# A Few Tips For Your First French Trip



## Sky

*Warning* – long post alert!  

This was only supposed to be short, but I kept finding more to say. 

Having been wilding full time in France since the beginning of August last year, I thought I would pass on a few tips that may save future travellers from some of the difficulties I've encountered and maybe save them a little money too.

It had been my intention to spend August/September in France, then October/November in Portugal and December to April in Spain – most of it in Spain because I can speak a fair bit of Spanish.  As it turned out, I liked France so much I decided to stay.

This was my first trip abroad in a motorhome so it was all new to me.  I'd lived full time in a van previously for a few years in the UK (that I'd converted myself to a basic level), but had very little experience of coachbuilts or camp-sites.

*Gas Bottles*

If like me you have 6kg bottles in a tiny cupboard, it will be worth every penny to get a Gaslow or GasIt system fitted.  I didn't, but I ended up spending as much money on bottle deposits, new pipes and adapters etc. (at high French prices) than a Gas It system would have cost me (and I would have eventually got that money back with cheaper refills).  I was going to do this conversion before I left the UK, but they had closed down for a two week summer holiday at the time I needed to do it. 

Because my gas cupboard is so small, the only bottle I could fit in it was the ButagazCube. The trouble was only one would fit in there so I had to carry a second in my back box. 

I should have left one of my 6kg bottles in the UK and brought just one to France (to use between Cube refills).  Instead, I ended up with two empty 6kg bottles in my back box along with the spare Cube, but hindsight comes too late doesn't it?

If you have 13kg bottles or bigger, you'll be fine; just get the adapters in the UK before you leave (they're cheaper than in France) and only take one bottle.  You can then get a French bottle and just use the UK one between refills of the French one.

The main reason I got into this pickle was because I couldn't find someone to give me a straight answer as to what I should do and what adapters I would need.  I visited eight or nine dealers and accessory shops only to find that most staff didn't even know what to do in the UK, let alone abroad.  Sadly, I only discovered this forum a week or so before I left otherwise I would have found the answer on here.

*Batteries & Charging*

I wanted to fit a solar panel or buy a generator, but I couldn't make up my mind which to go for – again because I was getting conflicting advice.  In the end I didn't bother with either – and as it turned out I didn't need them.  An hour's drive every couple of days to move onto the next spot was always enough to recharge my batteries.

I will however, be adding a solar panel in the future. These work out cheaper than generators and are a lot more environmentally (and neighbourly) friendly as well as being free to run.  You'll only need a generator if you intend to run high current devices like hair-driers or microwave ovens.

I fitted a second leisure battery in parallel with my existing one and kept a separate charged battery under the passenger seat along with a set of jump leads and charger for emergencies. I needed to use this twice to start the van because I had accidentally switched over to the van battery instead of the leisure battery and depleted it watching TV.  I've now disabled this switch – stupid idea to have it in the first place in my opinion.

*Lighting*

I converted all my internal lights to SMD LED devices as soon as I got my van.  Luckily, I had the foresight to research this on here before I left the UK.  LED bulbs cost a fortune in the UK and even more so in France, but if you get them on eBay from China, they cost next to nothing.  £10.00 to £15.00 each in the UK and 20% dearer in France.  The ones from China cost me £1.25 each.  As I needed about a dozen it was a considerable saving.

*Television*

I bought a 12/230v LED television with built in Freeview and DVD player because of it's low power consumption.  This combined with LED lighting meant I used very little power each evening.  

*Van Accessories*

These are much dearer in France – by as much as 50% in places, so be sure to take everything you need like levellers, chocks, EHU cables and adapters, hose-pipes and adapters and loo chemicals etc. 

The good thing about French dealers and accessory shops is that the staff know their subject and are more than happy to help you.  Unlike the ignorant and grumpy English ones I'd met who were only interested if I was looking to buy a new van.

*Aires de Camping Car*

You will have heard of Aires elsewhere, but they are a lot better than some people will have you believe (probably those who prefer camp-sites).  Obviously, there are the odd exceptions, but in my experience that's mainly because they've either been neglected or abused – I only found two or three like this.

Mostly, they are terrific.  You don't always get a nice view and some can be a bit noisy, but most that I've stayed at have been spot on (another one is never too far away if you don't like the first anyway).  

The only thing that annoyed me about quite a few of them is that they were near churches – I'm an atheist and find church bells an annoying noise pollution.  I'm sure most of you will be the opposite and enjoy the sound of the campanologists and their clappers. 

The general advice is no furniture outside, no awnings or laundry drying etc.  However, in my experience most people put out a chair or two and I only ever heard of one instance when someone was asked to put them away.  Considerate parking and not playing loud music or TV is more important (I used headphones).

I found it best to arrive at my intended Aire between 1400 and 1500 each day.  Any later than that often saw them full up as some only have space for a few vans.

Mostly, overnight parking is free, but the odd few do charge a few Euros – I just avoided them.

*Wild Camping*

There are very few restrictions and in general you can park almost anywhere with no problems. Very few car parks have height restrictions and I never saw one that had over night parking/camping restrictions and a lot have outside water taps and toilets. 

Obviously, be sensible and don't park near people's property and in busy town centres.  In some town centres, there are blue-painted parking boxes.  This doesn't mean you have to pay, but it means you should display a disc (a bit like a disabled badge holders disc) to show what time you arrived because there are time limits.  These can normally be purchased in the shops that have the blue lines outside for just a few Euros.

There are lay-bys everywhere (with litter bins - remember them?); just choose the quieter ones off the main roads.  Once you are out of town and away from main roads you will be amazed at just how quiet it is.  The roads are almost deserted most of the time anyway and very few people drive at night. 

I like fishing, so a lot of the time I opted for river and lakeside options.  This is almost impossible in the UK, but all it costs in France is €80.00 for an annual permit that allows you to fish just about anywhere at no extra charge.  Whatever you do though; don't fish without one – the authorities can confiscate ALL of your fishing gear if you're caught.

There are unmade roads all over France that are called Chemins. There are very few restrictions on their use and I found many places where I could park for the night and go for long walks and cycle rides.

*Electric Hook Up*

Because of the LED lights and TV, I didn't need to hookup at all through August, September and October as it was warm enough and light enough until bedtime.  A short engine run every couple of days kept everything charged.   

However, once November came along, I found I had to start using the heating in the evening which soon got through the gas.  Luckily, a lot of Aires have free electricity as well as free water and waste disposal.  Needless to say, I took advantage of this and would stay at each Aire for the maximum time allowed (mostly three days at a time).  I always tried to pay back the local community by shopping in the village rather than using supermarkets as much as I could.

Be careful not to have too many things on at once.  It's very easy to overload the trip and leave yourself without electricity.  Luckily, the ones I used were OK up to about 10 amps, but after accidentally tripping one out once (embarrassing) by forgetting my water heater was on when I put the central heating on, I decided to limit my usage to 8 amps or less (to allow for any surges).  This equates to around 2KW of power; which is the same as my electric heating. 

*Water & Waste*

As mentioned above; mostly this is free.  The French (like us) really don't like paying taxes unless they have to and because of this will nearly always avoid the Aires that charge for it.  This means that the majority don't charge – if they do it's just a couple of Euros for water anyway (waste is always free).  

By making sure I always topped up with water at the free ones; I only ever had to pay for water once.

You can nearly always get drinking water from outside taps at public toilets and in big car parks (where they hold local markets) as well.  Just avoid the ones that say Non Potable (not drinkable).

*Camp-sites*

I chose to stay at one once.  That was when the temperature at the Aire I was staying at reached fifty degrees one day in late August or early September.  I retreated to a camp-site with shaded parking and a swimming pool.  It cost me €16.00 (with a discount ACSI card) per day for the two days I was there plus €5.00 for the use of their WiFi.  In the end I decided I'd find my own shade elsewhere even though it was a relatively cheap price.  Still, I managed to do my laundry while I was there (a little cheaper than the launderettes) and have some really long showers.

*ACSI Card*

I only mention this because I mentioned it in the previous paragraph.  They are only of use if you want to use camp-sites – I'll never bother again, far too many people around for my liking.

Basically, it gives you off season discounts at camp-sites all over Europe. Details can be found here.

*Laundry*

A lot of towns have launderettes and the washing fees are quite acceptable.  However, the machines don't spin dry very fast and will always leave your clothes dripping wet.  This means if you use their tumble driers it can be very expensive.  Buy yourself a washing line for a couple of Euros that you can suspend between your van and a tree – your washing will dry in an hour in summer and pretty quickly in winter too (unless there's no wind or it's raining).

*Ferry crossings*

These vary tremendously in price so do your research.  I was quoted as low as £40.00 (one way) and as high as £500.00.  I ended up travelling from Dover to Calais on a single ticket for £40.00 and will be travelling back Le Havre to Portsmouth for €55.00 (an extra €12.00 if I'd wanted a cabin).

*Insurance*

Van – to get full twelve month European cover the best deal I found was with Equity Red Star.  A little under £300.00.

Travel – The best deal for a six month policy I managed to find was through Staysure (only for over 50s).

*Breakdown Cover*
ADAC; definitely.  The best cover available and only around €80.00. The AA wanted nearly £600.00! 

*Security*

I was a bit nervous about this initially as I was going to be on my own.  Don't get me wrong, I'm no scaredy cat and I did a lot of martial arts when I was younger - I even got a black belt in Karate.  However, I'm in my mid 50s now and have a really bad back. Through fear of what I'd read about gassing and muggings, I bought myself a telescopic baton and a can of pepper spray (both perfectly legal in France).  Anyway, my fears were completely unfounded - everyone has been incredibly friendly and half the time now I don't even bother locking my door at night. :sleep-027:

*Books vs Kindle*

I swore I would never use a Kindle, but I was given a Sony e-reader by a very friendly couple I met (they had changed to Kindles).  Now I love books and imagined I would hate using this, but eventually I ran out of reading material and was forced to use it.  I was surprised that I took to it as readily as I did – thanks John & Doreen. 

A couple of months later, I met someone who had just upgraded their Kindle to the latest colour one and I managed to buy their old one from them for €40.00 – full of books.  Best €40.00 I ever spent – now I wouldn't be without it.  I found this to be much better than the Sony and the battery lasts forever.  It also has WiFi, so I can download new books from Amazon when I'm near a WiFi source.

*Food Shopping*

Carrefour, Intermarché, SuperU/HyperU and Lidl etc. are the cheapest.  Watch prices closely as they can vary tremendously.  On one particular shopping trip I just grabbed a bag of onions expecting them to be the usual €1.50, but they actually cost over €5.00 when I looked at the receipt later.

You can buy your favourite teabags like Tetley and PG Tips in a lot of supermarkets, but you'll pay three or four times the UK price for them.  So if you're a bit of a teapot make sure you take plenty with you.

The French don't drink tea much, so the type of tea (like Lipton's) that they sell here (same in Spain) is pretty naff. 

Chocolate is around 50% dearer here, so if you have a sweet tooth bring some with you.

*Cooking*

I like to cook and I'm pretty good at it, but the last thing I wanted to do was spend a lot of time cooking.  This would have meant more gas bottle changes and a good chance I'd make my van greasy and smelly.

