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Report 1939: Chateaux, Rillettes, Sunflowers, Mistral and Tour de France Triumphal Finish

By Anastasia from Canada, Summer 2011

Bandol

In the morning we had our breakfast at the same place, and then we walked a last little tour before heading to the Cluny RER entrance. The person selling tickets came to open the big door for us, so we didn’t need to push our heavy suitcases through the gates, like other tourists did. Once inside, it wasn’t too bad walking with our suitcases as we didn’t need to take too many stairs. Fortunately we left earlier because as we arrived at CDG the announcement was made all RER would be delayed because of an accident. We had time to check in our luggage and walk to our gate which changed at least two times in two hours. It was important to check gate changes because we had to take the small train between terminals and some people had to run back because they didn’t previously check.

The flight was okay not too much turbulence. We departed two hours late because some passengers didn’t arrive and they had to remove their luggage. I watched three movies which were good. The meals were good. The only glitch we had when passing security was I didn’t declare our foie gras cans. The person at the desk was unhappy with this but he corrected our form after I explained twice I misread it; my intention was not hiding it. The cans are not illegal, but we could have had a fine of 800CAD because we didn’t declare, if they decided to control our suitcases. I really misread the form thinking we only needed to declare raw meat products (this was after a Gravol), but it is all meat products. Just ensure you declare all you have that they ask, because one of the colleagues got a 400CAD fine because he didn’t declare broth cubes he brought (he didn’t even suspect they had real meat in it, not just chemicals). It looks like they are checking more in depth and asking more questions. I thought they only fine if it is not permitted or exceeding the quantities specified, but they do if you just don’t declare.

We finally arrived home. Husband and son pray to return to the Dordogne and Bandol next time despite somewhat cold weather this summer.