Propane refills in France
hi all, a newbie to caravanning and off to France shortly.
Is it straightforward getting your gas bottle refilled?
Thanks, Mike
Answers
-
You will not be able to exchange or refill a Calor Gas cylinder in France.
You might possibly/perhaps be able to refill a freestanding Safefill cylinder but the regulations in France say they are not to do that..You can easily refill a plumbed in motorhome gas tank which has an external filler point.0 -
The only bottle I believe that is available throughout Europe is the Campingaz. We have always carried 1 Calorlite or similar along with 1 Campingaz 907. The Campingaz has been used on a Cadac/gas ring outside and as the emergency back up for the caravan.
Colin
0 -
If you intend to just have a short break in France, say 2 weeks or less, in Summer then you shouldn't need more than 2x6kgs Propane bottles (1 should be sufficient).
If however you will staying months then look into buying a local readily available gas bottle, actually you rent it just like your agreement with Calor, say from a Supermarket supplier like LeClerc. This is what we did when stopping for months (pre-Brexit). Buy the adaptor and you'll have no worries. Otherwise use Campinggaz as suggested as these canisters are available from the usual places including large DIY stores like Monsieur Bricolage.
0 -
To give you an idea of how long a 6kg gas bottle can last.
We spend 4-6 weeks in France each year. The fridge runs on gas when waiting for our crossing and is used for minimal cooking when away as we use an Induction hob and Remoska under the sun canopy as we run on an electric hook up.
We typically get a further 2-3 weeks away in the UK between spring and autumn. Again we are on hook up, but this time cook most of the time in the van on gas. Our heating is mainly 500 watt electric with an odd 5 minute blast of the gas Truma heater.
We have hot water by an electric Truma.
A 6kg bottle lasts us about 5 years.
Colin
0 -
Hi Mike, There are some who pursue the “British style” of caravanning when they go first time to France. They use gas to heat up many gallons of water for all tne family to have daily showers inside the caravan, they do traditional cooking such as slow cooked roast dinners in a gas oven, otherwise they run a gas fired barbecue outdoors, then they heat more water with more gas to wash plates and pans inside their caravan, and afterwards they run their heating on gas on chilly evenings.
It’s possible that way to use quite a lot of gas if you try hard - local caravanners on campsites do things differently, though Motorhomers on Aires without hook ups have an altogether different lifestyle which I don’t understand.
Have a great holiday for sure. Where are you going?0 -
The only thing you have to be careful of is the start up setting on your chosen induction hob. If high and you are on a low, 6 amperage hook up in France it can trip. We bought this one, but I know IKEA now have some nice small units.
Tefal IH201840 Everyday Portable Induction Hob, Black
When frying, the spatter you get on it can be eliminated by putting a sheet of newspaper completely over the hob. You cook through the newspaper.
Colin
0 -
Enjoy it but, unless you have a leak of gas, you'll survive easily on the one. Take 2 just in case of said leak unless you could do with saving weight.
As Colin has said they usually last ages. Measured mine today as we've been using the same one for a year now. Still have 4.5kgs left in it. We only use it for cooking though.
0 -
Physically there are 2 ways. Put the calor gas on the scales if the scales are big enough, having set them to Kgs. Then take the Tare weight (the weight of an empty 6kg Propane bottle) away from the total weight. The maximum tare weight is 9 kgs. according to the Calor manual I have.
If your scales, which should be on a totally flat surface, maybe standing on a flat piece of hardboard, are too small then you stand on them with and without the calor bottle then take 9kgs off the difference.
You can buy a Truma Level control system whereby the bottle sits on top of a pad which tells you on an App how much is left. or you could just buy a Propane tank gas level gauge from someone like a caravan stores dealer or Amazon.
0
