Obtaining Water from an Aire, Advice please.

[Emmit]

Greetings,

In advance of a proposed trip across the Channel I'd like to ask a question.

In the UK it is usual (but not universal) that a tap on a campsite will have a thread onto which one can screw a female connector ready for the hose which has a Hozelock type connector on the end.
What is "the norm" in France?

I have just read a report on a french camping car web site where the correspondent made the following comment re an Aire he had visited, (translated from the French)
"Nice area, very clean. Everything is free even electricity.
Male / male for water."

What did he/she mean by 'Male / male for water"

I don't want to arrive at an Aire sans water to discover that I need some sort of adaptor found at the ironmonger 10 kms. away.

Any assistance gratefully received.

 

[mitzimad]

weve had a few that were the reverse of what we call normal. The bourne had the female part and you needed the male part to push in

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Also carry spares. I seem to have developed a habit of leaving adapters on various taps around France and not realising until the next time I come to fill up

 

[pappajohn]

Always worth carrying a trigger bottle of food grade disinfectant and give the tap a spray before using it.

As already said, some inconsiderate users wash out toilet cassettes under the fresh water tap especially if its next to the elsan point.

 

[Granjan]

Just got back we had to use a larger than usual connector once on a 3/4" (yes they do call it that even in France) tap in Kaisersberg but found the rubber tap connector could be separated to fit!!. Got my connectors at poundland for .....you've guessed it!. As for using a watering can it takes a lot of space and I do like to carry a fair bit of wine on the return and to fill our tank of over 100 litres I dont think I could be bothered. I do use a hose it attached but always run some water down the outside and wipe it not dead yet

Now there's a good idea fill the tank with wine and just carry a few bottles of water!

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[PeteH]

Old Style Washing Machine Fill / Emptying Hose has like a rubber "Trumpet" style end which will push onto almost any fitting? and can even be folded back on its self to get a "fit", connect a Hoselock fitting to the free end and it can be extended with a hose. Carry a Worm drive clip with a Thumb screw (used on some domestic fittings). My last clip used to connect the Hose to the Macerator!!! (50yard uphill was the record for poo pumping!! 2 25ft hoses connected together) Meant I didn't have to move off pitch all winter!

Pete

 

[ojibway]

I can clearly remember a Dutch lady caravanner on a French site using the motorhome service point to empty her toilet cassette. She ignored the tap next to the toilet emptying point and walked 5 yards to the "drinking water only tap" stuck the hose in the toilet spout and left the tap running until it overflowed. I asked her why she was doing this and her reply was " The other tap could be dirty! For probably the only time ever I was speechless.
I always use wipes before filling and always remove any hose first.
Bernie.

Yikes!!
Yes, you do see some strange things, from all nationalities. Hygiene does not seem to come naturally. I was going to empty our gray water in Wissant until I saw the grill covered in loo paper and poo. I wasn't even going to step anywhere near it! Moved on and emptied in Le Crotoy!

 

[orridge]

And don't forget to unscrew and take your adapter away with you ;-)

 

[funflair]

As PeteH says short plastic hose withe rubber end and an Aquaroll and then use the built in pump it onboard system. All I have ever used in 31/2 years and does not matter if the tap is next door or a mile away and tow it behind my bike.

Can't be a---d driving off pitch and messing with hose pipes and connections.

Keep it simple.

 

[ojibway]

I rarely use a hose - just two 5L bottles and an adapter for the fill hole. It's done quickly and you have the benefit of a bit of exercise!

The push taps are a pain though. Nothing fits them and they are often have a very slow flow!

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[scotjimland]

Always worth carrying a trigger bottle of food grade disinfectant and give the tap a spray before using it.

I use cheap bleach .. spray all over the tap, up the spout then open the tap and flush before connecting the adapter.. and if fitted, NEVER use the short site hose .

had a few strange looks over the years.. don't care..

