Anyone travel to France regulaly or live there?

[junior]

I'm after some of the famous NSC advice.

I have been offered a job in France when i leave the Forces. It will be in Calais working 7 days on, days off. Travel to and France is not included although the company has a deal with P&O Ferries where its employee's can get a return journey on foot for £50.

At the moment i live in Leicestershire in a rented property. The substansial wage increase will allow me to think about purchasing my own home. Ihave always wanted to live on Anglesey or North Wales so have been looking at property up there recently.

I'm trying to budget my monthy travel costs for the new job in France. If i drive to Dover from Leics/Anglesey i have to factor in the petrol costs and then find somewhere safe to leave my car for 7 days while i am in France (any suggestions NSC?). I have looked at train fares from Anlesey to Dover and itthe cheapest i could find was £46 one way booked well in advance. So if i double that for a return, i think it would work out about the same as the fuel costs from driving to Dover from North Wales and back. This would just leave the parking problem if i decided to do it that way.

Lastly, does anyone on here live in Northern France? I have wondered about buying a house near Calais and staying there on my 7 days off. The thought of buying my first house in a foreign country is quite daungting!!

 

[The Large One]

If you don't mind me saying, moving 200 miles further away from your new job doesn't sound that practical.

It's 360 miles from Anglesey to Dover - with an estimated fuel cost of £80, one way. Have you tried looking at booking Le Shuttle? You can park your car in Calais then. The difference in the car parking / ferry costs may be offset by travelling through the Tunnel.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I know this is out of date, but it appears that P&O do offer a 'season ticket' type service for regular travellers:

http://www.thetravelmagazine.net/p-3170--p-o-season-tickets.html

 

[junior]

Unfortunately i've wanted to live in North Wales for many many years and now this job is putting me in a position where i can afford to buy, i still can't get it out of my head. I also have female interest up that way for which i would need to travel there regulaly for anyway.

I want to live somewhere isolated where i will see nobody (other than those invited) for days. Just me, the log burner and the animals. Can't think of many parts of the country that can offer that, although i am open to suggestions?

Out of my new monthy wage, i'm willing to allow about £500 per month for travelling costs and i'm not bothered by the travelling distance from a time point of view. I used to communte from Brighton to Belfast by car/over night ferry!!

 

[Austrian Gull]

Unless you're planning to move out there long-term, I'm not sure whether buying a property in Calais makes that much sense. Renting might be the better option. House prices don't tend to rise that much in many parts of France.

Calais is, let's be fair, a bit of a grim place. Don't expect the France that you might imagine - the weather is generally worse than Brighton, for example.

Here's a pretty comprehensive site for rentals or purchases in Calais:

Location immobilier CALAIS 62100, annonces immobilières location CALAIS 62100

 

[Stat Brother]

Fly from Liverpool to Brussels.


The novelty of such a long and tiring commuter won't take long to wear off, then you're fooked.

 

[Camicus]

Jesus stay away from North wales I was at RAF Valley for 4 years absolutly miserable bloody shit hole full of inbred moronic 50s throwbacks

 

[junior]

After having a quick look on that French property website, i can almost certainly rule out living in France!!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Why not rent somewhere down south and buy a holiday cottage for Anglesey (as long as it doesn't get burned down)?

 

[Dr Q]

Having lived in North Wales for 6 years, including a couple of places down the Conwy Valley, I'd be reticent to recommend it. If you're looking for somewhere isolated and "out of the way", either its going to be bl**dy expensive or a sh*thole. Heading west of the Conwy Valley and Llanberis area, out towards Bleunau Festiniog etc are some of the most depressing areas I've ever been to, everything is skate grey coloured, the sky, landscape, houses and people. Plus getting about ain't easy. A55 in summer and at weekends is a nightmare, and the smaller roads can be clogged with caravans, tractors and the like.

Anglesey is even worse! Treadur Bay is nice (and expensive), as is the area around Newborough, but the other than that the best things about Anglesey are the ferry terminal at Holyhead and the bridges over the Menai Straits!!

If you were to live there, and you had a regular shift in Calais, wouldn't it be cheaper to book train tickets in advance and use that (the Boat train from Holyhead is not too bad). Saves on the problem of parking the car?

 

[Return of the Rev]

I'm after some of the famous NSC advice.

I have been offered a job in France when i leave the Forces. It will be in Calais working 7 days on, days off. Travel to and France is not included although the company has a deal with P&O Ferries where its employee's can get a return journey on foot for £50.

At the moment i live in Leicestershire in a rented property. The substansial wage increase will allow me to think about purchasing my own home. Ihave always wanted to live on Anglesey or North Wales so have been looking at property up there recently.

I'm trying to budget my monthy travel costs for the new job in France. If i drive to Dover from Leics/Anglesey i have to factor in the petrol costs and then find somewhere safe to leave my car for 7 days while i am in France (any suggestions NSC?). I have looked at train fares from Anlesey to Dover and itthe cheapest i could find was £46 one way booked well in advance. So if i double that for a return, i think it would work out about the same as the fuel costs from driving to Dover from North Wales and back. This would just leave the parking problem if i decided to do it that way.

Lastly, does anyone on here live in Northern France? I have wondered about buying a house near Calais and staying there on my 7 days off. The thought of buying my first house in a foreign country is quite daungting!!

TRY HASTINGS VERY SIMILAR TO NORTH WALES AND A BIT CHEAPER ALSO ALOT NEARER THE PORTS

 

[dennis]

Try living in France, it’s great although marrying a French bird helps.

I’m too far down to give any advice on best place to live etc.

The comment about commuting home is good, you’ll soon get fed up as you’re basically travelling back to do house work and gardening etc.

Work and live in France, you’ll soon find that you’ll get far more visitors than you thought you would when you suddenly become very popular between Easter and September.

All the people that couldn’t be arsed to visit you when you lived round the corner will suddenly call you and say that they would like to visit you for a fortnight.

You’ll soon make friends at work and you’ll find that gives you the option of going out or staying in alone.

If you want to be alone you can just close the curtains or jump in the car and head to the woods. You can go mountain biking or dog walking and not see anyone all day.

I’m not sure this helps but it worked for me.

All the best to you though!

 

[BensGrandad]

If you do decide to drive and park up in Dover what would the rent of a lock up garage be alternatively what would the cost be to take your car over each time taking into account you will be making 26 return journeys a year would PO or Norfolk line not do you a deal,

 

[grubbyhands]

Try living in France, it’s great although marrying a French bird helps.

I’m too far down to give any advice on best place to live etc.

The comment about commuting home is good, you’ll soon get fed up as you’re basically travelling back to do house work and gardening etc.

Work and live in France, you’ll soon find that you’ll get far more visitors than you thought you would when you suddenly become very popular between Easter and September.

All the people that couldn’t be arsed to visit you when you lived round the corner will suddenly call you and say that they would like to visit you for a fortnight.

You’ll soon make friends at work and you’ll find that gives you the option of going out or staying in alone.

If you want to be alone you can just close the curtains or jump in the car and head to the woods. You can go mountain biking or dog walking and not see anyone all day.

I’m not sure this helps but it worked for me.

All the best to you though!

Cahors...Top place, also really enjoyed Catus ( poss spelling mistake there ) Got some friends there, brilliant place,climate, people etc.