Normandy advice please

One of our favourite stops, totally agree with your comments David, Happy New year to you all.

Cheers Lou :cheers::camper::have fun:
 
As has been said, France must be about the best country to motorhome in - terrain, climate and attitudes toward you.
You will love France!

Most aspects for your specific "Normandy" needs have been covered by others more knowledgeable than me, so the one piece of advice I'd give for someone who hasn't driven on the Continent before is...
Whenever you drive off, every time, always say to yourself "Keep, right, keep right, keep right", and maybe encourage passengers to remind you too - kids love doing it, telling adults what to do! But it's serious. We've all done it - moved away from a parking place or garage for instance and "reverted to type" by driving along on the left. It's easily done and terrifying when you do it, then suddenly come to the realisation...!!!

The only other part that might momentarily "confuserise" you at first are roundabouts, especially the ones at the Port just as you set foot in France. Just retain the "Keep right" mantra in your head as you approach and go round to your chosen exit. It's only the first few that are problematic. Thereafter you'll be in the swing of it with no problems.

"Keep right, keep right, keep right!"

Barry
 
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On a recent visit with my oldest friend to war graves in France, he has lots of relatives there, we found that most had good parking and some over night stays possible?
I find that early starts and early into an aire gets the best spot.
 
I never have a problem remembering which side of the road to drive on in France. Its when I get back to the UK I forget. :D Worse still its mainly on the scooter. It hardly ever gets used in the UK so most of its miles are done in mainland Europe.
 
That's when it happens, David - that moment of inattention, when your mind is somewhere else and just for that instant you do what you do "normally". Except that's NOT what you should be doing!
We've all done it (except barryd!) and fortunately got away with it. It normally happens when pulling away from a parking space, often on the 'wrong' (left) side of the road, or from a garage or, as in your case, a driveway and often when there's no other traffic around (fortunately) to give a visual clue.
I can't remember the last time I did it but for newbies to the Continent, it's something to be beware of.
 
I have forgotten the number of times I have gone the wrong way coming out of Tesco in Dover after a few months away, I have done it in France a few times but not at roundabouts just usually leaving a small supermarket carpark when there is no traffic on the road
 
Even though I have been touring in France for 40+ years, the one thing that still catches me out occasionally is the Priorite a droit rule, (give way to traffic from the right) it doesn't pay to assume that even though you are on the major road,traffic merging from a minor road on your right has to stop and give way to you, they only have to do so if there is a sign telling them to stop and a continuous white line across the minor road.

For anyone who is not to familiar with some of the French traffic signs I have attached a few of them below.


à droite - to the right
à gauche - to the left
Accoutement non Stabilize - Soft shoulder
Allumez vos Phares - Turn on headlights
Arret Interdit - No stopping
Attention - Caution
Au Pas - Slow
Autres Directions - Through traffic
Bifurcation - Junction
Carrefour - Crossroad
Cédez le passage - give way
Centre Ville - Center of town
Chantier - Road Construction
Chaussée déformée - Uneven road, temporary surface.
Circulation Interdite - No thoroughfare
Descente dangereuse - Steep hill
Déviation - Diversion
Douane - Customs
Entrée Interdite - No Entrance
Fin d'Interdiction - End of restriction
Fin de Limitation de Vitesse - End of speed restriction
Gravillons - Loose gravel
Halte - Stop
Hauteur Limitée - Low clearance
Impasse - Dead-end road (Cul-de-sac)
Interdiction de Doubler - No passing
Interdiction de Stationner - No parking
Itineraire Bis - Alternative Route
Limitation de Vitesse - Speed-restriction
Nids de Poules - Potholes
Parking gratuit - free parking
Parking payant - parking with charge
Passage à Niveau - level crossing
Passage Interdit - Entry forbidden, no thoroughfare
Passage protege - Right-of-way at intersection ahead
Péage - Toll
Pente Dangereuse - Steep Incline
Pietons - Pedestrians
Piste Reservée aux Transports Publics - Lane reserved for public transport
Poids Lourds - Truck (lorry) route
Priorité à droit - Give way to traffic on the right
Priorité à gauche - Give way to traffic on the left
Priorité aux piétons - give way to pedestrians
Ralentissez - reduce speed
Rappel - Restriction continues
Reservée aux Pietons - Pedestrians have the right of way
Route Barrée - Road closed
Route Étroite - narrow road
Route Glissante - Slippery road
Sans Interdit - Wrong direction
Sauf (Seulement) Riverains - Private road for residents only
Sens unique - One way
Serrez à droite / à gouche - Keep right / left
Sortie - Exit
Sortie de Camions - Truck Crossing
Stationnement interdit - no parking
Tenez vos Distances - Keep your distance
Tout droit - straight ahead
Toutes Directions - All directions
Travaux - Road work
Vehicules lents - Slow vehicles
Verglas - Slippery road
Virages - Curves ahead
Voie de Degagement - Private entrance
Voie Unique - Single-lane traffic
Voiture a Louer - Car hire
Vous n’avez pas la priorité - Give way, traffic on roundabout has priority
Zone Rouge - Tow away zone
 
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