French Motorway Services

This photo of a typical 'Ladies' WC has been sanitised via PhotoShop for those of a senstive disposition, i.e. a very tasty pudding (pre-processed) has been pasted over the processed contents of the loo. To relieve themselves, women have to be agile enough to spread and squat. Oh, and if public loos in France don't 'do' seats, they don't provide toilet paper, either. No surprise that we saw no elderly people travelling by car during our many journeys.

A service station in France is a hole in the ground (this was one of the better ones) and, if you're lucky, some picnic tables -- plus, occasionally, some fuel pumps. They are not services as we know them. I can't understand how a country of such literary and cultural prowess, haute cuisine and haute couture, etc, can be so far behind the 21st century when it comes to hygiene and plumbing. (You can imagine my difficulties, with sciatica and a bad knee! No, actually, don't try and imagine!)

Ho hum. This is definitely the downside of France. But we still had a great holiday. And it's certainly made me appreciate UK motorway service stations - even the poorer ones.