So today I have been doing my annual checks before the family Holiday to the south of France at the end of the month

I am so glad I checked the full fat as my front prop shift looks like its about to let go the CV housing is cracked and one of the ball bearings is winking at me.

Its not making any odd sounds but it clearly won't stand up to the forth coming 2000 mile round trip

Wow and no symptoms?

No noises that I recall the car has been running well.
I would think it would vibrate at speed but as our max speed limit over here is 40 mph it rarely gets much above that.
So would only have shown its self once I was on the French toll roads in the middle of the night

some very fortunate catch there...

Yes feeling blessed that I found this, it was a little by chance the shiny chrome flashed back at me from my touch light. new parts are now ordered so should get them for the weekend.

Better than last year when my alternator packed up 24 hours before I was due to get on the boat and no one had stock on the island. I order a new one from the main dealer at 4:50 pm and it arrived the next day 10 am and it was still cheaper than the other supplier on the island who could not guarantee delivery.
So hats of to our main dealer for that