hi all our first trip to france is looming fast,we are going from portsmouth to caen .Ihave a couple of questions as this our fist time abroad let alone towing .Are the ports ok or are they very busy ,we are traverling down to camping europa on the atlantic coast has anybody stayed there i think its near St-giles de croix and was wondering how long this trip would take.I must confess im am becoming slightgly nervous ,all the things to think about i.e driving on the overside, getting fuel worried about holding people up i know this sounds silly but i just dont know.What type of method of paying for things do people recomend ,traverlers cheque ,euros thanks for all your time and hopefully help.
first trip to france
- Thread starter valentine_374363303
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FIRST OF ALL - DON'T WORRY!! We all had to start somewhere, and many of us on here were just as nervous the first time. Once you come back you'll soon be booking again, and wondering why you were so worried.
The ports will be busy - but they are well organised, and you won't have any problems. Just listen to instructions, and you'll be pointed in the right direction for your ferry. When loading on to the boat there's often a ramp, which can catch your jockey wheel, so go very slowly, and don't worry about holding people up. On the other side when you first come off everyone will be going the same way, so just follow the crowds until you've got through the (usually unoccupied)passport control and 'customs' posts - then keep a sharp eye out for the signs for the route you want. Generally French roads are signposted by destination, rather than route number.
Roads on the other side are less busy than here - just remember 'keep your bum in the gutter' and you'll know which way to come out of junctions, go around roundabouts, etc. Have your passengers remind you to drive on the right every time you come out of a junction.
Fill up with petrol on the British side if this is your first trip, then you won't have to worry about getting fuel until you're a bit more used to driving. Diesel is Gazoil, or Gazole, Unleaded is Sans Plomb, and 98 is Super Sans Plomb. Fuel is usually cheaper in supermarkets but for your first trip fill up whenever you see a convenient petrol station on your side of your route. Drive in slowly, eyeing up the pumps and exits, and make sure you can get car and caravan out of the exit again, as some (not usually the ones on main routes)can be tight. Those fuel stations which state 'Auto 24hr' are usually unmanned and you can buy fuel in them with SOME British chip and pin cards, but not all, and not every station, so for this trip don't risk it.
Take some money with you in Euros, and pay for road tolls, fuel, first day spending, etc., with this. Then use your normal Bank Cards in the ATMs to draw out further cash - instructions are offered in English, just select the British Flag. Credit cards (if you have one) can be used for shopping in supermarkets, filling up with fuel after your first day or two, etc., and usually you get a better rate of exchange. It's worth opening Nationwide Credit Card and Debit card accounts as with these you don't pay a transaction charge each time you use the card - and you get a good exchange rate. Don't think about Traveller's Cheques - they are a pain in the .....!
Make sure you've got High Viz vests for yourself and your passengers, plus warning triangles. Strictly speaking, when towing you need three (sorry) - one to put in front of the car, and behind the van if you're still attached, and then if the car has to be driven or towed away without the van, another to put in front of the van which is to be left behind, keeping one in the car in case you should have another breakdown! Don't forget headlight adjusters too, if you intend driving in the dark.
Can't help with the timings, for your route, but try one of the route planners, such as viamichelin.com, or mappy.fr - which will calculate your route, (make sure you select 'with caravan'), give you an idea how much fuel you will use and how much road tolls might be.
Have a great trip - and don't forget to report back on how it went - it's a great help for first-timers if they see that someone was nervous, and yet made it there and back again!
The ports will be busy - but they are well organised, and you won't have any problems. Just listen to instructions, and you'll be pointed in the right direction for your ferry. When loading on to the boat there's often a ramp, which can catch your jockey wheel, so go very slowly, and don't worry about holding people up. On the other side when you first come off everyone will be going the same way, so just follow the crowds until you've got through the (usually unoccupied)passport control and 'customs' posts - then keep a sharp eye out for the signs for the route you want. Generally French roads are signposted by destination, rather than route number.
Roads on the other side are less busy than here - just remember 'keep your bum in the gutter' and you'll know which way to come out of junctions, go around roundabouts, etc. Have your passengers remind you to drive on the right every time you come out of a junction.
