Panneaux indicateurs et GPS
English version below the pictures.
Il était une fois en 2013, Janine et moi étions dans un hameau en Normandie au milieu de prairies, de forêts et beaucoup de petites routes
allant dans toutes les directions autour des bois et des pâtures. Pour être clair, nous étions perdus et, heureusement, nous avons trouvé
une plaque indiquant les directions pour les prochaines villages aux alentours. Cette petite plaque en fonte bleue a été fixée sur le mur d’une vieille maison à un croisement de la route.
C’était une vieille plaque signalétique. Je me souviens quand j’étais jeune dans les années 1940 toutes les plaques directionnelles étaient faites sur ce modèle et fixés en hauteur

Once upon a time in 2003 Janine and I were in a hamlet in Normandy at the middle of meadows, forests and a lot of small roads going in all directions around the woods and pastures.
To be clear, we were lost and fortunately we found a plaque indicating the directions for the next surrounding villages.
This small blue cast iron plate was set up on the wall of an old house at a road crossing. That was an old nameplate.
I remember when I ‘was young in the 1940s all the directional plates were made on this model and fixed in the height
L’explication est qu’à cette époque il n’y avait presque pas d’automobiles mais des voitures à cheval et les plaques étaient installées au niveau du conducteur.
Période heureuse ! Nous avions le temps de s’arrêter et de lire attentivement la plaque et si c’était la nuit on l’éclairait avec une lampe de poche.
Aucune voiture derrière à klaxonner nerveusement. Paisible ! Quand j’ai vu cette vieille plaque J’avoue que j’étais plein de nostalgie

The explanation is that at that time there were almost no cars but carriages pulled by horse and the plates were installed at the level of the carriage driver.
Happy period! We had time to stop and look carefully at the name plate and if it was night you lighted it with a pocket lamp.
No car behind to sound nervously its horn at you : Peaceful:. When I saw this old plate I confess I was full of nostalgy.
Aujourd’hui, vous avez une multitude de signes comme ceux ci-dessous et vous ne pouvez pas ralentir suffisamment pour les lire. Vous avez juste le temps de voir qu’il y avait des signes…
….et vous demandez à votre femme ce qu’ils indiquaient . Elle n’avait pas eu non plus le temps de lire l’ ensemble d’entre eux! Ah ! stress! J’avais pris une mauvaise direction.
Et puis si vous ajoutez les panneaux publicitaires, l’enfer !
Bien sûr on peut rencontrer d’autres sortes de panneaux mais ceci est une autre histoire.

Nowadays you have have a multitude of signs like the ones above and you can not slow down enough to see them. You have just enough time to see that there were signs….
……and you ask your wife what they stated. She had no time to read the all of them ! Ah! stress! I had taken a wrong direction. And then if you add the advertising boards , the hell!
Of course we can meet other kind of signs but this is another story.
Certains ont salué les GPS comme une belle invention, plus efficace que les panneaux de signalisation.C’est vrai mais écoutez ceci:
Il y a environ 10 ans , ma femme et moi a llions chez notre fille Carole ( la duchesse ) , dans un village perdu dans les collines de la province d’Artois -Boulonnais ( nord de la France ) .
Je n’étais pas sûr des directions avec cet entrelacs de petites routes et une signalisation routière pas trop abondante. J’ai donc utilisé mon précieux GPS. ( pas de téléphone GPS à ce moment-là)
A un moment donné il me dit (un GPS parle!). Tournez à droite .. Ainsi, à la première route transversale je tourne à droite en dépit des dires de ma femme affirmant
que ce n’était pas la bonne route. En effet, c’était une sorte de petit chemin de terre serpentant et montant dans les champs. Il devint de plus en plus étroit !
Je commençais à m’inquiéter au milieu des champs. Tout d’un coup le GPS me di sur un ton triomphal ” vous êtes arrivé ” ! J’ouvrais grand les yeux et qu’est-ce que je vois en face de moi ?