 

[Chockswahay]

Call me old fashioned.......... but a 10L watering works every time It has the added advantage of providing exercise, is very light, easy and quick to pack, cheap as chips (esp in France). We bought one of the 'thinner' ones that all the French MH'ers use in Sep 2013 and have used it ever since

I have noticed that by the time you have moved the van to the borne, got the hose out, un coiled it and cleaned and connected the fittings, filled up, and then completed the whole palaver in reverse order............. it is almost always quicker by watering can

Also if you have found a nice space to park you will not run the gauntlet regarding losing the space whilst filling up

 

[scotjimland]

Also if you have found a nice space to park you will not run the gauntlet regarding losing the space whilst filling up

never been an issue.. no need to move.. I carried 60 mt of hose..

it takes ages filling up a 325 lt tank by hand.. ..

as Jan found out

on this aire the water was off at the borne and we had to collect from a public toilet

 

[Chockswahay]

Haha........ that's the very watering can though

(and you won't have extra space in your new 'smaller' van for a long hose)

 

[scotjimland]

Haha........ that's the very watering can though

yup.. specially adapted with a long spout from a petrol can ..

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[MikeandCarolyn]

I have a 10ltr plastic 'gerrycan' with a detachable spout-takes up less space than a round bodied watering can.

 

[kglblue]

Fill the tank with a garden watering can, holds 11 litres, tank holds 60 litres 3 fills lasts a day. We use this water for washing cooking, we buy bottled water for drinking and making tea. Last year in France at 7.00am some bugger stole our watering can!! We went to the supermarket across the road and bought a replacement for Euro 2.20 a special offer. Mean sod

 

[DP+JAY]

Greetings,

In advance of a proposed trip across the Channel I'd like to ask a question.

In the UK it is usual (but not universal) that a tap on a campsite will have a thread onto which one can screw a female connector ready for the hose which has a Hozelock type connector on the end.
What is "the norm" in France?

I have just read a report on a french camping car web site where the correspondent made the following comment re an Aire he had visited, (translated from the French)
"Nice area, very clean. Everything is free even electricity.
Male / male for water."

What did he/she mean by 'Male / male for water"

I don't want to arrive at an Aire sans water to discover that I need some sort of adaptor found at the ironmonger 10 kms. away.

Any assistance gratefully received.

The male male is the bit you would use to join two hoseloc type hoses together

 

[tonyidle]

I rarely use a hose - just two 5L bottles and an adapter for the fill hole. It's done quickly and you have the benefit of a bit of exercise!

The push taps are a pain though. Nothing fits them and they are often have a very slow flow!

Carry a few releasable zip ties - they work for showers too.

 

[Wildbill]

By male-male, they mean a hozelock-type connector to join two hose ends together. Also, I would take both sizes of tap connector. These three items should cope with most bornes de service on aires - see imagesView attachment 39084 View attachment 39087 View attachment 39088 .

All I have ever cared and like you say fits almost all eventuality's
BILL

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[JJ]

I am very, very, very firmly in the "Carry My Water" camp for all the reasons mentioned by "Those In The Know" above.

However I must confess, my motor homing life is different from the vast majority of Funsters.

When I was living in a house and using my van as a leisure vehicle, I too had all the tap fittings and flat hose pipes etc. I used to think I was so "professional".

But, on moving into my van fulltime, over the years things changed.

In my current life, there is only one system I have found to work in all situations (apart from the bloody coin operated, water dispensing thingy at the Praia Da Rocha Marina parking place) and that is to fill my water containers (scrounged, for free of course, from woosie friends who only use bottled water in case of germs) at the tap/spring/stream/fountain/lake and carry it to the Hymer and pour it in. No lost tap fittings. No long, tangled and leaking hose pipes. No moving the van hearer to the tap. No impatient people queuing to use that tap. No stress.

Strangely I find carrying my water to my van to be almost spiritual in nature. It relaxes me and forces me to do some excercise at the same time. When doing so I know I join billions of humans all over the world who are doing the very same thing at the same time.

I am off now to walk across the dam to Rui's restaurant (1300 steps) and treat myself to a slap up lunch and then I will carry back a few litres of water.

JJ