Fill up with petrol on the British side if this is your first trip, then you won't have to worry about getting fuel until you're a bit more used to driving. Diesel is Gazoil, or Gazole, Unleaded is Sans Plomb, and 98 is Super Sans Plomb. Fuel is usually cheaper in supermarkets but for your first trip fill up whenever you see a convenient petrol station on your side of your route. Drive in slowly, eyeing up the pumps and exits, and make sure you can get car and caravan out of the exit again, as some (not usually the ones on main routes)can be tight. Those fuel stations which state 'Auto 24hr' are usually unmanned and you can buy fuel in them with SOME British chip and pin cards, but not all, and not every station, so for this trip don't risk it.
Take some money with you in Euros, and pay for road tolls, fuel, first day spending, etc., with this. Then use your normal Bank Cards in the ATMs to draw out further cash - instructions are offered in English, just select the British Flag. Credit cards (if you have one) can be used for shopping in supermarkets, filling up with fuel after your first day or two, etc., and usually you get a better rate of exchange. It's worth opening Nationwide Credit Card and Debit card accounts as with these you don't pay a transaction charge each time you use the card - and you get a good exchange rate. Don't think about Traveller's Cheques - they are a pain in the .....!
Make sure you've got High Viz vests for yourself and your passengers, plus warning triangles. Strictly speaking, when towing you need three (sorry) - one to put in front of the car, and behind the van if you're still attached, and then if the car has to be driven or towed away without the van, another to put in front of the van which is to be left behind, keeping one in the car in case you should have another breakdown! Don't forget headlight adjusters too, if you intend driving in the dark.
Can't help with the timings, for your route, but try one of the route planners, such as viamichelin.com, or mappy.fr - which will calculate your route, (make sure you select 'with caravan'), give you an idea how much fuel you will use and how much road tolls might be.
Have a great trip - and don't forget to report back on how it went - it's a great help for first-timers if they see that someone was nervous, and yet made it there and back again!
As Val A has said Don't Worry! The ferry port for Caen is actually Ouisterham some 20 kms from Caen. When you exit the ferry port take your time and follow other like minded caravanners. Within 3 minutes you have cleared the village/town of Ouisterham and will be heading for Caen on dual carriageway - keep to the right hand lane and relax and enjoy the experience. Follow the signs for where you are heading and all will be well. You don't say what time the ferry arrives in France - if it the evening ferry then I would be thinking of stopping in the Ouisterham area for the night, the afternoon ferry will give you a long drive and you should possibly be thinking about an over night stop en-route, arriving off the overnight ferry gives you all day and a comfortable day's drive to your destination. I would allow 6 hours for the trip, especially as this is your first time over the water with the caravan. You will be on dual carriageways most of the way, most of it free. I am also heading for St Gillies de Croix in September.
As to your route - we have just come back from this area but have gone to and from Cherbourg (actually we ended up in Roscoff on our outward Journey because of the fishermen's strike which had blocked Cherboug). I suggest the better more straight forward route avoiding traffic would be to go West around Caen Ring Road (peripherique) follow blue signs to Rennes, West round Rennes ring road (Rocades de Rennes)- take Green road to Nantes - West around Nantes peripherique - take road to Bordeaux - first exit to St Philbert - follow road to Challans then St Gilles Croix de Vie. Alternatively same exit off road to Bordeau and follow signs to la Roche sur Yon and go in that way. Lovely roads and clear sign posting. What site are you going to?
We are also going for the first time to France with the van and sailing Dover / Calais then on to Rouen and down to Le Mans, stopping here overnight. Going onto site at Le Pin Parasol, Lac Du Jaunay, Vendee for 2 weeks then coming back staying at Rouen and finally a night at Bien Assisse for the *** across into Belgium for a day.
We too are nervous however have driven abroad so a little easier. We have TomTom One XL Europe to assist with the route.
Tesco have got great deals on motoring accessories and today I got
3 x Warning Triangles @
We too are nervous however have driven abroad so a little easier. We have TomTom One XL Europe to assist with the route.
Tesco have got great deals on motoring accessories and today I got
3 x Warning Triangles @
We are also going for the first time to France with the van and sailing Dover / Calais then on to Rouen and down to Le Mans, stopping here overnight. Going onto site at Le Pin Parasol, Lac Du Jaunay, Vendee for 2 weeks then coming back staying at Rouen and finally a night at Bien Assisse for the *** across into Belgium for a day.
