What's so great about motorhoming in France?

[Clarky]

Where would the best area or time of year to avoid excessive heat. As a Jock I don't do hot!!!

Don't forget, the north of France is only 22 miles from the south of England so the weather is very similar.
May and September are lovely times to be in France but just have a couple of weather apps on your phone and go where the weather looks nice. Too cold....head south, too hot stay north.
Don't forget, in France, outside of August, you don't need to book anything in advance. Just follow the weather and go where the fancy takes you.

Richard.

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

As a first trip, you would probably be better off making sure you avoid French holiday times. some places, particularly near the coast can get quite crowded. the Bisin-Fute website gives details of holiday times/hotspots

Will check that out thanks. I doubt if it will be next year as I hope to visit family as I never got there this year due to this virus which will probably still be with us

 

[busby]

Drove all the way through France to the Med coast then down to Castillon and only used one toll...... The Millau viaduct.
I know 'door' 'hello' 'thank you' in French and still managed.
That's three more words than I know in Spanish.

Bet you know how to order a beer,,,BUSBY

 

[WESTY66]

Transited and stayed in France many times on the Harley, but I have ZERO interest going there in a motorhome, other than coming out the tunnel and heading to Belgium.
Germany is far nicer

 

[spitfire]

Whatever I have said. I love France and it's scenery, bakeries, breweries etc. Just go there and soak it up.

Hé will be fine . He Is Scottish lol

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[Wee Bold Davy]

Transited and stayed in France many times on the Harley, but I have ZERO interest going there in a motorhome, other than coming out the tunnel and heading to Belgium.
Germany is far nicer

If we get to France, Germany is in my sights too Don't tell the Mrs though

 

[John Barrett]

Hé will be fine . He Is Scottish lol

I'm not so sure. We spent eight years touring France and everyone we met was quite generous...
John

 

[WESTY66]

If we get to France, Germany is in my sights too Don't tell the Mrs though

Don’t bother with France, head straight to Germany

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Don’t bother with France, head straight to Germany

My dad once went there by plane, didn't land though

 

[Wack]

Where would you recommend to be the ideal area for a short trip to dip our toe in the water to get a taste for the country?

Normandy. We went last year for the first time , in a mustang not a motorhome but we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it , get the fast cat pompey to cherbourg 3 hours port to port , everything you want to see is within 100miles so no long drives apart from Portsmouth

When I booked it my wife said its not going to be all battlefields is it

er

But when we got there she found it all very interesting though there's much more than WW2 in normandy, it's beautiful

We were booked to go again this may but obviously all cancelled

this shop was interesting in bayeux, it hadn't changed since the war

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[Bikevanhappy]

What are Mrs Bold Davy's interests, what does she like to do on holiday? It would help with suggesting where to go.

 

[Zoobec]

A few snapshots but they only give a flavour. You don't need to know the language, shopping in supermarkets is very easy. Driving is no problem but take it slow in villages and don't exceed the speed limits anywhere.

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Lovely photos. where were they taken? Particularly the beaches, the market and the lavender field
we love going to France, and can’t wait to finish our conversion so we can enjoy more of it. We particularly like Brittany, Il de Re and Mont St Michel too.

 

[mitzimad]

europe and france in particular is the place you can actually use a motorhome properly.its very rare to be more than ten kilometres from a place to stop you can just wander, aires vary from roadside parking spaces in villages to huge carparks near the coast or attraction our favourites are river and lake side ones

 

[Steve and Denise]

We went to Brittany in 2001 and hired a barn conversions type place, I found most places were shut and they all seem to eat pancakes with everything from strawberries to mincemeat on them no pubs like we are used to, I was glad we took some decent food with us.

I have not been back since luck for us the weather was good or it would have been a long week.

 

[Ivory55]

For me as a leisurely cyclist it’s easier for cycling in France. Cycle routes are better and the traffic in rural areas are cycling friendly. We was cycling once in France and the other half found the hill a bit steep so was pushing the bike. A couple in a van stopped because they thought she had a puncture. Just better for cycling there.

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[WillH]

Davy, just go and find out. Use the tunnel. We've been going for over 30 years and still find it really nice. The worst bit for us living in Scotland is the drive through England, it's so busy .

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

What are Mrs Bold Davy's interests, what does she like to do on holiday? It would help with suggesting where to go.

She would like to be able to walk into a village or town visit shops and places of interest, not stuck in a field miles from anywhere which is something which is all to common in the UK. She's never experienced another country or culture as I have and I would love to show her what she's been missing. There is so much which would be new to her. To visit historic buildings or simply see how other people live would be great. She's a retired head chef so I'm sure she would love to sample the food, there's just so much which is different.

 

[bigtwin]

I’m a Scot that loves France (and don’t tell the English, but the French love the Scots too).

I suppose historically they love the Scots.

