France advice & suggestions.

[cleve]

We love the ease and flexibility of the eurotunne. We always book a return but have found that you can often login to eurotunnel online and change the time or date for free or a minimal charge. We have even been driving along, realised we will soon be near Calais and scrapped the idea of finding an aire for the night, logged in, changed crossing to that evening and driven home through the night. We tend to book a lunch time crossing so we can drive, picnic in the cali on the crossing and then set off fed and refreshed for a good few hours driving.

We usually have a 2 stage holiday to explore different areas for 3-7 nights and then use aires either side of our bookings so it takes the pressure off driving as we can stop for the night when we have had enough. I also resent paying for a nights accommodation only to arrive at 9pm or later, setup camp and go straight to bed when I could have stayed for free at a nearby aire, turn up the following morning and use the same facilities and save a nights accommodation costs!

Surely you can manage without the awning for the odd night? There's 5 of us in a beach and we sold our awning!

 

[Leo K]

Over 9.000 campsites listed by the French camping club: http://www.campingfrance.com/uk.
However, many/most small municipals open only during high season, from the end of June. Out of season we prefer ASCI.

Speed tickets are hefty indeed - and don't forget your dog's passport.

 

[The Robbo's]

Hi Cleve.
Was thinking of a similar crossing time perhaps 11am.
Not sure how long to head to France for hence the need of the awning to give us a bit more space.
We've just bought a new Movelite Duo awning for the trip simply because it's easier for us to put up than our existing Country Road awning.

Hopefully this first trip to France will be the start of our campervan trips abroad.
Finally bought all of the last bits that we needed this afternoon

So just need to book the tunnel now.

 

[GrannyJen]

We love the ease and flexibility of the eurotunne. We always book a return but have found that you can often login to eurotunnel online and change the time or date for free or a minimal charge.

I often change and there is not even a charge.

I book, chop, change, turn up early and opt for an earlier train....

It is almost just turn up and go on the next available, with choices every 20 minutes to half an hour.

The only peak time supplement that I ever pay is Folkestone-France between 8am and 12 noon and it costs me the princely sum of 20 quid!

I tried for my next trip to go ferry from Portsmouth to Caen to save me three hours of driving and my only choice was a measly three departure slots, either 5.30am in the morning or arriving in the middle of the night, for twice the price. I would love to go from Portsmouth, 30 miles from me instead of Folkestone being 110 miles, but it's a no-brainer for my lifestyle,

 

[The Robbo's]

Speed tickets are hefty indeed - and don't forget your dog's passport.

Thanks Leo K
Only just got confirmation from DEFRA (APHA) that our dog passport is ok to travel with as the vet put Charlie's date of birth as NEXT December

Will be watching the speed a lot do they have yellow cameras to watch out for?

 

[shudycamps]

Over 9.000 campsites listed by the French camping club: http://www.campingfrance.com/uk.
However, many/most small municipals open only during high season, from the end of June. Out of season we prefer ASCI.

Speed tickets are hefty indeed - and don't forget your dog's passport.

Umm yessss, speed tickets. Tomtom negotiated with the French NOT to alert via sound of an approaching speed camera, instead Tomtom now alerts with the written sentence "dangerous stretch of road" or words to that effect. I believe I have been caught by going 5 mph over the speed limit. I will know more when we get home and look at the post.

 

[mccp]

Thanks Leo K
Only just got confirmation from DEFRA (APHA) that our dog passport is ok to travel with as the vet put Charlie's date of birth as NEXT December

Will be watching the speed a lot do they have yellow cameras to watch out for?

French speed cameras are grey and not obvious. The only saving grace is that they are few and far between.

I would be very doubtful of a pet passport with the wrong date on it. We have had difficulty getting onto eurotunnel when the vet adjusted the date of the pre-travel check up on two occasions. I know that might be different to the date of birth, but we now double check the passport before leaving the vet and insist that they fill out a new section instead of making alterations to correct changes. We also keep the receipt from the vet in case we need to back anything up.

We do the crossing back 5 times a year, and probably see people who have trouble at least once a year. Most of the time it's because people are idiots and don't follow the rules, but occasionally it's because of a jobsworth.

