Trip to France

TJBi said:
You said that you use Asda comparison site. You should be able to access that while away. What happens after that? And how will you print out your new certificate of insurance (whether new or existing insurer)? May be that the authorities will accept seeing it on a screen, but I have no experience in that area. My motorhome insurance renewal has always fallen outside periods in which I'm likely to be touring abroad, but with ******-related restrictions I had been toying with the idea of being abroad at a time when, I now realise, I might need to be arranging renewal. Food for thought!
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I have all of my documents in PDFs, held on Downloads and also in named Folders on Google Drive [so that if the phone is stolen or I manage to break it again, the Drive files will be accessible once I have [another] new phone ... Ferry tickets have never been requested, the ANPR systems pick up the registration and Brittany Ferries had our Tickets/Lounge Passes printed out in less than a minute. I have the physical V5, Van Insurance, MOT and the last service/repair invoice [largely so that I remeber where they are ...], but whenever I have been asked for details, apart from Elaine's Irish Passport [which we will need for the upcoming trip because we will be around 115 days], the offer to produce the paper version of documents is waived in favour of a cursory glance at the Phone

Perhaps my reputation precedes me, or the offer to produce the originals for the lengthy list of Phone Folders is enough to convince the Border Guards of my bona fides; more likely is the EU Border Guard Technical Manual Instruction to treat everyone as honest, going about their everyday business, that happens to include crossing a Border. That element is not evident when returning to UK in my experience

Steve
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Yeah, I suppose if they need it that bad they can take me somewhere to do it, I'll be on the prowl three weeks prior anyway.
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If french Plod want to see your docs then just give them a print out of this page. They wont know. A couple of times we got pulled at checkpoints on the bike and they immediately regretted pulling us when they discovered we were English. :D Showed them our docs but it was obvious they couldn't understand them. :D Never been stopped in the van but have been moved on by French Plod a couple of times. Ive always found them ok.
 
barryd said:
If french Plod want to see your docs then just give them a print out of this page. They wont know. A couple of times we got pulled at checkpoints on the bike and they immediately regretted pulling us when they discovered we were English. :D Showed them our docs but it was obvious they couldn't understand them. :D Never been stopped in the van but have been moved on by French Plod a couple of times. Ive always found them ok.
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Yes France and Spain I have been pulled over at routine checkpoints. Normally police go to wrong window, realise their mistake and wave you on
 
Just be old school ..........
A4 plastic wallet thingy with separate plastic sleeves ......
then in order that you will need them starting at the front .............

Ferry/tunnel tickets
Any booked accomodation receipt/invoice
Any pre-planned route info.
Return ferry/tunnel tickets

then

Copy of passport info pages
Any travel insurance documents
Note of important phone numbers (insurers etc)

Copy of V5
Copy of MOT
Copy of vehicle insurance

Apart from the ferry tickets/route you are highly unlikely to need the rest, just peace of mind. Now stop over thinking it, relax and look forward to enjoying the trip. 👍👍🤣🤣
 
Actually has money been mentioned? Not been for a while but the Halifax Clarity credit card was always the best one to use from memory rather than cash or taking money out of the hole in the wall. Not sure what the best is now. It used to be interest free if you paid it off each month and the best exchange rate. Last time I was in France I hardly ever spent any cash apart from Markets etc.
 
barryd said:
Actually has money been mentioned? Not been for a while but the Halifax Clarity credit card was always the best one to use from memory rather than cash or taking money out of the hole in the wall. Not sure what the best is now. It used to be interest free if you paid it off each month and the best exchange rate. Last time I was in France I hardly ever spent any cash apart from Markets etc.
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Yes, we still use Halifax Clarity, I'm getting over 1.16 euros on transactions this week, so still one of the best cards to use in France.
 
Val54 said:
Just be old school ..........
A4 plastic wallet thingy with separate plastic sleeves ......
then in order that you will need them starting at the front .............

