Newbies to France - Brainstorm (1 Viewer)

[Jim]

I'm about to write an in-depth article that will inspire and guide members into crossing the channel. I understand that for some, the idea may seem daunting, and for others, a little nudge is all they need to embark on this fantastic journey.

I'm counting on your valuable insights! Share your experiences, tips, and advice. Whether it's about overcoming fears, navigating the logistics, or simply must-see destinations, I want to hear it all.

Here's what I'm looking for

Your Experiences
Have you crossed the channel in your motorhome? Tell us about it, were you nervous first time out? How is it now?
Must-Do's & Should-Do's
What are the absolute musts for anyone making this journey?
Challenges Overcome
Were you nervous or hesitant before your trip? How did you overcome these feelings?
Logistics
Tips on booking and using ferries or trains, handling formalities, and sorting out insurance.
Stays and Sightseeing
Where are the best places to stay? booking, hidden gems and top attractions ect?
Anything Else
No tip is too small anything - TV, internet, currency, gas, food If it helped you, it might help someone else!

This guide aims to alleviate fears, offer practical advice, and showcase the brilliant opportunities that so many of us enjoy accross the channel. Your contributions are key to making itcomprehensive, confidence-boosting resource for Funsters.

Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge and experiences. it would be really nice to make this the go-to guide for channel-crossing

Over to you.

 

[JoshnPen]

This will be very useful for us as we're just planning our first trip abroad in the van. We've had the van for a couple of years now and have done many many weekends and a few longer trips. Stretched our wings last year and went to Ireland for two weeks but we still feel like novices. It was actually talking to a colleague at work that made us feel we could actually do it! She drives to Italy every couple of years (by car) - I was questioning how far she can go in the 2 weeks off work and was given plenty of first hand reassurance. We'd never considered that we could go that far whilst we're working full time and so can only go for 2 weeks at a time.

So we're off this year, and have been questioning our lovely forum friends for advice.

We wish there was a guide on one site for every European country containing ulez (equivalents), tolls advice and generally what paperwork/stickers /vignettes are needed as we seem to forever dipping in and out of different sites.

We've just got our acsi card too for stops en route. Info all in one place would be great.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Ok, I”ll start with a quick one,.
France is big. Choose a destination and then meander to and back from it. Could be WW1 area, Landings area WW2, Brittany, Provence, Loire Chateaux etc.
Get the A3 paper Michelin Map and use it to find interesting places on the way. Towns and villages marked on map with ***. Scenic roads have a green line along them on the map. Use the map to make a rough note of where going that day and the Department number so that when setting your satnav you dont go to the wrong place. There are many places with the same name and every town/village has an Av Charles de Gaulle, or Jean d’arc, or Revolution something. It is easy to set satnav to wrong place but better if you know the department number.

Discount through CAMC

Michelin Touring & Motorist Atlas France 2021 - A3 Spiral

France Michelin Road Atlas (A3 Spiral) is the perfect companion for a safe and enjoyable drive in France. Convenient and easy to use thanks to its spiral bound cover, Michelin France Atlas will provide you with precise and reliable information with its annually updated mapping scaled 1/200 000...

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[appydaze]

Breakdown insurance, Spare van key, Maps, What three words, Hidden in van a credit card, sat nav, spare phone if you have one, Try to learn a bit of basic French ......

 

[suavecarve]

Download a map app with the already downloaded area. I use mapy cz
Have an app or 2 out of camper contact, s4s or p4n.
Ventusky app for weather.
Work out charges for paying on cards. Our credit card is free for purchases abroad so we pay for everything apart from bread with that and then we keep about 20 euros in coins for Aires or water always aim to have sufficient coinage.
France is huge. Don't try doing it in one go.
Think about transport when you get to your location eg bike ebike scooter etc.
With gas make sure you are able to last the time away or get lpg.
Use the search function on mhf when you get to a place or going to a place to find what others have found.
Buy the book Wild Swimming in France by Daniel Start and get the 2nd edition for about 15 quid off Amazon. This will give you several out of the way swimming lakes cascades clues gorges etc so you don't have to be a swimmer to enjoy it.
Use the photo of the day thread to see where you think you want to go.
Don't do too much. A lot of France will be there next year. !!!!

