After a few years of talking about it we are finally going to camp in france and drive for the the first time abroad.
We are experienced campers and are hoping to get away by the end of this week but I just have a few questions that I wonder if anyone can help me with.
Headlight deflectors
Bought one of those stick on kits from Halfords now am I being stupid or do these stick on the outer glass case of the headlight or do you have to open it up and stick inside the somewhere? Also car manual does not agree with instruction leaflet which one should I follow?
Ferries
We are going to book the ferry on the way out hoping to go to st malo or Roscoff, the aim is to tour and come home when we get board (I much prefer winging things a little). Will it be easy to book a return ferry at short notice and will it be much dearer than booking a few days before or online?
Campsites
Just ordered the Alan rodgers book that everyone recommends and intend to book for first few nights probably to Brittany to get settled. then who knows... How easy will it be to just turn up to sites and get a pitch (the tent is 3m by 3.5m).
Where should we go
Thinking of a few days in brittany then follow our noses we quite like beaches but not really busy places any suggestions for wonderfull places you people have been heading down the SW coast.
------------- Peety
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Quote: Originally posted by peety on 03/8/2009
Campsites
Just ordered the Alan rodgers book that everyone recommends and intend to book for first few nights probably to Brittany to get settled. then who knows... How easy will it be to just turn up to sites and get a pitch (the tent is 3m by 3.5m).
In our experience it's very easy. Municipals are especially designed for this, although at peak times (weekends in high season) it pays to get there earlier in the afternoon.
Your deflectors go on the outside of the lens but unless your doing night driving I wouldn't bother, even then just dip you lights a bit more than normal.
If your ferry is in August I would book, esp at weekends, others may have better advice, I tend to do eurotunnel.
Municipal sites are great, and you can just turn up most of the time, sites near coasts/resorts will need booking in peak season unless your lucky!
Why not head off down the west coast? you never know you may end up in Spain before you know where you are!!!
Above all, just enjpy it, the french are much more camping friendly than us.
Thanks but this is the bit I just don't get, which bit is the lens the clear sover that is on the outside (the one that you wash) or do you have to open this up and do something inside - forgive my non technicall mind....
We didn't want to book return ferry as we don't know when we will be returning depends on how much of an adventure we are having.
cheers
------------- Peety
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Just stick the deflectors on the outer cover in accordance with the instructions in the pack. Unless yo are going to do a lot of driving at night anywhere will do, nobody will check.
If you are prepared to catch a ferry late evening or errly mornng then don't book.
Personally I would just head south down to La Rochelle rather than Brittany asyou will cover the same distance and have a better chance of decent weather.
Have you checked your car doesn't have a lever for swapping the lights over? my volvo does, i didn't know about it until the topic came up whilst chatting to a volvo technician, when you think most modern cars are designed for LH and RH drive so it makes sense.
As mentioned dont worry unless you doing lots of night time driving, count how many lorries going cross channel (UK and french) have beam benders, not many, if any.
Just stick the deflectors on the outer cover in accordance with the instructions in the pack. Unless yo are going to do a lot of driving at night anywhere will do, nobody will check.
If you are prepared to catch a ferry late evening or errly mornng then don't book.
Personally I would just head south down to La Rochelle rather than Brittany asyou will cover the same distance and have a better chance of decent weather.
Thanks ever so much I thought I was loosing the plot as it all seemed a bit too simple.
We are thinking of getting the ferry to brittany as it is about the same distance to portsmouth as it is to calais also thought that brittany would be a gentler introduction to the driving on the right.
Thought La Rochelle could be a possible destinations as it looks like it has the weather and nice beaches and we would also like a bit of culture so possbily even head as far down as burgandy.Got hundreds of things to do before we go though including trying to find a site for our first few nights.
Thanks for the reassurance about the ferries - there is only the two of us and we can both drive so we can be flexible about our return
------------- Peety
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
My best bit of advice for driving in France is to get a basic Euro-map satnav, if you don't have one already. We've been going to France for decades and still could get hopelessly muddled at the French habit of putting the next major city on their roadsigns even if this was a couple of hundred kilometers away, as oppposed to the next town where we wanted to go! I can honestly say that buying our very cheap satnav revolutionised our journeys in France...it's great to be able to reliably find the campsite or nearest supermarket or ATM.
I may be very anal, however, I do not like leaving anything to chance, and always book accommodation and Channel crossing well ahead.
Can't comment on ferries/cats, as I don't like them, and shall always go by Eurotunnel.
If I were to go to France, I would book my tunnel crossing as soon as the prices are available, like October for June crossings etc., as I find the prices are far lower when I booked early in the past.
As for the deflectors, they go on the outside of the headlights. Whether you can adjust your lights without the deflectors depends on your car model.
Duct tape works as deflectors if you know where to stick them, and a lot cheaper too
I have not been to France recently due to the poor exchange rate, however, I have been eyeing campsites near Carnac and Vendee. Somewhere flat with lots of cycling opportunities by searching for sites with bicycle hire service. And a decent shop and eating opportunities, as food is very important to me when I am in France, as in eating out and cooking good food. I doubt if I would be taking much food wise when I go to France, as I always bring loads back!!!
DK
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Last year we plucked up the courage to 'do France'. Packed up the truck, 4 children, 2 adults - only one driving, booked the ferry crossing from Plymouth to Roscoff, set off with the Michelin guide to campsites and a road map of France. Never booked a campsite, would sometimes phone one during the day in the area where we were, looking in the Michelin book and ask if they had une emplacement pour ce soir. We did 2,000 miles, went to the Pyrenees, Med and back through the middle - it was the best thing we have ever done. Municipal sites were just the ticket - if we didn't like them we would move on.
I would also look at downloading the campsite list from the camping cheque site, you can purchase camping cheques for around £11.40 each this covers pitch,electric and 2 persons plus dog each night, this is a great saving against sites normal prices.
The sites in the scheme state dates cheques can be used in the download, normally from the end of August or before mid July. Cheques are valid for 2 years. some sites have offers ie stay 7 nights for six cheques. Please note tourist tax is paid direct to site.
------------- Dogdorne August 13
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Finally plucked up the courage
