Trip to France Finally a reality (1 Viewer)

[Welsh girl]

Well after months and months maybe years and Susie having her pet passport for nearly 2 years now have taken the desicion and booked the tunnel 17th April and we are in France for 2 months.
I wanted to go for the winter but was advised that it was just as cold northern France so I think we are all sorted, got all the nessesary equipment and the jabs (joke) we are ON OUR WAY YIPEE!!!!.
Cant wait now and aprehensive at the same time Tez is worrying about the roads and stuff but have realised that the trip is ON:thumb::thumb:
I hope and pray like most of you if not all of you have said he he will love it, I am the adventurer, and hope we dont look back.
here's hoping !!!!!

 

[hilldweller]

hope we dont look back.
here's hoping !!!!!

Don't EVER look back in France. Do that, someone pulls out in front of you and BANG all dead. Priorite a droit. One foot on the brake and one foot on the accelerator in France. One hand on the wheel, one on the handbrake. And always have a camera ready to photograph the accidents.

Oh and French roads, you can lose a MH in the holes.

And the French, they smell and are rude and pretend they don't speak English.

But humour them, pretend you like what they call food by saying out loud MERDE every time they serve you.

It'll be hell. So brave of you.

 

[Loujess]

Don't listen to him. It's great there, the people are lovely, and I can't wait to go back. And don't say 'Merde', it means pooh. You naughty boy Brian. I wish I was off tomorrow, but its looking like we wont' be off till September. Ho hum. By the way, take as much food with you as you can 'cos it's very expensive there.

Ivy

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[Welsh girl]

Not sure whether to put thanks on this one or not!!! or is it sour grapes????

 

[Reallyretired]

Don't listen top Brian, he is a Nutter.

French roads are usually better than ours, less crowded and less potholes. French drivers are no worse than ours and seem to be less aggressive. I much prefer driving in France to here.

Merde is rather ruder than poo, more like S**t!

 

[Wildman]

Your post is offencive to our French members Brian and should be removed, it is NOT funny.

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[Ven]

You'll LOVE it

We did our first French trip in 2009 and were like you nervous (especially using aires for the first time) and it was a breeze. The roads are great and a lot quieter if you avoid the cities and big towns (then they are the same as the UK, no worse), the people are friendly especially if you make a little effort in French but invariably they speak a bit of English and sometimes a lot and the aires are a great way to see France.

 

[Welsh girl]

Tez is really not happy using Aires but I am waiting to see really and show him that they are nice places to be, well most of them!!!
We have the ACSI card and dvd so we are going to be using them a lot till we have been there for a while and he has spoken to a few people about this, I can see its the best way to go especially on price but I have to creep up on him gently. lol
Gently gently catchee monkey !!!!!
Crafty lady I hear him say, but he will love me for it in the end, have to go round the houses with Tez and let him think he thought of it!!!!

 

[laneside]

Well after months and months maybe years and Susie having her pet passport for nearly 2 years now have taken the desicion and booked the tunnel 17th April and we are in France for 2 months.
I wanted to go for the winter but was advised that it was just as cold northern France so I think we are all sorted, got all the nessesary equipment and the jabs (joke) we are ON OUR WAY YIPEE!!!!.
Cant wait now and aprehensive at the same time Tez is worrying about the roads and stuff but have realised that the trip is ON:thumb::thumb:
I hope and pray like most of you if not all of you have said he he will love it, I am the adventurer, and hope we dont look back.
here's hoping !!!!!

Thats the date we went last year, this year we are two weeks behind you.
you will not have any regrets whatsoever as it is a beautiful country ideal for motor homing.

The roads present no problems whatsoever especially as a newbies if you initially avoid big towns (which is easy)

Every village is easy to park in and its free and all the supermarket carparks are big enough to park in without problem and supermarket shopping is easy even if you do not have anymore French than thankyou and please, but do try it is always appreciated.

Do not fear the toll roads or the cost often the fuel saving will offset the toll charge but many on here will tell you different.

Enjoy your trip and look out for funster stickers as Ksebruce and us will be there after the 5th May.

P.s I bet you do it again next year

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[Ven]

Try out a couple of the nicer aires first and see how it goes.

Admittedly some have better views and locations than others but we have stayed on probably over 100 aires and never had a real problem, just small things like services very occasionally being out of order, being busy in high season (so parked close together) or a bit of road noise.

 

[TDH]

I still get excited, apprehensive, and all those other feelings you're describing and I spend a load of time in France (I even lived there for a while). And Brian is of course right, and all of my French buddies would enjoy the irony as much as we do whilst giving us the same, and worse, back - with a smile on their faces as broad as Brian's was when he was writing his post!