Why can't you take your passport back to your vet and get a replacement?

 

[The Robbo's]

Mccp thanks for your reply.
We expected a replacement passport but the vet & DEFRA (APHA) have insisted
because it's the date of birth it is acceptable provided it is signed by the same vet
& stamped with the official stamp over the alterations. (Done)
We have printed the emails to take with us.

This is our first time abroad with the dog so not ideal but we'll see how we get on?
Just going to watch the speed limits more accurately (or listen to the wife)

 

[mccp]

This is our first time abroad with the dog so not ideal but we'll see how we get on?

I'm sure you'll be fine with all that paperwork, and your dog's chip will match the passport anyway. You could also try getting an email out of Eurotunnel to say that it will be fine, I have found their customer services people to be pretty helpful in the past.

I've no idea what your French is like, but even out in the sticks Vets seem to understand what you mean when you make an appointment for 'la retour en Angleterre' (i.e. 30 or 40 euros for 5 minutes work and their stamp on your passport).

We usually take Milbemax worming tablets (from our UK vet) for our dogs to give to them at the French vet. Partly because it's cheaper, but mainly because our French vet tends to give a jab for the worming treatment and our dogs end up really worked up when they figure out we are going there.

Also, I'd strongly recommend getting some Frontline Combo from your vet (you can only get it from a vet). We have found it very effective against ticks, which are everywhere.

Sorry if you know all this already

 

[The Robbo's]

Mccp thanks again re tablets v injection.
Our vet supplied us with a new for ticks & fleas"smart"
Seresto collar which is supposed to work for 8 months?

 

[DavidofHook]

I often change and there is not even a charge.

I book, chop, change, turn up early and opt for an earlier train....

It is almost just turn up and go on the next available, with choices every 20 minutes to half an hour.

The only peak time supplement that I ever pay is Folkestone-France between 8am and 12 noon and it costs me the princely sum of 20 quid!

I tried for my next trip to go ferry from Portsmouth to Caen to save me three hours of driving and my only choice was a measly three departure slots, either 5.30am in the morning or arriving in the middle of the night, for twice the price. I would love to go from Portsmouth, 30 miles from me instead of Folkestone being 110 miles, but it's a no-brainer for my lifestyle,

Like you Jen we have chopped and changed with the ferries, getting there late or early. You just arrive at the booth and they either let you through or very very rarely they may charge a small supplement. But they always let you through. So the ferries can be flexible without the bother even of getting on the web.

re Portsmouth it is about 40 minute from us but the service is so rubbish that we almost always go via Dover, the choice is so much better. And this year we are doing a quick trip into Germany as well so we want the Easterly end of the Channel.

I like your new picture and description Jen...... but where is your head?
Is this a new thread 'Where is Jens head'?

 

[GrannyJen]

Like you Jen we have chopped and changed with the ferries, getting there late or early. You just arrive at the booth and they either let you through or very very rarely they may charge a small supplement. But they always let you through. So the ferries can be flexible without the bother even of getting on the web.

re Portsmouth it is about 40 minute from us but the service is so rubbish that we almost always go via Dover, the choice is so much better. And this year we are doing a quick trip into Germany as well so we want the Easterly end of the Channel.

I like your new picture and description Jen...... but where is your head?
Is this a new thread 'Where is Jens head'?

My head is there but you have to click on the avatar and go to my profile to see it. Clearly the whole of my head was not thought suitable for a global audience

 

[briwy]

The French authorities are now very anti speeding and are having a crack down.
Whilst fixed speed cameras are not numerous their favourite trick is to have a small camera on a tripod at the side of the road. Unlike the fixed cameras there is no warning sign and the first you are likely to know is being flagged down by a gendarme on a motorbike.

 

[Loz]

Observe the small details like stop signs, we don't have many in the UK so can be caught out treating them like give ways.
Also seat belts at the peage are a good gotcha, a friend of mine stopped at a peage unclipped his belt to lean out of the passenger window, paid the toll, drove off but was immediately pulled over by the gendarmes whilst pulling his seatbelt back over, they fined him, he said he was short of cash so they escorted him off the motorway to a cash point!

