Essential reading / guides prior to french trip? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Christoph
- Start date
Kirsten
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If you havent been before All the aires is a good source of info- even if it is just to see how the bournes and grey water work. Are you in the netherlands at the moment? [flag on avatar] and where are you going in France?
- May 7, 2011
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just a couple of suggestions
Passport
Also good satnav, the books " all the aires" or apps campercontact or camperstop
Light weight drip dry clothing if going in the summer.
Insect repellant - Smidge for me.
Books, you can never have too many, phrase books, dictionary, guide books & a good map Just in case the satnav packs up.
Maps - the laminated Michelin atlas is good and the Michelin Zoom maps if you want to look at an area in detail for cycling or walking.
Campsite and Aires info - Vicarious guide, camper contact app etc.
Prepaid card such as Caxton or credit like the Halifax Clarity card or nationwide debit card.
EHIC card health cards
Breakdown and medical insurance.
Three "feel at home" sim card or similar plus Mifi (if you have one)
Unless you have specific foods you cannot live without, why carry any more extra food than you need, especially heavy liquids. We usually carry a few tins of meals, in case we should outstay available food.
Alcohol is much cheaper overseas, so not worth carrying.
Fresh food is best bought when you want it from local stores.
We carry sun creams, shampoo's and other everyday items. Lidl's, Aldi and other supermarkets carry all of the familiar goods you buy at home.
all our documents scanned and copied , kept seperate.
Halve your planned mileage, halve your planned "necessary" equipment, double your spending money
Passport
Also good satnav, the books " all the aires" or apps campercontact or camperstop
Light weight drip dry clothing if going in the summer.
Insect repellant - Smidge for me.
Books, you can never have too many, phrase books, dictionary, guide books & a good map Just in case the satnav packs up.
Maps - the laminated Michelin atlas is good and the Michelin Zoom maps if you want to look at an area in detail for cycling or walking.
Campsite and Aires info - Vicarious guide, camper contact app etc.
Prepaid card such as Caxton or credit like the Halifax Clarity card or nationwide debit card.
EHIC card health cards
Breakdown and medical insurance.
Three "feel at home" sim card or similar plus Mifi (if you have one)
Unless you have specific foods you cannot live without, why carry any more extra food than you need, especially heavy liquids. We usually carry a few tins of meals, in case we should outstay available food.
Alcohol is much cheaper overseas, so not worth carrying.
Fresh food is best bought when you want it from local stores.
We carry sun creams, shampoo's and other everyday items. Lidl's, Aldi and other supermarkets carry all of the familiar goods you buy at home.
all our documents scanned and copied , kept seperate.
Halve your planned mileage, halve your planned "necessary" equipment, double your spending money
- In France, don't forget priority to the right in towns (unless you can see that the joining road has a solid white line or stop sign). They have a habit of pulling out as a matter of course, particularly in the larger towns.
- The same applies on minor country roads where a junction is indicated by a diagonal cross (Saltire). The road to the right has priority. If a vertical cross then you are generally on the major road.
- In towns, pedestrians have the right to cross in front of traffic. They have to give a clear indication that they are about to step-off. This right does not apply if there is an adjacent pedestrian crossing.
- Hi vis vest for driver and every passenger. Must be able to put them on before exiting the vehicle so don't keep them in the garage or an outside locker.
Warning triangle
Spare bulb set.
First aid kit
Beam deflectors for your lights
Breathalysers. Technically compulsory but no penalties are issued if you don't because the French as a nation have collectively refused to carry them.
- these items , i photocopy & keep copies handy , originals in my safe hidden in van( plus passport)
- Driving licence
Insurance certificate
V5C - Two pin adaptor for the EHU
Reverse polarity tester kit, save blowing fuse on the control panel as some electrical points in france not all wired correct . - Remember when approaching a town or village the town/village name sign is the speed limit start & when ends when exiting T/V sign with lines thru. they are quite strict !!!!!
Don't do what I did on my first trip , on first trip to an aire, I bought several jetons ( coins for water/ electric) thinking that they would be handy for all the other aires on our trip . Nope each aire has a different jeton, so I still have 3 jetons after 7/8 trips to france which don't fit any other aires.
hope these help
Terry
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6
63720
Deleted User
This is worth a peep
about-france.com
About-France.com
About-France.com is a full independent guide to France and to French life and culture, covering tourism, travel, geography, art, institutions and the French language
- May 7, 2011
- 4,809
- 48,168
- Funster No
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- T Line 785
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- motorhoming since 1979
Hi Christoph , might bump into you we go 8th june over for 3 weeks , we are doing a trip around middle France , Bourges sort of area
This site may be of interest ,https://www.motorhomingfrance.co.uk/aires-info
This site may be of interest ,https://www.motorhomingfrance.co.uk/aires-info
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Last edited:
- Jul 5, 2013
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Do you have a smartphone or tablet and are you happy using them? If so there are lots of apps out there to help.