We're off on Good Friday Not sure where yet - we may head south as quickly as poss, lie on a beach for a week then gallop back (we have to be back at work on Tuesday 3rd May), or we may mooch in Burgundy for the whole time - it depends on the weather.

The Rosabella will be flying her Funster stickers with pride so give us a wave if you spot us (an ancient Tabbert/Ducato).

Bon voyage!!:thumb:

 

[haganap]

Good for you Trish & Tez

Nikki and I have been travelling to France for over 20 years and im only 42 :Blush:,,

We love it, we dated there, we honeymooned there, we camped there, we caravanned there and we Motorhome there, Skied there, kyacked and canoed there, surfed there...

It truly is a wonderful place with some of the best roads in Europe, along with the nicest people you will ever meet. Sure there are some ignorant unfriendly smelly types, but they tend to be the British that are on holiday

Here's a little advice from me. BUY A MAP....... get off the toll roads and go and explore real France. take a sat nav but try and navigate yourself.
If you see a few motorhomes parked up together its probably an aire, go and see if you can chat & talk to them, they will give you the general idea. Familiarise yourself with the sign for a camping car aire, and the restrictions so you know when you find one.
If you are not ready for aires, then use small sites, farm sites, Municiple sites they are great value.
Got an Iphone? then get the translation app in case you get stuck, lots of French speak English but do try and speak a little French, even if you just want to say hello and goodbye and order a coissant.

but most of all, enjoy yourself.:thumb:

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[hilldweller]

Your post is offencive to our French members Brian and should be removed, it is NOT funny.

Did you borrow that response off The Dark Side ?

 

[Reallyretired]

Thats the date we went last year, this year we are two weeks behind you.
you will not have any regrets whatsoever as it is a beautiful country ideal for motor homing.

The roads present no problems whatsoever especially as a newbies if you initially avoid big towns (which is easy)

Every village is easy to park in and its free and all the supermarket carparks are big enough to park in without problem and supermarket shopping is easy even if you do not have anymore French than thankyou and please, but do try it is always appreciated.

[HI]Do not fear the toll roads or the cost often the fuel saving will offset the toll charge but many on here will tell you different.[/HI]

Enjoy your trip and look out for funster stickers as Ksebruce and us will be there after the 5th May.

P.s I bet you do it again next year

I am one. Generally the toll roads are longer (due to going round towns) and the higher speeds usually mean more fuel used, in addition to the cost of the tolls which are quite high for a largish vehicle. They are definitely faster if you're in a hurry however, but getting off the motorways means you see a lot more as well as saving money:thumb:.

 

[haganap]

I am one. Generally the toll roads are longer (due to going round towns) and the higher speeds usually mean more fuel used, in addition to the cost of the tolls which are quite high for a largish vehicle. They are definitely faster if you're in a hurry however, but getting off the motorways means you see a lot more as well as saving money:thumb:.

Completely agree. If you are in a hurry, jump on and spend a fortune. My problem is that I think, because the toll roads are so good, I go a little faster, in fact a lot faster, I watch my MPG drop to as low as 18 mpg from 23-25 and then on top of that they bloody charge you for it. You head from a-b without being able to explore.
Don't get me wrong, if you want to get to another area of France in a hurry, do it. If you have time and want enjoyment amongst your travelling, avoid like the plague.

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[yodeli]

Don't EVER look back in France. Do that, someone pulls out in front of you and BANG all dead. Priorite a droit. One foot on the brake and one foot on the accelerator in France. One hand on the wheel, one on the handbrake. And always have a camera ready to photograph the accidents.

Oh and French roads, you can lose a MH in the holes.

And the French, they smell and are rude and pretend they don't speak English.

But humour them, pretend you like what they call food by saying out loud MERDE every time they serve you.

It'll be hell. So brave of you.

i wouldn't have chosen better words to say it !

Dear me , fortunatly i'm a black foot french ....which does make the whole difference.... i'm WORSE!!!

Amicalement

Frankie

 

[Loujess]

I would say stick to the D roads as much as possible on the outward journey and then bomb home on the motorway. The D roads go through all the towns and villages and are easy to follow on a map. Ooh perhaps we should forget Devon and Cornwall in June and just hop across the channel.

Ivy

 

[Stephen & Jeannie]

Wind up merchant class 1 !!

Did you borrow that response off The Dark Side ?

I am sure that Brian's post is very tongue in cheek !!
He just wants the whole of France to himself !!

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[yodeli]

Your post is offencive to our French members Brian and should be removed, it is NOT funny.

