Continental touring

[jo3]

We are new to carravaning this year and have really taken to it. Would like to take it to France for easter week 2008 but are unsure what adaptors we need buy in relation to site electricity, water connections etc. Also are there any different laws we need to consider for towing on the continent and will our standard caravan insurance be adequate?

Would welcome any advice.

 

[hymerman1]

h is on the liveHi Jayoh

1st;- Electricity in this country we only switch the live feed but on the continent they switch both the live and neutral, so UK electrical equipment may if faulty, and you can't programme faults developing, be a hazard. So we Brit's have to ensure that our switch is on the live wire. You will need to obtain a means of establishing if the feed from the E/L post is reversed, most people have a simple plug in device, camping/caravan shops certainly have them.

To cope with a line reversal I,like many others make up a short length of cable with a three pin round socket at one end and a similar plug at the other, the positive and negative conductors at one end you terminate reversed (+ to -ve and -ve to +). Mark this connection cable in a very clear fashion.

Do not be misled in to thinking that the UK style sockets that you will increasingly find on the continent are correctly wired, this can't be taken for granted.

You might be advised to take two leads as sometimes the power post is more than one length away.

You will also find that two plug outlets are still common so you need to purchase a lead that will convert two to three pin connection, once again the camping/caravan shop will have this.

Water is no problem, the continental pitches very often have taps on the pitch or very close. Your main puzzle will be where to dispose of the waste water, you will have to ask of watch where others get rid of it. A lot of site owners like you to water the greenery.

The elsan can also cause some head scratching, once again ask or watch, you may well find that you use a specific toilet.

With regards insurance you will in all probability have to take out seperate cover, personally I use the Caravan Club Red Pennant multi trip, the Camping and Caravanning Club have a similar scheme.

A word of caution especially if you are the only driver, the French police take your driving licence away on the spot if you are caught driving well over the limit!!!

Finally enjoy yourself, everyone invariably say's I don't know what all thje fuss is about.

 

[Angela_5076436]

another thought - make sure you have a spare wheel/tyre for the caravan - we have twice had accidents [ a blow out and more recently a chunk of tread detaching itself ] and have been unable on both occasions to find a suitable tyre !! For some reason they seem to be incredibly difficult to find.

 

[RayS]

You will find a summary of really good advice in Caravan Club Europe vol 1 site guide, plus site reports from members not from the sites themselves. New issue early each year, but if you can't wait buy one now - they don't change all that much.

I agree - take out CC Red pennant travel insurance - both from direct experience and talking to others it's excellent if not the absolute cheapest.

The book will show you all about electrical hook-ups. With Red Pennant you will get an international camping card which you can leave at the site office instead of your passport. Particularly off peak you should not need to book. The normal thing is to arrive, indicate whether you are staying just overnight or for "a few days" and leave the card. Pay and get your card back the night before you leave. Many small sites don't take credit cards.

Electicity may not be more than 6 amps, so don't take your domestic toaster.

If you search the back postings on this forum you will find a wealth of stuff e.g. taking money abroad and several other topics about "first timers".

Unless you go to the big cities you will find the roads much less busy than in UK; there may be a pre-lunch rush around 12.00 but apart from that very few problems.

Petrol / diesel noticably cheaper at supermarkets but many have very difficult access if you are towing - best leave the van in the main carpark while you fill.

Most of all - take it easy for the first few days and enjoy it - France is a great country with something for everyone.

 

[ThePlotter]

Hymerman,I agree with your comments and the need for the lead to reverse polarity which I and yourself have made,however you and every other text on this topic always say to clearly mark the lead,why it is about a foot long and I have never workrd out what other cable it could get confused with.Maybe I am missing something.

 

[EvansofSprot]

Some body might make up a full 25 m. cable into a reverser ................

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

Just to add to Hymerman,

There are 2 types of electric points both can have reversed polarity (possitive and negative the wrong way round, your tester will show this) there is the normal 3 pin blue socket the same as ours, buy a spare plug & socket & reverse the + & - wires at the plug end (you only need about 12 inches of cable)for this.

You will also find the continental 2 pin sockets, so buy 2 x 2pin plugs + 2 blue sockets as there is no earth, wire 1 pair + to + & the other pair + to -

I hope you can understand this. If not talk to your caravan dealer.

G.

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

Hi Plotter,

In France I have found 4 different electric conections.

I have the normal 3 pin blue

3 pin blue reversed

2 pin normal

2 pin reversed

I have 3 short leads, So as not to get mixed up I put red tape around the 2 reversed conections.

G.