QUESTIONS - prep for France (2 Viewers)

[Smudger55]

A couple of questions, only 2 for now as can't remember what the others were

HAIRDRYER - if ampage available is low in France which hairdryers do you use. (pressure on to get this right as management has asked me this.)

BATTERY: our trip in a few weeks may lead us pitching without EHU, ha..... NEW TERRITORY for us. How low would you let your battery get before it gets TOO LOW. We have solar panels and I will always be mindful of battery levels but just interested of your thoughts.

Now what were the other questions

About to live the dream.

Cheers Smudger55

 

[Ingwe]

In that case I’ll start crowing about Greece from next Friday onwards - after making it down through France and Italy to the ferry. Anything in particular I shouldn’t go on about?

No, please do go on about everything, not forgetting the delicious cheese pies for breakfast and the grilled sea-bass and Greek salad for lunch, washed down with a chilled bottle of Retsina.

 

[MisterB]

we've only got a week left before blighty beckons. spent most of the time at our static though in Challans. Looking to meander through Brittany, i quite like the look of Quiberon and the surrounding area.

re things to remember to take with you, if youre going to be staying on some of the free aires that have free electricity (though they are reducing), it might be an idea to carry a splitter socket/Y piece, that allows two connections from one supply.

we have seen them being used all the time and at times they dont even ask you or tell you they are unplugging you while youre plugged in ..... i always ask because i think its polite and the correct thing to do !

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[Zoobec]

In that case I’ll start crowing about Greece from next Friday onwards - after making it down through France and Italy to the ferry. Anything in particular I shouldn’t go on about?

Would love to hear about your trip, you should do a thread

 

[Mixyblob]

You should see my iron!!
At first I was using pebbles that I was choosing with a lot of care. I used to just put in the sun those I had chosen according to what I was going to iron... perfect job!
Now I have my granny's old iron. You know the type of iron they used to put on the cooker, old cooker with fire underneath and then were ironing their stuff holding it with kitchen towels! Nowadays lucky me, it's a special glove you use to take things out of the oven when very hot!

I use a wok to iron my tee shirts, just the right shape

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[StephandJohn]

Due to an illness once we were stuck on an aire without electricity for four days. We don't have solar so had to use gas for heating (luckily that was the year we'd changed to gaslow). So we used our leisure battery for everything else including TV as they were long dark rainy nights. We had to move on the 5th day because the battery was getting very low but until then everything worked fine.

 

[yodeli]

I use a wok to iron my tee shirts, just the right shape

Most people would cook me in it!

 

[Lenny HB]

Will you lot PLEASE stop banging on about France! I have to make do with some reduced price croissants from Tesco's until we get over there in June.

OK, I'll just let you know its chilly in Spain today only 25°.

 

[Smudger55]

Would love to hear about your trip, you should do a thread

I was thinking of doing this, ha..... Smudger55 will he return on time or extend? This depends on Management's experience.

Trip starts tomorrow, whooppee

 

[Zoobec]

I was thinking of doing this, ha..... Smudger55 will he return on time or extend? This depends on Management's experience.

Trip starts tomorrow, whooppee

You should definitely keep us updated on your trip! I love reading about people’s travels.

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[Branston]

OK, I'll just let you know its chilly in Spain today only 25°.

Thank you, I DON'T think !!

 

[Smudger55]

You should definitely keep us updated on your trip! I love reading about people’s travels.

Presume I do this as a journal.?

 

[Zoobec]

Presume I do this as a journal.?

Have a look at some of the travel threads running atm, Northernraider has one, Lenny HB and DBK too, to name a few

 

[Shrimp]

Wherever we are if stuff needs charging we try to do so whilst travelling!

 

[DDJC]

Won’t be long for our first time with the van in France, very excited and nervous

Be excited by all means, but no need to be nervous. France is the most motorhome friendly country in Europe, surrounded by other motorhome friendly countries. If your experience of motorhoming has been entirely in the UK, be prepared for a fantastic 'Road to Damascus' revelation. We do maybe two UK trips a year, but four or five weeks on the continent (we've got school age children)

There are dozens of differences between UK and French motoring laws. I found that the best guide is on the AA website with their specific French guide here. Generally, the French police are not interested in you, mostly because you are very unlikely to break the speed limit. But if you are tugged, you will be expected to have the requisite documents and kit. It is a good idea to get a crit air sticker. You may not be going anywhere that requires the sticker, but it is good to have. Cost about £4.50 including postage from France.

Some supermarkets and most hypermarkets have dedicated parking spaces for motorhomes. These are usually the furthest away, but who cares? You are on holiday.

When you enter a town or village, you will see the village name in a rectangular bordered sign:

This sign denotes the start of an urban area. It is also a notification of speed limit. It won't say 50kmh, but this sign means that, and many towns and villages have speed cameras in them. The speed limit applies until you see a black bordered named sign with a red bar across it.

Quite a few French towns now have 30kmh areas.

One thing to watch out for is that acceptance of credit/debit cards is by no means universal, especially at fuel stations and on toll roads. We have used a card successfully on a peage (toll motorway) and at the next peage, it was refused. No rhyme nor reason. Have alternative cards and sufficient coins. Fuel can be 30% higher on the peage than off it. And, fuel prices on the peage vary wildly.

If while travelling, you decide to stop for lunch, bear in mind that the French all seem to stop for lunch as well. The best time to stop is before twelve, otherwise you may struggle to find a parking spot. If you want fresh bread en route, stop early. After 10AM and you can probably forget it, except in supermarkets.

We use EHU on nearly all our stops (we use sites mostly). The amperage varies greatly. Most sites have an amperage of at least 4, with some going up to 10. Few seem to offer UK standard of 16amps. There is also the issue of polarity. I am sure that other Funsters will be delighted to tell you all about reversed polarity which can apparently make your hair go green or turn the solar system into an instant black hole, or something.

Oh there are millions more bits of advice, but half the fun is finding out what works best for you. You will love it, particularly if you remember to drive on the wrong side of the road.