Trip to France

Pudsey Bear said:
I'm not bothered about using an Aire if we're not crowded in or if we're stuck finding a spot for the night, as for security, it applies at home too, It's just something I have never done, but we've had a few cars nicked at the bottom of the street so scrotes are wandering around. I park it were it is quite difficult to back out if you don't know how to maneuver.
Click to expand...

I could be wrong but I dont recall a single report of a British Motorhome ever getting nicked in France or anywhere in Europe for that matter. The odd break in but even those are thin on the ground. Dont worry about it, just go and have a good time and dont forget to shout at foreigners and wave your arms a lot. They like that.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
I'm not bothered about using an Aire if we're not crowded in or if we're stuck finding a spot for the night, as for security, it applies at home too, It's just something I have never done, but we've had a few cars nicked at the bottom of the street so scrotes are wandering around. I park it were it is quite difficult to back out if you don't know how to maneuver.
Click to expand...
Disklok could be a good idea. Some French motorhomers link the cab door handles to prevent them being opened. Difficult to comment further without knowing what security you already have. Obviously, leave nothing that looks valuable on display and if you have an alarm system, use it. When I visited Paris last autumn, I stayed on a campsite for added security, but normally use aires/wilding spots. Even in cities, I have seldom been concerned about security (unlike in the UK) but some French motorhomers express concerns. There's a discussion about security on the CCI forum at the moment and some appear most concerned about gassing and defending themselves in the event of intrusion while they're asleep. Some recommendations for hornet killing spray (which apparently has quite a long range); don't think that I'll be taking up that idea.
 
barryd said:
I could be wrong but I dont recall a single report of a British Motorhome ever getting nicked in France or anywhere in Europe for that matter. The odd break in but even those are thin on the ground. Dont worry about it, just go and have a good time and dont forget to shout at foreigners and wave your arms a lot. They like that.
Click to expand...
It's not something I'm worried about, but it does no harm to think about security.
 
TJBi said:
Disklok could be a good idea. Some French motorhomers link the cab door handles to prevent them being opened. Difficult to comment further without knowing what security you already have. Obviously, leave nothing that looks valuable on display and if you have an alarm system, use it. When I visited Paris last autumn, I stayed on a campsite for added security, but normally use aires/wilding spots. Even in cities, I have seldom been concerned about security (unlike in the UK) but some French motorhomers express concerns. There's a discussion about security on the CCI forum at the moment and some appear most concerned about gassing and defending themselves in the event of intrusion while they're asleep. Some recommendations for hornet killing spray (which apparently has quite a long range); don't think that I'll be taking up that idea.
Click to expand...
Ah, you varmint, you've sussed me out, it's getting gassed that has me worried.

I never leave anything on show but Liz is terrible, I used to play hell with her when we'd pull into a car park, she'd get her purse out rummage around for five minutes then put it in the glove box, she always leaves her phone on the dash (dumb as a box of frogs that wummon) she isn't the least bit street smart, doesn't occur to her that cars get broken into when they're parked and that we're about to park up and put a nice note on the screen so the scrotes know how long we're going to be gone for :rolleyes: :rolleyes: if I do say anything I get the look.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Ah, you varmint, you've sussed me out, it's getting gassed that has me worried.

I never leave anything on show but Liz is terrible, I used to play hell with her when we'd pull into a car park, she'd get her purse out rummage around for five minutes then put it in the glove box, she always leaves her phone on the dash (dumb as a box of frogs that wummon) she isn't the least bit street smart, doesn't occur to her that cars get broken into when they're parked and that we're about to park up and put a nice note on the screen so the scrotes know how long we're going to be gone for :rolleyes: :rolleyes: if I do say anything I get the look.
Click to expand...
Only time I've been gassed was indeed in France (when France won the World Cup at home) - and that was due to fracturing of the gas pipe at the back of the cooker on the yacht and crew who didn't react quickly enough when they smelt gas after it was turned on. Gassing of motorhomers is probably just a myth.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
I've never bothered with van security, but with us going to be so far from home, I am now, what might be the best visible deterrent, I'm thinking along the lines of the steering wheel disc type of thing rather than the bar type.

I did think of the pedal box types but they're already in before that works.

Any opinions.
Click to expand...
Beware of the dog stickers in the windows.

Very cheap, very effective. Bear in mind the very widespread use of dogs as deterrents against house intruders in Europe, stickers in the windows are highly relatable.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Re toilets in France, the site posted the other day https://www.toilettespubliques.com/toilettes-a-proximite has an app too.

play.google.com

Carte des toilettes en France - Apps on Google Play

Location of public toilets everywhere in France live
play.google.com play.google.com

Unfortunately it is in French and I'm not sure what phrase they use for disabled in the app and it has ads too.
Click to expand...

you can pee anywhere in France Kev. In fact its a national sport. Even the ladies take part sometimes. The more public the more points you get I think.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Re toilets in France, the site posted the other day https://www.toilettespubliques.com/toilettes-a-proximite has an app too.

play.google.com

Carte des toilettes en France - Apps on Google Play

Location of public toilets everywhere in France live
play.google.com play.google.com

Unfortunately it is in French and I'm not sure what phrase they use for disabled in the app and it has ads too.
Click to expand...
I downloaded that app. Like the website IIRC there is a wheelchair icon top right; pressing on that changes the icon to a standing figure (to enable change back from disabled) and also changes the display to show only toilets that have been advised as being suitable for the disabled. Notes indicate that other toilets may be accessible but if that information has not been provided they are not displayed in the disabled subset.
 
We were just talking about maps, and I used to buy the concertina/accordion style ones when I was driving as they were just the best for route planning, dead easy to open/fold, never managed to tear one, not keen on atlases or the big fold up sheet types but I can't find any online, have they stopped making them now?
 
I can recommend the 726 route planner Kev, great for 'er keeping an eye on your route, its a concertinery type one...

9782067262775.jpg


Pete
 
Thanks Pete, how you doing these days?

Do you have a picture of the actual map, the online pic is useless.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
Thanks Pete, how you doing these days?

Do you have a picture of the actual map, the online pic is useless.
Click to expand...
Kev, have you tried Googling Michelin 726?

It gives many its, including https://www.themapcentre.com/michelin-route-planning-726-france-2024-6955-p.asp
This has thumbnails of map images; for some reason, they don't display on the same page for me, but by right-clicking I can get them to open in a new tab. Does this help? And https://www.amazon.co.uk/France-Rou...ICHELIN National Map,a complete name index as will give you an image of the entire map; you can click and zoom in up to a point.
 
Ah yes cheers Pete, I have a similar map, but it's not what I was looking for that's just a fold up normal type, I'm okay for France now anyway.


I was looking for a UK concertina style map, I'll see if I can make one to describe what I mean.
 
Rough I know but the map folded looks like below, as you can see 4 pages are visible (the real one has about 8 I recall and down the visible bits sticking out is a list of what is on the page once opened.

The one pic below is about the size half A4 folded vertically, we saw one for Ireland in a WH Smith in Scotland but typically they don't list it on their web site.

1711300789711.png




1711300830176.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top