Roadtrip in Brittany

 'Where the Camions Rumble'

A quick detour from originality into driving experience. 

During a lull at work, the author impulsively took up British Leyland's invitation to, "Go turismo'' and spent a few days touring in France. Hopefully, the following notes will be (slightly) useful to anyone intending to drive a B on that side of the Channel for the first time.

British Leyland advert from c.1968

As I live in the Westcountry, the piece of France within reaching distance is Brittany. Unfortunately (or perhaps not), I didn't have time to share road space with "smoking camions" or drive to Provence, so my expedition would need to be limited to the Breton peninsular. An overnight ferry runs between Plymouth and Roscoff under the flag of the excellent Brittany Ferries. 

Ready to swap daffodils for wild garlic

The Route

The route was a modest 450 miles split into three day trips from a base at Locquirec, on the north coast. 

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Preparation and Spares

Having bought a 12-volt adapter lead for my iPhone, the first task was to work out why the cigar lighter had lost power. Removing the centre console revealed that the feed wire had fallen off, so it was a simple fix. But it took about two hours to get the console out and back in again.

Yellow headlights were compulsory in France in 1973 (and are now optional), so a pair of original Lucas beam-deflectors seemed too good to pass over when they came up on Ebay. They have elasticated clips which attach under the B's headlight rings and slots which locate into the three stubs cast into the lamp glass (I'd always wondered what they were for). 

I also took a pair of modern adhesive deflectors in case they fell off.

The spare wheel well seemed the best place to stow emergency kit. I went for the torrential approach. With a bit of tessellation, you can fit in:

Anti-squeal shims and brake pad pins - Bent coat hanger - Brake fluid - Cable ties - Carb gaskets and floats - Coil - Disposable gloves - Distributor cap - Engine oil - Exhaust bandage - Fuel pump - Fuel filter - Fan belt - Gorilla tape - Hand wipes - Heater control valve - Headtorch - HT leads - Jack - Jump leads - Jumper wire - Manual - Multimeter - Points - Paper towel - Red Hylotyte - Radiator and heater hoses - RainX - Rotor arm - Sealed beam headlight - Spark plugs - Spare bulbs - Thermostat - Thermostat housing gasket - Tow rope - Tyre pump - Wire - Work light - Warning triangle - Water - Wheel chocks - Wood for use with jack.

In addition, a tool box, socket set and first aid kit were stowed in the normal load space. A picnic blanket with one waterproof side also seemed handy for lying on to look under the car.

Obviously, having taken so much, none of it was needed.

Although not fitted specifically for this trip, the door pocket I'd fabricated was useful for holding maps and snacks within easy reach.

Not original, I know! It also hides a patch of tatty door trim. And the trim's original, so that's ok, right?

Maps and GPS

Experiments using the Google Maps app for iPhone as a GPS had mixed results. A suction cup mount for the windscreen, bought from Halfords, worked impressively well. But has to be located in the middle (flattest) part of the screen. And the phone itself needs to be permanently on charge via the lighter socket to avoid killing the battery. As I have a Bluetooth-compatible radio, audio directions can come through the radio speaker which is invaluable in a noisy car. But annoyingly the audio applies a literal English pronunciation to all French place names. (I'm surprised it didn't speak slowly and loudly too in a patronising manner.)

There are limitations to using Google Maps for navigation. Defined routes can only be plotted online in advance using a PC, as you can’t drag waypoints away from the suggested (i.e. fastest) route on the app. You then email the route to yourself and open it on the phone. All quite clunky. I found sat nav most useful in towns or for finding petrol stations and unsigned car parks. For the longer legs, it was just an aid to my old fashioned 'Post-It note stuck to dash' navigation.

Michelin's yellow maps at 1:150,00 scale (2.5 miles to the inch) are perfect for planning local trips. Scenic routes are marked with a green stripe.

Friendly locals.

Driving in France

There are lots of websites explaining the legalities of driving in France, so just a few personal observations here:

• The nationality plate rules are not enforced. So a 'GB' sticker can be used in place of the new 'UK' one if you prefer.
• In practice, the priorité à droite rule seems only to be found in towns. It's helpful to think of it as an unmarked UK mini-roundabout (saving the French taxpayer the expense of road markings or traffic lights).
• Always look both ways at junctions, to overcome the habit of only looking right when turning left.
• French drivers were generally courteous and sensible. But a minority were outrageous tailgaters. Allow the latter to go past.
• There are 20mph (30kph) speed limits in all villages. In contrast to Britain, where observance of 20 limits seems optional, they are supplemented by wide speed bumps to show they mean it.
• Fuel - lots of supermarket petrol stations are self-service. Otherwise, you pay at a booth on the way out. High-RON isn't available, so take a bottle of octane booster.
• Nothing is open on Mondays. Carry water, a baguette and some cheese at all times.
• Lots of other places, like museums, shut for two hours over lunch.

