Having lost my father a couple of years ago, I decided to do the thing he had wished all his married life which was to have a campervan. Motherand I took the bull by the horns and bought a Hymer. We love it! I have taken my Mother out for a couple of long weekends to get the feel of it and to make a list of all the things we wish had remembered to take with us and also things which were a complete was of time. Taking tins of beans etc. to Scotland from Norfolk - don't laugh, I bet you all did once!
Anyway I have managed to get 2 weeks at the beginning of June to go over the channel and tour round France. I have done a bit of driving there before but never with a camper. We would like to get to the south coast, Nice, or somewhere like that. I'm sure many of you seasoned campers have done this many times. Is it a realistic time frame two weeks, a total of 16 days? I have made a sort of itinery travelling 200 miles or so every other day. I know this sort of thing is very much down to personal taste as to how far you travel and how long you stop in any one place. I just wondered if anyone had done a similar trip and regretted bits and loved bits and would be kind enough to share them with me.
We really are completely new to this way of holiday, but are loving it already. We don't want to plan things down to the minutest detail and guess that some places are worth staying for longer than planned and it is best to be flexible.
Any advice etc. regarding gas/water/campsites/camping in the 'wild' would be more than gratefully recieved. As would any etiquette which we should adopt to be as courteous as possible to fellow campers.
Hi, you will find France very motorhome friendly. I would suggest that you keep off the motorways if you want to get a feel for France and they can also be a bit expensive as they are mostly tolls. If you are taking gas with you make sure you have atleast one full bottle as you will not be able to refil your british bottles over there. You will find that if you take camping gaz these are widely available.
Regarding wild camping just remember you are two females on your own and if the place you are parking in doesnt feel right move on. You will however find lots of aires which are safe enough.
I love this website. Have spent hours reading other questions and picking up lots. Will definately check out the C and CC Rally in Brittany.
Bit worried about the robbery thing in Aires John, I have to say. We hadn't planned on staying overnight in Aires but hadn't thought about being robbed. I had planned on staying in quiet back lanes layby for a few stops, but having read your reply John will certainly think carefully, and at least lock us in at night and stow everything away. This is why we opted for a camper and not a caravan. Like you say tho, it makes a lot more sense to stay in a campsite and leave chairs and tables etc. out under the awning worry free.
Thanks for concern simon, but I am in fact male! Can see now reading my initial question why you might have thought otherwise tho, sorry! But it does make you think about women travelling alone (and I honestly do not mean to sound patronising when I say that). I think anyone holding up us would be making a big mistake taking on my Mother.
Will try to keep to more scenic back roads and see the real country which is why we are going there, rather than miles of lovely toll road. Just wondered if 200-300 miles every other day is a bit much. Knowing us we will find a nice village with great wine by the gallon close by and stay there for a fortnight!
Thanks again for feedback. If you can think of anything which may help, always grateful.
The amount of mileage covered is very much a personal thing, I would suggest that if you are looking to travel evry other day at 200 miles a day then just try that and see how far you get - France's non-Autoroute roads are pretty good - [though I would AR the busy bits - like right past Calais down to say Rouen. Nothing wrong with staying on Aires - just apply common sense - tho I wouldn't recommend the ones on the AutoRoutes particularly, France also has a great system of municipal campsites, which are usuall excellent value. You can also stay over in villages / towns - just give them the benefit of your local shopping.
If you're going in June I strongly recommend an ACSI discount card - http://uk.campingcard.com/ refers.
We usually head for Brittany - but with the option always open to 'follow the sun' - as for distance travelled - we've actually been known to clock up a whole 10 [yes ten] miles in 1 day. Just stay flexible and see how it goes.
France [well a lot of Europe] is great for camper vans, just chill out and enjoy.
BUT - don't expect to get fuel [excpt on Autoroutes] between Saturday lunch tome and Monday morning. Their weekends are less commercial than ours.
Make sure you have enough euros, a decent Debit card for ATMs [Nationwide Flexaccount], we also get a CCI - comes in useful see http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/cci/,
and polarity reversible hookup - [search for this topic - it goes on for pages]
'tis a great way to spend a few days - weeks - months
ps - google 'France Passion' if you like wine
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But it´s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can´t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself
Ricky Nelson
Thanks for that 'twooks'. This forum is fantastic! I am getting quite excited now and really can't wait to get going. I guess half the fun is finding out what works and what doesn't. I am beginning to count the days to when I retire and go off for months at a time - which is quite frightening since I am not 40 yet!!
Now heading to France Passion site for the wine. Is there no end to the usefullness of this site!
Just one other thing.... do I need an adaptor for my electric hook up cable to work on the continent (I told you we were complete novices - sorry!)
Hi Farrier - somewhere - I think on this site - someone has produced an idiots guide which is really good and covers all the bits. In our experience you will need a reversed plug -'cos even the sites with blue plugs can be reversed - and adjacent pitches can be different - it's because it really doesn't make any difference to them, it's our [stupid] system that is at fault. Best way to sort it is to have the reversible bit in 'blue' to go at the van end. that way you can cope with 'Euro blue' reversed and - with your 2-pin adaptor continental style. This is particularly useful when you realise that sometimes your plug can be locked into their mains. [stops you plugging in to their electric without permission]
For sites and general info see here
http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/ciweb2g-pagesjaunes/RecherchePagesJaunes.do?langue=en
err try this instead http://preview..com/2sj63e
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But it´s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can´t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself
Ricky Nelson
It depends on whether the French site has the older domestic type of site socket (ie two pins and an earth socket on the plug you put in)
OR if it has the newer and increasingly more common Euro blue type of socket.
SO what you need is one adaptor to cover the first situation that converts the old type French socket to the newer Euro blue socket and thus your existing van lead.
If when you plug in the polarity tester in the van etc you have reversed polarity you then put in your reversed lead (clearly marked) which has a blue Euro plug at one end and a blue Euro socket at the other
When confronted by the Euro socket on the site electrics follow the same procedure but without the first adaptor.!!
Oh dear, does this mean that I will need to buy new plug sockets for my van then if I decide to go to France. I have the blue socket that plugs into a British camp site stanchion and another one that plugs into my domestic mains .
How is a novice supposed to know all this stuff especially when you're a woman driving alone?
------------- Divorced woman, self employed. Children flown the nest. Pet owner. Loves walking and scenery. Recently purchased a motorhome to use as base for walks and expand my social life. Need loads of advice so help me out folks!
i have been to france for the last 2 years best part of 3 weeks at a time. we just use the A roads and stop where we want. the great thing about france and having a camper is you can just pull over and stop the night, in almost any place. laybys, car parks, any place that you think is safe. the locals like to have you stop as you spend a bit of money. use the local bar/pub/eating house. its great and you see the real france doing it that way. hope that helps.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: First Timers France Bound
