French Essentials (1 Viewer)

Jul 24, 2010
535
4,142
Planet Earth (I think)
Funster No
12,812
MH
A Class
Exp
not long enough
Back in December I requested advice regarding my first trip to France in the van. The plan was to visit in April. I ended up in Scotland instead, must have taken a wrong turn at M1 J21! . A really fabulous three weeks, fantastic weather and too early for the midges! First time away with the solar panel (what a wonderful piece of kit), first time with the camos dome and first time wild camping :Blush:....but thats a story for another thread!
May was Suffolk and once again, fantastic weather and the tan hasn't faded yet. June is North Cornwall and, eventually, July and August will be France. Soooo excited!!!
Now, thanks to Wivvys dad, Jaydee, Enjoy_yourself, Hildweller, Sedge, Jaygee and Heyupluv, who all very kindly responded to my original thread, I have some great ideas for places to visit. Thank you muchly.

I have some ideas,from reading the threads, about what extras I need to take with me. I have hi viz jackets, warning triangle, copies of all documents for the van, dog passport, plug to check for reverse polarity when on hook up, extra long hook up cable, power surge protector for the laptop, outdoor high power antenna for the WiFi, water hoses with various adaptors, five litre water containers with 12v pump, books of camp sites and aires, sat nav, French phrase book, Phew! and....space in the garage for the wine!

I just know that I must have forgotten the most important and essential things ever :whatthe: all suggestions gratefully received!

I know the dipped headlights need the beam deflected but I don't know how this should be done. The lights are the Hella type. I can find lots of advice but none appears relevant to these type of lights. What to do? Once again gang, I would appreciate your help::bigsmile:

Lorraine x

P.S. The Gasglow has an external filler, so that should be okay?
 
Last edited:

sedge

Funster
Jul 7, 2009
5,494
13,035
Nr Jct 3 M6
Funster No
7,396
MH
C class
Exp
Aug 09 to date 9,000 miles!
Just GO Lorraine, they have shops in France where you are allowed to buy Stuff.

You can purchase a bandage for your holey exhaust pipe in Intermarche; wiper blades for your C5 ditto and a lot cheaper than Halfords; new knickers in Cap d'Agde; a whole new exhaust pipe (different vehicle LOL) in the Vendee; Loo Bloo (or whatever Thetford call it) in the Motorhome dealers on the D940; a spiral staircase in Chalons sur Saone; rustic gazebos just about everywhere, and even ruddy Bisto and Heinz tomato ketchup in some supermarkets. NB we haven't necessarily bought all of the above - and definitely not had to get fresh bacteria for our Fosse septique, but the point is we could have, quite easily, had we felt the need!

The only thing you maybe haven't yet got actually planned is remembering you will need to find a vet for doggie to get sorted and stamped for the homeward trip but others who travel with pooches will help you there anyway or if not, we noticed in April there's a new vets opened right on the front next to the Tourist office in Berck sur Mer - not far from Calais and two aires to choose from - you can bet your sweet bippy they offer that service and speak English!

PS our Gaslow has an internal filler and NP April this year in a supermarket filling station, the hardest bit was having the filler on the wrong side of the van for their one way system then trying to get out again and into the diesel pump lanes arse forwards LOL
 

Enjoy_Yourself

Free Member
Jul 1, 2010
86
25
Pontypool, South Wales
Funster No
12,397
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
1
Hi Lorraine,

Sort of agree with the "just go" theory, but a Sunday afternoon miles fomanywhere is not the time to find out you have forgotten that essential item!

Before we went to France for first time we read a book called Motorhoming in Europe. I downloaded it from somewhere - may even have been this site. It deals with all the issues of compatibility that you are likely to encounter and I don't think it was very expensive. Also included a cheklist if I remember correctly and that was very useful.

However, if you cover all the legal stuff (hi-vis, warning triangle, vehicle documents - see AA website forbest advice) the rest is just not sweating too much about.

Enjoy Yourself ::bigsmile:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

wivvy's dad

Free Member
Jun 22, 2010
3,205
1,795
48.066895,12.862673
Funster No
12,229
MH
Transit LWB Hi-Top PVC
Exp
On and Off since '98
Surely you don't need knickers in Cap D'Agde.....?


:Eeek:


By the way, there is a saying in motorcycling............. JRTFT

I'll let you work out what it might mean, and when you have, just do the same, but in your m/h
 

sedge

Funster
Jul 7, 2009
5,494
13,035
Nr Jct 3 M6
Funster No
7,396
MH
C class
Exp
Aug 09 to date 9,000 miles!
Depends Dad. In my own defence it was October and we didn't stay all that long anyway since the campsite next to that beach was by then closed, plus you really expected me to go three weeks without a clean pair, this motorhomer tries to get away with no washing all the time I'm on hols and no drawers is OK but then in MY book - means you have to wash the trousers, shorts etc you are wearing when you aren't on a beach like that every day instead of the knickers.

Yes I've only taken 3 pairs on motorbike tent camping holidays to nudist campsites but we do go for walks, shop in towns, visit castles and cathedrals etc even then and we had some lovels photos of the Blackbird mirrors, handlebars, pannier scaffolding etc draped with my smalls I'd rinsed out! You can't do that on an aire, can you!!!!!!
 

pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,207
48,832
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
cant remember if a first aid kit is a legal requirement in france but it is in some foreign countries.
if you have a bike rack you'll need a reflective board to put on the rearmost point.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Welsh girl

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 7, 2009
3,658
3,036
Funster No
9,222
MH
Globecar
Exp
Since 2004
We bought a board to go on these cycle rack and have been in France two month now and hardly any one uses them, I know you need them if you go into Spain but we Didnt.
Oh by the way funsters, you told me to try the androillettes, well today in the market in honfleur, they were giving tasters, Yuk, that's all I can say, but had to try them, going for the meules,or mussels next,and these frogs legs.
Seriously though and back to the thread, you can buy everything thing over here that you want and mostly cheaper too, except the food and on Sundays and between 12and 2pm where everywhere is closed except restaurants.
 

Loujess

Free Member
Jan 10, 2010
3,123
3,086
Leeds UK
Funster No
9,898
MH
none
Exp
4
Huh! Why no freebies in the market here in La Flotte on the Ile de Re? Never mind. We'll buy our own. Moving south on Tuesday or Wednesday. ::bigsmile:

Ivy
 

DBSilverfox

Free Member
May 13, 2010
583
97
Nottingham
Funster No
11,570
MH
coachbuilt
Exp
Since May 2010
Just check on the documents. I have a feeling some may need to be originals rather than copies. I think the V5 has to be the original

As said by others it is all on the AA website though

Enjoy the trip :thumb:

David

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top