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Forthcoming visit

Posted: Sat 08 Dec 2018 14:35
by alan
We have a visit planned to our second home in Port Vendres this coming week. We are flying into and out of Montpellier by Easyjet and travelling by train to and from PV having secured 1 euro trains in each direction. Travel between the airport and the station is by navette as there isn't a tram station very close by.

Given all we are reading in the UK about current travel problems as well as shortages of food in the shops, would members of the forum living out there advise us to come or defer our visit until things hopefully settle down a bit?

The weather forecast doesn't seem that great either accepting, of course, that it is December.

Re: Forthcoming visit

Posted: Sat 08 Dec 2018 15:38
by martyn94
The weather is mild enough in PV today, given (as you say) that it’s December. The “rayons” at Intermarché are wearing a bit thin in places, but I don’t think you’d starve: meat fish veg and bread can be had where you’d expect. I haven’t heard of any problems with the trains.

Re: Forthcoming visit

Posted: Sat 08 Dec 2018 16:03
by alan
Thanks Martyn

It was really travelling from the airport to the train station that I was concerned about. The only problems I've seen with train travel is in relation to stations serving exclusively freight.

Are the restaurants in PV affected?

Alan

Re: Forthcoming visit

Posted: Sat 08 Dec 2018 22:17
by Kate
Unless they change the routine, very few problems travelling on the roads as long as it’s not a Saturday. Shops and supermarkets suffering a little but plenty of oysters and foie gras around....seriously still plenty to eat and drink and the shops needs our custom. Please don’t cancel. :D Bonne Route 🛣

Re: Forthcoming visit

Posted: Sun 09 Dec 2018 10:01
by alan
Dear Kate

We have been enjoying pre-Christmas breaks in France for a number of years now returning home for the big event itself to be spent with children and grandchildren. We combine such visits to PV with a stop-over somewhere. In the run up to last Christmas we flew into and out of Carcassonne and enjoyed a stop-over in Carcassonne which was beautifully dressed for Christmas and quite delightful.

This year the stop-over would have been in Montpellier but sadly, we have now decided to forgo our pre-Christmas break. We simply can’t risk not being able to get home and the prospect, however remote, of spending Christmas with dwindling food on the shelves in the shops and restaurants closed does not inspire us to come. With President Macron about to address France at the beginning of next week, we fear that things may well get worse before they get better. We sincerely hope that we are wrong. Nevertheless, we shall be staying at home, watching how things develop in France as well as here, following Mrs May’s “meaningful vote” on Tues.

We do thank you for your thoughts and wish you and everyone in France a very Peaceful Christmas and a Happier New Year – and look forward to coming out in February, when we hope things will have settled down properly.

Alan and Jan

Re: Forthcoming visit

Posted: Sun 09 Dec 2018 12:25
by Kate
Unfortunately, I do very much see your point. Enjoy the festive season wherever you end up spending it. :noel:

Re: Forthcoming visit

Posted: Mon 10 Dec 2018 10:07
by Ted & Jemima
Your decision to stay home is understandable. It has been evident that shopping habits are changing as a reaction to gilets jaunes blocking access to supermarkets and shopping malls in Carcassonne during weekends. Shops are now much busier on Friday, particularly at lunchtime and through the afternoon as a result of Saturday shopping becoming problematic. The big supermarkets in Carcassonne are all located on roundabout exits from the town's ringroad which make them easy to blockade. This weekend, by Saturday late morning, the entrance to E LeClerc was closed by a handful of gilets jaunes lighting a fire in the road; the road to Geant Casino was also blocked. On Sunday morning, the entrance to the large Carrefour was blocked but remained open, with customers parking illegally on the ringroad and walking in. Protests against shopping malls/supermarkets seem to start here at about 4 on Friday afternoon, making Friday a race to shop and leave. During the first weekend of protests, some shops (Lidl) had empty shelves. Since then, we have noticed that delivery trucks are using minor roads through villages to avoid the blockades at exits of toll roads, so shelves have been better stocked. It was evident that things were turning nasty on the first weekend of protests when we arrived at one shopping mall to find that its thick glass entrance door had just been completely smashed in broad daylight on Friday afternoon. Not sure how such actions achieve anything socially or politically. Christmas shopping has definitely been impacted.

Yours,
Ted & Jemima

Re: Forthcoming visit

Posted: Mon 10 Dec 2018 13:27
by Kate
It would be called terrorism if it had been carried out by a different ethnic group. :roll:

Re: Forthcoming visit

Posted: Wed 12 Dec 2018 14:38
by SteveB
That’s a bit extreme, Kate: I haven’t heard about any bombs or deliberately-caused deaths.

My partner and I encountered the Gilets Jaunes a few weeks ago on our way to Montpellier to fly back to Gatwick. They were very friendly, albeit not very receptive to our pleas to let us catch our flight (which we missed). I realise a lot has changed over the past few weeks, but my impression (at least from the UK media) is that the vast majority are still peaceful.

Re: Forthcoming visit

Posted: Wed 12 Dec 2018 18:04
by Kate
You’re right about it being a bit strong Steve ....but i suppose it depends on your definition of terrorism.

DICTIONARY DEFINITION
The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.

If you and I were responsible for the damage they have caused, we would most certainly be arrested (if they could catch us of course :noel: )

Having said that, all the ones I’ve met have been friendly and non intimidating.

Re: Forthcoming visit

Posted: Thu 13 Dec 2018 20:34
by Sus
I flew out of Beziers last Saturday, it took me all of 30 secs to get on the motorway at Le Boulou in the middle of the day, plenty of gilets jaunes and police happily eating freshly grilled burgers and I think they were also enjoying a beer :-) more street party than demonstration. Exit at Beziers was also fine, even better some gilet jaune took my ticket and I had nothing to pay. Intermarche in Ceret seems to be fully stocked, at least I haven't missed anything!

Re: Forthcoming visit

Posted: Fri 14 Dec 2018 20:24
by Ted & Jemima
Local press article illustrating impact of ongoing gilets jaunes protests on nearby independent local shops in Carcassonne:
https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2018/1 ... ectes.html

"... On the first Saturday, November 17, the [sales] decrease compared to last year was of the order of 75%; on November 24, 35%; on December 1, when everything was closed (the few customers coming on foot), 75% again, and over the last weekend by 50%..."

Ted & Jemima