Newbies to France - Brainstorm (1 Viewer)

[Mikeco]

If someone is aiming to go to France for the first time then they are probably working class, have limited time of probably 2 weeks and also have children as well.
Therefore my advice would be:
Do your research before you go and book where you wish to stay.
Use a ferry that gets you as near to your destination as possible, such as Portsmouth to St Malo if going to Brittany.
Do a check list of all requirements such as Insurance etc and tick the box when you have done it.

 

[Lenny HB]

If someone is aiming to go to France for the first time then they are probably working class,

What on earth has got to do with it?

 

[Mikeco]

What on earth has got to do with it?

It means that they are still young and at work.

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[Lenny HB]

It means that they are still young and at work.

You said "working class" totally different implying you think you are superior.

 

[Mikeco]

You said "working class" totally different implying you think you are superior.

I thought that I was logged onto motorhomefun but obviously not.
We were all working class when we were planning our first trips to France.

 

[Grianan]

Remember France is generally easier for motorhomes than UK.

However a few things that might just get your first trip off to a great start are …

• many French supermarkets shut on Sunday afternoon
• many restaurants shut Sunday and Monday
• Lunch out is often great value but you need to get there nearer 12 than 2pm. Some of our best meals have been at restaurants which look less inviting or are off the prettiest streets.
• because I teach and we travel down from Scotland we often cross the channel on Sunday morning - I have basic supplies for our first lunch/dinner/breakfast - if I don’t need them that’s a bonus
• don’t drive too far in your first day … there are some lovely towns within an hour of Calais
• consider what time you’re arriving and whether you’d be more comfortable having a campsite booked for your first night or if you’re happier on an aire. If you think there’s a possibility your chosen aire may be full have a plan B. We haven’t been stuck yet.
• You will see much more travelling by D roads than by motorway or even N roads. We are limited to 2 weeks so our first big journey down to our chosen area is by autoroute - we don’t use them again until we return.
• A smattering of schoolboy/girl French and a smile goes a long way!
• We need/take very little cash. Debit cards are accepted almost everywhere in France (unlike The Netherlands).
• take in a market. Buy your fruit and veg there.

Enjoy!!

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[Adtan]

Jim maybe add info on toll tags I’ve used emovis for a while and it certainly makes using toll roads easier plus info on what to do if you break down on a toll road as this is different to uk as your breakdown cover can’t be used plus maybe info on apps to use P4n camping car parks etc etc and as others have said it’s a big country don’t try to do to much on your first trip if it’s only a week or 2

 

[MR BLO]

We are working class so time is precious which affected our decisions first time, and still does.
Don’t be nervous, it’s no different to going to the Isle of Wight other than the food, wine and weather is better
Don’t try to pack too much in. France is really close so it’s easy to go back
France is a big place so pick an area, research and book a ferry (or tunnel) to suit. You wouldn’t try and tour Blighty in a fortnight so why try it it France.
Don’t waste time on a day crossing to save money if your chosen ferry is one of the longer routes east of Dover - go overnight, arrive fresh and remove wasted time effort and fuel tracking across country.
If short on time use toll roads to munch the miles. Not expensive, especially for 3.5t or under. The autoroutes.fr website is brilliant to plan with costs.
But don’t spend all day driving if you have passengers. After three hours eye spy loses its charm. We tend to smash it down to a destination and crawl back on the old roads. Look out for the brown town and village signs off the big roads and autoroutes. These are usually worth a visit even if just to break the journey and grab a coffee or lunch. Just be careful of local 3.5t limits. Oh and speed bumps. They build some brutes in France. I have only ever used my hill descent mode once, when descending off a particularly steep one in Brittany.
Use the apps. Try the aires but be prepared to find no room at the inn from time to time in high season around tourist hotspots. If worried use CCP or municipal sites which you can book in advance. We did that for our first night in France. Just took the edge off and allowed us to relax that first day. We try to get to an aire by 11 normally.
Our biggest concern on our first visit was access to waste and water on the aires with all the weird and wonderful dispensing contraptions especially the ones that take jetons. Wtf is a jeton we asked ourselves. No bother, ask a neighbour if unclear- everyone was there for the first time once. By the third aire you’re the expert. A collapsible bucket and a watering can for the aires is handy to the point that you can overt the mad dash for the motorhome point when you try to leave
We generally factor spending two nights in a place. If it’s shabby we move on sooner.
Eat out - the French are good cooks but get there early if you do lunch. Tables full by 12:30. ALWAYS have thé café gourmand for desert.
Do the markets for fruit and veg and cheese
Try using some French even if it is a bit allo allo. It goes a long way.
France is closed on a Sunday which is nice because it’s a time to chill, or cover some miles because the roads are quiet.
Have a couple of SIM cards so you are covered phone and internet wise
Have V5, insurance and breakdown to hand. A dash cam is also a good idea on foreign shores especially if you don’t speak the lingo. Crit air sticker needed for some cities- easy to buy on line before you go.
Gas refill is plentiful- buy an adapter kit before you go. You won’t need it if you have one, but if you don’t…
Don’t fill up on motorways. Use a camper satnav or app to get you to the station just off the motorway.
France is full of hidden gems. But don’t discount the popular places. Yes can be busy but usually better facilities and more to do or see. For example Puy du Fou or Futuroscope.