Yes, if after your best efforts to speak French they reply “ahh, English” just reply with “non, Ecosse” they will light up and pat you on the back saying “ahh, Ecosse, Ecosse, c’est bonne, c’est bonne (it’s good, it’s good)”.

Much to my (English) wife’s annoyance, it works every time.

Ian

 

[denisejoe]

We went to Brittany in 2001 and hired a barn conversions type place, I found most places were shut and they all seem to eat pancakes with everything from strawberries to mincemeat on them no pubs like we are used to, I was glad we took some decent food with us.

I have not been back since luck for us the weather was good or it would have been a long week.

You were in the wrong place

 

[604]

Hi Wee Bold Davy I have been reading this post with interest. As you are a baker you may like to know that the French take their bread very seriously, particularly their Baguette. By law, every village must have a
boulangerie or a place that sells bread that is not baked on the premises. In towns almost every street will have one but they must close by law on one day in the week or they will be fined. The nicest and original Baguette has a little burnt tail on the end which the French people break off and eat on the way home.
One more thing, get yourself a windscreen tag for the tolls as wives don’t like being faced with the problem of paying on their side.
Enjoy your travels, Bonjour when you enter shop or market stall and au revoir as you leave, they will love you.

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[denisejoe]

She would like to be able to walk into a village or town visit shops and places of interest, not stuck in a field miles from anywhere which is something which is all to common in the UK. She's never experienced another country or culture as I have and I would love to show her what she's been missing. There is so much which would be new to her. To visit historic buildings or simply see how other people live would be great. She's a retired head chef so I'm sure she would love to sample the food, there's just so much which is different.

Loads of village aires where you are in or very near the village

 

[DBK]

Lovely photos. where were they taken? Particularly the beaches, the market and the lavender field
we love going to France, and can’t wait to finish our conversion so we can enjoy more of it. We particularly like Brittany, Il de Re and Mont St Michel too.

Thanks, the beaches are Brittany from memory and the lavender Provence of course.

If you do a search for titles beginning "Two Go to" by me you should find most of the threads although on the most recent trip we "pottered" instead.

Two Potter Around Northern France

After our trip to Corsica earlier this year I felt our next excursion should involve less distance and fewer sheer drops on the side of the road. Corsica was a delight and the scenery stunning but something less demanding will go down nicely over the next couple of months. And so yesterday we...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Wack]

We went to Brittany in 2001 and hired a barn conversions type place, I found most places were shut and they all seem to eat pancakes with everything from strawberries to mincemeat on them no pubs like we are used to, I was glad we took some decent food with us.

I have not been back since luck for us the weather was good or it would have been a long week.

Is this a joke post

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Loads of village aires where you are in or very near the village

Music to my ears, usually spend a lot of time on Google maps trying to find suitable Moho parking while travelling around the UK.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Is this a joke post

No just how I found it to be

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[Northernraider]

Its great for getting to Spain

 

[Riverbankannie]

No. Just try a bit but most speak reasonable English. Take a phrase book and al least have a go.

download google translate to your phone, you can either type a word or phrase or just photograph a piece of text like an information board.

Where would the best area or time of year to avoid excessive heat. As a Jock I don't do hot!!!

It is a large country, so we normally go May/June and Sept/October but travel France according to the weather forecast. If we hit hot weather, we will look for a shady grassy campsite maybe with a pool but as there is no need to book, we just play it by ear.
I know it is difficult to jump in when you are going for the first time.
Have a read of any thread by DBK for a good route although they tend to get ferry to Normandy or Brittany.
If you know your preference for ferry crossing or tunnel, we can help with stops for first couple of nights, that is all you will need in advance.

 

[Sapper520]

Don’t do it, it’s addictive.

We lived in Germany for 6 years. Toured extensively in France, Spain, Netherlands etc on our motorcycles.........ruined our touring in the UK.

We toured with a caravan when the kids were young, we’ve now got our first MH and can’t wait to hit the continent in it.

Pick the right routes and you will have many traffic free miles of touring.

Please, before anyone thinks I’m UK bashing you couldn’t be further from the truth. We still love touring the UK, but it’s a fact......there’s more room on the European mainland.

 

[Howard H]

Don’t bother with France, head straight to Germany

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

download google translate to your phone, you can either type a word or phrase or just photograph a puece of text like an information board.


It is a large country, so we normally go May/June and Sept/October but travel France according to the weather forecast. If we hit hot weather, we will look for a shady grassy campsite maybe with a pool but as there is no need to book, we justbplay it by ear.
I know it is difficult to jump in when you are going for the first time.
Have a read of any thread by DBK for a good route although they tend to get ferry to Normandy or Brittany.
If you know your preference for ferry crossing or tunnel, we can help with stops for first couple of nights, that is all you will need in advance.

Thank you. That's what I love about this forum. I knew nothing about Motorhoming when I joined. I spent two years learning, asking daft questions before we were in a position to be informed enough to part with our hard earned cash and buy our first van.

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