Back from two weeks holiday and you’ll be pleased to know that I’m not going to moan on about how difficult it is to get back into your work after a period away, or about the state of my desk when I returned to it.  It looked like Armageddon had struck by the way, but that’s by the by.

 

However, having spent the best part of two weeks driving through France, I’d like to pose a question.  Why is it that when you leave Folkstone and arrive in Calais, driving is suddenly pleasurable and conversely, when the White Cliffs come into view, driving instantly becomes stressful again?  It never ceases to amaze me how the two experiences differ. 

 

I know that I’m starting to sound like my a miserable old man but leaving home, the M3 is unpredictable at the best of times followed by the good old M25 that is as predictable as our current August weather – always bad!.  Traffic jams, start stop traffic, dirty and inefficient service stations and a general lack of consideration for other drivers.  Arrive en France and the roads are empty, free flowing and pleasurable.  And then there is their road surface.  They dig up and replace the sort of surface that we’d be proud of in the UK – it’s almost farcical. And once you’re ready for a break, pull into one of their frequent service stations and, while at lunchtime they may be busy, you’re greeted by a wide selection of reasonably priced food. 

 

Some argue that it’s better because of the Peage road charging system in France.  I suspect it’s a contributing factor but certainly not the only one because over half of our journey was done on non-payment motorway.  I suspect that the size of France is also a contributing factor.  The fact that it’s five times as large as the UK and has approximately the same population should mean that the traffic is less dense.  However, I was travelling on the first Saturday of the French get away when most of northern France travels south.  This, combined with the number of English registered cars that on occasion out-numbered French registered cars, probably puts the kybosh on that argument too.

 

I’d love to know what the answer is – if you’ve got a theory, please let me know.  Then we’ll do our best to try and apply it in the UK and make it a pleasure rather than a hassle to drive on this side of the Channel.