What's so great about motorhoming in France?

[Riverbankannie]

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.

When we had our first Campervan, we travelled abroad with friends who had a smaller conversion with no washroom and they were adverse to using their porta potti. As a consequence, they would only stay on sites in the ACSI scheme which are inspected and tend to be of a good standard. We wouldn’t book in advance but would plan route night before moving and the best sounding ACSI site would be our destination.
It maybe that your wife would feel more reassurance, to begin with, by using these sites. However, sometimes they are not as close to towns and places of interest as an aire might be.

 

[wasp]

For us, it was the Aires one in nearly every town or village, patisseries, the supermarket experience especially in coastal places the fresh prawns are super. The wines are nice, so are the beers.some very nice coastal stops. We love the boat ride seeing the scenery, it’s a bit longer but for us it was nice.

 

[WESTY66]

Oi birthday boy, when do you ever stay in France unless you’re hot footing through it to Spain or Portugal??

 

[Boris7]

Best thing about France is you can carry on to Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Holland, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Greece, Turkey..............

 

[Drum Major]

love France don’t worry about that Scottish accent we don’t speak any french and we get by nay bother

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[Emmit]

I know. But I struggle to spend time and money in a country where Macron is so obviously anti-UK

NOT political. Great thread.

In that case go on an acclimatisation course in the UK before you go.
Drive everywhere, in every vehicle, according to the speed limits.
If you don't, the Bu&&ers will get ya.
You've been warned.

 

[The Coops]

Hmm, Take your time and try to learn a bit of French! We have used Aires and stopped in various locations for very little BUT and its a big BUT make sure you are on before 3pm, If you miss out find a small village and ask at the Marie ( Town Hall) if you can stop for the night and 99.9 times out of a hundred they are delighted! The down side is that you may get a selection of 12 to 17 year olds turning up practising their English as the mayor will contact the high school and say we have some willing English speakers ! All it takes is a bit of trying to ask in French and when they reply in English, you have cracked it! Had some great evenings out with *the natives* and all you need to know are Bier, Pain and du Boursan Beer bread and Cheese! Our son is a fluent French speaker ( Parisian) and they speak so fast that most French speakers do not understand them, the best apparently are those from the northern regions, its like a drunken Geordie to the rest of France!

 

[The Lb’s]

I know it would help but do you need to know much of the language to get bye? As I've said I've travelled widely but never been much off the tourist trail so it's never been an issue!

No, get Google translate on your phone! We did Europe 23 years ago without internet or Google translate and I was worried about the language, but you muddle through. And nowadays with Google translate it's just not an issue.

 

[Langtoftlad]

What does your wife enjoy when travelling...
Know that, and you'll know what she might like in France.

 

[FIDGET]

Great Thread,
We love France , wife won't go by boat , so we use the tunnel ( also for the dog's sake) , mostly use aires , we love Brittany , Loire , central France , always rural & usual by water . Frustrated the last 2 years due too moving bungalow first year then Covid , but we've got provisional tunnel booking for late May next year , roads are very relaxing to drive , we don't use toll roads as love going through small towns & villages , stop in any that catch our fancy . Neither of us speak very much french but we get by (with our little basic schooling)
Get yourselves over there as soon as we all can , I am sure you & your good lady will love the freedom , the countryside etc.
On our first ever trip back in 2005 we teamed up with another motorhomer , he lead the way for the first couple of days ( as he'd been before) and new what to look for in the way of aires . It helped us a lot & gave us confidence and since then we've been twice a year for a 3 or 4 weeks each time.
ENJOY when you get over there , you will be hooked .
Then onwards & upwards towards Germany
Any suggestions or help just ask.
Terry

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[Wee Bold Davy]

What does your wife enjoy when travelling...
Know that, and you'll know what she might like in France.

She can spend hours in galleries or craft shops, looking at castles or stately homes

 

[Scotch mist]

I suppose historically they love the Scots. Will need to look out my 'see you Jimmy hat' not worn that since I was at Hampden watching Dalglish, Bremner and Co strutting their stuff

bonjour , j’habite en ecosse , that does it every time

 

[The Coops]

Non

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Great Thread,
We love France , wife won't go by boat , so we use the tunnel ( also for the dog's sake) , mostly use aires , we love Brittany , Loire , central France , always rural & usual by water . Frustrated the last 2 years due too moving bungalow first year then Covid , but we've got provisional tunnel booking for late May next year , roads are very relaxing to drive , we don't use toll roads as love going through small towns & villages , stop in any that catch our fancy . Neither of us speak very much french but we get by (with our little basic schooling)
Get yourselves over there as soon as we all can , I am sure you & your good lady will love the freedom , the countryside etc.
On our first ever trip back in 2005 we teamed up with another motorhomer , he lead the way for the first couple of days ( as he'd been before) and new what to look for in the way of aires . It helped us a lot & gave us confidence and since then we've been twice a year for a 3 or 4 weeks each time.
ENJOY when you get over there , you will be hooked .
Then onwards & upwards towards Germany
Any suggestions or help just ask.
Terry

Thanks Terry
I'm sure we will both be nervous on our first visit. If the roads are as quiet as they are in many parts of Scotland it would be great. It will be the tunnel for us. We too have got a dog which dictates a lot what we do. I did hear that there will be changes regarding taking the dog abroad because of Brexit. I'm sure by the time we go we will be well versed on what we need to do.