Un gros tas de fumier frais ! Oui j’ai été fait. Ah ! Si j’avais pris en considération ce que ma femme me disait.
Bien sûr, ” tourner à droite ” , oui , mais sur une route pas une chemin vert !
Cela montre que le GPS est vraiment précieux, mais il ne faut pas obéir de manière aveugle et garder son sens critique .
Et d’une façon générale nous devons faire confiance et avoir la foi mais tout en exerçant l’ intelligence de l’ esprit ouvert qui nous a été donné.
Autre conclusion: toujours écouter sa femme

Lost in the fields in front of a pile of fresh manure !!! 🙂
Some people are praising the GPS like a beautiful invention , much better than the road signs . It is true but listen to this :
Ten years ago my wife and I were going to our daughter Carole ‘s ( the duchess) , in a village lost in the hills of the province of Artois-Boulonnais ( northen France),.
I was not sure of the directions with this lot of little roads , with not too much road signs .So I used my precious GPS .
Once it told me ( a GPS speaks!!! ). Turn on the right.. So, at the first cross road I turn on the right despite of the dires of my wife saying it was not the good road .
Indeed it was a small road a kind of dirt trail winding and climbing in the fields .It became narrower and narrower ! I started to worry at the middle of the fields.
All of a sudden the GPS tells me triumphantly ” you are arrived ” !!! I had the eyes wide open and what did I see in front of me ? A big pile of fresh manure . Yes I was done .
Ah! If I had taken care of what my wife was saying .
Of course “Turn on the right”, yes but on a road not a farming trail!!
This shows the GPS is really precious but you must not obey in a blind way and keep your critical sense .
And in general we have to trust and have faith but while exercising the intelligence of an open mind that was given to us
Other concluson: Always listen to your wife !:)
Ha ha ha … well done, Michel. A wonderful look at the crossroads of nostalgia and technology. Everyone has GPS stories. My wife was meeting friends 5 hours away. The GPS took her down a similar road as the one you mentioned – but she ended at a fence. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
The GPS follows its path, Frank, and sometimes takes you on unknown paths 🙂
What did your wife do to take again the good road?
She also had a set of printed directions with her … so she returned to a point that matched the printed – then followed the printed.
Yes a detailed road map is always very useful ! 🙂
Otherwise, she would have not known what to do. Besides, she is directionally challenged.
I love the story of your pile of manure! It was not what I had expected.
Buon Natale! ❤
What were you expecting , Yvonne, about a pile of manure ? 🙂
Il nous est arrivé en Pologne et roulant vers Vilnius de nous retrouver grâce au GPS… à une frontière infranchissable sans visa … Les douaniers nous ont pris alors sous la loupe, bien investigué notre véhicule, pris son #, puis laisser repartir en sens inverse. Avons ensuite trouvé une route à travers champs pour rejoindre la bonne frontière (à 2h) et sommes arrivés tard en soirée à l’hôtel en Lituanie. Bons souvenirs malgré tout 🙂
Quelle aventure gépésique ( je revendique ce mot) !Anne M. ! ❤
Très très amusant et si jamais les anglais avaient le même sagesse que toi, ‘oys ne serrions pas où nous sommes avec les négociations UE!
Tu m’as appris quelque chose au sujet des panneaux anciens. Je le demandais pourquoi ils sont toujours si haut sur les bâtiments.
J’aime bien voir ces panneaux historiques et j’aurais très fière en avoir un dur notre immeuble à Remuzat.
Nous sommes dans un temps de progrès techniques accélérés . Parfois on en est essoufflé et il semble bon de revoir des témoins du passé.
J ‘ espère que vous êtes très prudents. Et ta mère ?
Nous sommes très prudents, ne sortons que si absolument nécessaire. Maman habite toujours chez elle avec aides domicile, ,92 ans, difficultés physique et psychologique. Je visite quand j’ai le droit et je fais mon maximum l’aider.
Stephanie, I miss your blogs about your chalet in the village and the adventures of your cat. Did you close your account?