 

[Soycd]

I think most things have been covered. I'd add, don't just limit yourself to France. Belgium, Netherlands, Germany are within striking distance of Dover/Folkestone. If on a limited time scale schedule, then maybe don't stray too far? It's always fun on the way there but coming back can be a pain.
Stuff like medical insurance are really important also get a GHIC card.
Don't take food with you, part of the fun is shopping in Europe.
Check your passport is valid.
Get some apps such as Search For Sites, Park4night, Campercontact etc. These will help you find places to stay.
Get a decent map/road map. Do not depend on Satnav. You will miss too much. It's much more interesting to use a map.
If you are planning a long drive then audio books are good.
Make sure you have the right cables for EHU in Europe.

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[Boldly]

When on holiday we like a leisurely start to the day. Often aren't ready to leave till eleven. I thought the idea of aires was for overnight stops, no wonder they are often full when we get there

 

[suavecarve]

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

I need to know if my level of french is higher or lower than that of a Spanish cow as I speak French like a young spanish schoolgirl, which I took as a compliment.

 

[suavecarve]

Shops -

You can more or less buy anything in the hypermarches. They are like superstores of Sainsburys or Tescos and they appear on the Rocade (way round major towns) in like an industrial estate and this is where the cheapest petrol is located. Diesel is yellow and called Gaz. You select and pay for the fuel then fill up. Try to go to the petrol station where you dont have to wait to pay at the kiosk as it is always a bit tight.

For Sainsburys Morrisons Tescos etc think Auchan Carrefour Intermarche E leclerc
For Halfords think Feu Vert
Bricomarche is a DIY store
Pharmacie is a chemist and they have green flashing luminescent green cross with time and temperature at the time on them and you can get some stronger painkillers if you pretend you have toothache to bring back with you (so a friend told me!)
Boulangerie for bakery and choose the one with the longest queue
Restaurants are for eating and not for sitting down for a beer but PMU bars offer the best value for money for beer (which is extortionate in comparison to UK)
A "Cave" is a wine store, either of the local or regional wines or just the wine of the vineyard (there are about 2,500 vineyards to stay at Free of Charge by buying the book of France Passion each year for about 20 quid I think
Wine can be chilled using plastic reusable ice blocks bought in Aktion shops usually located within the aforementioned industrial sized shopping centres and they are like Poundland only probably better quality

I m sure others can add further shops and their UK equivalent

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[Gaston aires]

Take copies of documents, insurance, return crossing, and for any ancillary transportation, scooter, motorcycle, toad etc.
I like to use maps and only satnavs near the destination. Post codes a no no inFrance. Fill up water, fuel gas etc whenever you can. Don’t think about less MPG it’s minimal.
Phil

 

[yodeli]

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

Oh Dear.... I doubt my phone would answer , so of course it's "ASK FOR" , or just "TAKE my phone number" as it's on the card (post #30 )and don't forget for you it will be 0033682050584

 

[LaurenceT]

So much excellent advice in this thread, always something to learn and we've been touring France for over 40 years.
The one thing I would stress is to have the best breakdown and recovery insurance that can be bought.

The clutch decided to die 30 miles from Calais on our return trip last year and our insurers held our hands throughout the entire process and got us home safely.
It took 8 days because I insisted on the van being repatriated to the UK for repair. We had Red Pennant but I'm sure other flavours will do just as well.

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[PaddyM]

When queuing up for 45 minutes to buy a rottisserie chicken from the butchers ensure that you have bought a ticket for one the day before , if you dont you will have wasted 45 minutes and will be very very hungry

 

[Jewellbags]

For newbies (and us to an extent) the biggest challenge is anxiety of getting lost, accidents , breakdowns , etc . Other than making sure you are well covered with insurances and breakdown cover my best tip (and this is someone who had historically driven quite a bit in euro land ) is to plan the first leg of the trip well and by the time you make your first stop you are “dialed” in and find it really isn’t that worrying .

 

[nicholsong]

When queuing up for 45 minutes to buy a rottisserie chicken from the butchers ensure that you have bought a ticket for one the day before , if you dont you will have wasted 45 minutes and will be very very hungry

Is the ticket to secure the chicken or to get to the head of the queue?

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[PaddyM]

Is the ticket to secure the chicken or to get to the head of the queue?

You pay the price of the chicken and get the ticket then queue to exchange the ticket for a chicken . I had no ticket …… and hence went v hungry !

