First time abroad info needed (1 Viewer)

pogjones

Free Member
Aug 19, 2009
18
0
Funster No
8,051
Hi Folks
Taking the motorhome to europe next year for the first time. I have only driven abroad once before and that was with the car. I need to start planning now and wondered what would be the best time to go for a beginner. We can go for up to three weeks based around three seperate times. The first is easter week so we can go two weeks before one week either side or two weeks after, total three weeks. We can do the same in June, 20th -27th is the fixed week again two before two after or one either side. lastly main week 10th September with same format.
Would like to go over to france and possibly head up to northern spain.
I will be looking for any advice that would help.
Bill.
 

chatter

Free Member
Aug 3, 2009
3,689
937
cheshire
Funster No
7,812
MH
5th wheel
Exp
10+
all three times you have given are out of peak season so a good idea is to get yourself the ACSI book as this will give you a discount on certain sites, should you want to use sites, for aires get the all the aires book both are available from

http://www.vicariousbooks.co.uk/

ACSI have a web site that you can check as well but you need the book to get the discount card

http://www.acsi.eu/en/home/l2-n144/
 

Heyupluv

Free Member
Oct 7, 2008
3,862
1,593
France,
Funster No
4,322
MH
A Class
Exp
touring many years..42+
all three times you have given are out of peak season so a good idea is to get yourself the ACSI book as this will give you a discount on certain sites, should you want to use sites, for aires get the all the aires book both are available from

http://www.vicariousbooks.co.uk/

ACSI have a web site that you can check as well but you need the book to get the discount card

http://www.acsi.eu/en/home/l2-n144/

I agree with what Chatter as put above and here is another book you can also get from Vicarious books in Folkstone where you can purchase the book "All the Aires in France"

......"Le-Guide National Des ARIES DE SERVICES camping -cars"........ it is cheaper than "all the aires in france book" but it is in French, you should have no problem following it
Link Removed


then if you look on the thread of WURN Aires electricals (in France) you will see some info what JIM (scotjimland) has put on for Bouncer......all good advice and info

July and August are the months you want to avoid if posible it is when most of France have there annual leave, most of France have a shut down........

Any of these dates depending on the weather......("We can go for up to three weeks based around three seperate times. The first is easter week so we can go two weeks before one week either side or two weeks after, total three weeks. We can do the same in June, 20th -27th is the fixed week again two before two after or one either side. lastly main week 10th September with same format.")

We went away in france this year, to the mid France area.... middle of April and came back middle of May..... and we had blinding hot weather ..but next year you do not know??? what is in store



Mel:thumb:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

franbee

Free Member
Aug 23, 2010
18
0
Lancashire
Funster No
13,353
MH
VW T5
Exp
Getting the hang of it now
So when does one buy the acsi book and card? I heard it mentioned that they were now out of stock. When I looked at the site it said you could place an order for next years, or have an annual subscription.
 

franbee

Free Member
Aug 23, 2010
18
0
Lancashire
Funster No
13,353
MH
VW T5
Exp
Getting the hang of it now
When you look at amazon, they redirect you to vicarious books. They say there are none anywhere, but will take your details for 2011 card, available in Dec.
 

barryd

Free Member
Feb 10, 2009
1,143
109
Yorkshire Dales
Funster No
5,594
MH
C Class
Exp
Since May 08
June would be best for the weather. I wouldnt bother with an ACSI card, Aires are mostly free and municiple campsites (every town has them) are probably cheaper than the ACSI campsites.

I wouldnt bother with Spain either as you only have 3 weeks and France is so much nicer. There is loads to see in France. The Dordogne will be lovely in June and nice and warm. If you do want to go down as far as Spain I would recommend a visit the the French Pyrenees. Gavarnie, and Cauterets are simply stunning. Brittany is also very nice but you cant guarentee the weather.
 

Heyupluv

Free Member
Oct 7, 2008
3,862
1,593
France,
Funster No
4,322
MH
A Class
Exp
touring many years..42+
June would be best for the weather. I wouldnt bother with an ACSI card, Aires are mostly free and municiple campsites (every town has them) are probably cheaper than the ACSI campsites.

I wouldnt bother with Spain either as you only have 3 weeks and France is so much nicer. There is loads to see in France. The Dordogne will be lovely in June and nice and warm. If you do want to go down as far as Spain I would recommend a visit the the French Pyrenees. Gavarnie, and Cauterets are simply stunning. Brittany is also very nice but you cant guarentee the weather.


