Hi there
We are going to france in a couple of weeks, and i must say nerves are kicking in now.
Does anyone know if the comfort pitches at le letty are serviced,
also do you actually carry your log book etc? i was going to copy them but everywhere i read say take them with you.
is there anywhere near roscoff to let the dog do his thing as he will have been in the van all night.
im in the middle of doing breakdown cover, I'm feeling very nervous now
any advise would be great
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I believe some or all their comfort pitches have sewer access - the campsite will confirm which pitch you have been allocated.
After an overnight crossing and a slow queue to get through Roscoff passport control your dog may well be desperate. Stop where you can in the port area and let him/her out.
Yes, take your V5 document with you in case you need it.
They expect original documents like V5 etc. not photocopies. And it needs to be shown on demand if requested by Police etc., so keep it handy, not buried deep in vehicle at bottom of a suitcase! Just keep a folder of all relevant documents somewhere easy to reach. 40 odd years of driving in France and never needed to show yet, but they can ask to see.
Not sure how exceptional our entry to France was last week, but it took us nearly 1.5 hours to get through customs/immigration check at Caen (Ouistreham) after ferry offloaded. No problems, not challenged in any way, just VERY slow queues! We were amongst the last off the ferry, and it was a busy crossing, so a lot of vehicles/people to process. But maybe need to factor in a delay before finding ideal spot for dog to 'do his thing'.
Worth taking a look at a few of the 'driving in France' advice web pages like this: https://www.theaa.com/european-breakdown-cover/driving-in-europe/driving-in-france. They give info that may not be obvious, like the reduction in speed limits in rain etc. Watch your speeds, getting quite tough on speeding these days, fixed and mobile cameras with hefty fines. Drink driving limit lower than UK, watch the morning after levels, they do routinely check if any incident involves Police.
The roads are generally very easy to drive, as traffic levels MUCH lower than UK, but speed limits do seem to be up and down every few hundred metres in some areas off major routes, and often as you cross/pass junctions. The way the French give directions/signs can be a bit 'last minute' compared to UK, so you need to be aware/or have a good sat nav, or you risk missing turns.
Always found the French people in the north to be very friendly and helpful, especially if you make a little effort to speak/understand French (my French is still 'merde' even after 50 odd years of trying to learn it, but we all laugh at my mangling of it!)
Google translate app for the phone is a godsend, can translate documents 'on the fly' via the camera, and do spoken translations both ways.
Just put all the documents you might need together in a folder and keep them handy. Try not to panic too much travelling in France is much easier than over here . I'm an hgv driver here and find driving in France a pleasure after the stresses of the British roads. Not stayed at Le Letty but have stayed in the area you will have a great time
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Is there anything particular you are nervous about or just nervous/excited in general?
We have a folder in which I keep all the passports, my driving licence, V5 and insurance documents as well as tickets. It sits in the pocket beside me when I drive so that it's all together when I check in to the ferry/chunnel and is there ready to take into the campsite office for proof of ID when we get to any site. In the days before I had a satnag I would put the direction print outs in there too.
Once we get where we're going I leave it in the car so that when we go out I have our ID with us - particularly useful to prove the age of the kids when they were younger - and because it's locked so safer than the tent.
Have you got the yellow tabards etc that you need for travel? We have one each (more than needed) and again they are in the side pockets of the car for easy access. Don't forget the UK stickers.
Have a great time.
------------- pork
Remember a good wife always helps her husband with the dishes.
Hi thanks for the reply's
Im nervous/excited yes. i don't want any miss haps as it our family holiday on the line,
My car insurance said i don't need a green card.
All my docs are on line, would you print them off?
Ill go on the link above now to have alook.
we have hi viz vest uk stickers AHC for the dog booked, covid test for our youngest booked.
Im just nervous that I'm missing something that will catch me out,
Our holiday has been postponed 2 times through covid and dont want it number 3 through something daft
------------- dont let your mind wander its far to small to be out on its own
Absolutely HARD COPY all critical documents, it's really no hassle/expense to do so. Absolutely DON'T rely on online documents/access! As told elsewhere on another post, a friend relied on NHS App for Covid status last week, and at the the critical moment of ferry check in, the App failed and he couldn't prove his Vac status, they refused to allow him to board ferry, he had to sort his App and book another later crossing at his own expense! - all for the sake of printing a hard copy!
France is a doddle, they are not out to get you or ruin your holiday, but a bit of common sense covers the protocols of visiting what is now a different bureaucratic domain. We got there and back in last couple of weeks, drove 500 miles, and had no issues at all, just make the effort to ensure every thing was in order first.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Check the details on your AHC are absolutely correct in every detail. Vets have often got things wrong - a wrong date, incorrect transfer of vaccine batch numbers, etc., and it is suprising how many people have been turned away because of it. Our vet made three errors on the first one she did for us in 2021 - and we had to give it back to her three times before it was correct in every detail.
Hi thanks for the reply's.
I'm thinking AA for my European break down cover?
or brittany ferries own? any one prefer one to the other?
How would i Know if our AHC had been filled out incorrectly?
the nerves are here now lol
------------- dont let your mind wander its far to small to be out on its own
Quote: Originally posted by firthster on 10/7/2022
Hi thanks for the reply's.
I'm thinking AA for my European break down cover?
or brittany ferries own? any one prefer one to the other?
How would i Know if our AHC had been filled out incorrectly?
the nerves are here now lol
Have you looked at Euro Breakdown.....? Prices are VERY competitive, cover also looks comparable to Red Pennant - anyone had any experience of using them?
Sorry to hi-jack!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Check all the details in the AHC are correct in every detail - description of the animal (there are legal categories), date of birth, dates of injections, etc., Check that your details are correct in every detail - our address had three different errors.
Read this and check the examples shown to make sure all the boxes are ticked, stamped, or crossed through, as the examples shown.
Took out vehicle cover only (car + caravan) as we have excellent health insurance already.
£159.50.
We had a brake failure several years ago in south of France; RP were absolutely brilliant. Rearranged our ferry home; put us in touch with a mechanic to confirm extent of the problem; arranged temporary storage of van in France and then got it recovered back to the UK a week later. We wouldn't go anywhere else after that.
------------- Glyn W.
What if the Hokey Cokey really is what it's all about....?
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: France trip
via mobile 08/7/2022 at 4:44pm