We too are nervous however have driven abroad so a little easier. We have TomTom One XL Europe to assist with the route.
Tesco have got great deals on motoring accessories and today I got
3 x Warning Triangles @
Me too off to france this August. Although I have driven extensively in france I've only ever towed 200 miles so far. I am either brave or stupid. I'm going to drive down the west of France stopping in Royan area, then 5 days in the Pyrenees walking, then 7 days in Eldelfin Verde (Costa Brava, Spain). Then I'm heading back up through France with a 4 day stop somewhere.
Valentine, as others have posted, stop worrying. Anything you haven't done before is always daunting, but how many people do you know who have tried driving abroad and then come back and said 'never again, too hard'. Exactly.
Good luck
BTW, do y'all take an awning? or is it too warm, or maybe a gazebo?
Valentine, as others have posted, stop worrying. Anything you haven't done before is always daunting, but how many people do you know who have tried driving abroad and then come back and said 'never again, too hard'. Exactly.
Good luck
BTW, do y'all take an awning? or is it too warm, or maybe a gazebo?
I'd suggest just a sun canopy especially if you are moving around or just use the main part of your awning a canopy with the front out. May be too warm (hopefully) for a full enclosed awning and it is not as if you are going to be "setting up home" at each site and need it for storage.Me too off to france this August. Although I have driven extensively in france I've only ever towed 200 miles so far. I am either brave or stupid. I'm going to drive down the west of France stopping in Royan area, then 5 days in the Pyrenees walking, then 7 days in Eldelfin Verde (Costa Brava, Spain). Then I'm heading back up through France with a 4 day stop somewhere.
Valentine, as others have posted, stop worrying. Anything you haven't done before is always daunting, but how many people do you know who have tried driving abroad and then come back and said 'never again, too hard'. Exactly.
Good luck
BTW, do y'all take an awning? or is it too warm, or maybe a gazebo?
Ian, we take our awning, but just put up the main canopy. We have the side panels with us, and have put them in on one occasion a year or two ago, when storms were forecast. Fortunately the storms by-passed us completely.
We've also taken, and used, a gazebo - in the past, but ours has 'splayed' legs, so we can't get it near enough to the van. We're thinking about buying a sun canopy, though, as it's what all the Dutch and German caravanners use, and they're a doddle to put up. I keep looking on ebay - and just missed one!
We've also taken, and used, a gazebo - in the past, but ours has 'splayed' legs, so we can't get it near enough to the van. We're thinking about buying a sun canopy, though, as it's what all the Dutch and German caravanners use, and they're a doddle to put up. I keep looking on ebay - and just missed one!
Colin
I was told that its better to have proof of your weights rather than rely on guesswork.
Also we have a new towcar so I need to know exactly where we stand - I know we are at 78% of kerbweight but I want to know how heavy the van is fully loaded.
I was told that its better to have proof of your weights rather than rely on guesswork.
Also we have a new towcar so I need to know exactly where we stand - I know we are at 78% of kerbweight but I want to know how heavy the van is fully loaded.
Hi Valentine
I can't add much to what Val A has said, she is dead right, you have got nothing to worry about.
Two points I would make though, if you are stopping overnight on route to St Giles, think about finding a site mid afternoon. Any sites that are near main routes quickly fill up with over-nighters from about 4.00pm with others that are heading south or on their return leg of their trip. Don't dismiss Municipal Sites, most are excellent and very good value for money. The Caravan Club's 'Caravan Europe' book is an excellent publication for site finding and many other tips for caravanning in France.
With regard to money, I recently used a Visa Debit card at many automatic fuel pumps, mainly in supermarkets, and also for tolls on the motorways without any problem - except my bank charged
I can't add much to what Val A has said, she is dead right, you have got nothing to worry about.
Two points I would make though, if you are stopping overnight on route to St Giles, think about finding a site mid afternoon. Any sites that are near main routes quickly fill up with over-nighters from about 4.00pm with others that are heading south or on their return leg of their trip. Don't dismiss Municipal Sites, most are excellent and very good value for money. The Caravan Club's 'Caravan Europe' book is an excellent publication for site finding and many other tips for caravanning in France.