My thoughts entirely Barry.................we only use Aires....................Mel :thumb:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

WynandJean

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 23, 2010
6,670
3,303
West Midlands
Funster No
10,746
MH
Bailey Autograph 682
Exp
Since 2010
We had our first trip abroad just recently and agree with all that the others have said. I would also add that during the 3 week trip we covered just the north coastal area. It is easy not to realise how HUGE France actually is. We found that a combination of 'All the Aires' book and a POI download onto the satnav found us plenty of places to stay.

Wyn
 
OP
OP
P

pogjones

Free Member
Aug 19, 2009
18
0
Funster No
8,051
Looks like france then!

It's beginning to look like we will be doing France in June instead of Spain. It all appears to be a bit dornting at the moment though. As i mentioned earlier i have driven once in Britany in the car but the motorhome is 22ft without the bike rack and have just added to height by fitting a 400mm sat dome. I am still determined to get on with it and look forward to the planning. I will also have lots of questions to ask beforehand and am sure i will get great answers and help from all you funsters out there.
Bill.
 

barryd

Free Member
Feb 10, 2009
1,143
109
Yorkshire Dales
Funster No
5,594
MH
C Class
Exp
Since May 08
It's beginning to look like we will be doing France in June instead of Spain. It all appears to be a bit dornting at the moment though. As i mentioned earlier i have driven once in Britany in the car but the motorhome is 22ft without the bike rack and have just added to height by fitting a 400mm sat dome. I am still determined to get on with it and look forward to the planning. I will also have lots of questions to ask beforehand and am sure i will get great answers and help from all you funsters out there.
Bill.

Fear not! The only thing you need to worry about is the drive to the ferry in the UK and the drive back from Dover. Once you are in France you will have much less traffic to deal with, the only low bridge I have come across to cause concern is in the middle of Rouen. Driving in france is a joy.

What I tend to do is work out a rough plan of regions to visit. Make a list of perhaps half a dozen must see sights and plan the route roughly around that. When I have a rough idea of where I am going I use this site http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm if you install the google toolbar you can set it to auto translate the French to English. I spend hours on here looking at all the aires in each region, creating PDF printouts on my laptop of perhaps half a dozen of the best ones in each area we are going to visit. Most of the Aires have user reviews and photos and some you can actually use google street view to look at them online. This way we always end up on the really nice aires rather than the naff ones. The All the Aires book is useful as well but the campingcar infos site really is "all the Aires!" and its much more up to date.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
May 16, 2010
3,213
2,535
North Hykeham
Funster No
11,622
MH
Custom
Exp
much more now
Fear not! The only thing you need to worry about is the drive to the ferry in the UK and the drive back from Dover. Once you are in France you will have much less traffic to deal with, the only low bridge I have come across to cause concern is in the middle of Rouen. Driving in france is a joy.

What I tend to do is work out a rough plan of regions to visit. Make a list of perhaps half a dozen must see sights and plan the route roughly around that. When I have a rough idea of where I am going I use this site http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm if you install the google toolbar you can set it to auto translate the French to English. I spend hours on here looking at all the aires in each region, creating PDF printouts on my laptop of perhaps half a dozen of the best ones in each area we are going to visit. Most of the Aires have user reviews and photos and some you can actually use google street view to look at them online. This way we always end up on the really nice aires rather than the naff ones. The All the Aires book is useful as well but the campingcar infos site really is "all the Aires!" and its much more up to date.

I installed google toolbar but cant find how to make it auto translate??

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPP:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 

Wildman

Free Member
May 30, 2008
0
8,470
Ilfracombe, Devon
Funster No
2,913
MH
Amazon Ambassador
Exp
since 1967
France was built for motorhomes, Aires are plentiful and well signposted in advance, wild camp just about anywhere. One tip have a card on the Dash, on one side the word France and an arrow pointing to the kerb on the right. on the other England and an arrow pointing to the left, why, well just to remind you you are home and not still in France. easy to make a mistake in when your mind is otherwise occupied.
 

barryd

Free Member
Feb 10, 2009
1,143
109
Yorkshire Dales
Funster No
5,594
MH
C Class
Exp
Since May 08
I installed google toolbar but cant find how to make it auto translate??

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPP:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Firstly make sure the google toolbar is visable, go to VIEW at the top, TOOLBARS and make sure Google tool bar is ticked

Along the tool bar is a translate button. Click that, it should then translate the page and give you the option to always translate French. Next time you hit a French site it will automatically translate it for you. Same for other languages such as Spanish or Italian.

If it still doesnt work then you may need to upgrade you Internet Explorer version, i am using IE 8

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.

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top