I don't like junk food at the best of times – especially the processed, pre-prepared food that most people seem to like to eat today.  I suppose it's my age and the fact that I like to know what goes in my food makes me a bit fussier.  So, I opted to eat mainly rice (which I love) and occasionally pasta.  Using simple, fresh ingredients and as much boiling (as opposed to frying) that I could.

This was great in summer when I was moving around a lot more, but once it got colder and I started staying in one place for longer (on EHU) I made a change that I NEVER would have expected to make – I discovered pre-prepared meals that didn't need to be kept in a fridge or freezer and last for months.  These are available for between €1.50 and €4.00 each and are available in all supermarkets (Lidl being the cheapest).  With the potential saving in gas, time and premium prices for fresh food I decided I had to give them a go.

Initially, I would float these in a frying pan full of boiling water for about ten minutes to heat them.  Eventually, I decided as I was mainly on hook-up I may just as well get a microwave so I could heat them in two minutes as opposed to ten minutes and save more gas.  I could then use it for cooking rice too – always my preferred method for perfect results in ten minutes.

So having made that decision I went into Carrefour and bought a cheap microwave, electric kettle and toaster – the whole lot for less than €50.00.  My gas bill suddenly halved – brilliant!  I did see a plug-in two-ringed electric hob being used by a couple of people once and almost bought one of those when I saw it in an Intermarché for €25.00.  I decided against it at the time, but will get one if I see one at that price again (normally they're about €50.00). 

*Fuel*

The best prices I've found are again at Carrefour and Intermarché. Currently I'm paying €1.28 per litre for diesel at Carrefour which is the cheapest I've found since I've been here.  

*Beer & Wine Etc.*

Drinking in bars here in rural France is very expensive so very few people do it.  Of course Friday evenings you'll always find a few British ex-pats congregating if there are any in the area. 

I've always been a real ale drinker, but there's none of that in France so I had to change my drinking habits.  I've always liked red wine, so it was time for me to do some experimenting.

After spending far too much money on very mediocre and not particularly cheap French wines I gave up trying to find one that suited my uneducated palate.  I like full bodied wines like Malbec, Shiraz and Pinotage so I found most French wine too 'thin' – with the exception of a Roche Mazet Merlot (they do a Cabernet Sauvignon too) that can be found in most supermarkets for less than €3.00 a bottle.

Sadly, I have to admit that most of the time I've stuck to drinking Spanish and South African wine from Lidl because it's reliable and very cheap.  The two I favour are a Spanish Tempranillo/Cabernet Sauvignon mix called Baturrica at €2.99 a bottle and a South African  Cimarosa Pinotage at €2.19 a bottle.  

Don't get me wrong; I'm not knocking French wine at all (their more expensive varieties are the best in the world), but in my limited experience I've found that cheaper French wine is nowhere near as good as the South American, South African or Australian stuff that we've become used to getting in UK supermarkets for under a fiver a bottle.

Spirits are a little cheaper here, but a lot that we're used to are not available (e.g. Gordon's gin and Captain Morgan's or Wood's rum).  Armagnac or Calvados can bought for around €10.00 a bottle though which is pretty good.

*Satellite Navigation & Maps*

I've always disliked in-car navigation devices because the mapping is so notoriously unreliable and can often get you into trouble by putting you somewhere you don't want to be.  However, I made an exception for this trip as I was going to be on my own (I'm not very good at reading maps whilst driving). 

A fellow member on this forum sold me a Tom Tom Go Live with all the European maps and trucking software on it.  This allowed me to input the height and width of my van and it really kept me out of trouble.  It also allowed me to avoid all toll roads.  He was also very helpful on the phone and even sent me a new battery free of charge when after a few days use, the original one died (no fault of his obviously).  

In addition, he put lots of POI way-points on it for me; Wildcampingspots (from this website) Aires, LPG stops, Supermarkets, fuel stops etc. Many thanks for all your help Fairytooth– a brilliant service. :king:

*Guide Books*

I drove to Kent a couple of days before my ferry booking and called into the Vicarious Book Shop in Folkstone.  I wanted to get the 'All The Aires' guide books for France, Spain & Portugal, but ended up spending over £100.00 and came away with more books than I really needed.  I didn't mind because I love books anyway, but there was really no need to spend that much – I just couldn't help myself.

So, to save you some money – just buy All The Aires France and a French road atlas. There are many more books to choose from if you want them, but these are all you actually need.

*Phones, WiFi & Computers*

Initially, I had my UK contract iPhone, but that worked out too expensive to use and as the contract was almost up, I decided not to renew it and bought a French PAYG sim card from Orange.  Data usage on ordinary PAYG sims in France is expensive unless you opt for a special data usage deal – there are many available depending on your budget. Remember to keep data switched off if you're not using it or it nicks all your credit - I lost €47.00 without even looking at my phone. :sad:

If you want mobile internet on your computer, you can either tether it to your phone or get a dongle the same as you would in the UK.  Again, prices vary and how much you spend will depend on your budget and usage.  I would say give the free WiFi a go before you commit to anything.

Free WiFi (pronounced WeeFee) can be found at a lot of places.  An easy one to spot is the big yellow M in the sky – McDonald’s (there's more nutrition in the packaging in my opinion).  You will find a lot of cafés, restaurants, tourist offices and hotels offer this to their customers (you'll have to ask some for their security code). If you invest in an external antenna like this, you'll be able to access it without having to sit inside or park your van up against their window.  I have one of these antennas and they work really well – from where I am at the moment I have no WiFi signal, but if I plug this in I can pick up five different sources (not that I can use them as they're private).

As a point of note for the non-technically minded; a mobile phone or WiFi connection is just a radio link. Radio signals have trouble getting into metal boxes like my Autoquest because they act like a Faraday cage which means you'll never get a decent signal inside it without an external antenna. If your van is plastic, you shouldn't have this problem, but you'll still get a big range improvement by using one.

To run your laptop in your van, just buy a 12v charger. These can be bought on Amazon for as little as £10.00 if you go for an unbranded (non-original) one.  This will keep your laptop battery topped up for when you sit outside using it, or it will run it as if it's on mains when you're on the van.

*Overall Cost*

Ferry prices to get here are a lot cheaper than going to the Isle of Man or the Isle of Wight.

Every day costs like food, booze and fuel are cheaper (especially with free electricity) and as there are no parking fees or restrictions it is a LOT cheaper to live here than the UK.  

*Language Barrier*

Although I had been to France many times before this trip there had always been a French/English speaking person around so I only needed to be able to say please and thank you etc.  On this trip though, I was alone and had no one else to turn to for help – mistake!  

Although I'm saying this right at the end; the first thing you should do is learn some basic French.  It doesn't need to be much, but if you are prepared to try you will be amazed at the difference in attitude you'll get from French people.  I had heard this said before, but didn't believe a word of it.

Anyway, after a few embarrassing attempts at communicating when I first got here (contrary to popular belief shouting louder doesn't work) I decided to start studying it quickly – I used Michel Thomas (recommended) recordings along with a few phrase books I already had).  I would suggest you learn the following as a bare minimum before you leave the UK (if you can't be bothered – at least write them down so you can refer to them): 

    Please, thank you, sorry and excuse me.
    Sorry, I don't speak French.
    I'm English (as if they didn't know)
    I don't understand.
    Do you speak English?
    Is there anyone here who speaks English.
    Can you help me please?
    Where are the toilets?
    How to order drinks/meal and how to ask for the bill    afterwards.
    Count up to twenty.
    Thanks, I'm just looking (for when you go into shops)

Always carry a small French/English dictionary and a French to English phrasebook as well as an English to French phrasebook.  This can be loaned to anyone trying to communicate with you that doesn't speak English – at least they can then point to the words, the same as you can.

Written French is a little harder to get to grips with than speaking it is, but you will be amazed at just how many words you already know.  As sixty percent of English words come from French anyway; you just need to learn how to say them with a French accent.  If you can imitate Inspector Clouseau you're halfway there.

It only takes fifteen minutes a day over a week or so to learn the above, so there really is no excuse. I wish I hadn't waited until I was in France before I learnt them.

*Summary*

Well, this ended up a lot longer than I intended it to be as I said at the start, but if it helps just one person it will be worth the few hours it took me to write it.

If you spot any errors or mistakes, please PM me so that I can edit them – thanks.


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## Robmac

You missed a comma. Can't remember where


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## n brown

just a couple of points
if it's a pay Aire, ask the other guys what time the guy comes round for the dosh,then do what they do-go for a walk at that time
look out for a little Epicerie shop,they usually sell loose tea,and Broken Orange Pekoe is similar to PG tips or Typhoo. if you find it a bit strong, cut it with a small amount of tea containing Oil of Bergamot[earl grey]
when attempting to speak French you'll be amazed how much better you get on if you put on a French accent.many French words are spelt the same as our word,and using the accent makes them French. you will also find understanding them easier if you do this,it's like getting in tune
when you laugh at yourself,most French will join in and you can have a real laugh,like every working class they love a bit of banter.
don't try and have a laugh with the cops ! call them sir,they are lots more powerful than our lot


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## Sky

Oh boy, the formatting is all over the place.  I cut this straight from an Open Office Writer document and it's really screwed it up.

Sorry, I didn't know it would do this.  I shall see if I can edit them out.


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## Lee

Don't worry too much about the editting it was very imformative and interesting.:nicethread:


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## Amethyst

Great post...thanks for taking the time.

We are thinking of going for the first time soon so very helpfull


Rob


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## Neckender

That's a great post sky, very helpfull indeed, we'll be going over to France for the 4th time in July, have managed to wangle a month off work as our wine stocks are near rock bottom.

John.


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## Sky

OK, I think I got them all.  If you spot anymore just shout.


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## scyther

We're either going to France or the Outer Hebrides this summer so thanks for the post, Sky, lots of useful tips in one place. 
PS I think you meant 'considerate' rather than 'considerable' parking. 
PPS I'm with you on the church bells!


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## Sky

scyther said:


> PS I think you meant 'considerate' rather than 'considerable' parking.



You're right, I did.  Duly edited.  Thanks.


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## Gemani2

*France*

I love this post...I want to go to France NOW! Thank you so much for this... brilliant info


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## lebesset

would argue with you about gas ; the 1200 intermarche branches almost all sell energas 10Kgbutane bottles [ or same bottle with 9Kg propane ; standard french/german/dutch / belgian /spanish thread [ like a 4.5 Kg Calor butane dumpy ] 
they are virtually identical in size with a Calor 6Kg bottle and i haven't yet found a motorhome which is designed to take the Calor bottle that wouldn't take them  ; last time I looked [ last year ] the price for the gas was about half the le cube price , and I paid a deposit of €1 on the bottle


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## Dream Catcher

Great post, thanks for taking the time.

Loads of very useful information. I am new to motorhoming and planning a trip to France when I done a few trips in the UK


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## Sky

lebesset said:


> they are virtually identical in size with a Calor 6Kg bottle and i haven't yet found a motorhome which is designed to take the Calor bottle that wouldn't take them  ; last time I looked [ last year ] the price for the gas was about half the le cube price , and I paid a deposit of €1 on the bottle



You're right, they are 'almost' the same size.  6kg bottles only just go into my locker - no matter how I tried; I couldn't make them fit. 

