First trip..off tomorrow.

path
path Forum Participant Posts: 77
edited June 2016 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

Well we have arrived at Black Horse Farm for our overnight stay, Off on the ferry from Dover in the morning. 

We have no sites booked but heading towards Caen. No Satnav but have a couple of maps and an old ACIS book and map which someone has given us.

Just a little bothered about the Tolls as I have read sonewhere we need about 25 euros in coins to start with. We have no euros in coins so what hapoens if we only have notes at the Tolls?!!

We fancy staying somewhere close to Hornfleur for a few nights. Will it take long to get there and is there a campsite close to the sea? Any advice appreciated but no turning back now so on with the flow.

Will keep you updated in case anyone else is as new to it as us.We are both apprehensive but keeping our fingers crossed.

Comments

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
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    edited June 2016 #2

    Enjoy your adventure. When we go exploring and come to a junction we turn left, have seen some amazing things off spec.

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,695 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #3

    Phew!  I'm glad this is a good news thread.  On the main discussion page it comes out as 'First trip off tomorrow' - I thought you'd had to cancel. Yell

    Best of luck for your trip, path.  Hope to be able to say the same thing in about two weeks - if I've not run out of money before.  Bon voyage!

    David 

  • chasncath
    chasncath Forum Participant Posts: 1,659
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    edited June 2016 #4

    "Just a little bothered about the Tolls as I have read sonewhere we need about 25 euros in coins to start with. We have no euros in coins so what hapoens if we only have notes at the Tolls?!!"

    The toll machines take notes, coins and cards (including UK cards). You may also come across a manned tollbooth, but not many left these days! Do not go into a liber-t only lane: (an orange 't' by itself).  Look for green arrows, or signs showing coin and card symbols, or a pictogram of toll collector. By the way, 'CB' means bank card. The CB lanes are for cars only and have a height barrier.

    '.

    p.s some lanes have a green arrow and an orange t: you can use those as well.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #5

    Oh David it goes to show how our circumstances colour our judgement as we read.  I'm not surprised at your thoughts given what's been thrown at you in last few days/weeks.  I saw it and thought lucky so and so. We have had 4 days out this year just might
    get another couple before we head off to visit daughter and meet new grandchild, just over three weeks time, but as you can see time is getting tight.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #6

    How lucky, have a fabulous time. Great info from chasandcath. Always very knowledge on Europe and happy to share ?

    Do keep us posted, I fancy another Europe trip but it won't be this year. Be very interested in sites near Hornfleur

  • path
    path Forum Participant Posts: 77
    edited June 2016 #7

    Thanks all. With a caravan in tow, which lanes apart from CB and an orange T on its own can we use? I think just the green arrow ones. I'm the navigator and I'm a tad nervous.In three weeks time I will be an old hand at it all. 

    I think my biggest worry is that I haven't booked a site so I don't know where I am going really.{#emotions_dlg.tcchappy}

  • chasncath
    chasncath Forum Participant Posts: 1,659
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    edited June 2016 #8

    You can use any lane with a green arrow. You can also use lanes with a white display with a picture of cards and coins. You can use a lane with a green arrow and an orange t. The manned booths will take coins, notes and cards. All card transactions are pin-numberless.
    Relax and enjoy your holiday.

  • KeithandMargaret
    KeithandMargaret Forum Participant Posts: 660
    500 Comments
    edited June 2016 #9

    This may, or may not, be of help to you - one I did earlier - Approaches to Toll Booths -
    https://youtu.be/bB4Y_rkmAD4

  • path
    path Forum Participant Posts: 77
    edited June 2016 #10

    Thanks Keith. We came on Sunday so encountered our first toll then. I looked for somewhere to pay not realising you paid on exit.Saw the ticket there and just took it. Hey! Presto! Barrier opened.

    We eventually arrived at our site in Jumieges,near Rouen. It was a nerveracking journey believe you me. I was so stressed.We took a wrong exit off the A16 within five minutes of leaving Calais.Thankfully managed to get back on quite quickly. We then
    looked for services and passed a couple of 'Aires' before we realised they were the services. Just thought they were overnight camping places.Our little dog must have had its legs crossed.

    The next problem was that we took a wrong lane(not the navigators fault I may add)and ended up heading towards Paris.We came off at Abbeviille, paid the toll, managed to get back going the right way and paid a toll again.I breathed a sigh of relief
    when we were on the right track again. The next problems started when we left the motorway to head for Jumieges. With a 24ft caravan in tow down  country lanes following a map was never going to be easy.When were were totally lost we pulled into the side to
    ask directions.Not easy when I speak a smattering of french and the lady spoke no english.After having to reverse twice we eventually reached our campsite, La Foret Camping. It took us five hours.

    What have we learned up to now?

    1 Catch an early ferry Poole to Cherbourg if you are coming this way.Common sense when we had spent last week in the New Forest.(didn't know that on booking ferry)

    2 Invest in a Sat Nav for Europe

    3 Don't exchange your motorhome for a caravan until you have visited Europe first(as we did) 

    4 Check there is no bar for overseas calls and texts on your phone. There was on mine(off now) so couldn't ring site for directions.Vodaphone said they had taken the bar off.

    5 Buy an ACIS card if travelling out of peak season.

    6 If you are having to buy Wifi on site buy for a week if you are there for a few days.Two hours goes really fast.

    7 Choose a pitch away from two families together in tents with six very young children if you want peace and quiet.(We were here first!)

    TBH It's lovely to hear young families enjoying themselves.I just wish the adults, especially the men, wouldn't shout all the time.





     

  • KeithandMargaret
    KeithandMargaret Forum Participant Posts: 660
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    edited June 2016 #11

    Foreigners always shout - especially Americans – but we talk much louder to them when they can't understand our 'perfect' French/German/Spanish/etc.

    Have you got a dash cam to give us a laugh, sorry insight, of your adventures?

    Enjoy the holiday.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #12

    Just shove your credit card in the appropriate slot.  Look at the gantry as you enter the booth area, it will indicate which booth to go to.  If in doubt use one that is manned

  • path
    path Forum Participant Posts: 77
    edited June 2016 #13

    We have a dashcam Keith but you wouldn't want to hear the language OH came out with.

    The families are English and sound like Londoners or thereabouts.They are just having a great time but are a tad noisy at times.They seem lovely and the children are sweet. 

    Thanks Oneputt.No doubt we will get in the wrong lane more than once before we are finished so our credit card will definitely be used.

  • comfrylass
    comfrylass Forum Participant Posts: 71
    edited June 2016 #14

    think we have all been there Path,we took wrong turning ended up in paris our first trip in 2000,and the car broke down in a tunnel.but we got through it and never put us off,been every year since.needless to say we avoid paris.

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