 

[ChrisSue]

For our first trip to France we decided to have a look at the D Day sites in Normandy. I did a spreadsheet of costs for mileage, time and costs, factoring in using Tesco rewards. The obvious one for us was Newhaven to Dieppe and, by using this fantastic forum, found out about the over 60's discount.
To keep the stress down we booked a site.

Since that first trip we now use search4sites, park4night, camping car parks and ACSI. We've managed to park for the day within walking distance to many places.

Most big supermarkets have plenty of space for Motorhomes but be aware that nearer Paris some have height barriers as they have problems with "travellers"

We have also found that most fuel outlets are now pay at pump.

It is well worth getting a toll tag even if you don't intend to do much driving on the peage.

If using a satnav use as much of the address as you can. The numbers are just the town. As an example the aire near the ferry terminal in Dieppe is, QUAI GASTON LALITTE, DIEPPE, 76200. Just type in the part in upper case and leave the numbers out. We have also found that using Google maps for the last mile or two is helpful.

A little bit of French is worth knowing but be able to say something like "Desole, c'est tout le francais que je connais" (sorry that is all the French I know). If someone thinks you understand well you may get a torrent of idiomatic French which will be too quick for you to pick up. We do the same to visitors to England so don't think that people on the continent are being rude. I actually did an evening course to improve my French and, whilst booking in on a site my accent was remarked on and I was asked if I was Belgian

Remember that in some places the French enjoy a long lunch and shops might be closed for two hours between 12 and 2.

Some campsite toilets may not have toilet paper (or even seats). It's probably more healthy to "hover" anyway.

Swimming pools tend to insist on trunks and ban shorts in the pool.

Most important relax, smile and say Bon Jour. Try the local foods.

 

[nicholsong]

You pay the price of the chicken and get the ticket then queue to exchange the ticket for a chicken . I had no ticket …… and hence went v hungry !

But you still have to queue 45 mins.? Sod that for a game of soldiers!

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[Chuns]

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

Thanks, yodeli. But why would a French person say that about themselves? In what sort of circumstances would it be used? I had been told that it was a colloquial expression, which is why I used it, but it seems to produce a disproportionate amount of merriment.

 

[PaddyM]

But you still have to queue 45 mins.? Sod that for a game of soldiers!

Yep but the chickens looked n smelled heavenly ! So much so I now travel in my motorhome with my own rotisserie

 

[Tombola]

Keep your wits about you around the major ports and cities when parking up, even If its just to pop to the shop. Many would be scammers/thieves see motorhomers as easy bait, all jolly on hollies.

Staying on open car parks where immigrants may be congregating, think of associated risks, especially in your way home.

Don't be afraid to ask other motorhomers things you may be unsure of.

Diesel in France ....Gazole
Diesel in Spain.... gazoleo
Lpg - GPL.

Oh and when you see the fresh made pizza vending machine on the streets in France...don't choose cold by accident if you want to eat it now..lol...(yeah I did) I assumed it.would be hot.

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[yodeli]

Thanks, yodeli. But why would a French person say that about themselves? In what sort of circumstances would it be used? I had been told that it was a colloquial expression, which is why I used it, but it seems to produce a disproportionate amount of merriment.

Because we say it with English by all means , and saying it about French was a clever adaptation of this colloquial expression. I should have put it as it's used here. "Je parle Anglais comme une vache Espagnole".
We also say "C'est du chinois pour moi" when we don't get something, even said in French. It can be some specific vocabulary, like, in my case, anything related to computer. Let's say, someone tells me: Envoie-le en PDF" I will answer for sure "C'est du Chinois pour moi. Dis moi en détails ce qu'il faut faire avec des mots que je comprends"
Also , I will add: French being a difficult language to learn, it is always very surprising to hear an English person speaking it, and of course if you made the effort to adapt it to your case then .... whooaa hooba hooba !!!!! . Sorry to say but we do have some "a priori" about English thinking they won't speak another language as everyone is supposed to speak it!

 

[yodeli]

Bon Jour.

Just for you to know "Bonjour" , is one whole word. But you will say when leaving the cashier lady or whoever you want to be polite with, when leaving only: Bonne Journée, Bon après-midi (that you will pronounce "bon na près midi" na as in pah) Bonne soirée, Bonne nuit, or even Bon week end.
Course free of charge!

 

[ChrisSue]

Just for you to know "Bonjour" , is one whole word. But you will say when leaving the cashier lady or whoever you want to be polite with, when leaving only: Bonne Journée, Bon après-midi (that you will pronounce "bon na près midi" na as in pah) Bonne soirée, Bonne nuit, or even Bon week end.
Course free of charge!

Curse of predictive text

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[yodeli]

Curse of predictive text

Never mind, as it is something I often see and perfectly understandable as all the other words are in 2 bits , at least, I can correct it for everybody. That said, when you actually say it, no one see the difference of course!

 

[westhamman]

Nothing to do with topic but noticed Yodeli has a medal, well deserved.

 

[cyberyacht]

I suppose the secret is to know the difference between "I speak a little French" and "I'm a French speaking midget"

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