It's a point worth noting for others though, so thanks for pointing it out.


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## Mastodon

Excellent post, full of good stuff I've learned over the years. Would definitely recommend Michel Thomas for learning French. And recommend learning some French-anywhere but Paris a smattering will get you a long way...


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## Devadave

*Great posting*

Really enjoyed your post, very informative and funny!:tongue:
:dance::dance::dance::dance:

My wife Joanne and I get over twice a year (I still have to work to get the pennies to pay for it) but that said there was many a good piece of info in there, so stuff the coma or two missing... Im from Birkenhead so have got through life without many myself! 

One point for other people, if you shop in UK at Tesco it is worth collecting the points and exchanging them 3 to 1 for Eurotunnel crossings, we have just booked 2 weeks starting the bank hoiliday weekend in August and it cost me 130ish  quid in vouchers and 59 quid on my card... I have to shop at Tesco so I use the vouchers!


i just hope I can get to the age and be able to full time over there without too many knackered parts of my body...

Nearly bedtime for me Im in Spain working this week so its over and Mahon out! 5.5% beer from Lidl


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## Rockerboots

Interesting post this, picked up a few tips here myself. Went to France last year for the first time in our motorhome and loved it. Learnt some french at school 000`s of years ago (or so it seems lol)  but never needed it until then, Surprising how much i remembered considering i never really paid much attention.

One thing i found  the few times we used toll roads was what a pain in the bum the pay booths (unmaned) ones were, although our van is left hand drive and has no front doors i had to get out of the van to put the cash/card in as they were too low to reach thro` the window.

Other than that i`d heard the scare stories about aires and gas attacks but felt safer in France than in the Uk.  :camper:


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## Deleted member 19733

Thanks a lot for posting this comprehensive info, well done. We're off from Dover in 2 weeks time to France, Spain & Portugal, so a lot of useful stuff in your info.

Thanks again and have yourself a good trip, cheers Lou & Terri.
:cheers::cheers:


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## phillybarbour

Sky, thanks for such a helpful and informative update. Done France a few times but only a week or so at a time, different ball game for longer periods and your advice will hopefully come in handy in the future.


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## cobra rob

Really useful thread  Thanks


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## gaz2676

very good of you to take time to do this thread respect gonna store this somewhere for future reference cos when i want it i wont find it 
thanks for a great read learn t loads 
 ps just  subscribed to the thread hope that stores it where i can find it again


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## Touringtheworld

Did you join a vehicle breakdown service?


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## Makzine

Cracking thread, well done for typing that lot out :idea:  We go over regularly (school hols) and its very true if you try to speak their language they will help.  :wave:


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## lotty

great post sky, thank you.


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## lotty

artheytrate said:


> That's a great post sky, very helpfull indeed, we'll be going over to France for the 4th time in July, have managed to wangle a month off work as our wine stocks are near rock bottom.
> 
> John.




Are you going for potters John? We always have potters hols and wondering if to go to France/Germany this time?


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## Neckender

lotty said:


> Are you going for potters John? We always have potters hols and wondering if to go to France/Germany this time?



Hi Lotty we are going last 3 weeks in July and first couple of days August, total 1 month. I was thinking of retiring early in June(18months early) but have thought again as I'm in a really well paid job and would be silly to give it up early, but then again tomorrow I might think differently.

John.


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## lotty

artheytrate said:


> Hi Lotty we are going last 3 weeks in July and first couple of days August, total 1 month. I was thinking of retiring early in June(18months early) but have thought again as I'm in a really well paid job and would be silly to give it up early, but then again tomorrow I might think differently.
> 
> John.



1 month, nice. :fun:
It's a difficult one retirment int it? You want to get away from work to travel and enjoy yourself but need the cash to do these things! :juggle:

Lotty
x


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## TWS

Thanks for this it's most useful indeed.


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## Sky

Touringtheworld said:


> Did you join a vehicle breakdown service?



Yes, I did; ADAC.  Definitely, the best cover available and only around €80.00.  The AA wanted nearly £600.00! :scared:

I shall add this to the original post.


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## Sky

Thanks for all your kind comments and PMs everyone - I'm so glad it has been of use to you and you found it interesting.

Personally, I thought it was a bit long-winded, but it would seem you disagree.


----------



## Yogihughes

When someone such as yourself is willing to impart information that aids others in their pursuit of motorhoming abroad then I think VERY few will call your post long-winded.
Thank you so much for the information. 
I have been before but only a day or two passing through to Germany. (Family there).


----------



## jennyp19

A really good posting. 

You had much better reception than I did at Vicarious Books - their attitude must have changed since I called in - about 2 years ago.  They were definatley not happy to serve me, (I spent quite a lot of money as well) although they eventually did - telling me that the they were internet based.  At the time I decided that they weren't going to get my custom again, but will try them again.


----------



## runnach

A good newsagent in France often sell aires books, and work out cheaper 12 euros I think I paid. All alphabetically listed by department along with a map.

Channa


----------



## Sky

Oh dear, that's a shame.  I found them very friendly and helpful. 

Maybe they'd just dealt with an awkward customer and weren't happy to see another one so soon.


----------



## Minisorella

What a great post! Thank you so much Sky for putting in all the effort to share this with us.  We're also thinking about braving the Continent one day and a post like yours is very reassuring and motivating, especially as it was all new to you too when you set off.  I'm with Gemani2... after reading this thread, I want to set off right now!


----------



## barryd

An excellent post Sky.  I have travelled a lot in France but I still enjoyed reading it.  It will serve as a very useful guide for those contemplating going over the water.  Its my favourte country by far.

Im very interested to hear that you spent the winter there.  We have only travelled in France between April and November and have often wondered what a winter would be like there.  Everyone says that Spain is the place to go but I just cant get on with Spain.  Never liked the Costas and I gather the weather anywhere else in Spain is not great.

Where did you stay in the really cold months and what has the weather been like?  How did you get on finding water as I gather most of the taps are turned off.  I presume emptying wasnt a problem and did you find that most of the Aires left the electric on?

In November we were in Brittany for the last leg of a six month tour and most places we had it to ourselves which suited me fine.


----------



## NigelT

*Inspiration!*

Thanks for this, being solo I keep agonising about heading into Europe, this is just the sort of article to provide encouragement, many thanks for taking the trouble, just the right tone for me! 

If you like your books, how are you on John Steinbeck? Apart from the famous 'Travels with Charlie', have you read 'Cannery Row' (probably my fave book ever), plus the second half, kind of follow up 'Sweet Thursday'? A good man I think.... you will know of 'Of Mice and Men' and 'The Grapes of Wrath' no doubt, another fave for me is 'The Moon is Down'. His attitudes seem to fit with roaming around.....well a few thoughts as a thank you for your artice....NigelT


----------



## Sky

barryd said:


> Where did you stay in the really cold months and what has the weather been like?  How did you get on finding water as I gather most of the taps are turned off.  I presume emptying wasnt a problem and did you find that most of the Aires left the electric on?



I spent January and February in the Poitou-Charente region (some great lakes for fishing with big car parks and Aires nearby).  The weather has been warmer than the UK, with my coldest night down to -7.  It's been quite wet and the few snowfalls we had were very short lived.

Water has never been a problem. I found a few Aires had turned off the water, but no problem with electricity.  Once I'd learnt a bit of the language I found the confidence to go into the local Marie (town hall - nearly always close to the Aire) and asked them if they could turn it on for me - which they were happy to do.  Once I'd filled up, they shut them off again - they only do it to protect the pipes from freezing.


----------



## Sky

NigelT said:


> If you like your books, how are you on John Steinbeck?



I've not read any of his books, but thanks for the recommendations - I'll look them up.


----------



## barryd

Sky said:


> I spent January and February in the Poitou-Charente region (some great lakes for fishing with big car parks and Aires nearby).  The weather has been warmer than the UK, with my coldest night down to -7.  It's been quite wet and the few snowfalls we had were very short lived.
> 
> Water has never been a problem.  A found a few Aires had turned off the water, but no problem with electricity.  Once I'd learnt a bit of the language I found the confidence to go into the local Marie (town hall - nearly always close to the Aire) and asked them if they could turn it on for me - which they were happy to do.  Once I'd filled up, they shut them off again - they only do it to protect the pipes from freezing.



Imagine walking into a town hall here and asking them to do something like that!  And people say the French are not particularly helpful!

Were there many other vans around Sky or did you find you were on your own a lot?

I wish I hadnt started in this thread now as I just have the urge to go to France now.  Might not get away this year though.


----------



## Sky

barryd said:


> Were there many other vans around Sky or did you find you were on your own a lot?



I have been on my own a lot of the time - especially during December and January.  Now the sun is shining and the temperatures are increasing, I'm seeing more vans about.  Mostly they're French, but I've seen a few German and Dutch ones too.

I must be honest and say that the first couple of weeks were a bit stressful and I was quite nervous.  This was simply down to not being able to communicate.  Honestly, those few phrases I mention are REALLY well worth learning and make such a difference.

I did have this friend for company for a while, but I had to evict him when he started to smell. :wacko:




Just do it . . .


----------



## fairytooth

*Simply Brilliant!*

Sky, your posting should be awarded 'Post of the Year' award, if we had one.  Truly inspirational, it might be time for you to write a book about your experiences.

Many thanks for the very kind comments about the tomtom - I hope you found the Aire POIs handy in particular.  Let me know when you want free map updates and we will organise that somehow wherever you find yourself.  We will be back in France ourselves again in May for a month or so that might be a possibility.

All the best !:wave:


----------



## Sky

fairytooth said:


> Sky, your posting should be awarded 'Post of the Year' award, if we had one.



Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it.  Well, you've spent plenty of time here so you know what I'm on about. 

Thanks for the offer of the updates.  I hope to be back here in May too - the only reason I'm coming back to the UK is to get an MOT.  I shall probably end up getting a French registered van and just visit the UK instead of the other way round.  I've put mine up for sale already in the Forsale section.


----------



## quicksam

Brilliant post - thanks for sharing... :nicethread:


----------



## Sky

Someone asked me what I do about sleeping arrangements - do I leave a bed made up or make it up each night etc. so I thought I'd share it with all of you as the answer is very simple.

Making the bed up each night is a right PITA as I'm sure a lot of you know already.  The bed over my cab can't be slept in as I use this as a storage area (I left the cushions with my brother in the UK) and I didn't want to sleep up there anyway.

I have a large double quilt and a pillow and sleep on the side bench.  I fold the quilt in half, throw on the pillow and hop in.  Making and breaking the bed takes less than two minutes.  I roll up the quilt and keep it in an overhead locker.  :sleep-027:


----------



## Gray B

*Excellent post*

Just to add to all the other thank you's. Briliant post thanks for taking the time.

All the Best Gray.


----------



## novice1968

Sky, most inspiring post, how about starting a bo
Blog of your experience I for one, will be your loyal follower.
keep posting regards


----------



## Sky

A blog huh?  That sounds like it could be lots of work and would need regular updates wouldn't it?  I don't know if I could handle that kind of commitment, but thanks for the thought and interest. 

