We did it!

[al-stag]

Ever since I got the Stag I have wanted to do a Channel dash in it, especially as the club insurance gives you comprehensive cover and breakdown and recovery cover in Europe.

So, completely knackered after moving MIL to nearby, on a whim, we took off for Normandy and spent four days exploring the Cherbourg peninsular. Set off from home and indicated right - nothing! So drove 70 miles to Pompy using hand signals. Then I remembered I had been tidying the carpet by the passengers feet and found a dislodged wire.

Plenty to see and do in France, and good weather too. The yellow D roads were great, plenty of twisting and turning and some fantastic cliff views. It always amazes me that people go to France and dash for the south whilst there is so much to see just across the channel - the invasion beaches, great cliidtop and country walksand very pretty small fishing ports. Our hotel was one I found whilst sailing, the Hotel de France et Fuschais at St Vaast la Hogue. Very comfy with gourmet meals at bargain prices. The Stag was admired by small boys and youths, but your average Froggy ignored it.

Heres Dr J at camp Paton:



It is quite amazing how much duty free booze etc you can get into the Stag when the boot is already packed tight. Its a great touring machine with a much nicer ride than my Eurobox.

Oh! and the sting in the tail - speedo has stopped working, the cable has finally given up after wobbling for a long time


Al

[sax player]

imported post

al-stag wrote:

It is quite amazing how much duty free booze etc you can get into the Stag when the boot is already packed tight. Its a great touring machine with a much nicer ride than my Eurobox.


Al

Dont forget the smugglers area under the hood when stowed.

[Tdm]

imported post

Al, I agree with you about Northern France. Quite some time ago (1966 in fact) I spent a long weekend around Dinard in Brittany & it was in a Bar there that I watched Bobby Moore lift the World Cup for England.

I had driven there in a Mk3A Sunbeam Rapier (White with red stripe), and it was one of my favourite cars before the Stag came on the scene. If I remember rightly we drank a lot of Dubonnets & Lemonade as well as Beer.

Terry

[grahamb]

imported post

Nice looking stag you have there Al. Glad you had a good time. I have been down to le Touquet a few times and enjoyed it and another benefit of northern France is that you do not bump into to many Parisians

[Andrew S]

imported post

Al

Just got back oursleves from 2 weeks over there and as you say, there is plenty to do.

[al-stag]

imported post

grahamb wrote:

Nice looking stag you have there Al. Glad you had a good time. I have been down to le Touquet a few times and enjoyed it and another benefit of northern France is that you do not bump into to many Parisians

We were going via the chunnel to Etaples on Tesco Clubcard points, but the fire intervened. Andrew's photo looks like a Normandy longhouse and the Stag looks familiar too.

As you say the main method of transport seemed to be white van for the fishermen and tractor pulling massive trailer for the farmers, not a poncy parisien in sight!

Al

[redstag]

imported post

We've been to Northern France several times now with other cars from Bedfordshire. Love the quiet roads and we still haven't run out of things to do or places to visit.

Strange how even though it isn't actually very far, crossing the water into a foreign country gives you much more confidence in the car. I'd recommend it to anyone to go for a long weekend or longer.

Our best turnout was ten cars in 2007.

Pete

[dogsnadgers]

imported post

Andrew, that doesn't half look like the place we stayed in about 10 years ago, is it in Normandy, south west of Caen?

Just come back from two weeks over there, not in the Stag however, Brttainy and Picardy, some beautiful rolling countryside, villages and friendly people, we need the Pound to strengthen though as it is far from cheap! Great two weeks though, oh, and the roads, over 1400 miles, not one set of roadworks, accident or hold up all the way and the only gendarme we saw was in the towns and mostly on foot, just great!

Got bak to England, roadworks coming out of Dover, 4 mile queue for the tunnel etc....

Dave

[Andrew S]

imported post

Hi Dave

Our first week was in the Loire and then up here to Montviette, south east of Caen but with the access to the fast roads, Couldn't be better.The lanes arounmdthis placepaid full credit to the exhaust note. Being the socialists in France as they are and with not mainly of them owning their own houses, it is a totally new experience for them to meet capitalist and their toys. we had many waves and lost of interest.

We even had rabbits stopping on bankswaving us past. There were one or two that were trying to throw themselves under the front of the car. It must be one of these honour deathsby Stags.

Going back next year, cant wait

[DJT]

imported post

This is something I would really like to do, but SWMBO isn't keen. Still, having survived a trip to Jersey this year, perhaps she will agree to taking that next step.

Anyone interested in somewhere to stay in Normandy could try here: http://www.normandy-france.net/ciderfarmnormandy/

This is family-owned and run by the wife of acolleague of mine whoworks offshore. They have had a few classic car owners stay there in the past.

Dave

[Ian B]

imported post

Al,

this is something i havewanted to do for years but never got around to, maybe do the 2010 classic Le mans.

It did take the stagup to Prescott this year - does that count as foreign, as they sound very strange, not like what we speak down here.



Ian

[al-stag]

imported post

Ian B wrote:

Al,

this is something i havewanted to do for years but never got around to, maybe do the 2010 classic Le mans.

It did take the stagup to Prescott this year - does that count as foreign, as they sound very strange, not like what we speak down here.



Ian

Ian


I'm up for a 'forum' Le Mans trip

Al