 

[sonny]

Plan ahead to make sure you exit the docks and on to the correct road then relax and enjoy the wrong turns

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[bladerunner]

Relax, you are on holiday.
It is not a third World.

It's worth having e.g. a Post office card pre loaded euros.

Try to learn a few words in relevant language - it will break barriers and make you seem more friendly. Chances are they will then speak English.

Don't drive like a berk just because you're away. Smile and wave if you cut someone up by mistake.

Leaving the tunnel is easy as you are straight onto a motorway, so unlikely to get left/right wrong.

Once on A roads, take great care at roundabouts and especially when leaving site first thing or petrol station - it's VERY easy to make a fatal mistake.

Don't plan long days - 4 hours is probably enough for each day.

Personally I don't chase old War sites - Europe has moved on.

 

[MichaelT]

Our first experience in MH were a little nervous of using Aires and didn't really know what to expect or if they were safe. I followed a few people on here who posted you tube videos of various aires which really helped however first time over we didn't arrive till about 10pm so decided to use the new calais aire. Not far from.port and had security barrier etc. So we felt a bit more secure. We then moved on and used aires all over and never looked back.

Don't overthink things and relax.

 

[nicholsong]

Discount through CAMC

Michelin Touring & Motorist Atlas France 2021 - A3 Spiral

France Michelin Road Atlas (A3 Spiral) is the perfect companion for a safe and enjoyable drive in France. Convenient and easy to use thanks to its spiral bound cover, Michelin France Atlas will provide you with precise and reliable information with its annually updated mapping scaled 1/200 000...

dash4it.co.uk

I agree the Michelin map is excellent but get the plasticised version - it is much more durable in spiral bound.

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[hja]

Concerns : foreign language, using google translate which is easy for written stuff but I can’t work out how to do spoken.
Need decent insurance for break down, recovery, medical and repatriation. If you don’t speak much of the language operatives who can intervene on your part are brilliant. We always used to use Red Pennant and have been so pleased they have been able to find us an English speaking doctor for instance, and a new caravan wheel on another occasion.
Documents you must carry
Crit aire etc
Toll roads.

 

[Red Sonja]

Check and recheck your breakdown cover is sufficient for your needs. Take it slow and enjoy yourself. Carry more than one credit / debit card in case one decides not to work.

 

[Brains]

As a person that spent all of my life (toddler onwards) travelling the globe, nervousness for those who are leaving home for the first time is not a thing I get.

However, as a first trip to the mainland I'd recommend the Netherlands.
It's right next door with direct ferry links, especially if you come from 'oop t' Noorth'
No Ferry queues!
Nearly everyone speaks fluent English.
It looks like East Anglia, even the house are the same.
The food is very similar to the UK, and is called by names many would recognise.
The drink beer and eat chips, so no major cultural jump.
You can even watch UK TV!

Other than driving on the 'wrong' side and taking a few days to get used to the currency, I suggest it's a perfect first 'dip of the toe' into the rest of Europe.

Tips for the first-time traveller.
Buy your ferry ticket with as much notice as possible.
Gas - Fill up before you leave. Calor gas is only available in the UK. (Or get refillable bottles, such as GasLow fitted)
Fuel - Fill before you leave, means you don't have to worry for the first couple of days.
Book at least the first night campsite (I always book the last night as well)
Don't try and do too much, but have a plan of things you want to do and see.
Print off the mirror image 'keep right' card for your windscreen (On this site somewhere)
Take all your documents, Passports, marriage cert, V5, Insurance, Driving licence.
Get a card that allows a second account in €uro's (Such as Starling, but there are many more)
Recovery Insurance

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[scotzsue]

Mine is a don't.
Don't arrive in France in January on a Sunday expecting to fill up with water at an aire. A 2L bottle of water was really not enough

 

[PaddyM]

Personally I don't chase old War sites - Europe has moved on.