Hopefully Roger you know me very well and you know it is a big smile on my face to read a post from Brian , but honest you should have put a smiley!! Everybody is going to think you are serious! lol and up to now we only have a "Brian without smileys"!! Hee hee!!


Affectueuesement

Frankie

 

[wivvy's dad]

I've been going to France for over 40 years, and I never tire of the place.

Since the advent of Sat Nav's, I've discovered a way of really seeing France. When you arrive in a town or village, look on a map, and see where you might like to go to next. Now enter that place into the Sat Nav, but you must use the shortest route method of navigating to that next destination. You will then be taken down - predominantly - minor roads, but the sights, sounds, and yes, smells will be the ones of the real and true France. You will discover villages along the way that you would never normally see, because you will have been on more major roads. One thing you won't see will be any other traffic.

Another tip. A Dymo label or large equivalent. Write on it DRIVE ON THE RIGHT, and stick this on or above the speedometer. Trust me, it is very easy, perhaps after visiting some historic site or petrol station, to drive out onto the main road, and immediately head for the left hand side of the road, straight into oncoming traffic. I'm not trying to scare you, but it is easy to do, in a moment of enjoying the holiday, nattering away to each other, and just not concentrating. Once you are on the road, it's easy, but it's those little moments when you are just not giving it 100%.

I'm not going to insult your intelligence by suggesting places to go, but please just enjoy France, wherever you may find her.

Bon voyage



ps - Brian is right

 

[hilldweller]

Dear me , fortunatly i'm a black foot french ....which does make the whole difference.... i'm WORSE!!!
Amicalement

Frankie

Now you've got me confused Frankie. What is a "black foot French" ? I must confess you French females don't encourage my eyes to venture as low as your feet. You naughty French things you.

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[yodeli]

Now you've got me confused Frankie. What is a "black foot French" ? I must confess you French females don't encourage my eyes to venture as low as your feet. You naughty French things you.

HA HA that leaves you without voice for once

A black foot is someone having the french nationality who was born in Algeria/Marocco/Tunisia. I was born in Algeria and left when i was 3 years old in 1962 .... full war between french and natives.
Have a look at google which will explain you better as i have now TO WORK!

Cheers

Amicalement

Frankie

 

[hilldweller]

I am one.

Me too.

Financially they are a disaster in my mind. One day we spent about as much on tolls as fuel. You don't realise at the time, just keep feeding the booths a bit here, a bit there, then later, "Oh Dear what have we done".

If possible switch into Holiday Mode and see proper France on the N and D roads.

The only motorways worth trying are in Switzerland and Millau. Round the Alps they are monuments to engineering excellence.

If you do get near Millau do go into the town. It's as French as it gets and there are some lovely campsites that take ACSI all along the river. Have a coffee and crepe in the open air in the middle of town and just soak up the Frenchness. C'est fanstastique.

 

[hilldweller]

He just wants the whole of France to himself !!

I'm not that greedy !

Probably the biggest mistake people make is underestimating just how big France is. It's BIG.

And, in my opinion has one of the wonders of the world, the Aiguile du Midi. One of the essential places to visit before The Big Camping in the Sky.

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[hilldweller]

full war between french and natives.
Frankie

Ah, plus ca change.

 

[Loujess]

I've just looked up Aiguile du Midi and it looks fantastic. I wish I'd known it was there when we went to Grenoble last year. Is the road very steep to get to it?

Ivy

 

[Mags52]

For the first time in years we're not doing France this year and this thread has made me wonder if we've made a mistake. It is just fabulous. Last year on our last night in France I even shed a tear at having to leave.
This year we're doing Holland for a change. Been there too and liked it.
Next year retirement and we can go wherever we want (if we can afford it)

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[Jim]

France and motorhomes just go together. If I could not tour France I would sell my motorhome tomorrow and buy a caravan.

 

[slobadoberbob]

It is great for motorhomes

It is a great place for motorhomes... Move over we are on our way firstweek of April for the month.. Let's hope it is as warm in the South of France as it was last April... Cannot wait to go

Bob

 

[hilldweller]

I've just looked up Aiguile du Midi and it looks fantastic. I wish I'd known it was there when we went to Grenoble last year. Is the road very steep to get to it?

Ivy

Very very steep, but luckily a cable car. Two in fact, it's so steep. A few pictures here.

The only problem is weather, no point in paying the quite expensive fee if it's not clear as a bell.

It takes your breath away -- oh YES. At 12,000 feet you step out of the car and GASP for a minute or two. Then step outside the sight takes your breath away again.

There can be only one better experience and that would be to say you climbed it. It's not a difficult climb, I'm told, just a mega steep hike.

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