normanandsue
Free Member
This may be of interest for those planning to go to Germany. Norman and I are overnighting in Lens (just off A21) south of Calais ready for final push to ferry tomorrow afternoon. A very pleasant 'Aire de service' with parking for 6 motorhomes - can highly recommend. BUT point of thread. We have been away from UK since 4th May, travelling down through France, southern Germany, skirting Switzerland down to Lake Garda, over to Venice then back north into Germany. Until then we had had no problem with our use of Visa credit card, or mastercard or Thomas Cook Cash Passport (also a mastercard) but for the past fortnight we have had to make use of debit card for cash withdrawals as almost without exception our card has been refused. Even good old Lidl, Aldi refuse. Is this a German conspiracy? Also make sure you have plenty of 1 & 2 euro coins. Many Stellplatz and parking meters accept only coins and may not have a change machine nearby, so go well supplied, or, like us life will be very frustrating. Generally sites cost 12 euros. Some machines accept a card. I think it's a EuroCard, but does anyone know what this is. Does one load it with euros beforehand - we had a Thomas Cook Euro cash passport card but needless to say that was soon empty. Please enlighten so we can be better prepared. Norman's just reminded me that the big petrol stations accepted his card - no bother