The French motorways are something else

But heading down from Sarratt early one morning after the Christmas break, the car seemed to register every bump and indentation in the road. Our aim was to drive all the way back to The Limousin that day, sleep well and then prepare for a New Year’s Eve party up the road.

But had I allowed the car to become too overloaded? Dropping down onto the M25 provided little relief. There seemed to be a trench just shy of the M4 turn-off which thundered out a vibration as we crossed it. The trench was probably just a couple of inches wide but the car did not like it.

There was nothing in the way of improvement on the M20 but finally we made it to Dover, eased our way gently and tentatively up the ramp to the ferry and headed for France.

Later we left the port of Calais behind us and connected up with the motorway to Paris. It was then we noted the difference. The car purred along like an expensive Mercedes. Certainly the bumps and grinds of the M25 were not replicated. It remained so for the remainder of the 400-mile journey back to our home in The Creuse.

Yes, it could be argued that some of the French motorways do not come in for such heavy use as the M25 but others, heading in and out of Paris, are comparable. Yet the surfaces of the roads in France are generally superior and I can testify, driving a car disposed to feel every bump, far superior.

WE HAD taken our leave of Sarratt early that morning and before setting out, I took our two dogs that had accompanied us on the trip, round the block for a walk. Naturally it was dark but my early morning stroll must have provoked a surge of demand for electricity in the village.

So many houses have security lights which were triggered by our passing. It really surprised me quite how many there were. Mind you, it should not have done so as I lived in Sarratt for 25 years and we had a security light.

However, living in The Limousin for what is almost seven years, I do not recall having seen a security light. Crime is very low, burglaries are extremely rare and our late walks through the silent streets of Benevent L’Abbaye, do not cause so much as a stir. Most houses have the outside shutters closed and few, it seems, are awake after 10.30 in the evening.

That is a definite contrast, for life is so much quieter in a village in France compared to the opposite number and most appear to turn in early. School starts at 8.00am, so most families go to bed earlier than in the UK.

ONE final note: can I add my public congratulations to the dapper Don Bailey, who was rightly recognised in the New Year’s Honours list. Don has raised much money for charity and long before he played a major role in launching and running the Watford Observer Charity Golf Day, I was party to a bid to see if, unknown to Don, we could obtain an honour in recognition of his services.

That was a number of years back, but this time the recognition was achieved, so righting an oversight at least a decade old. West Herts Golf Club president Ken Connelly did some Trojan work on behalf of his friend Don who has been a fellow Watford season ticket holder for years.

I have known Don for many years and enjoyed his company and well-observed humour.

Don, along with former colleague Grelle White, has turned the golf day into a great success, not purely because of the money raised but also the ambience and enjoyment of the event which attracts people back every year.

I helped with the launch and running of the day back in 1999 and every year since, but my role is purely that of a gopher. I come back every year, as part of our Spring visit and it will be a great pleasure to announce the man who will provide the results for the day as Don Bailey MBE.

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