Ferry/tunnel tickets
Any booked accomodation receipt/invoice
Any pre-planned route info.
Return ferry/tunnel tickets

then

Copy of passport info pages
Any travel insurance documents
Note of important phone numbers (insurers etc)

Copy of V5
Copy of MOT
Copy of vehicle insurance

Apart from the ferry tickets/route you are highly unlikely to need the rest, just peace of mind. Now stop over thinking it, relax and look forward to enjoying the trip. 👍👍🤣🤣
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Never bother with ferry tickets . Don't think many do
 
How heavy is your van Puds?
If you’re plated at over 3500kg, you will need Angle Mortes stickers as well.

Although the trend is changing, French aires are located in most towns and villages.
In most cases they are paid for by the local business community.
The original concept was that they invited you to stay over, and in return you used their village shops / business / cafes.
That way it becomes a win win situation. Nobody said you have to actually talk to people while you are there.
 
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Val54 said:
Just be old school ..........
A4 plastic wallet thingy with separate plastic sleeves ......
then in order that you will need them starting at the front .............

Ferry/tunnel tickets
Any booked accomodation receipt/invoice
Any pre-planned route info.
Return ferry/tunnel tickets

then

Copy of passport info pages
Any travel insurance documents
Note of important phone numbers (insurers etc)

Copy of V5
Copy of MOT
Copy of vehicle insurance

Apart from the ferry tickets/route you are highly unlikely to need the rest, just peace of mind. Now stop over thinking it, relax and look forward to enjoying the trip. 👍👍🤣🤣
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Not really over thinking it I'm just not a last minute person, I like to have it all done then I relax, still got tax test and insurance to do, all the rest are in plastic wallets for a while now.

Travel insurance to do.
Renew breakdown as it expires soon too, but that get's auto renewed as it's so mega cheap for us.
Got a French LPG adapter, Hi Vis, UK stickers and Crit air.

We could do with knowing some useful words & phrases for some we'll need, thinking about getting a translation app for if we need something you can't shout at someone, preferable not rude ones as Liz will be reading this and she has her own.
barryd said:
Actually has money been mentioned? Not been for a while but the Halifax Clarity credit card was always the best one to use from memory rather than cash or taking money out of the hole in the wall. Not sure what the best is now. It used to be interest free if you paid it off each month and the best exchange rate. Last time I was in France I hardly ever spent any cash apart from Markets etc.
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Liz is off on a Cruise in March and is sorting the €'s then, she has a Virgin card and they don't charge for EU use so anything I want will go on her card and I'll transfer it, I'm paying for all the fuel.
RoaminRog said:
How heavy is your van Puds?
If you’re plated at over 3500kg, you will need Angle Mortes stickers as well.

Although the trend is changing, French aires are located in most towns and villages.
In most cases they are paid for by the local business community.
The original concept was that they invited you to stay over, and in return you used their village shops / business / cafes.
That way it becomes a win win situation. Nobody said you have to actually talk to people while you are there.
Click to expand...
The van is 3,500 Rog, I did think about getting stickers and may do yet, silly reg anyway either have them or don't how is a cyclist supposed to work out whether they can undertake or not :rolleyes:
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Not really over thinking it I'm just not a last minute person, I like to have it all done then I relax, still got tax test and insurance to do, all the rest are in plastic wallets for a while now.

Travel insurance to do.
Renew breakdown as it expires soon too, but that get's auto renewed as it's so mega cheap for us.
Got a French LPG adapter, Hi Vis, UK stickers and Crit air.

We could do with knowing some useful words & phrases for some we'll need, thinking about getting a translation app for if we need something you can't shout at someone, preferable not rude ones as Liz will be reading this and she has her own.

Liz is off on a Cruise in March and is sorting the €'s then, she has a Virgin card and they don't charge for EU use so anything I want will go on her card and I'll transfer it, I'm paying for all the fuel.

