Trip to France

I only have one usually when I have my breakfast and then coffee for the rest of the day so I'll have enough, and so long as it says Tea on the box Liz will drink it, I'll take enough Weetabix too as I have to have my breakfast, also a suitcase full of our drugs, we're already stocking up so we have more than enough.
 
barryd said:
I think I mentioned this before but If I were you Kev I would go a tad later than March. Maybe end of April, May. As for Aires well you really shouldn't avoid them. They are brilliant. Some better than others. Some free, some a few Euros. Wilding is of course possible and you will find spots and there are plenty of online resources for both but do a mixture. Cherbourg Peninsula beyond the WW2 stuff is worth exploring. I think it will be your kind of place. Quiet and plenty of wilding opportunities and some lovely beaches. If your into the coast though look no further than Brittany. I think Normandy and Brittany would be a great two locations for you to start your French adventures in. Weather however will be similar to southern UK so just bear that in mind for when you set off. Same applies in summer although it can be a couple of degrees warmer.
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Yes, Cherbourg Peninsula is great. I spent 3 weeks going down the west coast in August/September and only got halfway down it. The north and east coasts are worth doing as well. Possible to overnight by the lighthouse at Gatteville, and Barfleur and Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue are both Plus Beaux Villages and worth a visit. Brittany also has many superb locations, both coastal and inland.

I tend to go over in March for my early trip, sometimes late March, sometimes mid-March, and the weather varies from year to year, sometimes far kinder than the UK but on the odd occasion requiring a fast run down to the Med. On the western side of France, if the weather is wet/cold to the north of the Loire, it is often better south of the river. I have often found t-shirt and shorts weather in the Charente Maritime in late March, though the occasional year has required me to travel somewhat further south.
I have seldom encountered any issues in France with aires or wilding spots being full, even in August or on public holidays. Definitely make use of the aires, but bear in mind that they are generally not to be treated as campsites, so no awnings/tables/chairs out, though the "rules" are somewhat more relaxed on some of them - generally just a matter of common sense. In general, aires cannot be pre-booked - just turn up and find a space - though there are a number where this is possible. Aires operated by CampingCarPark require you to purchase a card that can then be loaded with funds to enable you to enter and pay, Many aires are entirely free, some charge for parking, some charge for services, requiring payment using coins, tokens (obtainable by different means in different places) or bank card.
The WildCamping Location App has a vast number of locations in France, some aires, some wilding, and many of them in superb spots alongside lakes and inland waterways as well as on the coast.
https://www.campingcar-infos.com/view.php is also useful (and there is also an Android app that costs €5 for 3 months if you want to use all features). On the website, just click on the magnifying glass in the top left corner of the map in order to search by name, coordinates, etc,

As for what to take: passports; UK sticker; hi-viz jackets; warning triangle; vehicle papers; travel insurance. Spare bulbs and first aid kit can be a good idea as well. RHD should not be a major issue unless you plan on rally driving. High driving position gives far better visibility than if you were in a car, so only HGVs might be an issue, and I've seldom found them driving much slower than I would wish to in any case.
 
TJBi said:
Yes, Cherbourg Peninsula is great. I spent 3 weeks going down the west coast in August/September and only got halfway down it. The north and east coasts are worth doing as well. Possible to overnight by the lighthouse at Gatteville, and Barfleur and Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue are both Plus Beaux Villages and worth a visit. Brittany also has many superb locations, both coastal and inland.

