"Mais on va où" ? C'est bizarre comme ces mots "on va où" prennent une toute autre dimension en quelques secondes.
"Prenez vos affaires et allez au village".
Je rentre à la maison. Mes enfants ont déjà préparé leurs sacs, "jai pris tous mes souvenirs" me dit ma fille. Je les regarde faire, porter des sacs dans la voiture. Mon fils me remue . "Tu emmènes quoi?" Je n'en sais rien, oui, les papiers de la maison, les documents, les albums photos. Mon amie m'appelle, le feu est encore plus prêt de chez elle, elle m'ammène les chevaux. Instant de panique, mon mari ouvre les tuyaux d'eau, le feu semble pourtant encore loin et pourtant des flammiches arrivent, en même temps, mon fils dirige ma copine et les chevaux à l'aide d'une lampe électrique.
Il fait nuit noire, sur la colline, du feu, vision d'apocalypse.
"Qu'est ce qu'on fait Maman, on y va ?"
Je regarde encore le coffre de la voiture, plein à craquer : mais c'est toute ma vie qui tiendrait dans ce coffre ?
On a attendu toute la nuit, le feu semble se calmer ce matin. Notre maison semble sauvée.
Je pense à tous ces gens qui ont eu les mêmes gestes que nous. Ils ont dû quitter leur maison. Et lorsqu'ils vont revenir chez eux, ils n'auront plus rien. Rien qu'un coffre rempli de toute une vie.
😕 avec tristesse je réponds et tente de t'apporter mon soutien ...
Toute une vie dans une caisse ...
L'empressement de sauver les vies avant tout (des gens qu'on aime, la nôtre, celle de nos animaux), ensuite ... les papiers (la preuve de notre identité ...celle qui indique que nous existons encore même si on a tout perdu) ...les photos (tant de souvenirs qui ont fait notre vie jusque là ...) ...Le feu, les cyclones, les innondations et bien d'autres forces de la nature qui se déchaînent devant nous ...impuissants ...
petits, désemparrés, impuissants nous sommes ...
tout mon soutien "aussi maigre soit-il" à toi et ta famille ...et à ceux qui ont perdu plus, tout perdu.
Bonjour Simba et merci! mon mail n'a pas trop à voir avec les voyages, mais on est sous une tension telle que ça fait du bien de se détendre en disant ce qu'on ressent. Nous vivons tous dans le coin des moments éprouvants, on scrute le ciel sans arrêt. Nous sommes effectivement impuissants devant ce feu qui détruit tout le Var. Aujourd'hui risque d'être encore très dur, le mistral se lève.
Tu sais, ce qui est le plus horrible, c'est l'égoïsme qui nous envahit : si le feu part à gauche, on se dit : "ouf, il s'éloigne de nous", mais à gauche, il y a plein d'autres habitants qui vivent l'enfer et doivent se dire "pourvu qu'il reparte sur la droite". On en est là !
Je m'excuse de t'avoir importuné avec mes questions futiles par rapport à ce qui se passe autour de chez toi... Ayant une maison de famille dans la région de Brignole, je ne peux qu'imaginer ces différents dilèmnes qui doivent t'envahir. Je me réjouis de te lire.
Je te souhaite à toi et tes proches de ne pas avoir à souffrir de quelques pertes que ce soit. Je suis désolé pour les autres. Mais il est vrai que l'on devient égoiste devant une catastrophe.
Toute une vie dans une caisse ou dans un coffre ! !
Pour d’autres raisons je comprends ce que tu as ressentie, un autre « cataclysme » m’oblige a faire la même chose. 30 ans dans des cartons.
Nous sommes loin des voyages, mais je pense a cette région meurtrie, tous ces sites que je connais parfaitement pour y avoir laissé mon bateau plusieurs années.
Bon courage a vous, la nature reprendra ses droits.
Hello, Mais de rien ...c'est tout naturel et hûmain de s'inquièter pour les autres, ceux qui se trouvent à un moment donné dans une situation plus que délicate ...et que tu as eu le besoin de l'exprimer, c'est très sain.
Egoïsme ...Je sais pas ...instinct de survie certainement ...