Hello there Judy, I certainly have not forgotten you, your husband, big boy cat and your sister Barbara who wrote ‘where would we be without cats?’
I got lost in the whole meltdown if Xanga. Tried to sav my posts but never retrieved them.
Our French Adventure us over, very sadly. It’s a long, complicated story.
Our dear cat Grisou got cancer and despite our best efforts we to hear m on his last journey to the vet in August 2010. I still cry about the loss.
I’m in Facebook, Stephanie Wall, I am not in WordPress
Sorry about the wrong text. Al using my phone and the keyboard is so small and the auto spell takes over so some of it comes out not as I intended! You still riding your bike, Rutrider?
A simpler time! Seems life is getting more and more complicated ! ❤️
You recall me Charlie Chaplin ‘s movie : the “modern times”, Holly! Probably this is alway true in Asia?
I was watching Chaplin on Classic Movies the other night. I had no idea how brilliant he was!
Chaplin was a genius . And he started with the dumb cinema ( without sound ). He was very inspiring .
I remember especially the Dictator about Hitler .
TCM dedicated a week
To his movies. I’d never really watched them before ( silent and all!) but I’m so impressed, he was a genius! Funny too
Yes a funny genius ( in the movies )
Yeah ❤️
lol you tell a tale well Michel, I am laughing so loud! And love your cute illustrations 🙂
I only used GPS once and it told me so many lies that I went to the car manufacturers who said it was too old, I would have to pay A$260 annually to update it. I made them disconnect it, so peace at last and I use road maps when I can find them or stop and ask for directions 🙂
It’s why, Kate, I have no GPS installed in my car but only an old device. I still use the road signs a lot! I confess I am amazed by the cell phones that are also GPS !
my phone is basic, just calls and texts … I prefer to use my laptop and that’s not possible when driving 🙂
My cell phone is like yours , Kate . I pefer using my computer ❤
leave the young ones to it!
I think yes , Kate 🙂
Tout de même, cette sorte de carte électronique et éloquente a l’immense avantage d’attirer à soi la responsabilité de l’égarement et les foudres qui s’en suivent … souvent. Elle évite souvent une discussion plus ou moins, et souvent plus que moins, envenimée entre les deux personnes du premier rang, monsieur à gauche (read right in UK) reprochant à madame à droite (read left in UK) de ne pas savoir lire une carte, ce qui est vrai, BOUM, juste ce que je disais, tandis que madame reproche à monsieur de conduire trop vite, de ne pas savoir où il se trouve et de ne pas vouloir s’arrêter pour demander son chemin, ce qui est également vrai, REBOUM, juste ce que je disais.
Beau coup de crayon, Michel !
J ‘ aime ton commentaire qui est si vrai.. et si amusant, Gilles. 🙂
Merci pour ton compliment.
“always listen to your wife” lol When ever we traveled we had maps, folded correctly of course. 🙂 Last trip we took I printed instructions from google, like GPS not always right. We still have no GPS in our car, but our travel is now to doctor’s offices.
We look alike , Bonnie however I have an old device GPS in my car.
This post proves, once again, what a highly intelligent man you are. It is a wise man who considers his wife’s opinion with an open mind.
I wonder if one of the reasons the road signs seem to flash by is because my ageing brain can’t process information as quickly as it once did, and maybe my eyes can’t read them as clearly from a distance. I think we are lucky if we have a good navigator with a map in her lap when traveling unknown roads.
WOW! What a compliment, Judy!
Yes a good navigator with a map unfolded on her(his) lap is precious .
You are right about the Highway signs not described in my post above .
GPS are not fool proof. We like satellite maps to see if roads are paved or if a route is good. Luckily I never navigate anymore so when we get lost it is not my fault.
You are wise and prudent. About the satellite map is it obtained on a device or is it a paper map ?
It’s on the phone.
Of course , on the phone. I should think of that ! 🙂
Yeah. I run a whole business from my phone.