 

[Lazyboy]

Try the Alsace region. Wonderful villages, Saverne, Colmar, Obernai and Eguisheim to name a few and some great aires.

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[Wee Bold Davy]

Try the Alsace region. Wonderful villages, Saverne, Colmar, Obernai and Eguisheim to name a few and some great aires.

My British geography is extremely good. My global geography is good. My French geography is totally useless I've got a lot to learn. I wouldn't have a clue if I was north, south, east or west of Paris

 

[Diabalo]

France is special, there is nothing special about any of us that go across and drive there, we was all first timers once. If the good lady is nervous about ferries as said above use the tunnel, it is simple and quick. Get a short trip under you belt and you won't look back. Just do it.

 

[Northernraider]

And when you get there if its raining just keep driving to spain ...

 

[two]

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

For Germany:

Pretty towns;​

Plenty of history;​

but​

Cuisine is not so good;​

Remember not to mention the w*r.​

 

[Wack]

For Germany:

​

Remember not to mention the w*r.​

I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it

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[John Barrett]

My British geography is extremely good. My global geography is good. My French geography is totally useless I've got a lot to learn. I wouldn't have a clue if I was north, south, east or west of Paris

Don't go anywhere near Paris: you won't get off the Route Peripherique alive!

 

[Reallyretired]

I ve been going to France (and beyond) for 30 plus years and still love it. Not very familiar with the north as we love the heat though. Aires are best but most municipal sites are within an easy walk of the towns. Try a bit of French, it goes down well, though I have been asked to speak English as they find it more understandable than my French. In my 30 plus years I have never booked, not even in August.

 

[two]

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.

Take a look at Aires.
No need to join but the "All the Aires" books will tell you where they are. Aires are cheap but often close to the centre of towns. You can easily explore on local transport if not on foot.
Cycling is also much easier than here, if you're into that kind of thing, there's so much space.
Rarely get a bad French meal.

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Just been reading your thread DBK Two Pottering around Northern France. Thanks for sharing. It is a wonderful read and gives the reader a very good feel what France is about. It gives the impression that you would rarely be stuck without a place to park up for the night. Are they really that numerous? Do many of the aires have EHU or is having EHU the exception?

 

[Langtoftlad]

She can spend hours in galleries or craft shops, looking at castles or stately homes

Then plan a tour around that... and show her the possibilities...

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[DBK]

Just been reading your thread DBK Two Pottering around Northern France. Thanks for sharing. It is a wonderful read and gives the reader a very good feel what France is about. It gives the impression that you would rarely be stuck without a place to park up for the night. Are they really that numerous? Do many of the aires have EHU or is having EHU the exception?

Thank you. EHU is generally the exception but I've not found this a problem as we tend to move on every day or so. Where you will find aires with EHU are in the CCP chain. As a good introduction for exploring France these are worth using. They aren't perfect or very cheap but you know what you are getting. A free aire by a nice village can't be beaten but where one can't be found a CCP aire will do the job.

BROKEN LINK

 

[Lynne Roy]

Sounds like heaven!

It is, can’t wait to get back , spent 3 months there this summer, bliss

 

[busby]

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

Never ever a problem in France.BUSBY.

 

[63720]

Please help me sell the idea of motorhoming in France to my wife! I have travelled widely around the globe so I'm no stranger to travel, whereas my wife is petrified of flying and never been further than Scotland. It took me along time to persuade her to go on the ferry to the Outer Hebrides last year and although she enjoyed being there, I'm sure if she ever went again she'd be reluctant to go on the ferry! With early retirement just over the horizon we'll soon have the time to travel further afield. I think it is just the fear of the unknown which is holding her back.
My only concern is driving on the 'wrong' side of the road for the first time. I've managed thus far in life accident free and that includes 12 year driving a lorry!
What is so wonderful about motorhoming in France, and what should we look out for?

Everything!

 

[Steve and Denise]

I’m glad you started this thread Davy I think I should go back for a second look maybe we picked the wrong area when we visited 20 years ago

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