I tend to go over in March for my early trip, sometimes late March, sometimes mid-March, and the weather varies from year to year, sometimes far kinder than the UK but on the odd occasion requiring a fast run down to the Med. On the western side of France, if the weather is wet/cold to the north of the Loire, it is often better south of the river. I have often found t-shirt and shorts weather in the Charente Maritime in late March, though the occasional year has required me to travel somewhat further south.
I have seldom encountered any issues in France with aires or wilding spots being full, even in August or on public holidays. Definitely make use of the aires, but bear in mind that they are generally not to be treated as campsites, so no awnings/tables/chairs out, though the "rules" are somewhat more relaxed on some of them - generally just a matter of common sense. In general, aires cannot be pre-booked - just turn up and find a space - though there are a number where this is possible. Aires operated by CampingCarPark require you to purchase a card that can then be loaded with funds to enable you to enter and pay, Many aires are entirely free, some charge for parking, some charge for services, requiring payment using coins, tokens (obtainable by different means in different places) or bank card.
The WildCamping Location App has a vast number of locations in France, some aires, some wilding, and many of them in superb spots alongside lakes and inland waterways as well as on the coast.
https://www.campingcar-infos.com/view.php is also useful (and there is also an Android app that costs €5 for 3 months if you want to use all features). On the website, just click on the magnifying glass in the top left corner of the map in order to search by name, coordinates, etc,

As for what to take: passports; UK sticker; hi-viz jackets; warning triangle; vehicle papers; travel insurance. Spare bulbs and first aid kit can be a good idea as well. RHD should not be a major issue unless you plan on rally driving. High driving position gives far better visibility than if you were in a car, so only HGVs might be an issue, and I've seldom found them driving much slower than I would wish to in any case.
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Vehicle papers, good tip but which ones as apart from V5 ours are all electronic/online/emailed.
 
MOT and Insurance just printed out, not one for leaving til the last minute :) :) EHIC card doesn't expire until May 2025 so well on the ball there.

Ordered the UK stuff from Amazon.

Owt else chaps?
 
Do I need vests too? I doubt we'll leave France, I suppose we may stray over into Belgium, Luxemboug, Chermany or Switzerland but very unlikely so best be at least aware of what we might need just in case.

Must get an LPG adapter for the Gaslow too, bloody expensive for a bit of brass.

 
As you well know I avoid all people wherever and whenever I can, and so I will always attempt to park up nowhere near anybody if at all possible.

I use a couple of very useful apps to assist me to find somewhere if the mk1 eyeball hasn’t seen anything during our travels.

One of them is rather useful, maybe you’ve heard of it, if not I’ll send you a link - it’s called Wild Camping. Very useful to download onto your tablet.

what are you going to use for internet to enable you to keep in touch and annoy Trev? If you don’t have suitable cover then pop into a LeClerc supermarket and pick up a loaded data sim that lasts a month for not a lot of money
 
Brother from another mother, can't do with other people, Liz is very gregarious but not so much when we're in the van parked up, I gave her a warning early on that we don't know these people and their motives so be polite then tell em to feck off, our greatest fear is that BarryD pulling in behind us one day.

Got the WC app and the others we're not allowed to mention already installed on tabs n phones, I have 100gb per month for £10 on Voda via TalkMobile
 
I was a tiny bit concerned about filling GPL, but this video shows me all I needed to know. Where would we be without YouTube sometimes.

Where else can you use the France adaptor?

 
Pudsey Bear said:
Do I need vests too? I doubt we'll leave France, I suppose we may stray over into Belgium, Luxemboug, Chermany or Switzerland but very unlikely so best be at least aware of what we might need just in case.
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There are several items which must be carried in France.
Paperwork, which you seem to have covered.
Hi-Vis for each occupant, in a place that can be reached before leaving vehicle.
Warning Triangle.
You will also need to 'adjust' headlights, most often done nowadays by blanking the headlight to eliminant the UK side kick up.
A Crit-Air sticker might be handy if you stray into a clean air zone.

For the time period you are considering there's plenty to do and see in France, you'll hardly be scratching the surface.
 
jacquigem said:
Don't plan too much and check weather forecasts for what you are looking for. Download a good motorhome parking ap , there are several available.
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We never have planned more than just where to start off from, we used to then change our minds, sometimes we just head towards the brightest part of the sky. I have all the apps I think even the rubbish ones for parking so I'm sure we'll survive, or we won't :D :D
 
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