I guess,. Those are the modern times ! 🙂
Yes. But sometimes I wish emails and calls did not come through
Too many calls and not always good news. I understand
A week ago today it was one piece of bad news after another. I really dislike daya like that.
I remember those sad news you got a week ago.
Yeah but this week has gone better.
I so enjoyed this post, Michel, with your drawings and painting! I like the old blue road signs on the sides of the buildings, carriage height.
We have gotten ourselves lost with a GPS, too. They are not foolproof!
Much love to you, Janine and the family, ❤
Lavinia
Yes the GPS is very helping but we have to keep our freedom and critical dsense, Lavinia.
Michel, love it. Yes listen to the wife when figuring out driving directions. You have such a wonderful way with words. Hope this weekend has been good for both of you. GPS, isn’t always correct, but useful at times. Love to you and Janine. ❤
On this Sunday afternoon I have posted this entry. I agree with you about the GPS., Marilyn.
Thanks to find I ” have a wonderful way with words” . I try to write a correct English with my modest knowledges
I had the pleasure of getting lost in northern France on my way from Berlin to Paris in 1983. Fortunately I kept going in the right direction and eventually found a road shown on my map and made it to Paris.
My wife is good with directions, but I trust her in Colombia more than in the US.
Berlin-Paris by car ! what a beautiful ride, Tim.
Are the roads in Colombia different of the US ones ? Alicia used to drive in Columbia of course 🙂 !
Colombian roads are less modern than those in the US. When I visited Europe in 1983, the roads in Austria reminded me of Colombia.
Alicia has never had a driver license. I taught her to drive but she doesn’t want to.
However this can be very useful in some cases.
Wonderful post Michel! I’m so glad you have your wife along to guide your way! 🙂
I understand, Nico what you mean. Thanks for this comment.
Blessings my friend! 🙂
Wonderful stories as usual Michel! Bruce and I used to get lost a lot and saw all sorts of wonders! Love to you and Janine ❤
Indeed , Nancy, to be lost allows sometimes the discovery of castles, river, little town all beauties bringing salt in the journey ❤
That’s a great story (and painting!) When my husband and I were in Florida, after our lunch we were trying to get bac to our motel. We used the GPS and ended up facing a jungle of tropical trees.
Thank you GPS to allow us to discover a strange tropical jungle . Sometimes it is good to be lost in the nature, Gail ! 🙂 ❤
La femme a toujours raison 🙂
Merci Michel de ces réflexions tellement bien présentées et amusantes !
et pour certaines historiques.
Vu cette après-midi 3 cavalières au petit trop en forêt dans le brouillard. Merveilleux !
Amitiés. AM
Les cavalières sont très souvent gracieuses . J ‘ ai une fille qui aime se promener à cheval
Lol! We have been led on a merry dance by the GPS more than once, but we have never ended up at a pile of manure!
Technology is great, but only to a point (and only if it works).
“Technology is great, but only to a point (and only if it works)” you say, Susan . So true . For example my computer at this moment! 😦 ❤
We use GPS, but I also like to have a map on my lap!
Did they take down the metal signs during the war? Or I might be thinking of Great Britain.
I don’ t remember they took down the metal signs during the war, Dian. But with the age they tend to disappear. However in some places I see new ones ( for their historic appearence) ❤
That’s a funny story. We have also been misled, sent way out of our way by GPS but the good thing is that you got on the right track again. A sense of humor is a blessing to have.
It is true that it’s a good idea to listen to your wife. She is a wise woman who makes good choices. After all, she had the wisdom to choose you!
I am praying that you are feeling better today…
Love and prayers,
votre amie,
Francoise
You are right Françoise, my wife Janine has good judgment.
As far as I’m concerned, I’m doing a little better. i have too much potassium in my blood. I am taking extra medicine! Thanks for prayers.
It always makes me nervous following GPS. I like road maps, but not practical when driving alone. GPS is handy, just use with caution!
