France update (1 Viewer)

OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,505
51,186
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
Got on the shuttle yesterday and was behind a fancy 6 wheeler van with a motorbike on the back , anyway the operator bloke moved us up till we were about six inches away from this one in front and we the last one in the carriage, this bloke in front gets out and walks to the back of his van , cause me, hello mate , how are you, he just stares and says they shouldn't have put you that close to me , you should have been in the next carriage, and walked off.
 

Anthea M

Free Member
Deceased RIP
Oct 18, 2015
9,501
165,134
Sheffield
Funster No
39,598
MH
Hobby
Exp
Since 2009
Thanks for following Anthea, we've had a great time. I shall probably be taking my granddaughter away for a few days at half term if you really want to know what kids get up to at Halloween!!
We are away at half term but no grandchildren yet:( But I do decorate the van and have some sweets incase some hitches come knocking!!(y)
 

Rob and Val

Free Member
Oct 17, 2010
1,906
2,677
Lincolnshire
Funster No
14,142
MH
Talbot Compass Calypso
Exp
Since July 2010
Our water tank holds 12.5 gallons; that's about 57 litres, so we have to be quite frugal. We have an on/off switch on our shower head, fitted by the previous owner, so we don't waste water when showering. We keep a stack of paper plates, bought from Poundland, that save a lot of washing up. We have a 5 litre food-grade water container with tap for drinking water. We put a cut-off neck of a plastic water bottle, turned upside down, in our water filler tank and use the 5-litre container to tip water into the tank - when we can't fill up by hose - and this ensures that no water is spilled.

Thanks for the write-up, Chaser. It's always good to read of other funsters experiences.

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Nov 24, 2008
865
2,157
Anywhere that takes our fancy
Funster No
5,008
MH
C Class
Exp
Since july 2009 And Still Going Strong
Whenever we get to an aire I look to see what the payment system is and if There's a charge I pay it. Was amazed at how many vans just turned up and didn't pay. We stayed at La Suze sur Sarte for three nights and every morning and evening the local policeman came round on his bike and checked all the vans, allways funny to see a cue at the machine then with everyone paying up.
Thanks for info on sim. Spotted a 12gb on Amazon but only said 30day whereas the 12gb on the three website does say for 12 months. Looks a good deal.

We only met one English couple whilst we were on an aire and they were a lovely couple and I don't think they were funsters so things are looking up on the happiness of non funsters. Don't think we saw any funsters stickers at all.

Actually really enjoyed our time on the spainish Aires and even though our spainish is limited to hello and thankyou found them all very friendly and wanted to talk to us.
 
OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,505
51,186
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
One thing I havnt got round to mentioning be cause I was going to start a new thread on it , but this thread seems to be getting a lot of hits , so I'll try it on here.
This is alltheaires, it's really outlived its usefulness in its present form, it's ok as a rough guide, but it so out of date, and loads in there are either closed, or moved or the description of them is totally way out, and as to "all" it would be better called a "few" compared to the apps, searchforsites, park4night, the little green android app, and even campercontact, it's just not in the same league anymore, and when you get half way down some of the ones in there are in the south map but the description is in the north book(n)
We gave up on it and just drove to wherever we wanted to be , got park4night up on the phone and just followed the map to the nearest one.
I know it's took a lot of putting together and we have used it for years but now I'm afraid it's time as come in its present form.
Don't know what anyone else thinks?
 

denisejoe

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 6, 2014
5,565
11,645
Warden isle of sheppy
Funster No
32,702
MH
A Class
Exp
Since 2004
We have an old All the Aires, 2014 I think, when it was still one book. Certainly won't be bothering with a new one. We generally use campercontact or the app.

Denise

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Steve101uk

Free Member
Jun 6, 2012
408
1,042
EUROPEAN UNION
Funster No
21,347
MH
Pilote G740 C
Exp
since 2007 caravan before that
One thing I havnt got round to mentioning be cause I was going to start a new thread on it , but this thread seems to be getting a lot of hits , so I'll try it on here.
This is alltheaires, it's really outlived its usefulness in its present form, it's ok as a rough guide, but it so out of date, and loads in there are either closed, or moved or the description of them is totally way out, and as to "all" it would be better called a "few" compared to the apps, searchforsites, park4night, the little green android app, and even campercontact, it's just not in the same league anymore, and when you get half way down some of the ones in there are in the south map but the description is in the north book(n)
We gave up on it and just drove to wherever we wanted to be , got park4night up on the phone and just followed the map to the nearest one.
I know it's took a lot of putting together and we have used it for years but now I'm afraid it's time as come in its present form.
Don't know what anyone else thinks?
Agree with this however I do think there is a need for 'all the aires' in hard copy. My parents are not IT literate, they cant even work a smartphone so are therefore dependent on guide books. I suspect with all the new apps appearing touring Europe to research the book isn't financially sustainable anymore.
 
OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,505
51,186
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
Agree with this however I do think there is a need for 'all the aires' in hard copy. My parents are not IT literate, they cant even work a smartphone so are therefore dependent on guide books. I suspect with all the new apps appearing touring Europe to research the book isn't financially sustainable anymore.
Quite agree, and know what a job it would be but at the moment there are lots of things in there that are just not right, if you look at some of the dates of the review it goes back to 2010, I like it because you can plan a few beforehand and have used it for five years, but if it's not telling it as it is now, it's not a lot of use
 

Steve101uk

Free Member
Jun 6, 2012
408
1,042
EUROPEAN UNION
Funster No
21,347
MH
Pilote G740 C
Exp
since 2007 caravan before that
Quite agree, and know what a job it would be but at the moment there are lots of things in there that are just not right, if you look at some of the dates of the review it goes back to 2010, I like it because you can plan a few beforehand and have used it for five years, but if it's not telling it as it is now, it's not a lot of use
I don't use all the aires much at all these days using apps almost exclusively when planning and looking for sites and aires. I tend to rely on reviews as a guide.

