Issue raised by confused Gen Z hotel guest leaves thousands feeling older than ever: 'What on earth is THIS?'
The British hotel guest posted a photo of a wall plate featuring a small rectangular opening marked with the word 'Legrand' - a well-known French manufacturer of electrical fittings - and asked: 'What is this thing?'
Sharing the image with a Euro coin for scale, the confused traveller added on Reddit: 'It almost looks like the sort of thing that you slide a security chain into - but it's nowhere near the door or windows.
'I'm British and travel fairly extensively, particularly on the continent, but I don't think I've ever seen one of these before.'
To anyone born before the smartphone era, the answer was obvious: it's a landline telephone socket.
The device was once a common fixture in nearly every home, hotel room and office around the world.
But for younger generations, it's nothing short of a relic.
'Damn, that's hitting the getting old target really hard,' one user wrote.
'That's a phone socket for house phones. Not sure what the word is in English. Landline phone?'
Another joked, 'I'm feeling older every day… That was the socket used to plug landline telephones. Welcome to the 20th century.'
The socket in question is known in France as a 'prise en T' - a T-shaped telephone jack developed by the French postal and telecom service.
Similar to the UK's BT-style plug or Australia's RJ11 ports, it was designed for analog landline phones before digital and mobile technology took over.
Once a lifeline for everyday communication, landline phones have slowly fallen out of use over the past two decades, as mobile phones became more affordable and accessible.
In Australia, the shift began in earnest in the mid-2000s.
By 2010, mobile phones had already overtaken landlines as the primary form of communication.
Today, fewer than half of Australian households maintain a fixed phone line - with most of those used by older residents or for emergency services.
In 2022, data from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) showed that just 34 per cent of households still had a home phone service connected - and many of those were bundled as part of internet plans rather than used regularly.
One commenter summed up the mood best: 'It's wild to think that kids today won't even know what a dial tone sounds like. We used to trip over cords in the hallway, now you barely see a house phone anywhere.'
While telephone sockets like the one in the French hotel room are still technically functional - and may even connect to a working line in some properties - their presence today is more often decorative or leftover from another era.
As one Aussie wryly put it: 'It's official. We're old. The landline is now a museum piece.'
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39 minutes ago
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20 of the best places to go for an easy bank holiday weekend
We're a bit hard done by in the UK when it comes to public holidays. Discounting Christmas and New Year, in England we get only five freebie days every year (those of us who live north of the border in Scotland or over in Northern Ireland get one and two more respectively, but it's still remarkably stingy). Contrast that with most other European nations, whose calendars are stuffed with feast days, kings' days, saints' days, holy days and martial commemorations — any excuse for a day off, it seems —and it's hard not to feel a little shortchanged. So it's essential to make the absolute most out of the few bank holidays we do get. That's where this list comes in: 20 ideas for quick-hit adventures, both close to home and a little further afield, that are easily doable over a long weekend. Spot puffins on Lundy, spy orcas in Shetland, check out street art in Berlin or ride Switzerland's iconic mountain train. This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue Boating around the Broads is a popular bank holiday pursuit, but for something a little different, how about learning to pilot a half decker? These wooden sailing skiffs were the traditional way of getting around in the days before outboard motors and diesel engines, and they have an elegance that harks back to a simpler, quieter age. Hunter's Yard in Ludham has a fleet of half deckers and larger cabin yachts, and runs Royal Yachting Association-approved courses to teach you the boating basics and improve your skills. Since you're in the Broads, you'll want to be by the water, so try the Hotel Wroxham, six miles west of Ludham. 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Shetland Wildlife, run by the renowned naturalist and photographer Hugh Harrop, provides fantastic trips to see some of the island's wonderful wildlife, including seabirds, seals, dolphins and, if you're lucky, orcas and whales. You can book a multi-day tour, or arrange your own accommodation and just sign up for one of their daily wildlife cruises instead. Busta House Hotel has a splendidly remote location on the shoreline of Busta Voe, near the small town of Brae, 25 miles north of Lerwick. Rooms are simple, but the sea views are superb — and will whet your appetite for wildlife adventures. • Most beautiful places in Scotland• Discover our full guide to Scotland It's likely that you'll have the wild North York Moors largely to yourself while the crowds head for the Lake District and the South Downs. Take a guided hike from Helmsley to Rievaulx Abbey (above), then spend a day or two exploring the Yorkshire coastline or fossil-hunting around Whitby and Robin Hood's Bay. 