Spikecollie

Chill guys - we want storms in the atmosphere, not among ourselves! If the heat's getting to you, take a cool shower. Otherwise just relax and enjoy whatever you get...

Records have been broken here today: http://actualite.lachainemeteo.com/actualite-meteo/2016-07-19-17h52/fortes-chaleurs---records-battus-30733.php

Sorry, you are talking motorbike, I'm talking mountain bike! Way too hot for a big jacket like you're wearing...

I just go out on my bike in a vest sports top and shorts and let the wind cool my skin. Sometimes I stop at streams or waterfalls and stick my head under! It was fine yesterday evening even at 30c. It's hotter this afternoon, but I'm still off out. Just clear blue sky here in Limousin and baking sunshine - our storms seem to be forecast for tomorrow night into Thursday. I can't wait to see what happens over there

Sorry folks, hot hot hot here but no storms...

An all-nighter means staying up all night waiting for storms - not necessarily storms that go on all night! I'm not going to get anything here in Limousin either, William, but I'm happy to stay up and watch what happens on LightningMaps in the UK and northern France (perhaps). Having said that, last time storms were dismissed for here we had an absolute blitz. It'll all evolve between tomorrow and Thursday... I just don't want my hubby calling me at 03h00 on Wednesday morning in a complete panic because there are huge hailstones coming down! All is quiet for now, even in the Bay of Biscay...

Please be careful! We had a nasty event in France in August 1999, during which people died, we had to evacuate our campsite due to flooding. We were happily watching the lightning and drifted off to sleep only to be woken by a torrent flowing under our tent. You are unlikely to be "struck" in or around your tent, but be careful. Guy ropes and a good pitch will withstand pretty heavy winds...knowing that is when we just lie back and relax and enjoy the show - but do keep an eye out for any flood issues, check with the site warden if it looks uncertain. There's something about being so close to the earth in a tent, and without the constraints of a building during a storm, that is utterly amazing...

Ooohhh! I love thunderstorms when you're in a tent...

Sidney will be sucking ice cubes then! Or chilled nuts. Why am I talking about Sidney's nuts

Give the lad a break! I think I'd be wildly excited, even all these days out, if there was a possibility of amazing thunderstorms on my 18th birthday... I'm pretty enthusiastic about next week to see what happens over here, and I know I'll be like a kid in a toy shop on Thursday flying back to the UK if I get to see some CBs from aloft! However, there are some beautiful days for all of us to enjoy before then - let's stay in the moment and relish them... And why are the hottest days always work days...

Looks like a very warm few days coming up over here in France, with up to 40c forecast for Limousin by early next week before a very big bang! It'll be interesting to see what comes of this...

No offence taken! That (July 1 2015) was an amazing event to witness, but I wouldn't want too many of them... On that note, there will certainly be some heat coming up from this direction by next week, with up to 40c forecast - going to work in that will be fun! I think we could all be in for a very interesting week ahead...

I suspect, given your travel history that you will want to go beyond the "guided tour" experience. On the flight front, I would (if you haven't already) go and see your doctor and ask why this might have happened. Fainting on flights is a lot more common than most people realise (I have a friend who is an aviation health specialist) and there are lots of very simple measures you can take against it, especially if you have BP spikes, or blood sugar level issues. Always remember that a flight is a mildly hypoxic experience, and if you have cardiovascular issues, it can cause problems. I take it you are not a phobic flyer with all that entails. Don't let one bad experience put you off flying. You can get to France a lot quicker if you fly and probably for a lot less money. If you are worried that the same thing will happen again on a flight, and that is what is putting you off, then you need a different sort of help. Just enjoy your trip first. I really would opt out of the "cavern experience" and go and do something else - since you are experienced travellers. Then think about the other issues. If you get medical advice that suggests your problem will most likely not happen again, then take it and fly. If you get medical advice that suggests it could happen again, then follow the guidelines. Whatever you do, don't limit your life - if you are doing that then you need help to sort it out. Trains are great, but they can't fly over oceans... I was concerned that you would say that you had a bumpy flight - for which you could not blame VA!!!