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OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,505
51,186
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
I don't use all the aires much at all these days using apps almost exclusively when planning and looking for sites and aires. I tend to rely on reviews as a guide.
After the first couple of days we didn't either, what we did do with it was after the app had told us where one was we checked to see if it was in the book to see what it was like but on various occasions it simply wasn't in there or the description was wrong, shame but there it is.
 
Aug 19, 2013
2,920
4,215
Wells, Somerset
Funster No
27,611
MH
Elddis 115
Exp
since 2004
This is an interesting posting, thanks OP. Plus there has not been much in the way of the naysayers putting in their comments. The tip by Rob n Val re downturned bottle neck is good - on our return I've just found and fitted an extension pipe for the watercan for the same reason, but it gets in the way when storing in a cupboard, so might try their suggestion. What I've been doing is just topping up each day with 2 or 3 fills of watering can. Seems to work, though we rarely use on board shower.

Regarding all the aires v. apps, didn't seem to do too well with CC app in Spain, and it seems variable in France. I do intend to get the next all the aires. It's not reliant on internet connection, and we just find it useful.

We've had 3 month long trips this year, and we find aires are very useful out of season, but very variable in quality. Some have been right in the town centre, very good when you don't have bikes or a car. Some campsites don't have good waste dump facilities, and little else except leccy.
 
OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,505
51,186
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
Personly we don't use camper contact even though it gets a good following on here for some reason, I was all for searchforsites, but as you say cc and sfs was useless for our trip into Spain in the area we were in just above roses, those two could only come up with one stop, while park4night had about ten in the same area and if you read my other trip thread it found us a brilliant stop in port de la selva free and next to the sea, after that we never used anything else, brilliant app and free.

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May 7, 2011
4,797
42,776
Cornwall Gorran Haven
Funster No
16,300
MH
T Line 785
Exp
motorhoming since 1979
Hi @chaser ,
Like you we bought a watering can this year & found it very helpful , fitted an extension flexible pipe on the end, also only had to get water once with jeton ( which I had from our fist ever french trip back in 2005 ) otherwise free water everywhere. Free aires mostly& free electric 3 times
Only paid for nights stay @ twin Lakes , Villerest , Brantome , Mortagne sur Gironde & La Mailleraye sur Seine. total 36.5 euros .
21 nights , 30 miles to the gallon, covered 1930 miles in total
Isle of wight ferry £79, Tunnel £168 including the dog.
2 x 6 kg gas £46 ,RAC cover £39.
Total spend -- including food , diesel ferry & Tunnel etc £820 for 3 weeks.
Used Camper contact , but did research on which aires we wanted , before leaving home as we like aires /night stops by canal's , lakes , rivers etc . Found some really nice spots like this , using google earth to check out the area & checkout reviews .
 
OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,505
51,186
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
Hi @chaser ,
Like you we bought a watering can this year & found it very helpful , fitted an extension flexible pipe on the end, also only had to get water once with jeton ( which I had from our fist ever french trip back in 2005 ) otherwise free water everywhere. Free aires mostly& free electric 3 times
Only paid for nights stay @ twin Lakes , Villerest , Brantome , Mortagne sur Gironde & La Mailleraye sur Seine. total 36.5 euros .
21 nights , 30 miles to the gallon, covered 1930 miles in total
Isle of wight ferry £79, Tunnel £168 including the dog.
2 x 6 kg gas £46 ,RAC cover £39.
Total spend -- including food , diesel ferry & Tunnel etc £820 for 3 weeks.
Used Camper contact , but did research on which aires we wanted , before leaving home as we like aires /night stops by canal's , lakes , rivers etc . Found some really nice spots like this , using google earth to check out the area & checkout reviews .
Don't know how many tesco drivers you have on the isle of white, but the very nice couple we met at Blaye , the husband is one
 

GeriatricWanderer

Free Member
Feb 1, 2015
1,194
4,199
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, just cos I can!
Funster No
34,964
MH
Pop-Top Campervan
Exp
45years
I use one of these. A standard water carrier (with the very important air vent) and a flexible spout nicked from a plastic fuel carrier.
DSCN2105.JPG

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OP
OP
chaser
Feb 16, 2013
19,505
51,186
uttoxeter
Funster No
24,713
MH
ambulance conversion
Exp
50 years
Never did find anything that resembled a fish and chip shop, all sorts and shapes of fish all over the place but not a one cooked properly in batter, so got to go to the local chippy tonight for a proper fish:) it's over a month since we had one:(
 
May 7, 2011
4,797
42,776
Cornwall Gorran Haven
Funster No
16,300
MH
T Line 785
Exp
motorhoming since 1979
Don't know how many tesco drivers you have on the isle of white, but the very nice couple we met at Blaye , the husband is one

Must be about 6 or seven , sorry don't know any of them , we have several hundred moho's on the island but it seems only half a dozen fun members.
hope you suggested he join fun
 
Feb 25, 2013
204
395
Staffs
Funster No
24,848
MH
A big white thing ???
Exp
3 yrs, (tenting and tugging before)
We average 35 Lt a day, showers don't take too much but surprising how much water washing up 3 or 4 times a day takes.

Must admit I on!y have one good wash up a day. Evening meal dishes are stacked til morning, no point heating water at that time. We have the water heater on for about half an hour in the morning that does our showers plus evening and morning washing up.

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