I shall be leaving the Charente region I'm in at the moment and be heading back to the UK in a week or so.  I shall take a nice slow drive up the west coast over about three weeks.  I don't want to get back too soon because of the crap weather you're having - it's glorious sunshine here today.

Maybe I could take pictures and write a little about the return journey; showing stopping places/Aires etc. and post them on here for you to see.  Would anyone else want to see that?


----------



## carol

Hi Sky thanks for your post. Spent many a summer pootling round France and your post brought back loads of good memories. We were in a VW t4 so very basic but who cared? We were in France! Absolutely love the place. I used to choose a region each visit and we'd set off with French road map, the Rough guide and hey ho 6 weeks would be gone.  Sadly, we is now I and I haven't been for 7 years. I did start a thread entitled "Meet in France anyone" (maybe it was on another forum?!) as I don't fancy doing it alone. So, if anyone is so enthused with Sky's post I'd love to hear from you!

Bon chance, Sky!


----------



## Sky

carol said:


> "Meet in France anyone" (maybe it was on another forum?!) as I don't fancy doing it alone. So, if anyone is so enthused with Sky's post I'd love to hear from you!



Well, if anyone hops the channel and is heading south down the west coast in the next month or so as I head north I'd be happy to meet up with them.  Would be great if we could get a small group together. :dance:

 :anyone:


----------



## Deleted member 26362

Thank you Sky for a fabulous post.  I intend to head for Europe in September/October and have taken ALL of your advice on board.  I'm sure there will be many of us heading that way now especially after your post, I may need to do a recce before the autumn.  Once again thank you for taking the time to write it all, if it's any consolation for your time spent over a hot computer you've already helped me immensely.

Daiboy


----------



## Seahorse

Brilliant thread, thank you.


----------



## Deleted member 19733

Sky said:


> A blog huh?  That sounds like it could be lots of work and would need regular updates wouldn't it?  I don't know if I could handle that kind of commitment, but thanks for the thought and interest.
> 
> I shall be leaving the Charente region I'm in at the moment and be heading back to the UK in a week or so.  I shall take a nice slow drive up the west coast over about three weeks.  I don't want to get back too soon because of the crap weather you're having - it's glorious sunshine here today.
> 
> Maybe I could take pictures and write a little about the return journey; showing stopping places/Aires etc. and post them on here for you to see.  Would anyone else want to see that?



Yes please Sky.

:nicethread:c:


----------



## silverweed

I do t know about long winded but iv sat and read the whole post and thread in one go. Very interesting and inspiring. I would be interested to read more from you as I'm sure lots of others here would be as you can see for yourself from all the responses. Hope you carry on having such an interesting journey and let us know what new van you decide on


----------



## Lee

We are off to France beginning of September for 4 weeks.  Enjoyed reading about your experiences.


----------



## Sky

OK, I'll see what I can throw together on the return journey for you all. c:

Thanks again for all your positive comments everyone; I'm really pleased that the time taken to write it was worth the effort.


----------



## Tony Lee

> i`d heard the scare stories about aires and gas attacks



Sky forgot to mention that the reason she doesn't bother to lock the door is that it saves the robbers damaging her MH by drilling holes for the gas pipe.

Some aires DO charge for dumping the waste, but rarely more than a Euro or two.


----------



## Ggohd

*Tv access*

Rather than haul around an entire TV set I have a neat little USB dongle which has a socket for a TV antenna. Tha laptop is now the TV, it works all over Europe and alledgedly the world. Available on ebay. about 13 squids.


----------



## twomercs

Brilliant post - can anyone do the same for Germany?


----------



## champstar

twomercs said:


> Brilliant post - can anyone do the same for Germany?



All I can say for Germany is get the Bordatlas for thousands of stellplatz some free some pay. Arrive early afternoon unless at a very popular stell then around 11 am should get you in.
Have a load of single euro coins for the bornes as most (but not all) charge for water and hookup. Some are per kilowatt/hr some for  set period of time.
In general most things seemed to work in Germany.

Im just about to get the tunnel for France for a couple of months..maybe head back to Germany then.

We toured the Mosel, the Romantic road and the Black forest and had a wonderful time.


----------



## Sky

champstar said:


> Im just about to get the tunnel for France for a couple of months..maybe head back to Germany then.



Good to see you both in Neiulle on Thursday - well done for spotting the Wildcamping sticker.  

I went through a load of snow as I hit Normandy, but luckily it didn't come to much.

I hope you have a great trip.


----------



## travelling phil

Great post Sky very informative - I am starting to wild camp over there this summer


----------



## welshrarebit

We have been in France for 6  days now and its still blooming cold, snowing.today at Chartres.
Using sites because of the.ehu.. Our gas won't last long otherwise as we only have 2 x6kg bottl to last us got a Three month tour through France.
I can't worry to much about commas and stuff like that as I am using a smartphone and the text jumps around on my phone. 
Excellent past very informative, still haven't found cheap data to use on phone though.

Haven't had much luck with WI fi yet on sites either.


----------



## Deleted member 23433

Fantastic post. Thank you so much for all the advice. We are taking early retirement & are off to France in May for several months and it has been a great help.
We plan to wild camp & use aires and the odd camp site for a bit of luxury from time to time. We are also including some house/pet sitting jobs through trusted house sitters. It is all new to us so it will be an adventure that we are both really looking forward to.:dance:


----------



## Sky

Well have lots of fun over there.  I'm glad you found my comments useful. 

I'm back in England now and I must say I don't like it very much - it's too cold and we're back to that 'oy yer p***y; you can't park 'ere' attitude from people. 

I didn't find many Aires that had WiFi at them.  I think it was a total of about three, maybe four.  You'll have to search out cafes, restaurants etc. and just park up close to them or take your computer in with you.  It was the addition of the external antenna that opened up a whole new world for me.  In fact, it's already proved it's worth here in the UK.


----------



## silverweed

Which external antenna did you use


----------



## Sky

silverweed said:


> Which external antenna did you use



I got this one from Solwise.  They do a slightly more expensive one here that should be just as good and will eliminate the need to plug in a cable, but I have no experience of it; I just didn't see it before I bought the cheaper one.  If I'd seen it first I probably would have gone for that one.


----------



## Beemer

Really useful post Sky...
We have taken our motorhome several times touring France, but still think we have a lot to learn.  The information you have given will certainly help us the next time we go.  Thanks! 

I could add this.. http://www.caravanguard.co.uk/news/french-speed-limits-950/


----------



## noarlunga

Sky said:


> I got this one from Solwise.  They do a slightly more expensive one here that should be just as good and will eliminate the need to plug in a cable, but I have no experience of it; I just didn't see it before I bought the cheaper one.  If I'd seen it first I probably would have gone for that one.



I'll second that first recommendation. I've just bought one for my trip to France next week and the available wifi outside my house jumps from 4 to 18. that includes several BT WiFi ones that you can use if you have an account. I'm just hoping there'll be some BT partner wifi providers during my French wanderings.


----------



## champstar

Sky said:


> Good to see you both in Neiulle on Thursday - well done for spotting the Wildcamping sticker.
> 
> I went through a load of snow as I hit Normandy, but luckily it didn't come to much.
> 
> I hope you have a great trip.



Was nice to meet you also....the weather has been very good for the last week or so.
Now at Mortagne sur Gironde a lovely aire and free wifi as well as electric and services for 7:5 euro...very busy at the moment.


----------



## Deleted member 13543

*Just Brilliant!*

Thanks for your brilliant post, Sky, - I've copied it onto my laptop for future reference if we ever get to France.  We were supposed to be going on 26th April, but Derek's licence hasn't arrived yet (he was 70 on 28th march, and I started the renewal as soon as we could!!) and now he has a problem with his foot.  As he is diabetic, we have to get that sorted properly before we can think about going, so we are crossing everything in the hope we will have good news on Monday.

Posts like yours make this site worth looking at; really helpful, and no bad feeling between the participants!



KP x x x


----------



## Sky

Glad to be of assistance - I'm pleased you found it useful. 

Have a great trip.


----------



## Philcott

I feel a bit daft asking this question, but the MiFi thingy, do you take it down or leave it attached to your motorhome when you move on? Can't seem to find an answer on any website I've come across.

Many thanks for your original post Skye - I'm wanting to travel to France, but being on my own have been a little wary. Armed with your knowledge I think I will be going sooner rather than later!


----------



## Sky

It comes with both sticky sucker cups and self-tapping screws, so the choice is yours.

I opted to use the suckers and bring the cable in through the window - this works well, but when I get my next van (this one's up for sale) I'll fit one in place permanently.


----------



## Philcott

thanks Skye


----------



## Xracer

*very helpful thanks*

Thank you for a brilliant post, as a NEWBIE I was reluctant to travel abroad but your info has encouraged me to plan a trip over the channel & enjoy their better weather.

Ian


----------



## lebesset

Xracer said:


> Thank you for a brilliant post, as a NEWBIE I was reluctant to travel abroad but your info has encouraged me to plan a trip over the channel & enjoy their better weather.
> 
> Ian



better weather ??? where , over the channel , are you talking about 
I live in southern france , it was 4C when I woke up this morning , and has been raining steadily for a week ...forecast is some sun next week ...maybe 

but don't let the weather put you off , france is heaven for motorhomers 


CAMPINGCAR-INFOS

this contains just about every aire in europe , the books that they sell just copy some of their listings !


----------



## lebesset

champstar said:


> Was nice to meet you also....the weather has been very good for the last week or so.
> Now at Mortagne sur Gironde a lovely aire and free wifi as well as electric and services for 7:5 euro...very busy at the moment.




how is the wifi and electric free when you are paying €7.50 ???


----------



## Covey

Thank you Sky for a very informative post.  Seems to cover all the practical bits someone like me needs for my first major expedition in August.  I have a ticket from Dover to Calais on 6th Aug (£70) and then will head north to Dusseldorf and Amsterdam to visit friends.

Last year I used to walk down the river bank at Dusseldorf to get to work and used to pass a long row of MH's occupied by very contented looking Germans with a beer in their hands.  Due to my rapid education on matters MH, I now know this was a Stellplatz(ish) and in August I intend to join the long line of Hymers with The Beast who now sports a Union Jack badge on the front!

After Amsterdam I shall wander is a leisurely fashion down through France to northern Spain and on down to Portugal.  Apart from my ticket on the 6th Aug, I have no fixed dates or plans and will take life as it comes. I have no idea when I will return!!

The Beast has 2 x 11kg Gaslow bottles with central fill, 2 x solar panels, 2 x 110amp leisure batteries, 12v sat TV, 400 movies on a USB3 portable HDD (plus a backup!!) Cadac BBQ + wok ring. 

I use a Navman sat nav and will investigate the availability of trucker software.  As a "solo" I am wary of relying too much on satnav, but unless Claudia Schiffer  has a sudden desire to live in my Hymer, I might have to settle for a Tom Tom.  The Beast is a Merc diesel LHD auto and in very good condition.  It will have a trip to the Merc main dealer for a full service before I go.

After that, its all down to luck!