With regard to money, I recently used a Visa Debit card at many automatic fuel pumps, mainly in supermarkets, and also for tolls on the motorways without any problem - except my bank charged
As the others have said, just take it easy for the first couple of days. By the time you come home you will wonder what all the worry was about.
Look at www.viamichelin.com and get your route printed out - it will show you exactly the signs you will see and where the toll gates are. I suggest you spend the money on tolls on your first trip as the driving is very much easier to get your confidence up.
As many others will tell you, we all had to start and had similar misgivings but the vast majority go back time after time.
Have a great trip and let us know how you get on.
Look at www.viamichelin.com and get your route printed out - it will show you exactly the signs you will see and where the toll gates are. I suggest you spend the money on tolls on your first trip as the driving is very much easier to get your confidence up.
As many others will tell you, we all had to start and had similar misgivings but the vast majority go back time after time.
Have a great trip and let us know how you get on.
Hi ! im valentines wife, i would like to thank you all for your replies, at this moment in time he is a nervous wreck about evrything to do with our holiday to france, all the info u have provided for us is so much appreciated. Hopefully tonight i might get a full nights sleep without him waking talking about red triangles , euros and driving in the gutter !!!
Thank you all once again
kim
Thank you all once again
kim
Well been to the weigh bridge this morning loaded as we would be for France and we havef 50kg to spare in the van and loads in the car.
Our friends however were 50kg over and now having to adjust!
Our friends however were 50kg over and now having to adjust!
Read with interest all your comments re weighbridge tickets
Is it obligatory or adviable to have these?
Fot both the loaded cxar and van?
Is it obligatory or adviable to have these?
Fot both the loaded cxar and van?
Dont know if its legal or not but we were advised to do it and I believe the caravan club recommend it. I have a list of everything that is in the van and on one side of the garage is the 'France' pile that was in the van when we went to the weighbridge.
Our friends thought from the MIRO and then manually adding everything up they had about 40kgs left - the weighbridge told them they were 50kg over. They have a new Swift Challenger 540 and the weights certainly do not add up from the plate and their own weights of equipment.
Our friends thought from the MIRO and then manually adding everything up they had about 40kgs left - the weighbridge told them they were 50kg over. They have a new Swift Challenger 540 and the weights certainly do not add up from the plate and their own weights of equipment.
Hi Guys
There isn't anywhere that I,ve seen that you have to have your weights done, I think that's for lorries. I think you would know if you've overloaded a car. We never really put anything in the boot, just the neccessary tools and a few bits so there handy.
Easy way of getting your weights worked out is weigh things on kitchen scales, thats what we did years ago.
Although, how could your friend be over, we never get anywhere near our weight!! Only when bringing back the wine. We even weighed what a box of wine was then we know how much we can bring back, most ever was 137 bottles. Boy was we loaded, he he. But I am really frugal with what I take and give orders (or used to when kids came)exactly how many t-shirt,shorts etc etc they could put in. Never ever do what I see somepeople do packing a suitcase and sticking it in the boot!!! Doh.
There isn't anywhere that I,ve seen that you have to have your weights done, I think that's for lorries. I think you would know if you've overloaded a car. We never really put anything in the boot, just the neccessary tools and a few bits so there handy.
Easy way of getting your weights worked out is weigh things on kitchen scales, thats what we did years ago.
Although, how could your friend be over, we never get anywhere near our weight!! Only when bringing back the wine. We even weighed what a box of wine was then we know how much we can bring back, most ever was 137 bottles. Boy was we loaded, he he. But I am really frugal with what I take and give orders (or used to when kids came)exactly how many t-shirt,shorts etc etc they could put in. Never ever do what I see somepeople do packing a suitcase and sticking it in the boot!!! Doh.
They have a brand new Swift Challenger 540 and weighed EVERYTHING in and added it the the plated weight on the van and were over.
To get the fixed bed models you sacrifice payload as they found out and have had to put stuff like awning, poles, bbq etc in the car.
To get the fixed bed models you sacrifice payload as they found out and have had to put stuff like awning, poles, bbq etc in the car.
Weve just come back from Belgium didn't bother with the awning for a week and only two of us.
In the summer we take it but invariably we only use the main part and leave the windows packed away. Hate being in the black hole of calcutter.
In the summer we take it but invariably we only use the main part and leave the windows packed away. Hate being in the black hole of calcutter.
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