Security in France on Campsites

[Adria542Chick]

Hi

We are travelling to France for the first time next year with our caravan, and I am a little concerened about security. We will have all our passports, cards, kids DS's etc and wanted to know what everyone else does with regards to securing their caravan. Do you use anything additional to secure your awning? We always have a fold up wardrobe in our awning to accommodate additonal clothing, coats, shoes etc as we are a family of 5 and the caravan wardrobe is not big enough. Are these sort of items okay to leave in the awning. Do you leave your television set up in the caravan or hide it away.

I am probably worrying about nothing, but being new to caravanning and it's our first time abroad it is making what should be a very enjoyable experience a bit scary.
Thank you
Sam

 

[ValA.]

French campsites are on the most part so safe that we don't have an awning, just an open sunshade, and we leave our oven, hob, wine, outside fridge, and various other things under it - open at the front to the world.
I've even left my handbag on the table one time, and our kind Dutch neighbours took it in and kept it safe until we came home.
I don't think you need worry at all - though there are always exceptions, of course!

 

[JohnGriffiths]

I agree with Val, we don't worry about leaving things like fishing rods, wine etc in the awning and have never felt at risk on any of the sites we have stayed on. Clothes and wine could be replaced very easily. But I would never take risks with what I think are the essentials, Passports, credit cards, money, licences, insurance documents, keys etc. We keep these with us at all times, split between us. If you have money, insurance and passports it keeps anxiety to a minimum so just enjoy it.

 

[Big S]

Like John and Val have said we also have never experienced any problems at any French campsites. However that is not to say that you can or should be blase with security of your personal documents and money. We keep our personal documents in a bum bag and/our the other half's handbag as well as hidden in the car. After all the car does an alarm unlike the caravan.

The first time we went to France we noticed everybody who walked past our caravan having a good look at our Nemesis wheel clamp and speaking to people from Holland and France they couldn't understand why we would need to take such a precaution on a caravan. Obviously they had never been to some of the sites in ENgland and Wales that we had been to! In fact this year I have had the plastic tops from my water hog and the pull handles stolen from a site making it very difficult and inconvenient to fill the water hog.

Whilst we still take a wheel clamp and hitchlock (insurance invalid without them) we've never felt at risk of anything being stolen at any site we have stayed on at all.

 

[Adria542Chick]

Thank you all so much for all your reassuring replies.
Big S, we also have the Nemesis Wheel Clamp and Saracen Hitchlock so I guess we will stand out like a sore thumb

We are staying one night at a campsite close to Calais, and 2 weeks at Camping Les Brunelles in Longeville Sur Mer.
We are really looking forward to it, but just want to make sure that we do our homework before we go. I think I may have been reading too many forums and posts on the internet as I am now worrying about Gypsies flagging our car down on the motorway or getting mugged in the laybys (aires). Ha ha, there really isn't much hope for me is there .......... lol!!!!

 

[John_374564913]

Sam

I lived and worked i France for over 15 years and never had a problem whilst travelling or in fact doing anything
personally I would not have any problem leaving my caravan on any site in France and as for stopping whilst travelling it is really all down to common sense.

France is no different to England you will read that caravans get stolen from service area's in England and I presume you do travel in England but you sue logic and common sense when you stop.
So if you apply the same when in France you will not have any problems

John

 

[JoannaLesley]

We've been using French campsites for the past 20 years and touring for 12 of those. So far (I say advisedly!) we have never had a problem with security. However, we do try to be sensible - e.g. lock the door if no one is remaining on the pitch when we leave it - even if only going to the pool, office or shop. Windows may be left open, but only those which are in full view - someone leaning, or climbing, in would be pretty obvious and we never leave anything of value in sight. Passports are always carried on us - usually in my handbag and on those rare occasions, such as going to the pool, when I would not take my bag, I make sure that it is not easily found by an opportunist - i.e. well out of sight and often tangled within bedding. Cash and cards are split between us and may also be hidden somewhere in the car and/or van as well.
Other people leave all kinds of things lying around. I've never been aware of any problems, but, as I say, just use common sense!

Jo

 

[JulieT1]

We've never had any problems either in the UK or France when using a trailer tent or since we've had the van. If you take precautions and don't leave anything tempting on view you should be fine. Choose your sites carefully, a friend of ours went on a large site near Tenby, left his toilet bag at the sink for a minute while he used the loo, someone took it and he lost his wash kit and an expensive shaver. In France the only time we felt worried was when some Irish gypsies arrived and seemed to think it was acceptable to help themselves to other campers chairs while they were out. They did give them back as soon as they were asked, but I decided to fetch our water and pump in overnight, just in case! Luckily they left the next morning after a visit from the gendarmes......the site had no security barrier so they were able to sneak in at lunch time.

 

[Lutz]

Yes, we're always amused here on the Continent when the first thing the UK caravanners do when they have set up pitch is to apply wheelclamps, etc. My caravan is stored on a site surrounded by nothing more than rusty chicken wire and a lock that would surrender at the first sight of bolt cutters. Despite the caravan not having any special security measures, I have never felt uneasy about leaving it there.

 

[Easyvanner]

We've always taken far more care on British sites, in France we see people with fridges, tv's, hi-fi bikes and water sport geat strewn around the pitch or under awnings or gazebo shelters.
Top Tip Travel Tip - Avoid sites with to many Brits

 

[ValA.]

We've always taken far more care on British sites, in France we see people with fridges, tv's, hi-fi bikes and water sport geat strewn around the pitch or under awnings or gazebo shelters.

That must be us - somehow our pitch always looks like a car boot sale, with our canoe, bikes, canoe, life jackets, paddles, etc!

 

[DavidKlyne]

Yes, we're always amused here on the Continent when the first thing the UK caravanners do when they have set up pitch is to apply wheelclamps, etc. My caravan is stored on a site surrounded by nothing more than rusty chicken wire and a lock that would surrender at the first sight of bolt cutters. Despite the caravan not having any special security measures, I have never felt uneasy about leaving it there.

Lutz
It is a condition of most UK insurance policies that caravans have security devices fitted when a caravan is left unattended so that would explain why most Brits are so careful even if the risks are tiny. Also most of your caravans are registered vehicles in their own right where as you can stick any registration mark on a UK van and no one would notice! On a lighter note we met an English couple in Holland and they were towing a Bailey caravan with a French registered car( they lived in France). When I got talking to them they said their previous French caravan had been stolen and they were advised to buy a British van as no one would steal that in France.
David

 

[otherclive]

Some campsites have security boxes at reception which you can hire. It baulks me that I have to take about 18kg of locks to France just to comply with the insurance and realistically the only time they might be needed is if the van has to be left abroad for recovery to UK. Still that's life I guess!

 

[fenfolk]

You do need to be careful. Last year we spent a long time at a campsite at Port Grimaud, the caravan was broken into twice, we had cash jewelery, laptop cameras stolen. We did have a safe in the caravan but they ripped that out. We where not to only ones to suffer, we where in a caravn but motorhomes, tents and statics where all broken into. The theives seemed to come back lots of times through the year. The security on the site was very lax.
If the site has cash boxes or safes you could try those. Please enjoy but do take care and be aware

 

[John_374564913]

I have just purchased some Milenco window and door alarms does anybody have any experiance with them.

your thoughts and comments would be appreciated

John