De la haut (du Nord) ...je t'apporte avec force ...mon modeste soutien ...Et chapeau bas à ces Grands Messieurs que sont les pompiers!
En fait, c'est quand même une sorte de voyage, mais de ceux que l'on se dit sans retour, avec juste le temps de prendre ce qu'il nous semble le plus important dans une valise prise au hasard ou ....un coffre de voiture....
Adieu à nos souvenirs peut être, c'est l'angoisse totale, va t-on revenir ou partir définitivement.....et dire qu'en d'autre temps on s'angoisse pour des conneries futiles...et dire qu'il m'a fallu attendre aujourdh'ui pour voir inscrit ici ton angoisse.....je m'en veux un peu là même si je pensais à toi et ta famille, mais y a pas à dire tant que l'on est pas véritablement concerné, on se rend pas vraiment compte de ce peuvent endurer les gens, même ceux pour qui on a l'amitié....
Je t'embrasse toi et tes proches avec beaucoup de tendresse....et me dit que la vie parfois est quand même quelquechose de difficile à supporter...
😊 Un grand merci à vous tous pour vos messages, j'en suis toute retournée!!! Je n'aurais jamais cru qu'il me serait possible d'évacuer un peu mon stress grâce au forum et à vous tous!!! Bisous Sandrine
Il y a quelque année de ca déjà une énorme inondation a ravager tout une partie de ma région natale.... Ma maison d'enfance a été inondé, mon jardin d'enfant est partie quelques part dans la profondeur des mers et j'en passe...J'étais loin de la maison a ce moment mais je me souvient tres bien les 48 heures d'angoisse ou j'étais sans nouvelle de ma famille....de mes proches c'étais pas tres cool...
Je compatis avec toi et tout ceux qui vivent l'angoisse....Ca doit etre vraiment pas facile.
Que le vent te pousse en avant, que le soleil illumine ton visage, que le vent du destin te pousse à danser avec les étoiles.... THE BLOW pour laisser la place à ses rêves!!!!
C'est incroyable comme tu a pu faire passer ton vecu dans ton message...
Il y a de la graine de romancière la dedans (je ne veux pas dire par là que tu inventes!)... tu devrait y penser sérieusement une fois la situation rentrée dans l'ordre
Tu as eut de la chance de ne rien perdre. Un habitant des collines du Var devrait etre pret à plier bagage "à moindre perte sentimentale", à chaque instant et ce tout l'été.
Mon père a habité puget et j'ai vécu le feu près des habitation il y a près de 18 ans maintenant.
J'ai habité en zone inondable, régulièrement innondé, rarement des morts mais (autour de moi) le même déchirement devant la dévastation de son chez soi
La plupart des habitants de ces zones sont insouciants et ne prennent aucune disposition préalable, n'ont pas de plan d'évacuation... il y a pourtant des solutione et précautions simple adaptées chaque danger "permanent"
POur ne plus devoir mettre ta vie dans un coffre de voiture, prépare la prochaine évacuation... creuse une cave sous ton jardin pour tes souvenirs et valeurs, ... où place les dans la familles
Ne te laisse plus guider par les évènements (autant que faire se peut)
Courage pour la suite
Quand au pyromanes... ne devrait-on pas les jugé pour tentative de meutre ou homicide volontaire!
Bonjour à toutes et à tous🙂🙂,
MERCI à tous les voyageurs, voyageuses qui nous ont envoyé des cartes cette année, mes élèves commencent à être calés en géographie !!!!!!!! Je réitère mon appel à votre gentillesse !! Cette année nous travaillons aussi sur l'alimentation. Si vos cartes pouvez nous faire saliver avec les différents mets locaux, plats traditionnels, recettes typiques !!! ça serait chouette !!
Voici ci-dessous un résumé du projet :
Je m'adresse à l'ensemble des voyageurs, globe-trotters de ce forum. Je suis enseignant en Creuse dans un dispositif ULIS (qui accueille au sein d'une école ordinaire, des enfants de 6 à 12 ans en situation de handicap). Cette année, je débute un projet de journal d'école (qui impliquerait les enfants sur de nombreux sujets. Dans ce journal, une grande partie serait consacrée à l'ouverture sur le monde, la différence, le voyage, les pays du monde, la culture...