----------



## elby29

Really informative post and will be putting all the tips gleaned from it to good use next week on our trip to France. Have already purchased the Solwise wifi usb that you recommended so many thanks for that tip too.


----------



## Tbear

Hi Sky,

Best post I have read in a long time.

I would like to second recommendations for All the Aires book and one of Fairytooths Satnavs. I have not tried the satnav in France but the software for this country is first class.

Not sure if anyone mentioned the French Tourist Offices but we found them fantastic and unlike most English ones, Open!

Richard


----------



## Deleted member 21686

Great post.

I will add this to the Europe group.


----------



## carol

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> Great post.
> 
> I will add this to the Europe group.



What's the "Europe group"?


----------



## mark61

carol said:


> What's the "Europe group"?



Wildcamping in Europe - Wild Camping for Motorhomes


----------



## carol

mark61 said:


> Wildcamping in Europe - Wild Camping for Motorhomes



Ooh that's a new one to me - thanks Mark61 :wave:


----------



## Sky

I'm glad to see there are people still reading this and pleased that it has been found useful by so many of you. 

Thank you all for your kind comments.


----------



## Deleted member 21686

carol said:


> What's the "Europe group"?



In community at the top of the page there are several groups.


----------



## irnbru

Great info. Very informative from a newbie.


----------



## theteapackets

Tbear said:


> Hi Sky,
> 
> Not sure if anyone mentioned the French Tourist Offices but we found them fantastic and unlike most English ones, Open!
> 
> Richard



When arriving in a new town, the first thing we tend to do is find the Office de Tourisme, ask them for a Plomb de Ville (town map) as they tend to have large ones under the counter and ask them to mark suitable parking or an Aire.  We then retire to the nearest cafe with all the tourist gumph :cheers:

One thing that may be of use - if you can't find an Aire and it's getting late, look around for where the lorries park up - we always feel much safer tucked away with HGVs than in an open layby where I know nothing is likely to happen, but I lie there all night listening to every little noise !!!!!


----------



## Tbear

Tbear said:


> Hi Sky,
> 
> Best post I have read in a long time.
> 
> I would like to second recommendations for All the Aires book and one of Fairytooths Satnavs. I have not tried the satnav in France but the software for this country is first class.
> 
> Not sure if anyone mentioned the French Tourist Offices but we found them fantastic and unlike most English ones, Open!
> 
> Richard



Visit to France cut a bit short but the Satnav worked OK

Richard


----------



## luckyfish252

*hi sky*

new to motor homing this year and never been to France hoping to go early next year your post has been most helpful and your information invaluable to us as we dont have a clue look forward to reading your other posts for more tips thanks again and enjoy your travels. luckyfish252


----------



## Deleted member 25439

Hi Sky,
I've only just read this post, since it came to the top of the new posts.  I have to say I just loved it and have read it from start to finish.  I hope you're still reading it.
The reason I liked it was because I'd already experienced and worked my way through most but not all, of the things that were new to you, so it brought back a lot of funny memories for me. But what I loved most was your detailed analysis of the wine.   I always seem to spend a lot of my time in a new location trying to work out what is drinkable and what is worth bringing back to the UK.
Hubby and I have wine tasting evenings on the way south, which turn into weeks of having to drink some not very good wines, in order to stock up on what's worth bringing back to the UK.
IMHO local Spanish Rioja takes a lot of beating so we'll probably continue to head a little further south for our winter vacations.

That was a really impressive post, and thank you for taking the time to do it.

Fran


----------



## Rodeo

Ive only just found this post. Mustve taken a while to get together.Even though Ive been a couple of times before ,I still found it very informative.Thanks for bothering.


----------



## Brian the snail

Hi,

Thanks Sky for the time taken to write your impressive list of tips, like Frances I just found it because it popped up in new posts, perhaps I missed it but did you change the van.

Clive


----------



## Siimplyloco

*A great post!*

I enjoyed reading your original missive. We have been going to France for several years now, first by river boat and now by road, and your observations are spot on. Excellent!
Regards
John


----------



## Sky

Aha, glad to see people are still enjoying this.  :dance:

Thanks for your kind comments folks - it makes the effort of writing it all the more worthwhile.

I never did sell the van Clive - I just couldn't part with it in the end.  I may sell it next year though as I'd like to get one with a fixed bed so that it gives me the storage underneath.

I'm still full-timing in it; currently still in the UK, but hoping to hit Spain/Portugal for the winter months. :drive:

All the best,

Trevor


----------



## anomad

*On the Road in France*

Hi Sky,

very informative post.

I'm currently soloing through Europe after 6 months of planning and preparing. Wish I'd found your post at the beginning as would have saved me a lot of research time.

I went with LPG (1x11kg) and it's worked out great. already spent 6 weeks winding my way through France and only just had to refill it at a cost of €15.

Also using a mixture of Camperstops (covers aires across Europe but sometimes inaccurate) and French Passions (great success in wine regions e.g. Loire where I can stay for free, though I always buy some wine).

Using a French 'Orange' Domino (dongle) for wifi. €50 initial cost and then €20 for 2gb for 1 month. As I have a blog this has been invaluable and I've had signal everywhere as it works of the mobile phone network.

Always felt very comfortable at overnight stays. Especially in the smaller villages. Worry more when I leave the motorhome parked up in towns/cities for the day. Tourist info is always my first stop as they usually have great local info and are very friendly. Luckily I speak French well so language is not a barrier.

About to head across the border into Spain and a bit nervous. Don't seem to be many aires (just 'tolerated' places - whatever that means!) and my Spanish is not that good. Also, my inverter has just stopped working and struggling to find somewhere to buy a replacement. 

Oh well, all part of the adventure.

Anomad 
(Europe Nomad | A great WordPress.com site)


----------



## pbrannan

Fantastic post, thank you very much for all that useful stuff! My wife and I will be going to France next year hopefully, all we need is our first van....oh, and the dosh to buy it! Apart from that we're ready.


----------



## chrisinbrighton

Sky mentioned probs with gas bottles  I use my UK bottles abroad with these
LPG - ADAPTORset , VALVE INSIDE for refill Motorhome Gas Bottles in UK,& Europe | eBay
if one has the nerves I didn't have at first but now used to it cheaper than a conversion to gasit or gaslow or using local bottles abroad what does anyone else think ?


----------



## dippingatoe

Hi - I have only recently joined the forum, so just read the wonderfully written and truly useful opening post

I have never owned a motorhome or carvanned or even camped apart from once with the guides many years ago, and once overnight in the lakes with friends,so everything is very new to me.  I have only been inside 5 or 6 last august at malvern, but I have just sold all my possessions in a massive on site auction last weekend, and once the house sale has gone through my elderly Great Dane and I are intending to travel.

I have been doing lots of internet research on suitable vehicles, and once I can get away from everything which is needing to be done here at home I am off to look at some

I am keeping a link to this thread so I can refer to it later, and once again - many thanks


----------



## Sharon the Cat

Saving clubcard points for the chunnel.
When we find the time and get the JRT's pet passport I'll be searching for this thread.
Great info.


----------



## noarlunga

anomad said:


> Hi Sky,
> 
> very informative post.
> 
> I'm currently soloing through Europe after 6 months of planning and preparing. Wish I'd found your post at the beginning as would have saved me a lot of research time.
> 
> I went with LPG (1x11kg) and it's worked out great. already spent 6 weeks winding my way through France and only just had to refill it at a cost of €15.
> 
> Also using a mixture of Camperstops (covers aires across Europe but sometimes inaccurate) and French Passions (great success in wine regions e.g. Loire where I can stay for free, though I always buy some wine).
> 
> Using a French 'Orange' Domino (dongle) for wifi. €50 initial cost and then €20 for 2gb for 1 month. As I have a blog this has been invaluable and I've had signal everywhere as it works of the mobile phone network.
> 
> Always felt very comfortable at overnight stays. Especially in the smaller villages. Worry more when I leave the motorhome parked up in towns/cities for the day. Tourist info is always my first stop as they usually have great local info and are very friendly. Luckily I speak French well so language is not a barrier.
> 
> About to head across the border into Spain and a bit nervous. Don't seem to be many aires (just 'tolerated' places - whatever that means!) and my Spanish is not that good. Also, my inverter has just stopped working and struggling to find somewhere to buy a replacement.
> 
> Oh well, all part of the adventure.
> 
> Anomad
> (Europe Nomad | A great WordPress.com site)



Thanks so much for your lovely blog (via the link above).

My wife and I have recently got back from an autumnal wander from Northern Spain, across the same pass as you (minus the snow) and up thru The Dordogne, Loire and Normandy, visiting a few of  places you stopped.  What amazes me is despite the great stuff you see and experience, there is also all the great stuff you miss. I can't wait to get back over there in May.

Safe journeying!

N


----------



## Sky

anomad said:


> Hi Sky, very informative post.



Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I had a look at your blog; some interesting stuff on there too.


----------



## Sky

dippingatoe said:


> Hi - I have only recently joined the forum, so just read the wonderfully written and truly useful opening post.



Thank you; it's nice to be appreciated. 

This is a great forum; you'll find many people willing to help on here - it's just that some of us have a bit more time on our hands than others. 

Good luck with your hunting for a motorhome.  I would advise you to ask LOTS of questions on here before you buy as there are a lot of mistakes you can make - the wisdom of the members on this forum is impressive - please do make use of it. :idea-007:

Trevor


----------



## Kontiki

Just a small point, why do many people say to avoid Aires which you have to pay for? After all they are provided by the community who pay for their upkeep & usually they cost around 5 Euros, nobody likes to pay for something they might get for free but wouldn't think twice about paying if we had them here. 
On our last trip to France in the 5 weeks we paid on 3 Aires total cost of about 15 Euros, some of the free Aires even had free hookup, a novel idea at another was that it was free to stay but you needed tokens for water & electric. These tokens were free from the local shops but each shop would only give you one token.
I would say don't get too hung up on always trying to find a free aire just take them as they come & enjoy your trip.

If WiFi is pronounced WeeFee then have we been saying HiFi wrong all these years? I'll stick with WyFy.


----------



## Sky

Kontiki said:


> Just a small point, why do many people say to avoid Aires which you have to pay for?



I've no idea.  I just followed the French example and avoided the ones that charged for parking; paying for electricity and water is a different matter.  Why would anyone choose to pay for a service that is mostly free if you move on a mile or two?  Maybe the same people that like to use campsites I suppose.  Personally, I won't use campsites - they are for tents and caravans IMHO. 



Kontiki said:


> If WiFi is pronounced WeeFee then have we been saying HiFi wrong all these years? I'll stick with WyFy.



That's how the French pronounce it.  If you want to call your HiFi a heefee that's up to you. :cheers:


----------



## Shockingdog

*Towels and drying yourself.*

This is my tip. When we first started motor homing we put normal largish size bath towels in the van.We soon found out that getting them dry after a shower was a major problem when "wilding" We then cut them in half to try to reduce the drying time.
Now we have gone even further, after a shower we use a small dry flannel each and then finish off with a small hand towel. We then put the flannels up in the roof light and bingo they dry in no time. It really is amazing how easy it is to dry yourself with just a small flannel to take off most of the water. Bonus, no big wet towels hanging around the van. Give it a try it really works for us.


