My top tips for France on a budget…
1. Obtain a catalogue of the French Aires. Either buy the book (
All The Aires - Guides mapping motorhome stopover points through Europe) or you can download the locations online for your TomTom (
Download GPS POI files). Aires on the south-coast can be very crowed. If your there before 12am you will get a space, anything after that is a gamble.
2. Join France Passion
FRANCE PASSION la France en camping-car The France Passion Invitation book offers a free overnight parking alternative for motorhome owners who can stopover with hundreds of winegrowers and farmers in all the regions of France.
We did it this year, saved a fortune, bought some great produce and made some cracking memories. Plus some have toilets and electric at no charge. The whole purpose of this scheme is to bring business to local farmers, so we made sure and buy their produce. We seen that some choose not too which I think is really unfair.
3. Get a cash passport from Thomas Cook. Use it like a debit card, load it with euros before you go, top up whilst abroad too. There is a 1euro charge for with drawing from ATMS. Really handy for fuel, shopping, site fees etc. One point to note is that it doesn’t work on motorway tolls. Best exchange rate I found.
4. Plan your route, at least roughly. I love going with the wind like the rest of them but there is no point in putting all the effort and cost into driving to France if your not going to see some of the their best attractions. Some of our favourite places, Loire Valley, canoeing on the Ardeche, Orange and Port Grimaud.
5. If your going to the French Riviera, try Port Grimaud. We are easy bored but managed to have 3 nights of fun here. Stay here
Camping de la Plage at Grimaud (Var region). The Aire there is at the side of the road and really crowed, it actually looked like a protest was going on.
6. Buy your DERV at the supermarkets. When it goes to ¾ fill up at the next supermarket. An illuminated fuel light in the back @rse of nowhere is not fun and can cause in cab arguments.
7. BBQ your socks off. Some of the nicest food we ate was cooked on the BBQ from food bought from the supermarkets. Beware, lighting the BBQ on the riveria is prohibited unless its in an approved controlled zone. I did this unknowingly and got roared at by a little French Granny. I am 6ft2 and 17 stones, and I was scared. It took over 5 mins to understand why she was ready to do me in.. Fair play though !
8. Don’t drive like Lewis Hamilton. Know how to get the most MPG out of your van.
9. Choose your ferry crossing wisely. No point travelling on a cheap crossing only to spend a load on fuel re-pointing yourself on the otherside. e.g. driving to the Loire Valley from Edinburgh we were cheaper on LD Lines Portsmouth to Le Havre for £160 than we were going Dover to Calais for £50 due to the additional fuel and time it would have taken. It was a far nicer route too.
10. Check with your mobile phone provider if there are any European Bolt-on’s for your contract which will help avoid any surprises when you return.
11. Make a sun canopy and front sun screens for your van. Canopy material can be purchase online, chuck in a couple of poles and some elasticised rope and hey presto.
http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/wild-camping-motorhome-chat/23000-winterization.html
Have fun ~ travel safe ~ enjoy yourselves
