Ferry Crossing Advice
Good evening, my wife and I purchased our first caravan last year and have been enjoying touring with it in the UK over the last twelve months. This summer will be our first venture to the continent and we're looking for advice on things we need to do with our outfit whilst it is parked up on the ferry. It's an overnight crossing so I'm assuming it's probably a good idea to disconnect the electrical cable to the car to avoid any unnecessary battery drainage (even though everything will be off in the van). Is this something most people do? Do I need to also apply the caravan handbrake for the crossing? If there are any other tips you can recommend I'd greatly appreciate it.
Also, with regards to topping up the tow car with fuel, over the last year I have been either filling up prior to departure (no caravan attached) or just before leaving the site. What is everyone's experience of using petrol stations with the caravan attached. I'm just a little concerned with being able to maneuver the outfit. With it being diesel are we permitted to use the pumps for HGV lorries? Many thanks in advance for the advice.
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I always disconnected the cable, just on the off chance there might be some drain, although I don’t think it strictly necessary. I also applied the handbrake, they ask that you apply the one on the car plus leave it in gear and it seemed sensible to set the one on the caravan. They also ask you not to set alarms with motion / movement sensors. It was easy on our car and caravan, but the only way I can do it on the MH is to lock the cab doors using the dashboard button and exit via the habitation door locking that with the key.
I did occasionally use supermarket petrol stations here when towing, however would never attempt it in France, they are often challenging even with the MH and we have had to reverse out of a few. If necessary when towing I took the financial hit and filled up on the autoroute. They seemed to have adequate space on the normal pumps. I believe the HGV ones fill too fast but may have that wrong.
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Keith, French HGV diesel pumps are best avoided - the nozzle is often a larger size and the flow rate is too great.
As for French supermarket refuelling I have towed in and out of umpteen of them with a small Eriba caravan, but I always paused, wandered over, and had a look before committing myself. Your tactic of re fuelling solo is sensible.
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Do not worry. You'll get told what to do when you pull up at the port and when you roll onto the ferry.
As regards fuel, I've never had a problem with access once pulled into a petrol station, but I have avoided a few in the 20+ years we've been abroad as I have noted they may be a bit tight. I usually keep a fairly full tank, filling up if I see a good price. By avoiding the toll roads this is easy as you normally pass by the massive out of town Hypermarkets.
Colin
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I agree re ferry.
Generally I use large supermarket stations. they tend to be in a corner away from the busiest parking areas and if you don't like the look of them easy to turn away. I have had to do this twice.
Something else to consider is aires. Always follow the caravan signed route to parking and if there isn't one, use the HGV route. I followed a truck through a poorly signed one last year until it suddenly came to a stop. The driver got out and waved me backwards which, given the distance, I wasn't keen on. The driver was Romanian so language wasn't feasible and I went round to the front of the artic to discover the problem. At the end of the drive through was a very tight and very high radius bend kerb the HGV physically just could not achieve, not sure I and my wide caravan would have either. A 150m reverse for us both and all was well. Thankfully a kind and aware person at the far end of the aire had stopped traffic from entering the parking area and gridlocking us all in.
The French ignore parking signage and just go anywhere that suits them be it cars, coaches, caravans or HGV's, it can be very frustrating when there is nowhere to pull up because of one or two misplaced vehicles. If it happens to you, keep your cool, just go to the next one, they are never that far apart and if you need to use an hgv space don't worry about it.
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When I had a caravan and used the ferries I never bothered disconnecting the electric cable but like Steve I used to put the caravan handbrake on.
Eurotraveller is correct about the size of the HGV nozzles, you will not be able to use them unless your vehicle is fitted with the larger HGV filler opening. The same applies in the UK. My motorhome fortunately has the wider filler and I can use either the normal pumps or the HGV ones.
peedee
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French supermarket fuel stations are often two sided. One set of pumps will feed you through to pay at the little concrete kiosk, but the chicane and narow exit there may well be impossible to negotiate with a caravan.
But there is often another route to re fuel using the pay at pump with a credit card section - because the concrete kiosk may well be shut for lunch or for the local saints day or whatever - and the route outwards from those pumps is often direct and straight and non stressful.
So caravanners should always look at the situation and form a plan in advance.
Happy days.
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We always pitch, have a cuppa, and if moving on the next day, I pop out to the local supermarket and top up - we often need bread/ milk etc so it’s no hassle.
Usually credit card only at the fuel (often unstaffed and if there is someone in the pay station they disappear from 12 till 14.00 hrs.)
If you intend to stop in an aire for lunch (and you are travelling in July or August) stop early - 11.30 ish as the caravan spaces fill up with everything but caravans at 12.00!
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Hi, As others have said keeping the van connected should be OK, but if disconnecting will put your mind at ease then that’s not a problem either.
Fuelling can be an issue, with most of the potential problems mentioned above, but that knowledge and some pre planning will greatly help.
Always head for the pump lanes marked 24/7, filler cap to the pump and be aware that many places do not accept pre paid type cards.
I have also made good use of Streetview to check access at points on the journey where I calculate I will need to refill.
As mentioned filling up solo is far less stressful, so we fill up near our overnight stops when practicable, never go below 1/4 tank and also top up if an easy option presents itself.
Have a great trip.
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With reference to parking at Aires, we have found that out of the ‘holiday’ period motorway operators can close off some of the caravan parking areas. We have been caught out by this as the caravan area can, in some instances, be after the main parking area with no route to return. We have had to go on to the next aire and hope there’s space there.
concerning motorists ignoring signage, I cannot agree it’s just the French. We’ve seen lots of other nationals doing this including sadly British. As an aside, you only have to stop at a UK service area with marked caravan spaces to know how our own motorists treat these spaces.
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