Trip to Europe - Any tips?

[M&A]

The Chunnel is booked, bought hi-viz vests, spare bulbs, warning triangle, dogs have passports, All The Aires is in the post... so we are off to Europe (mainly France and a bit of Spain) in the middle of May and would really appreciate some advice on a few bits if anyone is willing.

We have 2 Gaslow refillable cylinders, will I need an adapter to be able to refill them from an LPG pump in France?

Is there anything different about electric hookup points in France and Spain or will the standard cable fit?

What (if any) spares should I take with us?

We have a route very roughly planned, definitely going to Bordeaux to visit family but all other stopovers are very flexible. Does anyone have any recommendations of places or areas to visit? We are not bothered about towns and cities but love to walk with the dogs in stunning countryside areas...

I'm sure there will be more questions as we start to load the van and try to figure out how stuff works. We only picked it up last weekend and it's been on my MIL's drive since then as we are having work done to the house and the builders need somewhere to cut wood and stuff - missing it already!

 

[DanielFord]

Due to another thread on here, I have just thought of another legal point. You must have the V5 document in your vehicle, should you be stopped, the police in Europe require this to show that you are legally in charge of the vehicle. Obviously, driving licence and proof of insurance are a legal requirement, since the police will not be able to do a roadside check on a foreign vehicle through their computers.

 

[Popeye]

Trip to Europe - Any tips?

Yes:......drive on the right soon after getting over there, they really do seem to appreciate it. No thanks needed. My pleasure.

 

[big map]

Take decent bacon and lots of it

 

[M&A]

Take decent bacon and lots of it

Hahaha, best advice ever...!

Thanks to everyone who has offered some pearls of wisdom, will make our adventure all the more enjoyable.

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[gus-lopez]

As I live in Spain, my understanding is that if you have a breakdown or accident, you have to place, not one but 2 warning triangles at different distances to warn on coming drivers of the problem. I stand to be corrected, but that IS how it happens in Spain and I have never- in my 11 years here- known .

Somebody MUST have a nice story to tell about Spain..........haven't they.........

Yes motorway/dual carriageway first one behind at 50m & second at 200m.
A roads & others with 1 lane each direction 1 behind & 1 in front .warns on coming traffic not to overtake.

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

Take decent bacon and lots of it

Oh come on!

Half the enjoyment of foreign travel is to "when in Rome.........".

There are some lovely cured meats available in most EU supermarkets - not cheap but then neither is your "decent" UK bacon - buy cheap and get all that brine scum, buy dry cured and you have to re-mortgage your house yet you still hear that stock phrase "You can't get proper bacon over here".

Go on - be adventurous, try all those tasty morsels you see in that French cooler cabinet - leave your English bacon, Marmite and Tetley Tea Bags home.

There's a really tasty sliced cooked pork available which my missus absolutely loved until she translated the ingredients label. I still like Joues and buy it whenever I see some.

 

[Sidney]

I have no breathalyser.
I have no breakdown cover
I take Euros out via the ATM
I have one Gaslow bottle and one adapter
I don't have a polarity converter
I don't have the latest All The Aires
I don't have the latest France Passion
I carry, but don't use headlamp stickers

But I'm no rebel...

I do have a 5 tonne bottle jack (forget the scissor jack supplied)
I have a small toolbox with metric spanners, three screwdrivers, a basic circuit tester, an extending wheel brace, a can of tyre repair together with some wire, bulbs and fuses.
I carry three assorted hook up leads - one of which has a European two pin plug
I have a 40l water roll and 12v pump so I can refill the fresh water tank if access to the water tap is difficult.
I bought a Chubb safe and fitted that under a seat with sikaflex and bolts - everything goes in there so I don't stress about finding documents etc
I have a WiFi Aerial, MiFi with 3 Sim, maps, ACSI card, ASCI guide and a Garmim.
I carry an assortment of gloves for dirty, messy or stinky tasks.
I have two hoses of different lengths and three differing tap adapters

That little lot lets me travel without worry to wherever we fancy.


NB May in France can get busy on aires and campsites - the a French and Dutch are out in force for their national holidays!

 

[Sidney]

Oh and I don't have warning triangles or hi-viz vests!

 

[chaser]

You can get excellent bacon in most butchers in France or on the meat stalls on the market, it's called poitrine fumee, just like the best smoked bacon from UK , you need to tell them to slice it to your preferred thickness , show them how thick with your fingers if need be or you will get one big lump!