France First Time Region Recommendations
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I love the set up and style of your blog but can't see how to access any others you have written from your link. I am pretty sure I have read your blogs on another website but this one really stands out.
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I do have my own web site which I have been recording trips for a number of years but lately I have been suplementing it with other forms of recording these. See my post in >this thread<
Moving with the times but not keen on not having a copy of what is written to third party sites but with Polarsteps it is much easier to record your trips as you travel and add to or correct it later.. Deleted User User was also trying it but not seen any result yet perhaps he has yet to do a trip?
peedee
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I see that some sites advise that you need a power lead converter for EHU - is this what I need
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S2SAP,
Just a few points that don't seem to have been mentioned so far.
In respect of electrical hook ups (EHU’s) the connector shown above is the correct one. But after my first trip to France in a caravan I soon learned to carry two of them, One deliberately cross wired, and marked as such. You will find that about 50% of French EHU’s are cross wired. The French electrical standard is different from ours and they do not worry about which way to connect the Live & Neutral wires. So the way to correct that is always to have a plug in circuit tester available in your caravan. Then if the tester indicates that the wiring is not suited to our equipment than I deployed the deliberately crossed over connector and two wrongs did then make a right!! Many newer French sites have the blue Euro connectors that we are familiar with but beware they are still often cross wired!
Many members will tell you not to bother about cross wiring, but for safety’s sake I like to have it right!
You also need to very conscious of Amperage. Here in the UK our 13 amp connectors rarely fail to give us the required power, but many continental sites provide 4 or 6 amps as standard and you need to pay more if you want 10 or 13 amps. You can manage with the lower amperage but remember your Fridge uses a bit so watch that hair dryer!
There are a number of matters re driving regulations that you need to be aware of!(1) Know and stick to the speed limits in the area. The French Police are very unforgiving of speeding infringements!
(2) You will need to buy from Halfords, or similar, A breathalyser kit to carry in your car. This is a mandatory requirement and if you are stopped for any reason the Police may ask to see it!
(3) You must carry in your car a First aid kit, a fire extinguisher and a warning Triangle to place out at the roadside behind your rig if you have to stop at the side of the road because of a puncture or breakdown etc.
(4) You must also carry sufficient yellow high viz vests for all your party to wear when outside your vehicle for any reason.
Whilst the above might sound a bit draconian they are also sensible to carry & use in the UK (Except the breathalyser) and are not date stamped so you only need to buy once!I hope that none of the above puts you off, it was not intended to do so. The DCOS and I have been caravanning in France for 40 years now and have always enjoyed it. We have been all over and each region is as interesting as the next. We often went down to Antibes on the Med or Perpignan, they are all lovely.
Now in our 70’s health requirements are holding us back but we will go again if we can.
Finally I agree that in September there is really no need to book ahead, but being a twin Axle unit it is probably advisable . You will often see sites exhibiting a sign “Interdit Aux Nomads” meaning no travellers. It is a fact that several french sites equate Twin Axle vans with travellers. So its as well to clear that up before you arrive!
Have a great time! I wish I was coming too!
TF
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're breathalyser ...... http://www.drive-france.com/faqs/france-breathalyzer-law/
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Is a set of spare bulbs still required?
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Bit like breathalyser kits then.
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Entirely agree with the ACSI suggestion, discounts for low season visits, membership fee can be recouped in 3/4 nights. Would always recommend the Club's own Sites Directory - comments written by members so you can generally trust what it says. AND take the trouble to learn a few words of French - a few, off the beaten track, site owners/guardien(ne)s don't speak a word of English ( even more if you don't make an attempt in French!). If you do try and fail, they're usually only too pleased to help you out! It also helps to be able to translate phrases like 'Route Barree' etc. Stick an arrow in front of the driver pointing right as a reminder! Approach junctions carefully, their signing is fairly easy but not always the same as ours, especially at crossroads (on D roads, they don't bother with different signs for different types of junction - a road off to the side may be signalled by a crossroads sign!). Get a good road map, preferably one that shows which Autoroutes are toll free - the A26 (Calais-Reims) is the most expensive per km - it's probably called the Autoroute des Anglais 'cos we've paid for it!
Agree with everyone who says no need to book, but you occasionally come across a site where the Recep is closed for lunch - sometimes a long lunch! If you're just looking for a site, it's easy even without a Directory - they're almost all well signposted and even relatively small villages often have a municipal site, although in September it's often 'site yourself, guardien will call'. Enjoy - we have for 40 years on and off!
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Also stop at junctions that say stop I have been going over there for 27 years but got a 90 Euro on the spot fine for the 1st time this year, I approached a T junction so I slowed right down saw there was no traffic coming so I crossed and got done for not stopping by a police motorcyclist who must have been hiding in the bushes.
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