Travelling in Europe from 1st January 2021
For complete details of what is now required for travelling to an European country now the United Kingdom is no longer a member country of the European Union I do recommend that you refer to the government's website where it is very clearly set out:-
https://www.gov.uk/visit-europe-1-january-2021
In brief:
Your passport must have at least six months to run before it expires and be less than 10 years old. Very important when planning a trip.
Medical cover - a valid EHIC card can still be used except in some countries (check the official website). France is fine. If your EHIC is about to expire, or has expired you can apply for a new one which will be a GHIC. For applications refer to:-
Remember the EHIC or GHIC card can only be used for emergency medical treatment. It is not a substitute for having medical travel insurance with repatriation to the UK.
Visa - there is no visa requirement for visiting France. And If you want to stay longer than 90 days out of 180 days, then a longer stay visa can be applied for.
Driving - if you are taking your own car then you will need to carry
Food, drink, plants and plant products - there are restrictions as to what you can take into an EU country. Refer to the list detailed on the government website.
Travelling with Pets - see our Pet Friendly page and also refer to the government's website:- https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad/travelling-to-an-eu-country-or-northern-ireland
Free Mobile roaming - check with your phone operator to find out about any roaming charges you might get from 1st January 2021.The guarantee of free mobile phone roaming throughout the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway has ended.
This is a brief summary of changes, for full detailed information do refer to the government's website:- https://www.gov.uk/visit-europe-1-january-2021
Returning to GB
There are changes to the amount of alcohol and tobacco products one can bring in duty free. Refer to the government’s website where the allowances are clearly detailed:-
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/duty-free-extended-to-the-eu-from-january-2021
By Car
The most frequently asked question we get from people is, "How
long does it take to get to you?" A difficult one to answer, as it's almost
like asking , "How long is a piece of string?". For it very much depends
on from which ferry port one is coming from, how fast do you want to drive,
how many stops do you want to make and for what duration, and on what roads
do you want to travel - motorway or national roads.
Anyway, as a rule of thumb, and allowing for two short stop-overs ( with no lingering, long lunches) and averaging a reasonable speed, allow 6-8 hours.
For those people coming from Calais, Dieppe, or Le Havre we recommend that you head for Paris, followed by Orleans, Chateauroux, Vierzon, Limoges, Périgueux to La Coquille (see detailed directions from there).
From Caen, Cherbourg and St Malo, being more to the west, head in a south easterly direction towards Tours, then Chateauroux and continue as above.
Approaching Limoges coming south on the A20, take the exit marked for Perigueux. This by-passes Limoges town centre and also Aixe Sur Vienne and brings you onto the RN21 south of Aixe-sur Vienne. Continue to follow the signs for Perigueux until reaching the traffic lights at La Coquille. At these lights turn left onto the D79 marked Jumilhac Le Grand and St Priest Les Fougeres. (See detailed directions from there).
If you are coming south on the A20 and inadvertently miss the sign post for Perigueux, continue on the A20 and exit St Yrieix La Perche. (See detailed directions from there).
Note
We recommend that drivers observe speed limits, especially when driving through small villages. Speed traps are often hidden and fines are on the spot. In 2018 the speed limit on secondary two lane roads changed to 80kph. This is a difficult speed to maintain especially on so much of France’s traffic-free roads, but be careful there are speed traps and the gendarme are not always in plain view.
We also do advise that people be careful about drinking and driving. The law is just as strict in France as in the UK and one can be stopped at anytime and randomly breathalysed. Also don't be surprised if one is stopped and pulled over on a quiet country road. They are patrolled as well as the major roads.
Recommended Maps
For localised driving we recommend Michelin Maps Numbers 72 and 75.
By Air
Limoges airport is just a 40 minute drive. Ryanair (www.ryanair.co.uk) has year round flights from London Stansted, There are also flights to East Midlands, Leeds/Bradford, Bristol and Manchester, but they are seasonal, so check Ryanair’s web site for timetable details.
British Airways (www.britishairways.com) will be operating a weekly service on a Saturday from/to Southampton from 14th May 2022.
There are no direct flights from London Gatwick to Limoges.
Limoges airport has a website in English which is informative. https://www.aeroportlimoges.com/en/
Car hire is available at the airport, but we advise guests to book their car at the same time as making their airline reservation as the cars are much in demand. Car Hire at Limoges Airport - take a look at www.buggscarhire.com They are a local company offering very competitive rates and very efficient people to deal with. Or try www.rhinocarhire.com who are offering our guests up to 10% discount, quote ‘Dordogne’ for the discount.
Note: When leaving Limoges Airport it is not necessary to go into Limoges centre.
The airport is located on the west side of the city making it even more convenient
for travelling to us. A new road has been opened which by-passes Aixe sur Vienne
where there was always a bottle-neck, thus reducing the driving time to us by
some 15 minutes. Exiting the airport at the roundabout go straight ahead. Take
the first exit to the right, follow the direction Angouleme (not Limoges). Continue
until you see the first sign for Perigueux. Follow that. This will take you
onto the RN21. Continue until reaching La Coquille and at the traffic lights
turn left. (see
detailed directions from there). .
Bergerac to the south, and Poitier to the north, have regular flights from a
number of regional airports in the UK and both airports are approximately a
2 hour drive from us.
By Train
For those people wishing to journey by train, La Coquille is on main line SNCF
with connection to Limoges-Paris-London and, of course, to any other French
or European destination.
For those wishing a direct service to Lille (Eurostar) the TGV goes from Limoges and the service has a good connection with the Eurostar. This train also stops at Charles de Gaulle Airport Paris for flight connections and also at Euro - Disney. There is usually a connecting local train from either Thiviers or La Coquille (depends on the day of travel) to Limoges. But it is advisable to get to the local station ahead of departure time in case there are any problems on the line and you might have to drive to Limgoes. This has happened to us. Allow a good hour and a quarter driving time to Limoges. The driving time to Limoges is usually one hour, but allow a little extra for possible delays and getting through Limoges to Gare Benedictine. The station is sign-posted in Limoges, SNCF Gare Benedictine.