The van is 3,500 Rog, I did think about getting stickers and may do yet, silly reg anyway either have them or don't how is a cyclist supposed to work out whether they can undertake or not :rolleyes:
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Je m'excuse = 'I'm sorry/apologise'
Je m'excuse de vous deranger = 'I'm sorry to disturb/bother you'
Je m'excuse de vous deranger, mais pouvez-vous m'aider' = Sorry to bother you, but can you help me [m'aider' is the origin of the 'Mayday' signal]

The French love politeness and will show appreciation of any attempt to speak their language

Steve
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Not really over thinking it I'm just not a last minute person, I like to have it all done then I relax, still got tax test and insurance to do, all the rest are in plastic wallets for a while now.

Travel insurance to do.
Renew breakdown as it expires soon too, but that get's auto renewed as it's so mega cheap for us.
Got a French LPG adapter, Hi Vis, UK stickers and Crit air.

We could do with knowing some useful words & phrases for some we'll need, thinking about getting a translation app for if we need something you can't shout at someone, preferable not rude ones as Liz will be reading this and she has her own.

Liz is off on a Cruise in March and is sorting the €'s then, she has a Virgin card and they don't charge for EU use so anything I want will go on her card and I'll transfer it, I'm paying for all the fuel.

The van is 3,500 Rog, I did think about getting stickers and may do yet, silly reg anyway either have them or don't how is a cyclist supposed to work out whether they can undertake or not :rolleyes:
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No Puds, do not buy AM stickers if you are only 3500kg. You’ll find yourself getting pulled up…. All the time!
 
marchie said:
Je m'excuse = 'I'm sorry/apologise'
Je m'excuse de vous deranger = 'I'm sorry to disturb/bother you'
Je m'excuse de vous deranger, mais pouvez-vous m'aider' = Sorry to bother you, but can you help me [m'aider' is the origin of the 'Mayday' signal]

The French love politeness and will show appreciation of any attempt to speak their language

Steve
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And very often an appropriate greeting on entering any small shop (bakery, butcher, etc.) to the staff and any customer(s). Depends on the number and gender of those present, but something along the lines of "Bonjour monsieur 'dames". Always helps to greet the person behind the counter before asking for what you want; firstly they expect it and secondly it gives them a chance to tune in to your voice and better understand when you get down to business.
 
We could do with knowing some useful words & phrases for some we'll need, thinking about getting a translation app for if we need something you can't shout at someone, preferable not rude ones as Liz will be reading this and she has her own.


Try Deepl translator. Better for Portuguese than the Google one, so guess it may be better for France too. Has a useful camera function that you can hover over, say a menu and it translates. Google does that too afair but can't remember how to and this one is easy!
 
REC said:
We could do with knowing some useful words & phrases for some we'll need, thinking about getting a translation app for if we need something you can't shout at someone, preferable not rude ones as Liz will be reading this and she has her own.


Try Deepl translator. Better for Portuguese than the Google one, so guess it may be better for France too. Has a useful camera function that you can hover over, say a menu and it translates. Google does that too afair but can't remember how to and this one is easy!
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Ensure that any such app knows to translate between French (France) and English (UK)! Canadian French and US English could cause confusion.
 
I've downloaded a couple of the text and voice translators.

Is there a Fuel price app. I have Fill LPG
 
barryd said:
Actually has money been mentioned? Not been for a while but the Halifax Clarity credit card was always the best one to use from memory rather than cash or taking money out of the hole in the wall. Not sure what the best is now. It used to be interest free if you paid it off each month and the best exchange rate. Last time I was in France I hardly ever spent any cash apart from Markets etc.
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We have a Starling bank curtent account. Best rates, no charges at all and after filling with fuel and the ringfencing of the 100€ or so, it has never taken more than twenty minutes to adjust the balance. Mostly, before we leave the fuel station. We don't have credit cards.
 
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