----------



## Sky

Shockingdog said:


> It really is amazing how easy it is to dry yourself with just a small flannel to take off most of the water.



A very good point - I'm sure that's something a lot of people haven't thought of.  Personally, this is how I was taught as a kid so I've always done it.  My kids do it too - it even works well on wet hair (not that I've any of that any more).


----------



## Readyartbrut

*Superb post*

This will be very useful for our first France trip next year.  Very good and detailed, and should help us.
Will get hubby to read it too!


----------



## Sky

Thank you David, I appreciate that. 

Good points raised there too; especially about the white line at a STOP junction and being sure to stop - I was pre-warned about that luckily.

The way they use roundabouts was a bit of a shock to start with too, but a lot of Brits do that too - bloody idiots!  In France though, obviously I adapted quickly and followed suit where necessary. :scared:


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## horshamjack

*Fantastic Post*

I have just read this post from start to finish and have saved many bits of info in my favourites .. This post is so informative and I hope people continue to add snippets of Information as they seem fit..
Thanks Trevor :nicethread:


----------



## Sky

Just for continuity of the thread; here are a few pictures I took on this trip.


----------



## Teene

*Thank you*

That must be the most useful thread I've ever read. Can you please go full time in Poland, Spain or Germany so we can have more of the same  We're going to Paris for a few days at the end of July this year on our way to Germany so the information is going to be priceless (we plan on a 6 month trip of France in a year or two) All we're looking for now is a good Aires within an hours public transport ride to Paris, wish us luck


----------



## johnkyte

Thank you for good advice--I have just ordered the aires book from vicarius
I am going to France for two weeks in April  in my old ambulance/camper


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## jeffmossy

Great thread.We are going to France in 2 weeks time and we are going blindfolded ( just take it as it comes with very little planning ) as it is our first time,but this thread is very helpful and cant wait now that we have read it.Thank you Sky and all :wave:


----------



## runnach

You may find it interesting, I too fulltimed in France and inspired by Sky's post wrote my own thoughts.

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/motorhome-knowledge-base/28176-channa-fulltiming-experience.html

Channa


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## trevskoda

fantastic post captured me,skys the limit.


----------



## Deleted member 23433

We are heading back to France on the 16th June to spend 6 months travelling. We did it last year and had a wonderful time. It is just so easy compared to the UK.
Our plan is to visit Monets Garden at Giverney and the Palace of Versailles. I know that there are no Aires close by to either but has anyone any tips on places to stay or how to tackle these visits.
Regards
Karen


----------



## 666jw

I've always been a bit anti French over the years, mainly from to many Calais and Paris trips over the years. I've slowly grown less suspicious of the place and fully agree with others on the forum "a little Francias goes a long way". I have however began warming to the place. A recent cruise that the wife and i were on, stopped at La Rochelle amongst other locations. This town had me biting at the bit to return, instead of travelling simply driving through on route to other countries. 

Thankyou so much Sky for taking the time to write such a incredible post, solely for the benefit of others. I myself usually travel abroad alone with my dog, and felt that you and your habits are so similar to mine. I have "liked your post" as well for insurance when needing to find and re read  all your info provided, at a later date whilst travelling. 

As a matter of interest Sky ( if you see this post) what has been your favourite area in France so far, and where do you intend to return to ??  On my very limited knowledge and experience of France, I have a hunch that Brittany will be mine, but a full timers opinion is very much appreciated !! Once again thanks for taking the time to write the best post I've read in ages :bow: :wave:


----------



## Sky

666jw said:


> Thankyou so much Sky for taking the time to write such a incredible post, solely for the benefit of others. I myself usually travel abroad alone with my dog, and felt that you and your habits are so similar to mine. I have "liked your post" as well for insurance when needing to find and re read  all your info provided, at a later date whilst travelling.
> 
> As a matter of interest Sky ( if you see this post) what has been your favourite area in France so far, and where do you intend to return to ??  On my very limited knowledge and experience of France, I have a hunch that Brittany will be mine, but a full timers opinion is very much appreciated !! Once again thanks for taking the time to write the best post I've read in ages :bow: :wave:



You're welcome I'm glad you liked it. 

I'm afraid I can't say I have a favourite place yet as I've covered so little of it (it's a huge country).  I spent most of my time in the Poitou Charente and Limousin regions and would certainly recommend all of where I visited.  

I drove down through Normandy and Pays de la Loire and had intended (but never did) to spend some time in Brittany on the way back.  I shall be sure not to miss it on the next trip (hopefully soon).


----------



## blackbird100

Thanks Sky.. super info this. going to help us newbies a lot.


----------



## keithmoore

*love the read*

Hi Sky thanks for the info ,very good reading ...My wife and I are planning a trip to France and the rest of Europe ( in a MH) we are having a year off work , we have about 250 euros a week to spend do you think it could be done ??? Thanks


----------



## Sky

Easily.  You won't need anywhere near that much. 

Of course, you could spend it if you eat in restaurants and spend time in bars etc., but I found I could live on around €50.00 a week (without fuel and gas) comfortably.  Fuel and gas are much cheaper as I said in the article.

So, bottom line.  Yes or no - entirely up to how you want to live.  Save money by avoiding sites and using only free aires, drive only enough each day to top up your batteries.  The other is to spend your budget and enjoy it - you only get the once chance. 

Have fun whichever way you play it - you'll love it either way.

Do spend a few hours practice with basic phrases in French though - it really does make it so much easier and far more enjoyable.


----------



## keithmoore

Thanks Sky good to hear from people that have been there done that, im getting onto my French now :help: but have a bit of time before we go.


----------



## The laird

Been going to france for years but still keep looking at differant posts and get captivated reading them,
Enjoyed it a lot sky well done that man


----------



## Deleted member 48528

Off to France in a couple of weeks, for three months, so,thanks formthe very useful post.

Roverdave


----------



## snowbirds

Hi Sky,

Great blog I think it will help a lot of campers in Europe. Thanks.

Snowbirds.





Sky said:


