Chateau de Gandspette & Twin Axles
Booked a week at Chareau de Gandspette through CC for beginning July 2016 and just read they might not allow twin axles "in high season" Anyone heard of this?
Also, can anybody help by telling me how I use levelling blocks to raise up one side of a twin axle van? I've been luckywith level pitches so far in the UK butknow it will not be the same in Europe.
Comments
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As you have booked through the CC I would think they should be able to answer your question, or at least make enquiries. After all they have taken your booking and money. Alternatively you could email the site. Bing translator will help, if your French is like ours. Nice site, by the way.
Can't help on the levelling I am afraid, only have a single axle. I am sure others will be along soon.
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Hello John
Where did you read that they may not accept twin axles?
I have checked our contract and there is no mention of the site not accepting twin axle bookings from the Club.
In 2015 we sent 148 bookings for caravans 8m and over in length and there were no problems with the site accepting our bookings.
Sorry do not have any advice about levelling!
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Also forgot to mention it is a great site, and I hope you have a really good holiday!
I will be happy to contact the site on your behalf to request a flat pitch, if you e-mail me your membership number or booking reference:
hazel.havell@caravanclub.co.uk0 -
The "no twin axles" rule is commonly seen on French sites as it is used as a means of preventing 'traveller caravans'from entering sites.I cannot comment on this particular site but I did once see a UK twin axle Bessecar arrive at Ille Bouchard to the consternation
of the gerant .She phoned M.the Maire who arrived in a van,sucked his teeth,had a beer with the owner and then pulled an old towel out of his van ,ripped it in two and draped a wheel on each side in it.Honour satisfied,he wished us all a pleasant evening and
drove off.0 -
The "no twin axles" rule is commonly seen on French sites as it is used as a means of preventing 'traveller caravans'from entering sites.I cannot comment on this particular site but I did once see a UK twin axle Bessecar arrive at Ille Bouchard to the consternation
of the gerant .She phoned M.the Maire who arrived in a van,sucked his teeth,had a beer with the owner and then pulled an old towel out of his van ,ripped it in two and draped a wheel on each side in it.Honour satisfied,he wished us all a pleasant evening and
drove off.Write your comments here...I Have great faith in M Le Maire.Had great dealings with him when we owned an old 'Olive Mill ' in Menton.VERY sensible people !! I.M.O
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Booked a week at Chareau de Gandspette through CC for beginning July 2016 and just read they might not allow twin axles "in high season" Anyone heard of this?
Also, can anybody help by telling me how I use levelling blocks to raise up one side of a twin axle van? I've been luckywith level pitches so far in the UK butknow it will not be the same in Europe.
What you need for levelling side-to-side are some long planks that will allow both wheels to sit on them.
Decking boards are good, bevel the ends so there is a slope for the van to run up.
The planks should be of graduated lengths. 2 or 3 should suffice, depending on thickness.
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Thank you to all who responded
Contacted the site last night and had a reply this morning confirming no restrictions on twin axle caravans.
Re levelling - I came across something called Lock 'n' Level which is a drive on air bag system which allows you to fit the second wheel lock (if insurer requirement) and then holds both wheels raised up as required up to about 5" max. Bit pricey so the decking boards seem to be the way for me, after all what's a bit extra weight to carry between friends!
Thanks everyone.
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Hello John
Where did you read that they may not accept twin axles?
I have checked our contract and there is no mention of the site not accepting twin axle bookings from the Club.
In 2015 we sent 148 bookings for caravans 8m and over in length and there were no problems with the site accepting our bookings.
Sorry do not have any advice about levelling!
Hazel
I could be wrong but I am sure I have seen reference to no twin axles at Gandspette during the high season. It was some years ago and was either in the ABS brochure or the Camping Cheque directory. I could of course been dreaming but as I am not alone perhaps not. On my last stay at Gandspette in 2010 I even made a note of it in my site report suggesting people contact the site for more information.
Levelling can be an issue for units on this campsite as there is sometimes a need for two way levelling depend in which pitch you are on. Having said that the newest pitches at the far end of the site beyound the mobile homes is fairly flat. In the past pitches were always allocated on arrival.
David
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They turned us away few years ago as we was towing with an unmarked Toyota van (blue) not white.we had stayed few times before towing with a car.they said don't accept traveler's. My hubby told them where to stick their site. We found another site in guinnes
where we have been for one nighter few times.0 -
Thank you to all who responded
Contacted the site last night and had a reply this morning confirming no restrictions on twin axle caravans.
