J
jerrythegerman
VIP Member
- Messages
- 64
- Location
- Lymm, Cheshire
No, not a April food (that was yesterday) but I just posted on this about a fly screen and thought this may be usefull info.
Nothing new to France goers I'm sure but we got caught out last year.
We went to Ile de rae (fantastic place I must add) and stayed at Camp interlude (again, smashing place)..
Its a island off the coast of La Rochelle and is bascially a cyclist and Ice cream lovers paradise. It's where the Paris elite go on holiday apparently but whatever, its very nice.
We went in late June due to my wifes work commitments and took the then approaching, 2 year old.
So, in the past the local goverment had treated the tree's to prevent the mass infestation of these rascels but then stoped in 2010 and they seemed not to return in great numbers. But oh boy did they in 2011.
Its a little green hairy critter about 1 inch long and does about 0.1 MPH!! They have hair's that at certain point in its life, is disguards and its these that cause the fun.
If they land on your skin and you are affected with them, the itching begins, then your uncrontrollable scratching, then the infection, then more itching, scratching..you get the idea.
Treatable with the usual piriton but you also have to have a anti biotic (from the doctors), keep out of the sun, keep cool (they had a heat wave at that point!) and stay away from the hairs (you cant even see them without a magnifiying glass).
Not sure how you can avoid them other than missing that period of time, though the local goverment were looking at going back to treating the tree's again! Just check, that's all I'm saying.
They have been reported all over France (and the odd case in England) but the Vendee area is their holiday home apparenetly.
It does not affect all people, both my wife and I were but thankfully our little one was not. Worse case can bring on a anopholaptic shock (think I spelt that right) but that's extreme.
Don't let it put you off the area or the site though. I'd go back again. Simply didnt move the camper for a couple of weeks and cycled the ice cream off everywhere. Lovely beaches and I can spend all day watching the boat's in the harbour (given the chance!!)
Nothing new to France goers I'm sure but we got caught out last year.
We went to Ile de rae (fantastic place I must add) and stayed at Camp interlude (again, smashing place)..
Its a island off the coast of La Rochelle and is bascially a cyclist and Ice cream lovers paradise. It's where the Paris elite go on holiday apparently but whatever, its very nice.
We went in late June due to my wifes work commitments and took the then approaching, 2 year old.
So, in the past the local goverment had treated the tree's to prevent the mass infestation of these rascels but then stoped in 2010 and they seemed not to return in great numbers. But oh boy did they in 2011.
Its a little green hairy critter about 1 inch long and does about 0.1 MPH!! They have hair's that at certain point in its life, is disguards and its these that cause the fun.
If they land on your skin and you are affected with them, the itching begins, then your uncrontrollable scratching, then the infection, then more itching, scratching..you get the idea.
Treatable with the usual piriton but you also have to have a anti biotic (from the doctors), keep out of the sun, keep cool (they had a heat wave at that point!) and stay away from the hairs (you cant even see them without a magnifiying glass).
Not sure how you can avoid them other than missing that period of time, though the local goverment were looking at going back to treating the tree's again! Just check, that's all I'm saying.
They have been reported all over France (and the odd case in England) but the Vendee area is their holiday home apparenetly.
It does not affect all people, both my wife and I were but thankfully our little one was not. Worse case can bring on a anopholaptic shock (think I spelt that right) but that's extreme.
Don't let it put you off the area or the site though. I'd go back again. Simply didnt move the camper for a couple of weeks and cycled the ice cream off everywhere. Lovely beaches and I can spend all day watching the boat's in the harbour (given the chance!!)
