An Unexpected €1000 Expense - 31 May- 1 June 2018

A month since my last visit, I am on my way back to the house.

I decided to resign from work and look for contracting opportunities but, before I look in earnest, I am going to have a month off - maybe two - and the first two weeks are going to be spent back in Uzerche.

The Channel Tunnel is going to prove much cheaper than the ferry and so we have chosen to open a Frequent Traveller account with 10 crossings. We need to use these up in a year – but we see little challenge there.

This trip I will be travelling alone and so we have also invested in a Sanef tag for the tolls. This is going to work out more expensive but will be much more convenient, especially when travelling alone in a right-hand drive car – no need to get out or lean across the passenger seat to pay the toll.

The 3.5-hour trip down to the Eurotunnel was uneventful and I arrived nearly two hours early. The next twenty-four hours would not be so simple.

The first problem was that on arrival at the port I was told I could get a crossing 90-minutes before my scheduled crossing – if I was prepared to spend an extra £20 (for a peak time crossing). My schedule would be tight, so this was attractive and I opted in.

I joined the allotted lane just as boarding commenced. Everyone got on nice and efficiently – other than my lane which, for no known reason, wasn’t given the green light. The train left without us despite all cars in that lane being for the 14:50 crossing.

The next crossing was 30 minutes later, and our lane was the first to board. Not a major inconvenience but I doubt I would have paid the extra £20 for a saving of less than an hour. I will be seeking a refund when I am back in the UK.

The crossing itself and the exit from Calais were fine. I then drove for a couple of hours for my overnight stop at the Chateau de Quesmy. I parked up and found the front gate locked. I was an hour earlier than I had advised so perhaps that was why. I rang the bell on the gate numerous times and eventually it was answered. Intercoms are never the clearest and with the person on the other end having little English and me having little French, a confused few minutes of conversation ensued. Towards the end he seemed to be saying there was a mistake and I wasn’t booked in – oh dear! Fortunately, at that point, a lady appeared at the gate and invited me to collect my car and bring it through and up the drive.

Chateau de Quesmy

I parked outside the main entrance (where there were several electric charging points for those of you that may find such information of interest) and booked in; being allocated a room in the main chateau. This was a bit of a relief as it was clear from the reviews that some of the rooms were outside of the main house and even caravans were used.

Outbuildings out front - Restaurant on the right.

The room was very nice, and the drench shower was fantastic. The onsite restaurant had a reasonable menu and the food was nice – and the price nicer still with a main, a dessert and a medium beer all for under €20.

My luxurious €75 room.

The room wasn’t the quietest with creaky floorboards and neighbours doors banging – but what does one expect in an old chateau. The price was very reasonable too at €75 for a spacious double room (for one) with terrace and breakfast included.

Next morning, I had breakfast (OK but nothing special) at 8:00 and was on the road 30 minutes later with a six-and-a-half-hour journey ahead of me.

90-minutes later, and still north of Paris and the Peripherique, I was doing a steady 85 mph in the outside lane of the motorway when the car started to stutter and the engine management warning light came on. I indicated and moved across the lanes and onto the (narrow) hard shoulder. I pulled up perhaps 100 m from an exit – had I thought, I would have left the motorway and avoided the €128 towing fee. Fortunately, I had European breakdown cover with the RAC and so avoided the charge, but I did have a 45 minute wait for the recovery. I was taken (back towards Calais) to the local Skoda dealership.

The bad news – a fuel injector had failed. This would cost €750 then there would be 90 minutes labour (another €150). The really bad news – they did not have the part in stock and it wouldn’t be delivered until Tuesday (this was Friday). The possible good news – the neighbouring VW garage may have the required part. But it was now 12:00 noon and everything stops for lunch. The would check at 13:30 and then, if the part was available would fit it sometime this afternoon. This was fair enough as they had booked-in work to do, but it is still frustrating as I must wait at least 90 minutes to find out if they can do something.

Best case I will be able to complete the last 500 kms (5 hours) of travel sometime this afternoon. Worst case I will get a hire car to complete the journey and will then have to return it (a round trip of 1000 kms/10 hours) when the car is fixed.

At the time of writing, I am waiting to hear my fate. It is now 13:40.

Just as I shutdown the laptop the Service Manager appeared to say that they had the parts (huge relief) and they had one car to finish before starting mine.

I guess it was around 15:30 that I left the garage and resumed my journey. I’m guessing that, since I hit the Paris traffic and the Peripherique at 16:00 – just right for Friday rush-hour. Two hours later and with two hours added to my journey, I left Paris.

The rest of the journey was uneventful other than the last hour where the light was failing, and fatigue was setting in – nothing went awry but my eyes were not focusing well. I had started my journey at 08:30 and finally arrived at 22:15. The journey should have taken less than six hours rather than almost 14.

The plan now was to garage the car and go to bed (after checking-in to tell my wife I had arrived safely). My trials weren’t over yet however. I knew getting the car in the larger garage was problematic due to the narrowness of the doors. The other garage, whilst small, had doors 10 cm wider. I drove in. Something caught. I pulled forward a little more and heard a horrible grinding – had I caught the side of the car? I reversed. The horrible grinding continued – but I had little choice other than to push on (I couldn’t get out to inspect the damage as the car doors were blocked by the garage doorway). The noise was horrible, but I was eventually free. I got out to inspect the damage – everything looked fine. Bemused, I inspected the garage entrance and there, on the floor, were the remains of what, at the time, I thought was a mud flap.

So, with the car now parked on the street I had to unpack; something I’d hoped to leave until the following day. Let’s get the electric on – I did eventually, but it was a struggle in the pitch-black. And one of the electric ‘meters’ was making a horrible noise – which added to my worries. It stopped before I got the lights on so goodness knows what that is about – but tomorrow I will be checking the meter reading. With lights on I was able to go into the cellar and open the water valve. At least I should have hot water on the morrow.

I was knackered (pardon my French). Without further ado (and without washing or cleaning my teeth), I hit the futon pulling a blanket over me.