For finding places to stop (you won't need to book anywhere in May): Campercontact - paid version, park4night & AiresCampingcarsinfo. Also as you are going in May, which is off peak, and want to use campsites get the ACSI discount card, which comes with books and maps, buy it from the two major clubs or Vicarious books. We usually use Aires, but even with our very occasional campsite use it pays for itself.
For travel directions get a decent sat nav app that has downloadable maps. We have Sygic on our phone and a built in Garmin in out motorhome. All the guides nowadays provide coordinates so use those rather than road and town names to find places and get directions to them .
Get a decent weather app - we use Ventusky.
For eating out and other attractions get the Tripadvisor app.
For translating we still take a dictionary, but rarely use it. Instead we use Google Translate. You can speak into it and it will read out the translation for the other person to hear. Or you can type words or phrases in. Best of all you can hold the phone's camera up to anything written and it will translate direct - really good for menus.
Are you aware that you cannot get Calor gas refills in Europe? We have fitted Gasit refillables (others available) and top up with autogas. If you have these get FillLPG app for finding UK places that sell autogas and get myLPG.eu app for the rest of Europe.
For finding places to stop (you won't need to book anywhere in May): Campercontact - paid version, park4night & AiresCampingcarsinfo. Also as you are going in May, which is off peak, and want to use campsites get the ACSI discount card, which comes with books and maps, buy it from the two major clubs or Vicarious books. We usually use Aires, but even with our very occasional campsite use it pays for itself.
For travel directions get a decent sat nav app that has downloadable maps. We have Sygic on our phone and a built in Garmin in out motorhome. All the guides nowadays provide coordinates so use those rather than road and town names to find places and get directions to them .
Get a decent weather app - we use Ventusky.
For eating out and other attractions get the Tripadvisor app.
For translating we still take a dictionary, but rarely use it. Instead we use Google Translate. You can speak into it and it will read out the translation for the other person to hear. Or you can type words or phrases in. Best of all you can hold the phone's camera up to anything written and it will translate direct - really good for menus.
Are you aware that you cannot get Calor gas refills in Europe? We have fitted Gasit refillables (others available) and top up with autogas. If you have these get FillLPG app for finding UK places that sell autogas and get myLPG.eu app for the rest of Europe.
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Take a look at this website - most beautiful villages in France. Generally they are well worth making a detour and are small, hidden gems (max population allowed is 5,000 I think) rather than the large major tourist towns. Plus they often have aires or somewhere to safely (and beautifully) overnight.
https://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-france.org/fr/
Other than that, all really good advice above. Have a great trip
https://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-france.org/fr/
Other than that, all really good advice above. Have a great trip
suavecarve
LIFE MEMBER
As per a few before me.
Have an idea of the aires with whichever one suits you (tablet or book)
Beautiful villages book or tablet of some description
If you like out of the way water such as waterfalls, hidden beaches, clue, gorges, lakes, river spots then Wild Swimming in France is a good purchase for about a fiver off ebay.
I have recently purchased about 10 Michelin Green Guides to different areas in France. You can buy them off Ebay second hand for about £2.00 each delivered. We have been to all the areas now, but a quick read through has given us some more stuff to look into. I wouldnt suggest reading these before you go but would certainly read them when in the area as they contain quite a lot of local information.
I wouldnt mind a decent book on World War 1 and World War 2 sites and one on the Resistance. There are a few websites that a quick google helps.
Have an idea of the aires with whichever one suits you (tablet or book)
Beautiful villages book or tablet of some description
If you like out of the way water such as waterfalls, hidden beaches, clue, gorges, lakes, river spots then Wild Swimming in France is a good purchase for about a fiver off ebay.
I have recently purchased about 10 Michelin Green Guides to different areas in France. You can buy them off Ebay second hand for about £2.00 each delivered. We have been to all the areas now, but a quick read through has given us some more stuff to look into. I wouldnt suggest reading these before you go but would certainly read them when in the area as they contain quite a lot of local information.
I wouldnt mind a decent book on World War 1 and World War 2 sites and one on the Resistance. There are a few websites that a quick google helps.
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