11th July 10:56 a.m. U.K. time – on a ferry approaching Dover

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11th July 10:56 a.m. U.K. time – on a ferry approaching Dover

By Rev Andy | July 11, 2009

Yes – you read that right. We were in the Farme Auberge and we decided to return to the U.K. there are a whole host of reasons for this. Namely:-

My mum is still in hospital and will be for weeks and I prefer to be in the U.K.
The car developed a leak on the gasket behind the water pump and although this is now fixed (by some addition of some liquid) it gave us a little bit of a scare and explaining to a French garage was not easy.
Prices in France are sky high. We have been paying 50 euros per night for campsites – which we had planned for anyway in July. However, this seems to be the norm except for the very cheap campsites (which we found).
The price of food in France is in a poor state. I spoke with many French people and inflation and prices are escalating out of control. It was costing us at least £40 to £50 per day to eat from the Supermarche. This was not eating out but simply eating basic food. Bacon, eggs, tinned tuna, pasta, cheese. We managed to only eat out in a restaurant three times as it was averaging about £10 for the children and maybe £20 per adult just for a main course, forget anything else.
Fuel in many areas is now on a par or even more expensive than in the U.K. With such vast distances in France this has an affect.

I was speaking to one of the elders in Joinville and it seems the credit crunch (world financial crisis would be a better description) has hit hard in France. To find a job is almost impossible, even with qualifications and experience.

Tax on goods was reduced recently by the French government to try and stimulate their economy, although, I saw little evidence this was the case. I suspect from my limited observations the U.K. is in a better state than France. House prices in France have dropped between 40 to 60%. I looked at houses that were maybe £45,000 for a four bedroomed house.

The auberge St Malo at Etrigny was for sale. I looked at what it consisted of:

Chateau – maybe 10 bedrooms

Working farm – Several miles of land

2 vineyards

Campsite

All for the princely sum of 95,000 Euros (I reckon about 83 – 85,000 sterling). It has been for sale for months. No one is interested.

So we are going to stay in Dover for a few days and then explore the South Coast ending up in Cornwall,then to camp and the back up the country to Peterhead in Mid August.

We will miss France but it was the right thing to return after five weeks.

Blessings

Andy,Jan and the girls