And it is the question every English Francophile child in Dover is asking: France, somme-nous déjà-la?
Only we doubt whether improving their French is top of the prep just now.
And for those who do have any French they’re more likely to shout: bâtards Francais.
Because nothing turns you against a country more than waiting hours and hours to get into it.
Do the English hate the French?
Of course the Francophobia is there already… in spades.
With Dickens character Jacob Rees-Mogg weighing in.
Even suggesting that the French want to make life difficult for British tourists?
Pourquoi?
Now where once the favourite car game was I Spy now it’s phoning in your radio station to Bash the French.
This is a quintessentially English obsession, a neighbourly dispute which sustains both but which disrupts the hood.
Good neighbours
My own wee country of birth, Scotland, has a historical alliance with the French, the Auld Alliance.
Born out of mutual interest, to be fair, and a suspicion of the neighbour.
As is the case with those across the road, the Irish, who have often let the French in, to try to oust the English from their plot.
The mad thing though is that if the English dislike the French so much why are so many flocking to get over there.
There are, of course, a multitude of reasons why there’s such gridlock in the English ports.
And no one party is to blame.
Maybe though if it’s possible not everyone head for the coast at the same time.
And if it’s because of school holidays, well, you don’t have to go in the first week.
Camp brand new
The good news is that when you get there.
And your Stena or Brittany Ferries crossing will be smooth, comfy and good value, you’ll get a fab break.
France, particularly Nord, Normandy and Brittany are all about La Famille.
And their campsites are a long way from the basic scrub land we tried to pitch a tent in back on that post-school break to Saint-Raphael.
So the kids may ask France, somme-nous déjà-la?
But it will be worth it when you can say Enfin.