Je lance un appel pour inviter le maximum d'entre vous à nous envoyer une petite carte postale (de France, du monde entier...) ! Pour nous faire voyager mais aussi nous amener à découvrir de nouveaux lieux, pays, de nouveaux horizons, nous questionner... de manière beaucoup plus ludique et passionnante qu'avec un simple manuel de géographie ! Une rubrique de notre journal pourrait s'appeler "Nous avons reçu un courrier de/du "LIEU" et serait l'occasion de rechercher des informations sur ce lieu et d'en informer nos lecteurs (un travail très riche en classe).
Le projet débute en septembre 2025 mais n'a pas vraiment de date de clôture, en effet ce projet de journal et de découverte du monde va s'étaler sur plusieurs années scolaires (les enfants restant plusieurs années dans mon dispositif ULIS). Les cartes peuvent donc nous être envoyées tout au long de l'année, des saisons, même pendant les vacances ! (Les enfants les retrouveront à leur retour).
J'espère que cette initiative séduira un maximum d'entre vous et que vous n'hésiterez pas à en parler à vos nombreux amis voyageurs. Faîtes nous rêver, faites-nous voyager !!!
Pour ceux qui veulent nous écrire autrement qu’en français, ce n’est pas un problème, au contraire !!
Je vous remercie par avance pour votre (vos) participation(s) ! Voici ci-dessous notre adresse. N'hésitez pas, si vous souhaitez être recontactés en retour, à nous laisser votre adresse sur un coin de la carte postale ! 😊
Les élèves du dispositif ULIS
Ecole élémentaire de Bonnat
12 rue Georges Sand
23220 BONNAT
Merci à vous et à très vite j'espère ! 😉
Julien
Many of us have noticed that bugs have been making it difficult to navigate the forum lately.
I’ll let Kate and Ticapi explain the issue:
I went to your profile to check out the Thailand travel journal, and when I clicked on it, it brought me back here again. All week, I’ve been dealing with bugs like this—it’s really discouraging from continuing on VF.🙁
I had the same thing happen, and multiple times. For me, it was Montagnard’s latest journal that kept coming up no matter which discussion I clicked on.
BOLIVIA: THE COUNTRY ON THE BRINK (What's Really Happening)
A dramatic saga is unfolding before our eyes in the Andes. Between suffocating blockades, clashes, an international airlift, and historic political decisions, Bolivia has just experienced 48 hours of rare intensity.
Here’s the full breakdown (economic, social, and political) of the last 48 hours:
For travelers and tourists: the article also includes an important note about the upcoming publication (starting tomorrow) of the precise status of roadblocks, route by route.
I’ll post the full update here on Voyage Forum!
Don’t miss this in-depth analysis. History is being written before our eyes! https://www.petitherge.com/bolivie-paralysie-et-ultimatum
I just discovered a great show on Arte.
It's called "7 en route": seven young European journalists travel around Europe in a fully converted bus, making reports on every city they visit. It's amazing! 🙂
Yesterday, for example, they were in Rome, Italy, and the reports included things like the world's smallest restaurant—a super romantic spot for two. There was also a report on the king of paparazzi in Italy.
They have to pick topics that let us discover the little quirks of each country. And at the end of each episode, we get to see the finished report.
It's such a great show, mixing journalism, travel, and discovery—basically, a must-watch!
It airs in the evening starting at 6:50 PM (I think), and it started this past Monday, July 14th.
If you watch it, let me know—we can chat about it!
I left my heart’s country eight days ago and returned to my adopted one—or was it the other way around? Scotland-Morvan, Morvan-Scotland, I’m not quite sure anymore.
After a quarter without dragging my slippers around here, even though I’d loudly declared I had no interest left in this site, here I am again!
My imagination never stays fallow for long. Just enough time for my inner land to rest. It gets overgrown with fresh nettles, the kind you can pick without getting stung. Then, it’s time to till the fragrant earth and let the story grow.
I hesitated over where to set this story.
Maybe the Highlands, maybe the Hebrides, maybe the Orkney Islands, maybe the Shetland Islands. All of Scotland is myth—easy to embroider.