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There's art galore at Museum Boijmans van Beuningen and the Kunsthal too, but like Amsterdam, this is a canal city — and seeing it from the water on a cruise is essential. Best of all, it's easy to reach thanks to the Eurostar, which runs direct in just over three hours. The luxurious — and very modern — Haven Hotel Rotterdam has views over the city's waterfront, but is also very handy for Centraal Station. • Best underrated cities in Europe• Best things to do in Rotterdam Estonia's capital has history in spades, fascinating architecture and a thriving café culture — and its old town is a pleasure to get well and truly lost in. Our advice is to take a guided tour on the first day to get your bearings, then spend the rest of the holiday exploring on your own. Don't miss the Kohtuotsa viewing platform for the best view of Tallinn's rooftop jumble. You should easily be able to find budget flights from most major UK airports. Splash out at the smart Schlossle Hotel, with a super location in the heart of the old town, and lots of antique atmosphere thanks to its 13th and 14th-century architecture. • Best Baltic cruises The peaks of Switzerland are perfect for an easy, accessible Alpine adventure. Grindelwald, overlooked by the Eiger, makes a great base: it's perfectly placed for walks around the Jungfrau, and kids will love riding the gondolas up to the mountain tops, or catching the train up to Jungfraujoch, the highest train station in Europe at 3,454m (11,332ft). The best way to get there is a flight to Zurich followed by a train ride to Grindelwald: it's doable over a long bank holiday weekend, but better if you can allow four or five days. The Romantik Hotel Schweizerhof has bags of Swiss charm, with its traditional timber architecture and epic views of Grindelwald's peaks. 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Modern Danish design (and art) is showcased at the über-stylish Hotel Skt Annae, located on the edge of the lovely harbourside neighbourbood of Nyhavn — super for dinner and late-night drinks. • Best affordable hotels in Copenhagen On the northwest coast of Wales, the island of Anglesey is within a few hours' driving distance of Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Bristol. Encircled by craggy cliffs and coves, it's super for a wild weekend away. Try sailing, surfing, coasteering, kayaking or a white-knuckle Rib ride along the coast; alternatively, go birdspotting in Breakwater Country Park, ponder the past at the castles of Beaumaris or Aberlleiniog, or explore the post-industrial moonscapes around Amlwch, once home to the world's largest copper mine. For ostentatious architecture, Château Rhianfa is the only choice. Inspired by the châteaux of the Loire, it was dreamt up by Sir John Hay-Williams, 2nd Baronet of Bodelwyddan, who created a fantasyland of turrets, battlements, gables and towers. • Best beaches in Wales If you're dead set on the Lake District, you need to choose your spot. The eastern part of the park, especially around the Eden Valley, generally stays much quieter than the busy area around Windermere. There's excellent hiking around Haweswater; a wonderful steam-powered railway in Alston; and one of the Lake District's most evocative ruins, Lowther Castle, where the restoration of the once-grand gardens is well under way. Stay at the George and Dragon in Clifton, a popular gastropub that offers smart, cosy rooms and top grub. Most produce comes from the owner's family farms and kitchen gardens at nearby Askham Hall. Read our full review of the George and Dragon Cornwall's idyllic archipelago is perfect for a last-minute getaway — and it's now possible to fly direct to the main Scilly island of St Mary's from Exeter and Newquay, which avoids the long journey down to Penzance. The islands' temperate, Gulf Stream-warmed climate means more sunshine than the mainland, so it's a good bet for some beach time. Most people base themselves on St Mary's, but the smaller island of Tresco makes a quieter alternative: bikes are the only way to get around, and the renowned Abbey Garden is right on your doorstep. The New Inn in Tresco has bags of island atmosphere, and even if you're not staying, it's a cracking spot for a pint — the sunsets over to New Grimsby are something to behold. Read our full review of the New Inn A weekend in the woods awaits at these forest cabins, which — despite their rustic location in the Forest of Dean — come with luxuries including an outdoor hot tub, underfloor heating and even wi-fi. Activities such as archery, riding, mountain biking and canoeing are all on your doorstep, making the forest ideal for a family adventure — and a yomp up to the top of Symonds Yat Rock is essential for the views. The impressive Golden Oak Treehouse occupies a secluded corner of the forest, and even has a spare bedroom reached via its own rope bridge — the kids will love it. • Best romantic breaks in the UK with a hot tub Do you have a favourite spot for a bank holiday weekend break? Please share in the comments below
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
The 21 best restaurants in Athens
From budget-friendly tavernas to dirt-cheap souvlaki joints where some of the tastiest meat you'll ever eat is wrapped in greaseproof paper, Athens is a city where you can eat well without spending a fortune (although some of the newest, hottest restaurant openings in Athens do have ambitious pricing). Locals eat late and never alone; they linger for hours over tiny tables heaped with mezze. Eating out is as much about sharing dishes, clinking glasses and people-watching as it is about seasonal ingredients served with minimal fuss. As Athens absorbs more multi-cultural communities, the food scene is becoming more exciting – you'll find Thai noodles, Middle Eastern flatbreads and Japanese ramen, as well as the ultimate Greek salad. All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best restaurants in Athens. Find out more below, or for further Athens inspiration, see our guides to the city's best hotels, nightlife and things to do. Find a restaurant by type: Best all-rounders Best for families Best for cheap eats Best for fine dining Best for walk-ins Best for views Best all-rounders Pharaoh There's an undeniable buzz at this influential game-changer on the Athens dining scene. The location on a dark and seedy Exarchia backstreet is daring; the décor is original and unexpected: a raw concrete and zinc bar, neon strip lights on exposed stone walls, stacks of firewood among the wall of vinyl. Chef Manolis Papoutsakis' wood-fired Cretan cuisine – prepared in an open kitchen that does not use any electricity or gas – is both hearty and accomplished. The simplest dishes are the standouts: roasted greens with a blob of white anthotyro cheese, whipped tarama with shavings of bottarga, sweet-and-sour chestnut stifado. And the grand finale: galaktoboureko, Greece's version of the custard tart. Served warm, it's a wobbly, syrupy delight. Pharaoh doesn't quite know whether it's a bar or a restaurant (the acoustics aren't great and the fun, genre-bending records, selected by a DJ behind the bar, can sometimes drown out conversation). But as the night wears on, and more natural wines and expertly poured cocktails are downed, it feels like you're at the coolest house party in town.