In Kergrist-Moëlou (shut).

Levier de vitesse

The tourist route down the coast from Trémazan to Lanildut has dramatic views of the Atlantic, but they were underappreciated by this driver as 3rd gear became hard to disengage, and he mentally prepared for being cheerful in the face of adversity. But the anticipated breakdown never came, so a quick route back to my hotel in Locquirec was taken.

Happily, the next day things seemed back to normal; except 3rd seemed further to the right than it used to be...

(Back in England, at the end of the trip, investigation revealed that the problem may have been due to insufficiently tightened screws around the gearstick gaiter - owing to my work on the console before going away.)

Roads

Driving the D roads in central Brittany was a joy. They're the main roads between market towns but carried a fraction of the traffic found in England (noting it was October and out of the holiday season). I went for miles without seeing another vehicle. The roads are well-maintained and exactly the sort of thing the BGT was designed for: fast, onward and sweeping. The D54 and D769 south of Roscoff deserve special mention.

The D769 near Plourin-lès-Morlaix.

On the last day of the trip, I took the B from Locquirec to Corseul, near Dinan, to see the Roman remains. A long scenic route took me through the central plateau of Brittany via the D42, D9/D28 to Callac, then the D31 to Kergrist-Moëlou, the twisty D87/D50 up a gorge to St Nicolas, the D790 to Corlay, and the Roman-straight D44 to Moncontour (one of the tourist board's quaint Petites Cités de Caractère). 

En route.

I had lunch on a bench in Montcontour, all cafés naturally being shut, and got some shots of the MG on the quiet old streets, before carrying on to Corseul.

In Moncontour (shut).

Practicality

The MGB coupé was badged and advertised as a 'Grand Tourer.' It is interesting to consider how far it deserved that status. Focusing in on the 1973 model, there are several points to be positive about. 

• Luggage capacity with the back seat folded down is excellent. Access through the huge hatchback couldn't be better. 
• Leg-room is limitless (if you're sitting in the front). 
• The engine and suspension are well suited to mildly-sporty progress on quiet A roads (Ds in France). 
• Kick out the overdrive (optional extra) with the flip switch on the dash and there's useful engine braking or torquey acceleration, as desired. 
• Cockpit cooling is good on the move thanks to the face-level vents, and the heater is warm enough for spring or autumn driving.
• There's a map pocket in the passenger footwell.
• There's a cigar lighter, which is handy for 12 volt accessories.
• There's an arm rest with a built in storage compartment, and a tray in front of the console, for small items such as sunglasses.

But, on the other pole of the metaphorical 12V battery there are negatives.

• A brake servo, hazard lights and a passenger-side wing mirror were only optional extras on the 1973 model (as 'the Safety Pack'). They were all fitted as standard in 1974. (1)
• Fog and driving lights weren't available as standard or an optional extra in 1973, and had to be fitted by your local BL dealer. (2)
• The seats are adjustable but there's no lumbar support, so curvature of the spine is a serious risk. (A folded scarf or jumper helped me.)
• Despite "built-in quietness" [link], driving above 60mph creates excessive wind and exhaust noise. Together with the seats, that promotes driver-fatigue. 
• Range is limited to approx. 225 miles by the petrol tank and fuel consumption.
• Queuing traffic on a hot day is uncomfortable. Heat radiates back from the engine bay into the footwells; and meanwhile the engine may overheat. (The more efficient 7-blade fan wasn't introduced until 1974.) (3) Keeping a bottle of water handy is wise in case you or the radiator need it.

In conclusion, there are issues with the BL advertising department's puffing the '73 model as a "true GT." Underlying them are the GT's origins as an enclosed version of the MGB roadster. Points which were acceptable in a sporty soft-top, such as seat quality, noise, engine heat, and fuel capacity are more problematic for an enclosed tourer. And while steps were taken by the factory to tackle noise and heat in the GT cabin, the seats and fuel tank were simply carried over from the roadster.

But none of that stops the car from being a lot of fun for the 21st century driver. Returning to England on the ferry, I reflected that I'd got near to tasting British Leyland's glamorous "glassbacked, fastbacked, sleek-lined grand touring world of MG."

Monte Carlo? No, Plymouth.

(1) Clausager, p.113

(2) Ibid. p.111

(3) Ibid, p.148