But in the end, no. I’d almost be too afraid to bare my soul.
The story will take place at home. Simple, practical.
1)
This morning, I was up well before dawn, feeling a bit grumpy, but nothing a bowl of coffee won’t fix. I love my bowl, and no one dares take it. It’s porcelain, edged with intertwined blue flowers. On the bottom, it says "Revol." The factory has existed long before the Revolution. It was my great-grandmother’s bowl. She drank roasted barley from it during the war, then her Leroux chicory.
Last year, a little guy dropped it. My bowl broke into three pieces. A black anger vibrated deep inside me. The little boy was so upset, on the verge of tears. How could I scold him!
I picked up the three pieces and took Little Boy in my arms. His hair smelled of the light, sweet sweat of toddlers. A gentle hug that healed—his budding sorrow and my anger—everything vanished, and time carried on.
Today, my bowl is even prettier. Man fixed it using the traditional kintsugi technique, except he didn’t use gold powder or lacquer but superglue, and he delicately painted the cracks with woad blue. And my bowl is even more beautiful now.
I’m lingering, I can tell—it’s just that a story wraps itself in life, and life can’t be told in the snap of a finger. Life is long. Like in architecture, you start with a rough sketch, called a "sous-cul" (the initial pencil drawing), then you make a tracing, which is the work itself, the one you later carefully roll up in a wooden tube.
Life is like that: you erase, you start over, you use the nub of the pencil until it’s tiny, but you keep going—dreaming, loving.
"Living is a full-time occupation, a unique adventure. Always a surprise and a wonder, which sometimes turns into astonishment. And, from time to time, happiness."*
Alright, enough digressing—this introduction is definitely too long.
Tomorrow, I’ll get to the heart of the matter.
(I hate that expression; it feels like I’m cutting into someone’s skin.)
I’m Yann, a 28-year-old TikToker who loves traveling!
Since I’ve been to several destinations, I’d love to get a flag from each one as a sort of trophy. But from what I’ve seen online, a lot of sites sell them with what looks like really poor quality...
So I’m reaching out to you all to share a site you usually use—help me start my collection! :)
hi there
I’d love to get some opinions—I’ve never used Airbnb before.
They’re offering a key handover via lockbox.
Any tips or advice?
Is it reliable?
Best,
Hi there, I’m Laura, and I’m looking for a few people to answer some questions so I can understand your travel wishes and challenges. It won’t take long—I can chat here, by email, or by phone. Don’t worry, I’m not selling anything! 😊
On this forum, we talk a lot about trekking in the Himalayas, but I’d love to share another side of Nepal: its spiritual, cultural, and religious atmosphere, especially in Kathmandu.
Nepal, much like Tibet and Bhutan, is deeply connected to the Himalayas—the ultimate sacred mountain range. This small country exudes a calming vibe, shaped by a strong spiritual dimension. What I loved most was the unique sensory experience you get there. Walking around temples and tantric monasteries, a distinct scent fills the air—aromatic plants used for ritual fumigation. Locals mainly burn Himalayan juniper, cedar, sandalwood, and other local essences. This fragrant smoke is a way to purify the space and reach the deities, and you’re constantly enveloped in these aromas.
Another striking aspect is the sound. As soon as you step outside, you hear bells ringing in front of temples. People ring them three times before praying to announce their presence to the deities. Nepal is also the birthplace of singing bowls and sound meditation practices. In Kathmandu, you can easily find meditation sessions or "sound baths."
The spiritual dimension is everywhere: a Hindu sadhu practicing asceticism, a lama in deep red robes with his mala, turning a prayer wheel while murmuring "Om mani padme hum." Newar Buddhism, Tantrism, and Hinduism coexist harmoniously in daily life.
For those who love exploring a destination through its culture and spirituality, Nepal is an unforgettable place. What was your spiritual experience in Nepal like?
Hi,
I’m landing in Quebec and then heading to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. I’d like to rent a pick-up. My question is: does this vehicle come with a cover and is it secure enough to store luggage in? I’ve heard two conflicting opinions. Thanks
I just installed the Maps.Me app on my phone. I only recently found out about this app. I’m traveling in 2 weeks and a few days, and I’m a bit stuck on how to use it.