> *
> Warning* – long post alert!
> 
> This was only supposed to be short, but I kept finding more to say.
> 
> Having been wilding full time in France since the beginning of August last year, I thought I would pass on a few tips that may save future travellers from some of the difficulties I've encountered and maybe save them a little money too.
> 
> It had been my intention to spend August/September in France, then October/November in Portugal and December to April in Spain – most of it in Spain because I can speak a fair bit of Spanish.  As it turned out, I liked France so much I decided to stay.
> 
> This was my first trip abroad in a motorhome so it was all new to me.  I'd lived full time in a van previously for a few years in the UK (that I'd converted myself to a basic level), but had very little experience of coachbuilts or camp-sites.
> 
> *Gas Bottles*
> 
> If like me you have 6kg bottles in a tiny cupboard, it will be worth every penny to get a Gaslow or GasIt system fitted.  I didn't, but I ended up spending as much money on bottle deposits, new pipes and adapters etc. (at high French prices) than a Gas It system would have cost me (and I would have eventually got that money back with cheaper refills).  I was going to do this conversion before I left the UK, but they had closed down for a two week summer holiday at the time I needed to do it.
> 
> Because my gas cupboard is so small, the only bottle I could fit in it was the ButagazCube. The trouble was only one would fit in there so I had to carry a second in my back box.
> 
> I should have left one of my 6kg bottles in the UK and brought just one to France (to use between Cube refills).  Instead, I ended up with two empty 6kg bottles in my back box along with the spare Cube, but hindsight comes too late doesn't it?
> 
> If you have 13kg bottles or bigger, you'll be fine; just get the adapters in the UK before you leave (they're cheaper than in France) and only take one bottle.  You can then get a French bottle and just use the UK one between refills of the French one.
> 
> The main reason I got into this pickle was because I couldn't find someone to give me a straight answer as to what I should do and what adapters I would need.  I visited eight or nine dealers and accessory shops only to find that most staff didn't even know what to do in the UK, let alone abroad.  Sadly, I only discovered this forum a week or so before I left otherwise I would have found the answer on here.
> 
> *Batteries & Charging*
> 
> I wanted to fit a solar panel or buy a generator, but I couldn't make up my mind which to go for – again because I was getting conflicting advice.  In the end I didn't bother with either – and as it turned out I didn't need them.  An hour's drive every couple of days to move onto the next spot was always enough to recharge my batteries.
> 
> I will however, be adding a solar panel in the future. These work out cheaper than generators and are a lot more environmentally (and neighbourly) friendly as well as being free to run.  You'll only need a generator if you intend to run high current devices like hair-driers or microwave ovens.
> 
> I fitted a second leisure battery in parallel with my existing one and kept a separate charged battery under the passenger seat along with a set of jump leads and charger for emergencies. I needed to use this twice to start the van because I had accidentally switched over to the van battery instead of the leisure battery and depleted it watching TV.  I've now disabled this switch – stupid idea to have it in the first place in my opinion.
> 
> *Lighting*
> 
> I converted all my internal lights to SMD LED devices as soon as I got my van.  Luckily, I had the foresight to research this on here before I left the UK.  LED bulbs cost a fortune in the UK and even more so in France, but if you get them on eBay from China, they cost next to nothing.  £10.00 to £15.00 each in the UK and 20% dearer in France.  The ones from China cost me £1.25 each.  As I needed about a dozen it was a considerable saving.
> 
> *Television*
> 
> I bought a 12/230v LED television with built in Freeview and DVD player because of it's low power consumption.  This combined with LED lighting meant I used very little power each evening.
> 
> *Van Accessories*
> 
> These are much dearer in France – by as much as 50% in places, so be sure to take everything you need like levellers, chocks, EHU cables and adapters, hose-pipes and adapters and loo chemicals etc.
> 
> The good thing about French dealers and accessory shops is that the staff know their subject and are more than happy to help you.  Unlike the ignorant and grumpy English ones I'd met who were only interested if I was looking to buy a new van.
> 
> *Aires de Camping Car*
> 
> You will have heard of Aires elsewhere, but they are a lot better than some people will have you believe (probably those who prefer camp-sites).  Obviously, there are the odd exceptions, but in my experience that's mainly because they've either been neglected or abused – I only found two or three like this.
> 
> Mostly, they are terrific.  You don't always get a nice view and some can be a bit noisy, but most that I've stayed at have been spot on (another one is never too far away if you don't like the first anyway).
> 
> The only thing that annoyed me about quite a few of them is that they were near churches – I'm an atheist and find church bells an annoying noise pollution.  I'm sure most of you will be the opposite and enjoy the sound of the campanologists and their clappers.
> 
> The general advice is no furniture outside, no awnings or laundry drying etc.  However, in my experience most people put out a chair or two and I only ever heard of one instance when someone was asked to put them away.  Considerate parking and not playing loud music or TV is more important (I used headphones).
> 
> I found it best to arrive at my intended Aire between 1400 and 1500 each day.  Any later than that often saw them full up as some only have space for a few vans.
> 
> Mostly, overnight parking is free, but the odd few do charge a few Euros – I just avoided them.
> 
> *Wild Camping*
> 
> There are very few restrictions and in general you can park almost anywhere with no problems. Very few car parks have height restrictions and I never saw one that had over night parking/camping restrictions and a lot have outside water taps and toilets.
> 
> Obviously, be sensible and don't park near people's property and in busy town centres.  In some town centres, there are blue-painted parking boxes.  This doesn't mean you have to pay, but it means you should display a disc (a bit like a disabled badge holders disc) to show what time you arrived because there are time limits.  These can normally be purchased in the shops that have the blue lines outside for just a few Euros.
> 
> There are lay-bys everywhere (with litter bins - remember them?); just choose the quieter ones off the main roads.  Once you are out of town and away from main roads you will be amazed at just how quiet it is.  The roads are almost deserted most of the time anyway and very few people drive at night.
> 
> I like fishing, so a lot of the time I opted for river and lakeside options.  This is almost impossible in the UK, but all it costs in France is €80.00 for an annual permit that allows you to fish just about anywhere at no extra charge.  Whatever you do though; don't fish without one – the authorities can confiscate ALL of your fishing gear if you're caught.
> 
> There are unmade roads all over France that are called Chemins. There are very few restrictions on their use and I found many places where I could park for the night and go for long walks and cycle rides.
> 
> *Electric Hook Up*
> 
> Because of the LED lights and TV, I didn't need to hookup at all through August, September and October as it was warm enough and light enough until bedtime.  A short engine run every couple of days kept everything charged.
> 
> However, once November came along, I found I had to start using the heating in the evening which soon got through the gas.  Luckily, a lot of Aires have free electricity as well as free water and waste disposal.  Needless to say, I took advantage of this and would stay at each Aire for the maximum time allowed (mostly three days at a time).  I always tried to pay back the local community by shopping in the village rather than using supermarkets as much as I could.
> 
> Be careful not to have too many things on at once.  It's very easy to overload the trip and leave yourself without electricity.  Luckily, the ones I used were OK up to about 10 amps, but after accidentally tripping one out once (embarrassing) by forgetting my water heater was on when I put the central heating on, I decided to limit my usage to 8 amps or less (to allow for any surges).  This equates to around 2KW of power; which is the same as my electric heating.
> 
> *Water & Waste*
> 
> As mentioned above; mostly this is free.  The French (like us) really don't like paying taxes unless they have to and because of this will nearly always avoid the Aires that charge for it.  This means that the majority don't charge – if they do it's just a couple of Euros for water anyway (waste is always free).
> 
> By making sure I always topped up with water at the free ones; I only ever had to pay for water once.
> 
> You can nearly always get drinking water from outside taps at public toilets and in big car parks (where they hold local markets) as well.  Just avoid the ones that say Non Potable (not drinkable).
> 
> *Camp-sites*
> 
> I chose to stay at one once.  That was when the temperature at the Aire I was staying at reached fifty degrees one day in late August or early September.  I retreated to a camp-site with shaded parking and a swimming pool.  It cost me €16.00 (with a discount ACSI card) per day for the two days I was there plus €5.00 for the use of their WiFi.  In the end I decided I'd find my own shade elsewhere even though it was a relatively cheap price.  Still, I managed to do my laundry while I was there (a little cheaper than the launderettes) and have some really long showers.
> 
> *ACSI Card*
> 
> I only mention this because I mentioned it in the previous paragraph.  They are only of use if you want to use camp-sites – I'll never bother again, far too many people around for my liking.
> 
> Basically, it gives you off season discounts at camp-sites all over Europe. Details can be found here.
> 
> *Laundry*
> 
> A lot of towns have launderettes and the washing fees are quite acceptable.  However, the machines don't spin dry very fast and will always leave your clothes dripping wet.  This means if you use their tumble driers it can be very expensive.  Buy yourself a washing line for a couple of Euros that you can suspend between your van and a tree – your washing will dry in an hour in summer and pretty quickly in winter too (unless there's no wind or it's raining).
> 
> *Ferry crossings*
> 
> These vary tremendously in price so do your research.  I was quoted as low as £40.00 (one way) and as high as £500.00.  I ended up travelling from Dover to Calais on a single ticket for £40.00 and will be travelling back Le Havre to Portsmouth for €55.00 (an extra €12.00 if I'd wanted a cabin).
> 
> *Insurance*
> 
> Van – to get full twelve month European cover the best deal I found was with Equity Red Star.  A little under £300.00.
> 
> Travel – The best deal for a six month policy I managed to find was through Staysure (only for over 50s).
> 
> *Breakdown Cover*
> ADAC; definitely.  The best cover available and only around €80.00. The AA wanted nearly £600.00!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Security
> *
> I was a bit nervous about this initially as I was going to be on my own.  Don't get me wrong, I'm no scaredy cat and I did a lot of martial arts when I was younger - I even got a black belt in Karate.  However, I'm in my mid 50s now and have a really bad back. Through fear of what I'd read about gassing and muggings, I bought myself a telescopic baton and a can of pepper spray (both perfectly legal in France).  Anyway, my fears were completely unfounded - everyone has been incredibly friendly and half the time now I don't even bother locking my door at night. :sleep-027:
> 
> *Books vs Kindle*
> 
> I swore I would never use a Kindle, but I was given a Sony e-reader by a very friendly couple I met (they had changed to Kindles).  Now I love books and imagined I would hate using this, but eventually I ran out of reading material and was forced to use it.  I was surprised that I took to it as readily as I did – thanks John & Doreen.
> 
> A couple of months later, I met someone who had just upgraded their Kindle to the latest colour one and I managed to buy their old one from them for €40.00 – full of books.  Best €40.00 I ever spent – now I wouldn't be without it.  I found this to be much better than the Sony and the battery lasts forever.  It also has WiFi, so I can download new books from Amazon when I'm near a WiFi source.
> 
> *Food Shopping*
> 
> Carrefour, Intermarché, SuperU/HyperU and Lidl etc. are the cheapest.  Watch prices closely as they can vary tremendously.  On one particular shopping trip I just grabbed a bag of onions expecting them to be the usual €1.50, but they actually cost over €5.00 when I looked at the receipt later.
> 
> You can buy your favourite teabags like Tetley and PG Tips in a lot of supermarkets, but you'll pay three or four times the UK price for them.  So if you're a bit of a teapot make sure you take plenty with you.
> 
> The French don't drink tea much, so the type of tea (like Lipton's) that they sell here (same in Spain) is pretty naff.
> 
> Chocolate is around 50% dearer here, so if you have a sweet tooth bring some with you.
> 
> *Cooking*
> 
> I like to cook and I'm pretty good at it, but the last thing I wanted to do was spend a lot of time cooking.  This would have meant more gas bottle changes and a good chance I'd make my van greasy and smelly.
> 
> I don't like junk food at the best of times – especially the processed, pre-prepared food that most people seem to like to eat today.  I suppose it's my age and the fact that I like to know what goes in my food makes me a bit fussier.  So, I opted to eat mainly rice (which I love) and occasionally pasta.  Using simple, fresh ingredients and as much boiling (as opposed to frying) that I could.
> 
> This was great in summer when I was moving around a lot more, but once it got colder and I started staying in one place for longer (on EHU) I made a change that I NEVER would have expected to make – I discovered pre-prepared meals that didn't need to be kept in a fridge or freezer and last for months.  These are available for between €1.50 and €4.00 each and are available in all supermarkets (Lidl being the cheapest).  With the potential saving in gas, time and premium prices for fresh food I decided I had to give them a go.
> 
> Initially, I would float these in a frying pan full of boiling water for about ten minutes to heat them.  Eventually, I decided as I was mainly on hook-up I may just as well get a microwave so I could heat them in two minutes as opposed to ten minutes and save more gas.  I could then use it for cooking rice too – always my preferred method for perfect results in ten minutes.
> 
> So having made that decision I went into Carrefour and bought a cheap microwave, electric kettle and toaster – the whole lot for less than €50.00.  My gas bill suddenly halved – brilliant!  I did see a plug-in two-ringed electric hob being used by a couple of people once and almost bought one of those when I saw it in an Intermarché for €25.00.  I decided against it at the time, but will get one if I see one at that price again (normally they're about €50.00).
> 
> *Fuel*
> 
> The best prices I've found are again at Carrefour and Intermarché. Currently I'm paying €1.28 per litre for diesel at Carrefour which is the cheapest I've found since I've been here.
> 
> *Beer & Wine Etc.*
> 
> Drinking in bars here in rural France is very expensive so very few people do it.  Of course Friday evenings you'll always find a few British ex-pats congregating if there are any in the area.
> 
> I've always been a real ale drinker, but there's none of that in France so I had to change my drinking habits.  I've always liked red wine, so it was time for me to do some experimenting.
> 
> After spending far too much money on very mediocre and not particularly cheap French wines I gave up trying to find one that suited my uneducated palate.  I like full bodied wines like Malbec, Shiraz and Pinotage so I found most French wine too 'thin' – with the exception of a Roche Mazet Merlot (they do a Cabernet Sauvignon too) that can be found in most supermarkets for less than €3.00 a bottle.
> 
> Sadly, I have to admit that most of the time I've stuck to drinking Spanish and South African wine from Lidl because it's reliable and very cheap.  The two I favour are a Spanish Tempranillo/Cabernet Sauvignon mix called Baturrica at €2.99 a bottle and a South African  Cimarosa Pinotage at €2.19 a bottle.
> 
> Don't get me wrong; I'm not knocking French wine at all (their more expensive varieties are the best in the world), but in my limited experience I've found that cheaper French wine is nowhere near as good as the South American, South African or Australian stuff that we've become used to getting in UK supermarkets for under a fiver a bottle.
> 
> Spirits are a little cheaper here, but a lot that we're used to are not available (e.g. Gordon's gin and Captain Morgan's or Wood's rum).  Armagnac or Calvados can bought for around €10.00 a bottle though which is pretty good.
> 
> *Satellite Navigation & Maps*
> 
> I've always disliked in-car navigation devices because the mapping is so notoriously unreliable and can often get you into trouble by putting you somewhere you don't want to be.  However, I made an exception for this trip as I was going to be on my own (I'm not very good at reading maps whilst driving).
> 
> A fellow member on this forum sold me a Tom Tom Go Live with all the European maps and trucking software on it.  This allowed me to input the height and width of my van and it really kept me out of trouble.  It also allowed me to avoid all toll roads.  He was also very helpful on the phone and even sent me a new battery free of charge when after a few days use, the original one died (no fault of his obviously).
> 
> In addition, he put lots of POI way-points on it for me; Wildcampingspots (from this website) Aires, LPG stops, Supermarkets, fuel stops etc. Many thanks for all your help Fairytooth– a brilliant service. :king:
> 
> *Guide Books*
> 
> I drove to Kent a couple of days before my ferry booking and called into the Vicarious Book Shop in Folkstone.  I wanted to get the 'All The Aires' guide books for France, Spain & Portugal, but ended up spending over £100.00 and came away with more books than I really needed.  I didn't mind because I love books anyway, but there was really no need to spend that much – I just couldn't help myself.
> 
> So, to save you some money – just buy All The Aires France and a French Road Atlas. There are many more books to choose from if you want them, but these are all you actually need.
> 
> *Phones, WiFi & Computers*
> 
> Initially, I had my UK contract iPhone, but that worked out too expensive to use and as the contract was almost up, I decided not to renew it and bought a French PAYG sim card from Orange.  Data usage on ordinary PAYG sims in France is expensive unless you opt for a special data usage deal – there are many available depending on your budget. Remember to keep data switched off if you're not using it or it nicks all your credit - I lost €47.00 without even looking at my phone. :sad:
> 
> If you want mobile internet on your computer, you can either tether it to your phone or get a dongle the same as you would in the UK.  Again, prices vary and how much you spend will depend on your budget and usage.  I would say give the free WiFi a go before you commit to anything.
> 
> Free WiFi (pronounced WeeFee) can be found at a lot of places.  An easy one to spot is the big yellow M in the sky – McDonald’s (there's more nutrition in the packaging in my opinion).  You will find a lot of cafés, restaurants, tourist offices and hotels offer this to their customers (you'll have to ask some for their security code). If you invest in an external antenna like this, you'll be able to access it without having to sit inside or park your van up against their window.  I have one of these antennas and they work really well – from where I am at the moment I have no WiFi signal, but if I plug this in I can pick up five different sources (not that I can use them as they're private).
> 
> As a point of note for the non-technically minded; a mobile phone or WiFi connection is just a radio link. Radio signals have trouble getting into metal boxes like my Autoquest because they act like a Faraday cage which means you'll never get a decent signal inside it without an external antenna. If your van is plastic, you shouldn't have this problem, but you'll still get a big range improvement by using one.
> 
> To run your laptop in your van, just buy a 12v charger. These can be bought on Amazon for as little as £10.00 if you go for an unbranded (non-original) one.  This will keep your laptop battery topped up for when you sit outside using it, or it will run it as if it's on mains when you're on the van.
> 
> *Overall Cost*
> 
> Ferry prices to get here are a lot cheaper than going to the Isle of Man or the Isle of Wight.
> 
> Every day costs like food, booze and fuel are cheaper (especially with free electricity) and as there are no parking fees or restrictions it is a LOT cheaper to live here than the UK.
> 
> *Language Barrier*
> 
> Although I had been to France many times before this trip there had always been a French/English speaking person around so I only needed to be able to say please and thank you etc.  On this trip though, I was alone and had no one else to turn to for help – mistake!
> 
> Although I'm saying this right at the end; the first thing you should do is learn some basic French.  It doesn't need to be much, but if you are prepared to try you will be amazed at the difference in attitude you'll get from French people.  I had heard this said before, but didn't believe a word of it.
> 
> Anyway, after a few embarrassing attempts at communicating when I first got here (contrary to popular belief shouting louder doesn't work) I decided to start studying it quickly – I used Michel Thomas (recommended) recordings along with a few phrase books I already had).  I would suggest you learn the following as a bare minimum before you leave the UK (if you can't be bothered – at least write them down so you can refer to them):
> 
> 
> 
> Please, thank you, sorry and excuse me.
> Sorry, I don't speak French.
> I'm English (as if they didn't know)
> I don't understand.
> Do you speak English?
> Is there anyone here who speaks English.
> Can you help me please?
> Where are the toilets?
> How to order drinks/meal and how to ask for the bill    afterwards.
> Count up to twenty.
> Thanks, I'm just looking (for when you go into shops)
> 
> Always carry a small French/English dictionary and a French to English phrasebook as well as an English to French phrasebook.  This can be loaned to anyone trying to communicate with you that doesn't speak English – at least they can then point to the words, the same as you can.
> 
> Written French is a little harder to get to grips with than speaking it is, but you will be amazed at just how many words you already know.  As sixty percent of English words come from French anyway; you just need to learn how to say them with a French accent.  If you can imitate Inspector Clouseau you're halfway there.
> 
> It only takes fifteen minutes a day over a week or so to learn the above, so there really is no excuse. I wish I hadn't waited until I was in France before I learnt them.
> 
> *Summary*
> 
> Well, this ended up a lot longer than I intended it to be as I said at the start, but if it helps just one person it will be worth the few hours it took me to write it.
> 
> If you spot any errors or mistakes, please PM me so that I can edit them – thanks.


