Hi Had our motorhome just under a year. Looking forward to France later this year. Any tips please. (1 Viewer)

Anthea M

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Hello and welcome:WelcomeFlag:

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Zigisla

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Just do it!!!!
We were in the same position this Easter.:D2 We were a bit apprehensive about what to expect, but certainly no need to worry about anything. ;) The country is geared up for Motorhomes. Get yourself Campercontact app and go.(y)
w2f
 
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Just keep to the right. :D

If you can manage in the UK then France will be a doddle.
Excellent and quiet roads, lots of places to stay, sites or aires, and cheaper fuel.
Just enjoy. (y)

Richard.
 

Lenny HB

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France is Motorhome heaven, just book a Ferry and go then follow the sun.
We have a ferry booked for tomorrow have a vague idea where we are going only thing for certain is we will be heading south for some warm weather.

A great thing about Motorhomes is you don't need to plan, our first trip in our first Motorhome we were heading for northern Germany weather and forecasts bad so we turned right and ended up in Slovenia.
 

Zigisla

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:pink:

France is Motorhome heaven, just book a Ferry and go then follow the sun.
We have a ferry booked for tomorrow have a vague idea where we are going only thing for certain is we will be heading south for some warm weather.

A great thing about Motorhomes is you don't need to plan, our first trip in our first Motorhome we were heading for northern Germany weather and forecasts bad so we turned right and ended up in Slovenia.
Did something very similar. Wanted to stay around Eastern France this Easter, but the weather was cold and windy, so carried on and hit the beaches of the South near Beziers. Bit of a rush back though,:rolleyes: but chase the weather and stop when you want. Aires are all over the country most free and the rest of much cheapness.(y)
 

KeithChesterfield

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Congratulation and have many happy journeys.

But one major thing you need to fulfil your Motorhome experience in France is the art of 'Waving'.

This vital extra ingredient will enhance your Motorhome experience and to become a truly integrated international Motorhomer I would suggest you keep up the traditional waving techniques employed by many of us and our foreign counterparts.

'Royal' waves are well and good in certain circumstances, although 'Royal' is not in a French persons vocabulary, but a politely raised finger or a swift waft of the hand will suffice from the driver, passenger or both.

Vigorous arm waving is discouraged by 'Elf and Safety and shows a rather indiscreet value of your own worth.

Other than waving; the open road in France is now your oyster and we wish you well

:france: :france: :france: :france:

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Riverbankannie

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I'm sure you will have a great trip.
 
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You arrive, you notice no yellow lines, empty roads, free parking, no Parking eye, friendly people, cheaper fuel, just ensure you will have enough gas.
Ensure you take all the necessary documents: V5, insurance certificate, MOT certificate as well as warning triangles etc.
Oh yes, they insist you Stop at Stop signs and there are lots of them.
Set Sat nav to KM and use as a speedometer.
 
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Hello and welcome. Best tip for France, don't plan, just book the crossing, that's what I'm doing later today.

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mikebeaches

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My tip would be to steer clear of big cities in the van until you are comfortable with continental driving, which won't take long.

As others have suggested, you might wish to have an outline trip plan of places you're interested in visiting, but most make it up as they go along... The weather, scenery and personal motivation will determine how far you go and in which direction.

France is very motorhome friendly.

Have a great trip! (y)
 

jfcamping

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Hi there - you will enjoy France in the MH much more set up for it than the UK - Im new to MH but have been going to France for years camping.

If using the toll roads and you have cruise control use it and relax - use the aires for good stops to eat cup of tea etc

make sure you have all your documents and accessories such as fluorescent jackets, spare bulbs, triangles etc which are required by law.

You looking at staying on campsites or aires?

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Oct 12, 2008
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Oh Dear.... don't go there it's full of froggies ! They're all mad , especially when it comes to driving!
French humour ....lol... you're most welcome on our roads. Mind you , you better hurry and cross the waters...you never know with Macron what It will be like in a few weeks
 
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Hi Ken,
You'll love it,get a good sat nav ( one which you can put GPS settings in)
Camper contact app for aires , if you are thinking of using them ( personally we only use aires),the gps settings help find aires for your first trip
as @Larby says watch your speed etc & stop signs , also La Priorite a Droite which means vehicles entering from the right have priority !! they come out without warning & dont stop!!
Also when entering a village/town the town sign is the speed restriction warning ,& leaving the town the sign has 2 lines through it which denotes end of speed restriction,
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
We don't use toll roads as the others are a lot more interesting,
Concentrate when stopping for a cuppa or break, it's easy to pull to the left when you pull out (wrong) , I've done it a couple of times on my earlier trips.
 

suavecarve

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3 point turns used to be dangerous. I always started driving on the left after them.