I’m from the Montreal (Quebec) area, and I’d love to know if there’s a kind soul out there who could help me get started and use the app at least minimally.
If there are private lessons available, I’d be interested in those too.
Like many others, I’m overjoyed to hear that VoyageForum is reopening! I’ve been waiting hopefully for this, and it’s wonderful that it’s finally happening!
I just couldn’t bring myself to actively participate in other French-language travel forums—their format and way of doing things never appealed to me as much. I really hope that VF’s structure, categories, and interface won’t change too much despite the handover, because I’m very attached to them. Through thick and thin, the site has held strong—it’s amazing!
In a previous message, François mentioned that there were positions to fill ahead of the reopening, including moderators...
I’ve been eagerly waiting for this and hoping to send in my CV.
Now, after reading the latest message, it seems like the team is already fully formed. But are there still a few spots left to fill?
I’ve been a VF member for 20 years (since 2004). I’d love to contribute to this wonderful adventure as a moderator if VF would trust me with the role. If the team is open to reviewing it, I’m ready to send my CV. Could you let me know the next steps?
I’m planning a 3-week trip to Japan in May with Voyage Privé. The package includes a 5 GB eSIM, but my phone isn’t new enough to support it. VP told me I could buy a SIM card when I arrive at the airport.
Sure enough, I’ve seen online that this is possible with different providers.
I only need it for checking routes, looking up addresses, train schedules, etc.—basically using Google Maps, TripAdvisor, and similar apps. No heavy downloads or major internet use. All hotels should provide free Wi-Fi for that, right?
Has anyone got any tips for me on this? What have you tried, and how much did it cost?
Thanks for your help!
I’d like to know if you can buy reef-safe sunscreen sprays at 7-Eleven. If so, how much do they cost? We’re traveling with backpacks, so we’ll either buy 100ml here or in Thailand.
I wanted to share a really unpleasant experience from our last trip booked with Promoséjours and organized by FTI.
We booked an 8-day/7-night stay in Egypt, from June 8 to 15.
The flight initially scheduled was changed a week before departure to take off at 10 PM from Paris CDG.
In the end, it took off with a 1-hour delay and included an unmentioned stopover in Marsa Alam.
We landed in Hurghada at 4 AM and arrived at the hotel at 6 AM.
So, we spent our first night on the plane.
For the return trip, surprise—the flight was moved up. We left the hotel at 10:30 PM on Friday the 14th to take off at 2 AM and land at 7 AM at Paris CDG.
So, we spent our last night on the plane too.
After sending a complaint letter to Promoséjours / FTI, they replied that the first and last days can be dedicated to transport (which I already knew) and that no matter how many nights you book, you’re not guaranteed to spend them in the hotel—it could just as well be on the plane.
I’m really questioning this.
Isn’t there a law that protects customers in cases like this?
Because when I do the math, the first and part of the second day were spent on transport, same for the second-to-last and last day. And I paid for 7 nights for a stay that only lasted 5.
Anyway, I just want to say thanks to them—thanks to their two sleepless nights in transit, I’m coming back even more exhausted from a trip that was supposed to be restful!
I also want to warn anyone booking through this agency about visas for Egypt.
At booking, they told me the visa was included in the price, then they sent me an email saying I’d have to pay for it on-site at 25 €.
Once there, we were directed to a special line for FTI customers, and guess what? They charged us 30 €!
Basically, they’re great at making sure you *enjoy* your vacation—mostly by enjoying your wallet!
If anyone has dealt with this kind of situation and won their case, I’m all ears.
Hi there!
I’m heading to Thailand for two months.
So I thought I’d get a Thai SIM card to use Google Maps for getting around cities, mostly.
Here’s my question: will this SIM affect my apps? Or will they work the same as with my Orange SIM?
Is there any setup I need to do, or can I just pop in the Thai SIM?
I’d also like to switch back to my Orange SIM now and then while I’m in Thailand—on the same phone. Will I need to reset the phone, or will it reconnect without any issues?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Best,
Huiclos
Hi, I’d like to know where we can buy beer or wine in Chefchaouen and around Merzouga. We’ll be doing a circuit and staying at the Parador Hotel in Chefchaouen and in a bivouac in Merzouga.
