DATES: 09 to 16 September 2024
My sister Alison and brother in law Steve live in Thouars, a historic town located in the Deux-Sevres department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France.
I decided that a few days rest in France would do me a bit of good, especially with all the medical goings in 2024. By an act of serendipity, my sister was in the UK at the same time, so we plotted to meet up at Bristol Airport and together fly to Nantes, the nearest sensible airport to where they live.
The challenge I gave myself was to get to Bristol Airport and back WITHOUT using my car.
By good fortune, Newport Bus had recently started a new electric bus service 72 from Cinderford down to Chepstow, where I could catch a Transport for Wales T7 bus all the way to Bristol bus station – FOR FREE !!!!!! That’s because the bus goes back into England at some point and my pensioner bus pass (sorry concessionary travel pass) issued by Gloucestershire County Council became valid ! Unfortunately, timings coming back from France didn’t work for the bus(es), so I opted to get a train back from Bristol to Gloucester and then the bus back to Cinderford. The last bit was potentially a bit “adventurous”, as there are not too many buses later in the evening into the Forest of Dean……
Then it was onto the Bristol Flyer bus down to the airport – had to pay for that one.
Following a successful rendezvous with sister dear, it was onto Mr easyJet’s finest carriage to France, to be collected at Nantes airport by Steve in his electric Renault machine.
To be honest, not a lot happened during the week, apart from domestic stuff, like food shopping. I think all concerned had been rushing around so much that it was time for a communal stop…..
We did, however, go out for a pretty decent walk around the historic part of Thouars. Here’s a few pix, down by the river Thouet.
Now for the journey back……
No problem at all getting to the airport in plenty of time. Indeed, it seemed we were being processed a bit earlier than I had expected. The self service check in machines at the Nantes easyJet check-in were a bit of fun – thank goodness there were helpers hovering to assist….
Then it all went pear-shaped as the in-coming plane had a “technical issue” and was delayed. What was frustrating was that the plane load to the same destination for the flight AFTER our flight left on time. Naturally enough the announcement to board was made at 2hrs and 59 minutes, thus avoiding having to pay delay payments, etc.
The delay obviously put my train timings completely up the spout ( it was always going to be close, but achievable – just…), but I found some sort of train (Cross Country, I think) that was going roughly in the right direction away from Temple meads. Instead of going directly to Gloucester, I had to go further up the line to Cheltenham Spa, then BACK down on a Transport for Wales local train to Gloucester. All very frustrating after the plane delay. At Cheltenham, I made a severely large raid on the chocolate vending machine…….
Knowing full well I’d likely miss the buses back to the Forest, I’d booked a room at the Premier Inn in Gloucester while waiting in France. Taxi from Gloucester Station got me there just before 1 in the morning. Thank goodness they have all night staff on duty……..
Needless to say, it was a leisurely start next morning, followed by a decent cooked breakfast, then a completely hassle-free bus journey back to Cinderford. Such fun……
Would I use the bus again to get to Bristol Airport ? Yes – as long as the timings were OK.