I understand, Rachel, we have to stop to read a map when we are alone while with the GPS we continue to drive (the GPS is speaking)! ❤
Michel, Very funny, although I am sure it was no fun at the time! My daughter almost missed her plane once after GPS took us in endless circles in suburbia! What a pain. 🙂 I love your drawing, painting, and photos. Great post! Stay safe and happy, and enjoy your week! ❤
We were not in hurry and the arrival at the amount of manure while the GPS said ” you are arrived ” makes my wife and the grand childs who were behind bursting in laugh!! This misadventure is carved in our memory . Thanks Cheryl.
I like your painting and your drawing! You have many talents!\
We use our GPS frequently, but they are not infallible! Sometimes they cannot find the place you want to find. They are better than they used to be because many of them have maps that update automatically now.
You teach me , Nancy. Mine is an old device which would need to be replaced but I does not drive much now. ❤
bonsoir Michel,
ton anecdote fait sourire mais n’empêche que le gps conseillait souvent mal et puis il ne connaissait pas les travaux entrain de s’effectuer sur les routes… souvent on arrivait dans des chemins boueux
Ceci dit, on se perd très facilement en Normandie, car dans leur campagne tout se ressemble avec partout en plus des haies “brise vent”.
Mais je n’ai jamais vu des panneux de signalisation dans ce joli bleu .
bises et bonne semaine !
Pas d’anciennes plaques directionnelles métalliques en Alsace ? Ni dans la campagne ni en ville, Maidy ?
La Normandie a ses charmes , c’ est verdoyant à souhaits . Il y a la Normandie côtière et l’ intérieur . Il y a aussi la Suisse normande , très impressionnante .
Nous avons effectué un court séjour à Bellême une petite ville au Sud-Est de la Normandie , avec sa porte fortifiée . Nous y avons appris que cette ville avait été assiégée et prise par la mère de St Louis en 1200 et quelques (je crois qu’elle s’appelait Blanche de Castille )
Amitiés ❤
Michel
bonjour Michel,
oui Blanche de Castille était la mère de notre bon roi Saint-Louis !
sûrement qu’il y en avait ici aussi de ces plaques, mais je ne m’en souviens pas !
En ce qui concerne la Normandie, je parlais de la campagne où toutes les parcelles bien “carré” se ressemblent énormément et où nous avons eu du mal à nous repérer , avec en plus partout des vaches, et des pommiers !
bien amicalement !
Oui la campagne normande est très parcellisée et encadrée de petites routes au tracé imprévu.
Les alliés en 1944 ont eu bien du mal à se dépétrer de ce bocage normand , paradis des pommiers et des vaches normandes bien sûr! 🙂
If my memory serves me well right now, I think I have only tried to blindly follow a GPS once and it made me lost. So I refuse to only use the GPS. I first look at Google Map’s suggested routes, and then using classic map-reading skills I create my own route and write my own directions. That has served me very well. And I am only 31 years old, so I still use and appreciate the timeless and useful “old” skills! 🙂
I like your words : “blindly follow a GPS”, Marica.! Yes we have to organize a journey in using all of the timeless tools
Sometimes the most interesting journeys are made while “lost”! I didn’t realize that the signs used to be posted at that height for the carriage drivers. Times have changed as have the signs but your reminiscences are timeless!! I love that Janine is your navigator. I generally navigate but Sparky has difficulty listening to me and he listens even less to the GPS!
Now the things have still changed, Val : most of the time Janine is the driver. When I drive during 100 kms I become tired and tend to asleep so I stop 🙂
HAHAHAHA! This made me laugh so loud, Michel! 😀
Yes, ALWAYS listen to your wife!!! 🙂
We use GPS…but I still have maps in the car to use, too! I love maps! 🙂
We’ve all had similar adventures to this adventure you shared, Michel! 🙂 And sometimes while we’ve been “lost” we’ve seen the most wonderful things…yes more wonderful than a pile of manure! 😉 😛
You know I love your drawings and paintings!!! Thank you for sharing these two! 🙂
(((HUGS))) 🙂
People in the car were laughing like you, Carolyn.. I have to say to be in front of a pile of manure while the gps says ” you are arrived ” is funny . It was not a good advertising neither for me nor for the GPS!!!! 🙂 ❤
Blind trust leads to dead ends in all manners of ways! You are lucky it didn’t direct you into a river or over a cliff at the end of a cul-de-sac!