Have the rough plan in your head then create another thread saying "I am going this way Advice please"

You will then inundated with shedloads of advice from everyone who has been there or near to it or even those who think they know how to pronounce it. Have a look at all of them and then make the informed judgement that my advice is the best. ;)

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spitfire

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Oh Dear.... don't go there it's full of froggies ! They're all mad , especially when it comes to driving!
French humour ....lol... you're most welcome on our roads. Mind you , you better hurry and cross the waters...you never know with Macron what It will be like in a few weeks
Well done Frankie don't encourage them lol or best remind them it is in the EU lol
 

WynandJean

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Gas: be aware that each country has it's own brands of bottled gas. They don't have the same connections. You won't find Calor there. If you do need gas (assuming you don't have refillable -see elsewhere under Alugas, Gasit etc.) buy your gas bottles at supermarket fuel areas (fuel too). You may need to buy suitable adaptors as well. This can all be found at most supermarkets or bricante stores (like French B&Q) I've always found staff tend to be helpful.

Keep away from Pattiseries - they're deathtraps! :LOL:

Most shops are closed on Sunday and some also Monday morning.

I keep a small stash of 'jetons' (tokens) for bournes (for filling & emptying) there a few different types.

Bon route

Wyn
 

Baileysbus

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There right now and it's our first time here in the MH and also with the dog (y)
As others have said, a good sat nag and the campercontact app plus I'd suggest get mifi rigged up in the van. We've got it and it's been perfect so far.
Don't have too much of a plan; stay off the main autoroutes and ( for me anyway) avoid big cities. The driving is a doddle and scenery spectacular.
You'll love it (y)
 

Hymie

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Bit puzzled by all the remarks about cheaper fuel in France, how much is it in U.K now?

Benn over for ten weeks now and prices range from cheapest €1.16.3 in SuperU Limoges to €1.39.9 at a total near Fougere (I didn't buy any there, only use supermarket PFS's)

Hymie.
 

EX51SSS

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Depending how you prefer to get from site to site (Aires), there is a choice of campercontact if you want on line or All the Aires if you prefer a book type. Personally I prefer a book to look at nd decide where I'm going next but some prefer on line campercontact. They do say that All the Aires is out of date as soon as it's printed, much like any newspaper but for the occasional one or two that are added or deleted, it's irrelevant. Most people I know who have the book keep them for years. I've had ours for 4 years and using it again this year.

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TerryL

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Stay off the motorways, the main roads are much nicer, if a little slower. More importantly don't confuse the motorway aires (aire de repos) with the motorhome aires (aire de camping car) and DO NOT overnight on the aires de repos - too many folk have been burgled/robbed/gassed :eek:. As with anywhere, mind you, if you're not happy with an aire move on - there's plenty more.

Make yourself up a little sign to have in front of you "Drive on the Right" until you get used to it. You will get it wrong once but hopefully after that it'll be fine.

But most importantly, ENJOY!

:welco:

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Mar 23, 2012
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Its the car parks that catch me out even when there are no markings of where to go there is a natural instinct to got the opposite way to the natives!!
 
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campercontacts app has been mentioned as has All the Aires book. Those are in English (if you select it in campercontacts)We also use campingcars-infos, which is in some English also French, but symbols understandable,. We use campercontacts and campingcars-infos on-line(because we have loads of cheap Gb of data) but you can download the Apps for about a tenner each. Each of them have some places listed that the others do not - and some omitted.

Campingcars lists Aires but also lists parking places for MHs and whether one can overnight. You can filter each category out, so that the map only shows the categories you have chosen. For my preference I go to campingcars first.

One tip for ensuring you drive on the right, when you exit a filling station or s/market CP and there is no traffic take particular care especially if exiting onto a dual carriageway.

One thing I like about France is the food - the supermarkets have some good deicatessen counters and it is almost impossible to have a bad meal in a restaurant, as any like that would be out of business in a month.

For eating there are an excellent series of 'Les Routiers' cafe/restaurants mostly on main roads for truckers and other workers. They do a fixed menu of 3 courses plus wine for about €10-15 per head, or maybe less for main only. Mostly only open at lunchtime. Location and opeing times are on a website called 'Truckfly'

Enjoy yourselves.

Geoff

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