France is a nightmare

[Provenceinthesummer]

And you think it is bad in the U.K. come to France and see what a country on it’s knees really looks like.

We arrived hoping for a relaxing road trip and holiday. Every service station is littered with rubbish, most of them they have run out of food, loo paper and filthy tables and chairs so there is nowhere to even sit.

We finally arrive at a five star hotel to find out the restaurant is closed every day for three days - apparently the French F&B crisis is worse than ours! No chef, no waiting staff. They couldn’t even provide a basic room service menu. Every restaurant in the area also closes on the same days which was helpful.

Fawlty towers ensues as we try to meet basic needs of water and resort to the mini bar nuts for dinner. The gardens and pool are a mass of wasps and flies and the baking heat makes it an unbearable experience. I have never been to a hotel with no food anywhere in the world !!

Parched, starving and exhausted we check out the following day and find a hotel with food - all good apart from the fact there is no air conditioning and it’s 36c minimum here. It’s also rated five star apparently. Sleepless, exhausted and dizzy from the heat we drive in the car to ‘cool down’ and after a few miserable sweltering nights we decide to check out to next hotel - which promises great things like air conditioning and actual food only to find out the housekeepers are now non existent, all have covid. The number of people coughing and ill around the pool and in the hotel is alarming. The food is so bad it’s made me sick every night, kids are now refusing to eat anything else apart from crisps!

I haven’t slept for over a week - now facing a 12 hour grumpy drive home, I developed a severe sore throat and shakes overnight and it’s 39c! We have paid a fortune for this ‘ holiday’ and I can not wait to get home!! 🤨

I'm half from a European country and yes France is garbage. A lot of European countries are.

I was really surprised and it could have been just that particular region. I have French friends. I am well travelled and I'm not English. I don't expect people to speak English lol.

Last time I was there with an unwell child, we could only find rear end medicine, and theres no way that was happening

Seriously? Are you always so offensive? It's not them, it's you.

@SpaceGoatFarm have you tried Santander? Absolutely lovely city and very nice seafood. Some of the best beaches in Spain too.

Why not? It's the best way to give meds to a sick child.

Spain has delicious seafood. And Japan.

We used to have that as kids. It was fine.

?

Motorways around the SE are regularly 50mph because of weight of traffic in places. Not all over.

Spain has delicious seafood. And Japan.

Best seafood I ever had was in Spain. Huge seafood mixed grill. I dream of it! Also the variety and availability of it in supermarkets.

I do love spanish food actually but for various reason I just never end up there. I've even been through Santander but i was about 10 and my mums idea of seafood was cockles in vinegar.

I've said for years I'd love to do a seafood tour of japan. It's like a religion there. They have restaurants where you catch your own fish and they make it into sushi.

Driven through France twice in the last few months, from Calais to Nice. Stopped in countless places, all spotless with clean water, shaded spots etc. The Lyon to Nice bit was a bit harder, with the lorries, but still a good experience. Doing twice more before Autumn!

You've obviously had a crap experience, though, and it's rubbish when with kids, so bad luck.

Is the star system in France the same as the UK?
It seems that you had a poor experience, but France is a lovely country. I lived there for many years. The heat in July and August though can be intolerable.
Please don't write off the whole country. Maybe another time choose northern France and go in the Easter holidays or spring half term.
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What's all this love for the Dordogne please? Is is a notch on the bedpost to impress the friend circle, a sign of sophistication or is it just so so beautiful!

There are no beaches in that region, it is full of retired Brits, and is a long drive when there are other fab places further North. Just wondered what the attraction is of a place thousands of miles down a motorway actually is. Thanks

It’s quite normal to put medicine up your child’s bum if necessary in a lot of Europe. Surely if your child is unwell and you have medicine to help them feel better you just do what you have to do!

Lots, now there are Smart motorways!

My friend had to travel nearly halfway round the M25 on Tuesday, and she said it was 30mph almost the whole way from the M3 to the M40.

Infuriating, but I suppose moving at 30mph is probably better than being stationary for hours, which is the alternative.

Did you travel flexipass on the tunnel op?

Sorry you've had a shit holiday. It sounds dire to me.

We're boycotting France anyway for various reasons but wasn't ever that keen on it anyway.

I hope you get home safe.

@BroomHandledMouser you will love it - be prepared for bad even entertainment and days by the pool! We go every year - kids love it and I love the food and wine!

Sounds really disappointing. You have my sympathy anyway OP.

I’ve just returned from the Alps and Provence. I didn’t see any of what you describe. The only place that we moved on quickly from was Annecy, because it was so busy. Provence was delightful! We only stayed in one hotel though, the rest of the time we were glamping or in our van on campsites.

Awww I loved France on the occasions I went but it was a long time ago, Granted.

I loved the big lakes with the big standing thing in the middle (lol Sorry, I don't really know what to call them) where you can swim out too and sit on it. And the lovely Churches , Beautiful Beaches , great food . Sad to hear that part of it is this way right now .

Honestly @Trinity65 it's still as you remember, I think OP has just had a bad experience.