Thanks for any info you can share!
Hello everyone,
I’m reaching out to all travelers and globe-trotters on this forum. I’m a teacher in Creuse working in a ULIS program (which welcomes children aged 6 to 12 with disabilities into a mainstream school). This year, I’m launching a school journal project that will involve the kids in many different topics. A big part of this journal will focus on opening up to the world, embracing differences, travel, global cultures, and more.
I’m putting out a call to invite as many of you as possible to send us a postcard (from France or anywhere in the world)! The goal is to help us "travel" and discover new places, countries, and horizons in a way that’s much more fun and exciting than a geography textbook. One section of our journal could be called "We received a letter from ," where we’d research the location and share what we learn with our readers—a really enriching activity for the classroom.
The project starts in September 2025 but doesn’t have a strict end date, since this journal and world-discovery initiative will span several school years (the kids stay in the ULIS program for multiple years). Postcards can be sent anytime—throughout the year, across seasons, even during holidays! The kids will find them when they return.
I hope this idea appeals to as many of you as possible, and that you’ll spread the word to your fellow travelers. Help us dream and explore!
For those who’d like to write to us in a language other than French, no problem—quite the opposite!
Thank you in advance for your participation! Below is our address. If you’d like us to write back, feel free to leave your address on a corner of the postcard! 😊
ULIS program students
Bonnat Elementary School
12 rue Georges Sand
23220 BONNAT
Thank you, and I hope to hear from you soon! 😊
Julien
🙂
Hi there! I have to leave Ivato/Antananarivo on December 16th. I have a lot of ariary that I’d like to exchange for euros since I might not be coming back to Madagascar (after this 21st trip). I think the exchange office at Ivato also buys ariary back. If any of you have seen the rate for this buyback in advance, thanks a million!
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for a website that would let me plot my travel route in advance so I can print it out. The idea is to create a map with a little “me” on a bike that my parents can move along as I progress, since I’m planning to cycle all the way to Nepal.
If any of you have done something similar or know of a good tool, I’d love to hear your tips!
Thanks in advance! 😊
I'm looking to buy an ultra-lightweight 50/55L travel backpack with a suitcase or front opening.
Does anyone have any brand and/or model recommendations?
Thanks,
Emma
Hello. We’re a retired couple heading to Sri Lanka from January to March. After the November floods, I’d like to know if we can offer hands-on help to the locals, maybe pack some clothes or other items people might need in our luggage, and who we could give them to. Thanks for any info from those on the ground.
Be careful when sailing between Somalia and northern Madagascar.
It appears to be Somali pirates who have widened their search in the Mozambique Channel, far from their usual attack zone, since, to my knowledge, there are no Malagasy pirates.
Not sure if this is the right section, but just wanted to warn future travelers...
Where’s Cape Vidal?
It’s in iSimangaliso, an independent park in KZN Wildlife, stunning and just a stone’s throw from St Lucia (KwaZulu-Natal, Maputaland).
It’s the beach spot at the end of the Eastern Shores road. You can swim, fish... but watch out for waves, currents, and sharks...
There’s a really nice game drive where you can get out of your car at certain points, especially at Cape Vidal.
That’s where the camp with bungalows and campsites is.
The vervets and samango monkeys (endemic to the area, and the males are pretty big) can be a bit of a nuisance if you’re trying to braai...
They’re super persistent and not shy at all—don’t let them intimidate you, and stay alert because their speed at snatching food is impressive.
Anyway...
I’m reporting two recent attacks by these hyenas... who were *not* in a playful mood...
The first one happened at night—a hyena tried to bite a camper’s nose off in their tent... and succeeded.
The other night, a camper returning to their tent in the early hours was violently attacked by two hyenas... and they had a close call!
So, if you’re camping there, be careful...
Measures are being taken, but for now, it’s a bit risky.
A white rental Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 carrying foreign tourists was attacked at the entrance of Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park in the village of Bekopaka, western Madagascar, yesterday. So far, there’s been no response from the central government to curb these repeated armed attacks—usually between Malagasy people, but this time targeting foreign tourists.