List of wars in Europe during the post-WW2 period​

(Note: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia can be considered part of Europe or Western Asia; they are listed here for completeness)

• Anti-Soviet resistance by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, 1942-1960
• Greek Civil War (Greece, 1946–1949)
• Northern Ireland Conflict, (1960s–1998)
• Basque conflict (1959–2011)
• Cyprus Emergency, (Greek Cypriots (EOKA) vs. United Kingdom, 1955–1959)
• Soviet invasion of Hungary (Soviet Union vs. Hungary, 1956)
• Invasion of Czechoslovakia (Soviet Union vs. Czechoslovakia, 1968)
• Turkish invasion of Cyprus (Cyprus vs. Turkey, 1974)
• Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (Armenia vs. Azerbaijan, 1988–present)
• Yugoslav Wars, 1991–2001
  • Ten-Day War (Slovenia vs. Yugoslavia, 1991)
  • Croatian War of Independence (Croatia vs. Yugoslavia, 1991–1995)
  • Bosnian War (Bosnia vs. Yugoslavia, 1992–1995)
  • Kosovo War (Kosovo vs. Yugoslavia, 1998–1999)
  • Insurgency in the Preševo Valley (UÇPMB vs. Yugoslavia, 1999–2001)
  • 2001 insurgency in the Republic of North Macedonia (National Liberation Army vs. North Macedonia, 2001)
• Georgian Civil War (Georgia, 1991–1993)
• East Prigorodny Conflict (Ingush militia vs. Russia, 1992)
• War of Transnistria (Transnistria vs. Moldova, 1992)
• Chechen–Russian conflict
  • First Chechen War (1994–1996)
  • War of Dagestan (1999)
  • Second Chechen War (1999–2000)
• Albanian Rebellion of 1997 (Albania, 1997)
• Russo-Georgian War (Georgia vs. Russia, 2008)
• Russo-Ukrainian War (2014–present)
  • 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine
  • Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation (2014)
  • War in Donbass (2014–present)
  • 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Kumanovo clashes (National Liberation Army vs. North Macedonia, 2015)

This should keep you going if you fancy some more contemporary European conflict sites to visit .

 

[Christy]

This would be a huge help!
it would be great to actually have a couple of breakdwon companies recommended rather than just "get good breakdown cover"

Also a definitive step by step guide to taking a dog abroad would be helpful.

Thanks Jim.

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[VXman]

You don't have to use toll roads. Many good routes toll free and you see a lot more.

Currency. Take a good fee free card. You might not want to put specific examples in an article but currently good foriegn use cards include

Chase Debit, Halifax Clarity card, Barclaycard Rewards, Nationwide, Santander Zero, Revolut, Monzo.

Be aware that some ATM's will charge a local fee but not all - worth looking around for a fee free ATM. some credit cards will charge interest immediately when you withdraw cash. Debit cards are better in this aspect, Barclaycard Rewards doesn't.

Be careful where you stop overnight. A motorhome/camper Aire is not the same as an motorway Aire. Motorway aires have a reputation for not being safe at night. 'Aire du camping car' is what you need to look for.

Crit Air Stickers needed for certain towns/cities.

ACSI card for camping out of season.

 

[cyberyacht]

Not a bad idea to have photocopies of important documents. I also keep a list of bank card/passport/Licence numbers on my phone plus digital copies of some docs as well.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so a few Youtube videos of my trips to aires/campsites can give you a visual idea of things. The link is in my signature below.

 

[bladerunner]

.This should keep you going if you fancy some more contemporary European conflict sites to visit .

The only wars I would now attend would be as a RAMC surgeon!!!

