Maybe you're like me... The first time I drove through France I was amazed at how few people seemed to be around. It's something that, having had much more experience over there now, and in Brittany in particular - I have come to like and enjoy. It's almost like having your own 'private' road network. Often we have driven some fairly long journeys - as much as 70 miles and yet seen just a handful of cars. If you give it any thought... and you probably would if you were used to driving around over there... France has an almost identical population to UK and yet is two and a half times the size of the British Isles, therefore having at least two and a half times the road network... so quite understandable that you should bump into fewer cars... You'd think there was less chance of that happening too. Mmmmm... yes but I have seen quite a few 2CV's pointing up telegraph poles... (in fact I must have a look for that photo). More surprising, bearing all this in mind, is the fact that the French do not pay road tax! I know... quite amazing. France did have a road tax - imposed initially to pay for reparations to the roads damaged during WWII. And let's face it there must have been plenty of damage - a heck of a lot more than in dear old Blighty. Anyway, the story goes that around 6 or 7 years ago the French government announced that as they had repaired all of the roads damaged during the war (and built a good few new ones since)... they had decided that they would cease to tax road users. Can you imagine that announcement being made by Downing Street. Why there's more chance of a female Home Secretary's credit card being used to pay for porn films! What!?.... Really?... Surley not... ahh well...
Here's another thing... Those sleepy little bars that every village seems to have on it's main street or town square; how on earth do they manage to stay in business? One night, when we were having dinner at a friend's house, and having to drive back at a late hour... I asked the question about the chances of there being police presence on the road home given that we would probably see no more than three or four cars in 20 miles travelled ... The neck of the bottle was hovering over the rim of the glass. "Depends where you might be going" came the answer..."If you skirt all the towns and villages you'll be fine. If you go through the villages you will find plenty". My host went on to say that those tiny unassuming bars where one bloke might sit for most of the day with a Pastis in front of him... Well at night they heave with life from Friday through till Sunday and might not close till around 5am. Not that I disbelieved him at all but, on the way back to our place... Firstly - Micki and I had a bet about how many cars we would see travelling on the road - in either direction over our 18 mile journey. Neither of us took the prize because the total was just one! Secondly - on the final stretch, as we approached the nearest village to our house; a tiny place of less than 300 people... we diverted through the village square and were amazed to see that the 9 times out of 10 sleepy bar opposite the church was heaving and the square was jammed with parked cars. Heaven knows how the assembled crowd would be getting home because there on the edge of the mass of people and vehicles, unhidden were two police vehicles... gendarmes with side arms... just ready to pick off anyone (I mean they would 'feel their collar' - not shoot them) looking like they'd had skinful who dared to get into a car with the intention of driving.
The 'where is everyone' title wouldn't be justified without comment about the population density... It backs up the story about the wide open yet empty roads. In England there are 389 people per square kilometre. And in Brittany? Well the Bretons stay pretty well hidden by having just 111 head of population per square kilometre!
Incidentally, when talking about the 'no road tax' thing people often reply... "Ahh but they have a lot of toll roads though"! And it's true there are a fair few. And it's great that if you choose to use them you can zoom through the enormous land mass that the French enjoy. But, if you choose not to use pay roads then you'll still make good time too and be able to A. take advantage of many a roadside restaurant and B. keep an eye on that bloke in the café with his Pastis!
But... and for those thinking about buying a house in Brittany... There are no toll roads on the Brittany peninsula...The best of all worlds! There is such a small amount of traffic they are not necessary.
Happy Motoring!
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