?] petrol stations do cash??92kk k100lt 193214 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 07, 2022 1:44 pm I go a lot and just back after 3 weeks there.
Almost all fuel pumps card operated and no cash.
Be prepared for your cards being refused at fuel pumps. Issue of reading them!
Total have a big promotion on and a lot of their stations out of fuel.
Petrol stations have become scarce so dont let fuel run low. Many have recently disappeared.
Remember automated card pumps block off €119-150 on your cards each time you use them. You could have 5 or 6 of these stacked up so your card gets refused.
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Re: First time in France on a bike
Most large supermarkets with fuel stations, during opening hours have a kiosk open that’ll take cash. Not Sundays usually though. No problem with regular gas stations I’ve found.
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Re: First time in France on a bike
We’ve just returned from a short visit to the UK. We went on the Hook of Holland to Harwich route as we were visiting family in Suffolk but returned Newhaven to Dieppe overnight which was definitely the work experience of the trip.
We used the N - D route extensively when we lived in the UK in the eighties and it was great but a very poor service now it’s run by DFDS.
We used the N - D route extensively when we lived in the UK in the eighties and it was great but a very poor service now it’s run by DFDS.
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Re: First time in France on a bike
We visited some of the WW1 cemeteries in 2015 as my great uncle and one of my wife’s uncles are there (another one is in the cemetery at El Alamein which we visited in 1991). Finding the places can be quite interesting but well worthwhile.