You make me shivering Doug with your river and your cliff. But you are right I was lucky. Yes we have to keep our critical sense!
PS: I think I fixed the links on my name … please check and let me know.
Yes, Frank, your fixed link leads us to your new blog (walking) at 12-Clouds with your text and the comments
I noticed it was somewhat narrow on your page
Thank you!
I didn’t realize those old road signs were placed high for that reason. As for GPS, I’ve read stories of truck drivers being stuck on small city streets and not being able to turn simply because they were following the directions from their GPS.
Following the GPS is good, Matt, but with critical sense . The GPS gives directions but nothing about the width of the roads !
J’aime beaucoup le dessin, la peinture, et les histoires! 🙂
Merci Alex . Je suis très heureux que ta dernière video reçoit un beau succès. C ‘est tout à fait mérité. ❤
There is nothing better than reading a map but of course everyone today uses GPS , its the voice on the GPS that can annoy you 😀 😀
Janine either don’t like the voices on the GPS, Julie . 😉
Michel, I LOVE your drawings! ❤ These old blue metal signs look such good quality and beautiful. I so agree with you, these days you don't have time to properly read road signs, for fear of some impatient people behind you beeping their car horns. Life is moving faster and faster I fear.
You are right , Marion, nowadays people become more and more in hurry and don’t take time to taste the life;
And the blue metal signs become witnesses of the past.
Love ❤
Reply
Argh… I wonder just how many of us have those GPS stories of off road adventures to tell… Though it has got me home many a time I was lost.. 🙂
Thank you for the smiles Michel, I needed to exercise my smile muscles today 🙂 ❤
I am glad Sue to make you smile . This is important in those times. ❤
Smiles are more important these days especially when so many are covered 🙏💜 so thank you.
Smiles are good when we have health worries.
🙂🤗😀
I also depend a lot on the GPS. But it annoys me when I lose internet and loose the speakers instruction.
I found it funny the way you said it. 🙂
The voice , Angy? Is it a male or female one? The area of Toronto is large with many roads so I understand you use the GPS 🙂
Très drôle ton entrée, bravo Papa !!!
Ça m’a rappelé l’enterrement de Robert où Isabelle et moi t’avions suivi en voiture et où nous avions échoué dans une décharge publique ! Les circonstances ne s’y prêtaient pas mais nous avions quand même partagé un énorme fou rire !!!
Je vous embrasse tous les deux
Véro
Ah! ces filles ! 🙂
Hello Michel.
First, I love your art work! We have bad experiences about navigators. They select incredible routes, which are longer or shooter, but not practicable to drive. They tell us: make full turn! Why, because the best way is just continuing. We have decided to check our routes in advance from Internet. We have also with us an excellent old route map in which there pointed resting place. When driving long, man needs to have some rests and specially to rest our feet.
Earlier they served for us to announce traffic cameras, but nowadays the do not due to modern technology. Those cameras can meter speed from the distance of 200-300 meters and they are nearly invisible!
Thank you. Amitié,
Matti
Yes , Matti, we have to be prudent in using those GPS and use our critical sense .
😂😂 that was so crazy. I like the older signs too Michel. I love paper maps and will use them sometimes. My GPS has taken me to a neighborhood when I was looking for the pet store. I like your designation result much better. 😂😂😂
and I like your kind comment. ❤
LOL about the GPS. I really like the paper maps and verbal directions 😉 I miss the more simple times.
You are right, Elizabeth but we have to adapt the most! 🙂
Hahaha, well said, Michel! Sometimes the GPS does lead us on rather strange paths, or gets us to our destination in a rather roundabout way.
You’re very talented with your sketches, and I enjoy looking at them as much as I do reading your posts.
It’s a pleasure to read your comment, Suzy. ❤