But on holiday.....no

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[PaddyM]

The only wars I would now attend would be as a RAMC surgeon!!!

But on holiday.....no

My best friend was a Major in the RAMC , left about 5 yrs ago . He loved the Army and Army life .

 

[nicholsong]

Jim

If you include all that has been written so far the advice might put many people off going at all.

One positive thing I would add is that if the member has hired a car/scooter on the Continent/USA etc. then driving the MH on the right of the road should not be a problem.

I had previously taken my car over from UK to Continent and I never thought about most of the things listed above - I just drove on the ferry and drove off, straight to Poland, where I have been for 13 years, so I now have to be careful driving on left in UK.

One warning about driving on the right is to be additionally careful when exiting from a filling station or parking area where there is no traffic to prompt you, especially if joining a dual carriageway.

 

[Lenny HB]

Not sure I can help much we have been going to or through France for over 40 years started with a tent in the boot of a car in 1979.

France is just so easy in a Motorhome there is nothing to be worried about we find it far more difficult in the UK so we tend to avoid the UK as we want a stress free holiday.

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[Lenny HB]

One warning about driving on the right is to be additionally careful when exiting from a filling station or parking area where there is no traffic to prompt you, especially if joining a dual carriageway.

True but even harder to keep to left when you get back to the UK, driving on the right just seems more natural.

 

[BriannYe]

Watch out if in small towns and non major roads where you have to give way to traffic from the right.

 

[Brains]

Mine is a don't.
Don't arrive in France in January on a Sunday expecting to fill up with water at an aire. A 2L bottle of water was really not enough

and take one of those collapsible 10 litre water containers !

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[Chuns]

Sometime we can think the French to be a bit abrupt, but that is very often caused by us Brits breaking the cardinal rule, and that is to say “Bonjour”. At every opportunity. Walk into a bakers, say Bonjour. A waiter comes to your table, first word is “Bonjour”. Approaching someone in the street - you get it.

If you do not speak a word of French, apologise and look helpless. Done with a smile, it works as so many French do speak English, and quite often are pleased to practice it, but will not if your approach is wrong.

Maybe even a laminated card with some suitable apology in French (Google Translate is your friend here).

I speak a very poor version of French, but have rehearsed a phrase that apologises for not speaking French as they would find it insulting, and anyway, I tell them, “I speak French like a Spanish cow.” I don't know why people find this so funny, but they do, and immediately we are all good friends.

Another tip is be a bit grown-up about food. Don't spend all your time trying to replicate the food you are used to in the UK, use the opportunity to try new things. You may not like it all, but you will taste some really delicious things. Again, try and enlist help, ask the waiter, or even the people on the next table. You'll have a pretty good idea anyway, as you can aim your phone at menus (‘carte' in French) and translate them real time.

Final tip from me is to familiarise yourself with the dates of French public holidays, many supermarkets shut early, or do not open at all, and also check Sunday hours.

Best advice of all is not to get wound up, it is all very easy.

 

[Spriddler]

Don't get anxious about driving on the right as you'll find that everyone else is driving on the wrong side of the road.
You don't need to go tearing South for a first trip. Plenty to see and do and to experience France along the coast or within 50 mile day trips of a Channel port. (But don't stop over near a Channel port or you might be troubled by nuisance migrants).

 

[Folkranger]

Possibly don't go too far first time. All areas of France have their charms so you could get used to the experience without having to bomb down toll roads to, say, the south.

Book sites only if you feel the need (first time) but it's so easy to find and get onto most sites without advance booking. The exceptions being coastal resorts. The feeling of freedom by not being tied to booked sites cannot be beaten.

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[yodeli]

ASK MY MOBILE PHONE NUMBER BEFORE YOU LEAVE...... I might be able to help !

 

[yodeli]

“I speak French like a Spanish cow.” I

Because it's what we say ! Je parle français comme une vache espagnole!

 

[yodeli]

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