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## Sammyvan

*Dordogne*

I'm travelling to the dordogne in August and staying the first week in a site with my son. Then I'm wild camping alone. Do you have any tips on the dordogne region? :dance::dance:


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## Pauljenny

Great thread, Trevor.
You can also buy the latest aires books from any of the supermarkets... About 6€.
They are in French, but easy enough to decipher.
Experience tells us NEVER  to overnight on motorway services. Pull off and find a small town near the junction.
If there's a river, look for the " Aire de Loisure " sign, where the boaters and anglers park during the day. Cemeteries, sports complexes and football pitches usually have carparks.
When shopping, try the Pain de Campagne.. A better bread that stays fresh longer than the standard  baguette.
Thanks for all your hard work.


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## Sky

> I'm travelling to the dordogne in August and staying the first week in a site with my son. Then I'm wild camping alone. Do you have any tips on the dordogne region?



I didn't spend much time in the Aquitaine area, but I did tour most of the Limousin-Poitou-Charente area.  

What would you like to know?  If you let me know your interest, I can probably steer you in the right direction.


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## Sammyvan

Sky said:


> I didn't spend much time in the Aquitaine area, but I did tour most of the Limousin-Poitou-Charente area.
> 
> What would you like to know?  If you let me know your interest, I can probably steer you in the right direction.



My thought is that it is a highly tourist populated area in August, (but this is the only time I can go) .....so are free picturesque places to camp harder to come by as a result? I've always stayed in sites before owning my own camper and haven't been to this region before.


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## Sammyvan

Pauljenny said:


> Great thread, Trevor.
> You can also buy the latest aires books from any of the supermarkets... About 6€.
> They are in French, but easy enough to decipher.
> Experience tells us NEVER  to overnight on motorway services. Pull off and find a small town near the junction.
> If there's a river, look for the " Aire de Loisure " sign, where the boaters and anglers park during the day. Cemeteries, sports complexes and football pitches usually have carparks.
> When shopping, try the Pain de Campagne.. A better bread that stays fresh longer than the standard  baguette.
> Thanks for all your hard work.



I haven't used a forum before, all new to me, so just realised I can answer you!!!,:lol-053:
Thanks for those tips.


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## Sky

Sammyvan said:


> My thought is that it is a highly tourist populated area in August, (but this is the only time I can go) .....so are free picturesque places to camp harder to come by as a result? I've always stayed in sites before owning my own camper and haven't been to this region before.



It does get a little busier, but nothing to worry about.  If you avoid the coastal areas you shouldn't see any crowds.

I stayed well away from the coast for just this reason and never had any trouble finding a place to park.  Even the Aires don't get busy - a lot of the time I was the only one using them.  If anyone else turned up they were always friendly anyway.  Some liked to keep to themselves, but I'm like that a lot of the time, so could easily respect their 'space'.

It really is a different world there. You won't encounter any anti-motorhome types like we have in the UK.  

Enjoy . . .


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## lebesset

never noticed this thread before so forgive if my comments  have been covered somewhere already 

6/7Kg calor gas cylinders ...if this is the biggest bottle you can fit the Intermarche 9/10Kg bottle will normally fit as well ...just [ you can have 9Kg butane or 10Kg propane in the same bottle for the same price ] clearly butane is just fine most of the year ; the fitting is the same as a calor 4.5 Kg butane dumpy /standard french/german/ spanish 6Kg with adaptor /dutch / belgian etc 

whereas french le cube are expensive the intermarche 10Kg costs about €20 and the deposit I have paid is €1 , my hymer takes a couple of 13 Kg bottles but I use a couple of these instead

presuming you have access to internet camping car-info is free and is the most comprehensive available , in french but easy to work out


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## runnach

Some of this concentrates on France a little bit ,but I know Ed for example is not far off fulltiming, also a few folk wondering re France....a lot of the observations equally valid in the UK .....glean what you can 

Channa


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## Veronica Walker

*Big Thank You.*

A very big thank you for your time and patience in writing out all the info, I have only just read it, as I was informed it existed by someone who had read it prior to me.  
I am going to Europe later this year, also have been trying to pluck up courage to go on my own, after reading your story (sorry, don't mean to be cheeky, it was very informative) I have every intention in going.  So might even print it out and have it to hand when needed.
French is being learnt, maps being sorted, route also being sorted, van has been updated with a few luxuries.  Don't know why it took me so long to make up my mind....  lol   
Happy travelling to everyone....


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## tidewatcher

*refreshing*

All good advice but the most refreshing thing about the post is it is from personal experience. You learned and found out what suited you by just giving it a go. That, to my mind, is the essence of camper vanning. The satisfaction gained from sorting it out yourself is huge, as I said a very refreshing post.


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## Sky

Veronica Walker said:


> French is being learnt, maps being sorted, route also being sorted, van has been updated with a few luxuries.  Don't know why it took me so long to make up my mind....  lol


I'm glad my ramblings have spurred you on Veronica, I hope you have a great time. 

You've taken the important step of learning a little of the language.  It really isn't that difficult and will pay HUGE dividends when you need it.


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## Compo

*french tour*

thank you all very good advice bump


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## Deleted member 56550

This thread should be Sticky!!!


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## nimmo777

*French Trip - Thanks*

Thank you so much for this post.  I am 80 next year (Mar 1st)  & have a real desire to go to France with our self converted Renault Master ex-ambulance.  However, my husband is a bit unsure as we've never done anything like this before.  Your post has really inspired even more & I will get hubby to read it with the hope that he will be encouraged too.

Thanks

nimmo 777 (Derek & Hazel)


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## Herbenny

We just booked the tunnel for our first CAMPER trip next year. 
This post was so helpful so thanks so much …..:idea-007:


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## Compo

*abroard*

ive bumped it for you


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## Canalsman

Bump ...


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## DorisBoris

*Spot-on advice!*

We have spent a lot of time in the motorhome in France, both using Aires and sites. Sky has summed up everything extremely well in my opinion. All first-timers (and more experienced travellers) should take note of his suggestions!


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## Deleted member 75172

*Thanks*



POI Admin said:


> Bump ...



Thanks to Chris for the bump and Sky for the fantastic original post and follow ups. :wave:
Very interesting reading and useful information


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## Sky

Sorry, I've not logged in for a while.

I'm glad you found it useful.


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## Peter Angel

Thanks Sky for all the info.


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## jann

We've been going to France for 30years, I thought you covered most things. We use 2 13kg gas bottles which last 8_9weeks so that is enough for us. Our van is only supposed to carry 2 6kg bottles but with a few alterations we are able to carry the larger bottles, worth a look if you want to carry plenty of gas, but agree it is easy enough to pick up a French bottle if not


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## Sky

Oh boy, a right mess was made of that article in the forum upgrade. 

I've not been on here in ages, but upon checking if it was still here, pleased to find it was.  It's all formatted properly now and the broken links repaired. 

Obviously, prices etc. are all out of date now, but hopefully it may still be of use to some first timers - if we ever get to travel again.


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## Canalsman

Thanks @Sky


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