 

[mccp]

Our vet supplied us with a new for ticks & fleas"smart"
Seresto collar which is supposed to work for 8 months?

We have used Scalibor collars bought from the French vet in the past and they were good, but seemed pricey. I should probably look into collars again. Whatever you use, it's worth checking for ticks occasionally if your dog likes running off into to the long grass.

 

[Bellesca]

When you come to a junction with solid white line and STOP sign........you must actually stop!! We could see it was clear in both directions and slowly sauntered over the line only to be stopped and told off by the Police. I tried to explain it was clear both ways in my apologetic French, but he told me you MUST stop and count to three before proceeding!! Thankfully he let me off the fine

 

[The Robbo's]

it's worth checking for ticks occasionally if your dog likes running off into to the long grass.

Charlie's only 30cm tall so it's all long grass

 

[DavidofHook]

My head is there but you have to click on the avatar and go to my profile to see it. Clearly the whole of my head was not thought suitable for a global audience

Yes, I have had a look Jen, seems perfectly good to me and i can see no reason why partial decapitation should have been employed. You should consider making claim under the Human Rights Act for temporary loss of body parts!

 

[Astronomy]

32,000 campsites in Europe with GPS coordinates, POI files for SatNavs and a lot more.

http://www.archiescampings.eu

Can you use archies on my wifes Samsung tablet or is it only practical for phones?

 

[The Robbo's]

Long time since May for an update but !!

Due to family and friends same old story we never got over to France as planned.

We're finally booked 26/10/16 @11am for our first trip abroad in the camper a lot later than originally planned but that's life.

Only booked one way as we have decided to take the bull by the horns & do a bit of France a bit of Spain then catch the ferry from Cadiz - Lanzerote (for a week or so)
then Lanzerote - Fuertventura hopefully staying until about April.
@hotel california will hopefully get a few piccies along the way as requested

Thanks for all the advice in the previous posts

John

 

[WelshGas]

Long time since May for an update but !!

Due to family and friends same old story we never got over to France as planned.

We're finally booked 26/10/16 @11am for our first trip abroad in the camper a lot later than originally planned but that's life.

Only booked one way as we have decided to take the bull by the horns & do a bit of France a bit of Spain then catch the ferry from Cadiz - Lanzerote (for a week or so)
then Lanzerote - Fuertventura hopefully staying until about April.
@hotel california will hopefully get a few piccies along the way as requested

Thanks for all the advice in the previous posts

John

Well you're going to have a different Christmas.

 

[DavidofHook]

Long time since May for an update but !!

Due to family and friends same old story we never got over to France as planned.

We're finally booked 26/10/16 @11am for our first trip abroad in the camper a lot later than originally planned but that's life.

Only booked one way as we have decided to take the bull by the horns & do a bit of France a bit of Spain then catch the ferry from Cadiz - Lanzerote (for a week or so)
then Lanzerote - Fuertventura hopefully staying until about April.
@hotel california will hopefully get a few piccies along the way as requested

Thanks for all the advice in the previous posts

John

You will have a great time. We have wintered in Spain and the weather is perfect for camping. Look forward to see the piccies

 

[The Robbo's]

Another late update but!!
We're having a great time France was brilliant & Spain is great also, we're
currently killing time near Cadiz as our ferry to Lanzerote is not until 29 November.
I'll put some more pics up as promised once we get some reliable wifi.

 

[The Robbo's]

Been a while but here we are !!
The ferry from Cadiz was fine 27hrs with no sleep as we decided to walk Charlie every 2hrs the kennels were a good size & although the dogs couldn't see each other once one barked they all did.
The ferry itself was fine food etc plenty the quality the same as a 3-4 * hotel we were on the open deck as we would be stopping at Lanzerote first probably about 20 vehicles got off here.

Sadly we didn't see much of this island as we docked in the dark & by mistake had booked a 7am crossing to Fuertventura but we're planning on having a few days in Lanzerote on the return journeys.

Lots of places to wild camp here I believe you have to get a license from the town hall for a couple of £ but I'll try to find out a bit more about this before we leave.

Here in Fuertventura we've used the campervan purely as a day van stopping wherever cooking lunch etc perfect way for us to get around the island.

 

[T6 CFO]

Nice one


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