Re levelling - I came across something called Lock 'n' Level which is a drive on air bag system which allows you to fit the second wheel lock (if insurer requirement) and then holds both wheels raised up as required up to about 5" max. Bit pricey so
the decking boards seem to be the way for me, after all what's a bit extra weight to carry between friends!Thanks everyone.
John
Bite the financial bullet and get the Lock 'n' Level - worth every penny. Used one for two seasons now - easy to use and actually does what the "marketing" says it will. First rate bit of kit - also makes the changing of a wheel on a twin axle less problematic
than using a traditional jack and much, much safer.Ome "n" Dri
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We have stayed at Gandspette on several occasions and find them to be extremely welcoming and accommodating. We have a Fifth Wheel (twin axle) Celtic Rambler 8.5 metres long. I always e mail first and book direct with them and they allocate an appropriate
hardstanding pitch for us.0 -
The airbag systems are a lot of - well, air!
Here is a cross leveling tip to speed things up. Make your leveling boards/blocks. I use offcuts of building joists. Screw a tiny cup hook into the inside roof of the van inside the door. Buy or make a pendulum to hang from the hook that nearly touches
the floor and can swing across the van without obstruction.Take the van somewhere level and use pendulum to mark floor (under carpet) for centre. Run the van up one set of boards. Mark pendulum. Run up two sets, and mark. And three if you have them. Copy the marks onto the other side of the centre.
On arrival at an unlevel pitch hang the pendulum and read off how many boards you need, and install.
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The airbag systems are a lot of - well, air!
Here is a cross leveling tip to speed things up. Make your leveling boards/blocks. I use offcuts of building joists. Screw a tiny cup hook into the inside roof of the van inside the door. Buy or make a pendulum to hang from the hook that nearly touches
the floor and can swing across the van without obstruction.Take the van somewhere level and use pendulum to mark floor (under carpet) for centre. Run the van up one set of boards. Mark pendulum. Run up two sets, and mark. And three if you have them. Copy the marks onto the other side of the centre.
On arrival at an unlevel pitch hang the pendulum and read off how many boards you need, and install.
And to change the wheel on a twin axle or put on the second hitch lock??. I also suspect that the weight of sufficient "boards" to level a twin axle would be well in excess of the weight of a Lock "n" Level. Boards would be cheaper though - full functionality
costs!.
Ome "n" Dri
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And to change the wheel on a twin axle
. . . one runs/reverses the good wheel up onto the board(s). Jack is not required.
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And to change the wheel on a twin axle
. . . one runs/reverses the good wheel up onto the board(s). Jack is not required.
That will be a lot of boards then to get a (fully inflated tyre) on/off. I've seen bricks and sometimes kerbs used applying the same principles as the boards (in an emergency) but only after deflating the replacement tyre and reinflating it when on the 'van.
The lift needed to compensate for the suspension sag must be 4"/6" at least and you need to get a fully loaded 'van up a minimum 4" thick composite of boards without spitting them out or running the "afflicted" wheel onto "ramped" boards. So much easier to
use the Lock 'n' Level or indeed a small trolley jack. My wife timed me yesterday lifting the 'van using the Lock 'n' Level to put the second hub lock on. From start to finish a tad under 7 minutes - changing a wheel would probably be less than that as it
is a straight forward drive onto the "bag" and inflate. Of course freeing the spare from the infamous Alko underfloor carrier could add 30 minutes to that. Many would just call out the breakdown truck but often in foreign parts it's not as simple as that.Ome 'n' Dri
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I guess the suspension on my van is a lot stiffer! Two of my blocks would give three and threequarter inches of lift.
Whatever the lift, it does knock a couple of minutes off wrestling out the spare.
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They turned us away few years ago as we was towing with an unmarked Toyota van (blue) not white.we had stayed few times before towing with a car.they said don't accept traveler's. My hubby told them where to stick their site. We found another site in guinnes
where we have been for one nighter few times.That is really odd - as my son stays there lots of time in his 'white van' - and we've always found it to be a very welcoming and friendly site.
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Booked a week at Chareau de Gandspette through CC for beginning July 2016 and just read they might not allow twin axles "in high season" Anyone heard of this?
Also, can anybody help by telling me how I use levelling blocks to raise up one side of a twin axle van? I've been luckywith level pitches so far in the UK butknow it will not be the same in Europe.
Easiest solution is a Lock n Level. Watch the video. Saves carrying planks etc with you. We have one for our twin axle and it allows you to fit both secure locks with ease which you cannot do
with planks.0
