French camping question

[jts46]

Archies App on your smartphone. Does not take up any room in campervan. My UK mob provider is Three with unlimited surfing. It does not cost me to surf when travelling, so Archies App is great as I can then access the campsite's Web address to contact them or make an online reservation.

Is that unlimited surfing in France??

John

 

[larrylamb]

Is that unlimited surfing in France??

I think with Three you can use your call and data allowance in most European countries no charge.

 

[shudycamps]

Is that unlimited surfing in France??

John

Hi John,
Yes, indeed it is on the contract smartphone sim, which is for me unlimited for the contract I have with Three. I can also call, text and accept calls/texts from from the UK according to contract plan. However, outside myself home country, ie UK, I cannot use that sim card in myself smartphone to port to tablet, laptop. For those devices I get another sim from Three to insert into mini wifi unit to then use in Spain for laptop etc. £20 per month for 15 GB with 30 day notice cancellation. This us because at the house in Spain (I refuse to pay landline AND broadband) is not in sight of the transmitter for just broadband. I am very pleased with Three and availability of signal has improved greatly since joining them 18mos ago.

 

[Staxtoncali]

We gave up on books quite a few years ago and have relied on satnav and Archies POI list. Have now moved onto using the Archies app on a tablet. With the app you can use openmaps and/or open cyclemaps which means you can download to street level the whole of Europe and therefore don't need an internet connection.

 

[Speleo62]

We gave up on books quite a few years ago and have relied on satnav and Archies POI list. Have now moved onto using the Archies app on a tablet. With the app you can use openmaps and/or open cyclemaps which means you can download to street level the whole of Europe and therefore don't need an internet connection.

What is Archie's ? Is it only available on android? All I can find is kids games lol

 

[WelshGas]

Don't know if it will work on the SatNav in the T6, but I have the file of the complete Archies, ACSI and Caravan Club , sites and CL's, for the whole of Europe, over 30,000 sites, on a POI file that works on the RNS510. If anyone is interested in the file let me know by PM.

 

[Staxtoncali]

Archies Campings

http://www.archiescampings.eu/

 

[kave]

What is Archie's ? Is it only available on android? All I can find is kids games lol

It works perfect on iPad and iPhone
https://appsto.re/se/zpoML.i

 

[ToulonTom]

France-Passion. Cheap for what it is (especially if you make multiple visits or stay in France a while), very convenient and always good to have other options in the back pocket when travelling in France.

www.france-passion.com/en/

Don't panic if it opens in french - you can change the language to English (or German..)

 

[DavidofHook]

Just in case you wernt aware the toll tags can now be purchasesd here in the uk
https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/subscription

I am a bit puzzled by this, it costs quite a bit to set up plus a monthly charge and you pay the full toll so I can't see the benefit.
We go through the emptiest lane, my Person sticks the credit card into the machine and off we go. If there are delays we have the time to spare so we don't mind.

 

[WelshGas]

I am a bit puzzled by this, it costs quite a bit to set up plus a monthly charge and you pay the full toll so I can't see the benefit.
We go through the emptiest lane, my Person sticks the credit card into the machine and off we go. If there are delays we have the time to spare so we don't mind.

Well it takes all sorts. If I'm travelling on my own then it makes life easier and anyway for the few Euros it costs I prefer the convenience over the queues.

• 6€ annual account management fee (+TVA)
• 5€ per month that the tag is used but maximum of 10€ in any subscription year (+TVA)
• Transferable – can be used in any car
• Pay in £ via direct debit (we use an average mid market exchange rate for the relevant month + 2% (less than bank/Credit card))

In fact, the tolls are cheaper because of the Exchange Rate used.

 

[briwy]

Agree WG.
I often travel on my own down to the Pyrenees and am usually in a rush to get there so use the toll roads and the tag. Had one for about twelve years now and wouldn't be without it.
If I'm not in a hurry then I don't use the motorways anyway, just amble around on the ordinary roads.

 

[mccp]

Just to add to the off-topic toll tag discussion, we have a tag bought from the company that manages the Millau viaduct. It's cheaper than the one you can get from SANEF for the UK, but the snag is that you need a French bank account for the direct debit.

The way that one works is that you get a discount on every crossing of the Millau viaduct so it pretty much pays for itself, the way we use it.

It works everywhere else in France as well, but no discount. One of the best things about using the tag is the look on the faces of the French drivers when they see 'un idiot Anglais' drive up to the tag-only gates at the peage, only for the barrier to open .

 

[sidepod]

Don't forget you can also flip the bird at the Frogies as you sail past in the fast lane.

(That's a joke by the way in case anyone takes it and themselves way too seriously.)

 

[snowy55]

Don't forget you can also flip the bird at the Frogies as you sail past in the fast lane.

(That's a joke by the way in case anyone takes it and themselves way too seriously.)

I'd rather fumble about with cards or change and hold the impatient b@ggers up.

 

[WelshGas]

It's great having a TAG for the Seven Bridge Crossing.
They overtake in the 50mph zone to get to the Toll booth first and you just pull to the left and sail through the TAG only lane.

 

[briwy]

I'd rather fumble about with cards or change and hold the impatient b@ggers up.

Good idea, get our own back for when the farmers, fishermen, truckers, OUTCAA barricade the motoroways.

 

[shudycamps]

I am a bit puzzled by this, it costs quite a bit to set up plus a monthly charge and you pay the full toll so I can't see the benefit.
We go through the emptiest lane, my Person sticks the credit card into the machine and off we go. If there are delays we have the time to spare so we don't mind.

Eurotunnel contacted me with the offer, can't remember if there was a set up charge - I don't think there was as I would have remembered grizzling about it - but having recently taken the Berlingo over to Spain (originally travel was going to be both ways on ferry from Portsmouth to Santander but cancelled return trip due to Force 10 on way over, sub-standard kennelling, and if we hadn't of been seasick, vast boredom) and then back home through France without the tag and resorting to stopping, pulling out debit card etc, the tag wins HANDS DOWN. Queue or not, the tag still wins! Also, the passenger does not have to open or extend through the window to take the ticket from way up high.

 

[Skylark2.0]

One advantage is it is registered to your van so logs the right sort of vehicle. Sometimes with the Cali it can get confused and charge you as a lorry. We discovered this when we couldn't find the ticket and kept pressing the button. The ticket was coming out up above us where the lorries get them. Don't know how expensive it would have been as we had a navigationary contratemps and accidentally came off at the next exit....

 

[WelshGas]

There is a returnable Deposit Charge for the TAG that you get back when you return the TAG.ie: with Sanif UK.

 

[Dave bee]

I am a bit puzzled by this, it costs quite a bit to set up plus a monthly charge and you pay the full toll so I can't see the benefit.
We go through the emptiest lane, my Person sticks the credit card into the machine and off we go. If there are delays we have the time to spare so we don't mind.

It costs us 11€ a year (or would be 16€ if we were to go abroad more than once). There was a one-off 10€ set up fee. There's a refundable deposit for the tag itself of about 28€. For us, the benefit was not having to use our credit card (don't particularly like using it overseas if I can help it), not having to scrat around for small change and basically the convenience of being able to drive straight through without having to stop. Horses for courses