Travel: Play it by ear

ARE THERE any French stations worth seeking out on the car radio? Anne and Les Goodwin of Fife are planning a driving holiday there this summer and are thirsty for in-car entertainment. In my experience, the only station worth finding is the long-wave broadcast of Radio 4 - but this summer, instead of The Archers, it seems we can expect nothing but Test Match Special.

My advice is to forget about the radio and take one of those 'cover to cover' audio cassette books. Some of our best driving holidays in France have been spent listening to classics such as Dickens's Hard Times on dozens of cassettes. The problem is that you get to enjoy listening to the tape more than the prospect of getting out to look at a chateau or a Gothic cathedral.