Motorhome travel through France to Spain
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Here we go tin hat on....For Aires/Camp Sites etc. use Search for Sites or Camper Contact both are free to use on the web and have good Apps for IOS or Android and well worth subscribing to for off line use. We also use the Camping Car Park Aires which is good but all the sites are in SfS which being British has (IMHO) the better interface and all reviews are in English..
As for gassing as others have said an urban myth, there is no need to book through the club or any other medium as "there is always somewhere to go if plan A is full or you do not feel comfortable". As with everywhere (even club sites) there is a risk something will be stolen, most cases I have heard of have been where bikes have been taken off the rack on the back of the MH, the reason we only started carrying bikes once we have a MH with a large garage.
Do not be scared of Aires they are great and lots are free. On sites or Aires always set your alarm at night in case anyone tries to open the doors or external lockers, have visible deterrent light for the above.
Most of all enjoy the holiday, the first night is always the worst and when you wake in the morning realising you and the other 30 vans around you were not murdered by a mad axe-man you will soon get into the swing of things.
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Independent travel is never totally safe, but it has never struck me that driving a Motorhome across France to Spain was particularly high on the danger list.
One of my grand daughters is just back from the far side of the world - overnight trains up and down Thailand, overnight buses across from there to Vietnam, the cheapest airline she could find from there to Australia, halfway round that country despite the bush fires, sleeping in mixed dorms in multi racial hostels and in Airbnb houses with unknown hosts all the way - wasn't gassed, wasn't robbed, wasn't raped.
I realise that 22 year old girls are braver than some Club members, but the dangers of driving to Spain and sleeping in a locked Motorhome with alarms switched on can be overstated.
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“but the dangers of driving to Spain and sleeping in a locked Motorhome with alarms switched on can be overstated. ”
I’ve never had a crime related problem in all the years of caravanning. I have though been broken into whilst asleep upstairs.
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We have only stayed on a "club bookable" site in France once,we were robbed while we slept of watches cameras and cash and jewellery, and no, no alcohol was involved. they robbed one other van the same night.
I'm pretty sure no gas was involved.
On the upside we have camped all over France for thirty years and this has so far been our sole mishap.
Early last year [April - July] we travelled through a lot of Eastern Europe and down into Turkey and Greece, which included some wild camping,then later [Sept - Dec] France Spain Portugal] a total of 16,700 miles, I cant say that we ever felt threatened, but it taught us to take certain precautions, and make sure you are fully insured
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Good day to you all,
Many thanks for all your comments & advice, I am sure the trip will be uneventful & enjoyable.
One other question, if I may, we are taking my wife's & my mountain bikes on the bike rack at the rear of the MH, can anyone advise if a suitable bike alarm is available.
We always take our bikes with us & they are always chained to each other & to the bike rack under the cover with a good quality chain & padlocks, regardless of whether we are touring the UK or Europe, just wondered if they would need any extra precautions when we are parked overnight.
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A few years ago we were parked on a free Aire a few hundred yards from a village.
We were at the side of the wide river L'Isle and were the only ones stopping there overnight.
Very peaceful, rabbits, birds and other wild life on site but as quiet as the grave after dark.
After a few drinks we retired to bed about midnight and soon dropped off to sleep.
I was disturbed around four in the morning by a car door being shut quite close to the Motorhome.
Then another door shut, possibly a car boot as well, and quiet voices whispering nearby.
Then another car door being shut and more voices.
Someone started laughing and I heard the sound of people moving around.
I got out of bed and tried to see through the windows but it was misty outside and I couldn't see anything or anyone outside in the gloomy half light.
I knew the van was locked so laid back in bed with my ears tuned for any movement outside that would spell danger.
Over the next hour or so more car doors were shut or slammed and more and more voices, laughing and joking in French, as the group seemed to grow.
Daylight started to illuminate outside and gradually I could make out people moving about.
Was I brave enough to venture out ?
Then I could smell food being cooked and that made up my mind for me – I must go outside and see what was happening.
As I opened the habitation door a large man approached.
This was it !
He stuck out his hand and shook mine with a great degree of vigour.“Bonjour, Monsieur” he said.
He then explained that I was parked on an Aire car park that they were all using to park their cars and vans for an all-day fishing match.
Yes, a Fishing match !
“Would you like some food ?” he said (in French)
I realised we were in the middle of dozens of vehicles and if I didn't move the Motorhome soon we would be stuck there all day.
I politely declined his offer of food and explained that I thought I should move to the edge of the Aire to avoid being trapped.
Margaret and I were both relieved that there wasn't a direct threat to us and I manoeuvred the Motorhome out of the way to the edge of the Aire..
And that is the biggest worry we have had in numerous visits to rural Aires, many remote and only us on them overnight, and long may we get the opportunity to go to France and sample the stopovers the French authorities provide.
Worries ? What worries ?
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