Be careful what you wish for - we still have the dents in our car from the golf ball hail of July 1st 2015...

There's certainly going to be some nice warm air coming up from down here in France. If Météo France are right we are in for 32-33c by Tuesday, and staying the high 20s after that. Still a long way out, but they're also saying storms for Wednesday into Thursday for us. I suspect that warm air will have made it up to the UK by then, if things stay as they are in the charts/forecast. I'm flying back to the UK on Thursday and then hubby and I are taking the Eurotunnel back on Monday evening, camping the night in N. France then driving down to Limousin - would just fancy a) some storms next Wednesday night; b) some excellent cloudspotting on Thursday morning; and c) a nice warm and dry camping night! And of course, I'd really like you to have a nice big thunderstorm for your birthday

That would be lovely - natural fireworks for your 18th!

Snipper, that looks lovely. Sarlat and Rocamadour are beautiful, and having a whole day in the latter will be so nice. I haven't been to either Martel or Le Gouffre de Padirac but I am sure they will be great. The Le Gouffre de Padirac sounds like the most "guided" and "touristy" part of the whole trip - do a bit of research and see whether you might not rather skip it and go and see somewhere else - could you hire a car for the day, nice and early, and nip to Bordeaux - it's only about 2.5 hours drive. The Brive-Paris train that you will be taking is the one I take when I go to Paris and on to Dijon for work. It's not a TGV on this side of the country, but an Intercités, still a superb service but not as fast as the TGV. What on earth did Virgin Atlantic do to you, if I may ask?

What route are you taking? Where are you staying? Dordogne is a beautiful département where I have spent several holidays. I'm not sure what you meant by " Reserve judgement on how I will feel by a bit of organisation" - are you going on an organised trip? I think you'll enjoy it no matter what. Big airports during school holidays are not always a good experience, but some of the regional airports around here in France - Limoges (my local one), Brive and Poitiers are oases of calm, and very manageable. I love my trips back to the UK from Limoges to Leeds Bradfor, but I guess I've got used to negotiating and navigating Charles de Gaulle in Paris.

I have finally found the answer! My little birds are Black Redstarts - Phoenicurus ochruros. http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-black-redstart.html The adults are feeding juveniles in the garden, and one of the latter took to following me yesterday! It came onto my garden chair while I was sitting there reading, then followed me up the porch railing, until finally coming onto the mat inside the house and looking into the kitchen before flying back out, very calmly and seemingly knowing very clearly from where it had come in. All of them seem very unafraid of me and happily sit very close and come to eat while I am in the garden. When I open the door to the outbuilding they flit in and out and perch on the garden tools. The closeness is very lovely - they don't seem to get worried about my presence - and a lovely contact with nature. Apparently they are on the endangered list in the UK. I've also got a sparrow nest in the eves - the parents have been feeding the babes all day. Lots of cabbage white butterflies going in by the beak-full, so we won't complain...

I wasn't sure where to put this, so I created a new topic... http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-36735506 Poor little mites

Completely agree with Mike (above). I've never done a rail holiday but I do travel a lot by train in France and it is excellent. North - South is great, but East - West is still lacking! The TGV is so cool, I never stop loving it - hubby did it for the first time with me a few weeks ago and was watching the information display indicating the speed - 350 km/ph. Connections to the rest of the continent are excellent. You do have to watch the French strikes at the moment - we had a bit of a nightmare trip back from the south of France a few weeks ago. I've done Perpignan to Paris for work instead of flying - it was so lovely watching the countryside change. I do love flying too, but train travel is amazing in a different way. So want to do the trans-Siberian...

Looks funnel-like to me - but I'm no expert. You don't have to have a CB to have a funnel. Do you? William's comment just had to make me think of "clingons"!

Excellent cloudscapes and an even better carrot. Trust it has been munched...

It will be a year tomorrow night since my beloved Collie and I sat and watched the Aire Valley supercell. The memory makes me very emotional right now as in so many ways it was a once in a lifetime experience...

I don't know yet WW. When I get froglets and frogs I'll take some photos of them