Still haven't been to France

It's something that I'm quite proud of actually but I keep getting badgered to go. I've been to all the countries surrounding France apart from Andorra and I've flushed the toilet on a few planes flying over France but I still haven't been.

It seems acceptable racism where the French are concerned unlike say a raving lunatic howling into a loudspeaker in a mosque to get folk to come and pray (my wrist has been well and truly slapped).

So is France as bad as I imagine?

Will my English sheepdog get burnt to death?
Will I get given the wrong directions to the local patisserie?
Will my soup get spat in by the chef in a restaurant?

Have you been to France before and can you help?

I'm also thinking of taking the caravan so any advice in how to negotiate the English Channel would be appreciated, as I'm buggered if i'm going to try and make the caravan watertight.

I'd say it's more a case of xenophobia rather than racism where the French are concerned. Any folk who eat snails, frogs and horses should be viewed with suspicion.

Everyone I have spoken to who has been to France has give it the thumbs up.

I know a few people who've gone to live in France and enjoy the lifestyle over there a lot. I get the impression things are more laid back on that side of the channel, although I've been to Paris a couple of times and the drivers do seem to be a bit mental to say the least.

Apart from the food, obviously, the aspect of French culture I'd be most concerned about is the enjoyment they seem to get from watching mime artists. What's that all about?

I haven't been either, would love to go. Paris looks terrific.

I used to go on coach holidays when I was younger to Spain and we always had to pass through france to get to spain, what I noticed then was it very expensive and we got told that Lyon was a place to steer clear of due to having one of the highest crime rates in europe.

I like France, but not always the Frogs, as they can be bloody ignorant. I don't think it because they don't like Brits, I think they just don't like anyone.

Done Euro Disney - bloody expensive too - worth spending the extra and going to Florida.

Done the booze cruises - not worth the effort now with super market prices as low as they are.

Done the tourist thing in Paris - taken around by our hosts when we played in a little competition just outside of Paris - I think everyone should see Paris once before they die.

My favourite though and one I'd very much like to do again was to visit the First World War battlefields around the Somme. Probably seems pretty odd to most but I found it a very humbling experience - may they rest in peace.

Also made a detour to see Agincourt - if you are at all patriotic, spare two minutes and watch Henry V inspire the lads who are outnumber 5 to 1 to piss all over the froggies!

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...

I'd like to go to Paris but I'm not desperate to. It doesn't look much different to London.

Given a choice between a free week in Paris or a free week by a Greek/Turkish/Portuguese/Spanish/Cypriot etc. beach, the latter would win every time.

That's why you should go to Paris even if it's just the one time - as you will probably never go otherwise.

Yes, it's like London and on the expensive side too but I've been up the Eiffel Tower, lit a candle for my dad in the Sacre Coeur (their version of St Paul's) and had a beer on the Champs Elysees.

The Mrs thinks it is quite a romantic city - Oh la la!

Been to Paris about 75/6, Beautiful City seen the sights, went on the Seine but my lasting memory was how expensive it was about 5quid for a cup of Coffee.

Another place i've been to is Venice, did the Gondola ride, didn't like Venice.

Its full of poodle shit.

Loved Venice, (very expensive), haven't been to Paris, but will go sooner or later.