longtemps Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 I spend the vast majority of my time and money in that most civilised of motorhoming friendly countries, France. I despise the U.K. with it’s parking restrictions and signs saying “thou shalt not”. Where do my fellow contributors on this most esteemed forum spend the majority of their time and money? Is it in good old Blighty or elsewhere? Just asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caddies104 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Hi We found it better value to go to France for 2 weeks in September than to stay in the uk, even with adding on the extra diesel and the Ferry crossing. The sites of course are far superior. :-) :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don636 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 We tour both in the UK and abroad. This year so far it’s the Outer Hebrides and northern Spain for the first time. Can’t say we have experienced many problems in the UK with parking or restrictions but we always use campsites and generally explore the surrounding area on foot. We tend to stay away from towns which is why parking is probably not an issue. In the UK we tend to prebook sites as it gets busy then stay put and walk about the local area for a few days then perhaps move on to another site and so on whereas on the continent we never book anything and just tour about our chosen area sightseeing as we go, moving on to a new site every day or two. For us touring on the continent is more exciting due to the free and easy approach as opposed to the more planned and regimented routine in the UK which is purely driven by the need to book ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmac Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Hi caddies could you enlighten me as to how French campsites are ‘far superior ‘ to sites elsewhere Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caddies104 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 If you go to the 2 main camping sites even though they are clean etc all you get is EHU and a shower block.. The sites we go to in France has EHU, shower block, tennis courts, fishing lakes, free Wi-fi, bar and restaurant and generally better weather. Do I need to say anymore :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don636 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Regarding the quality of sites in the UK and France we tend to use Club sites in the UK because you are guaranteed good clean facilities plus they are well kept and controlled so less chance of running into the riffraff. When we have gone to a non club site the facilities are often a letdown. We would avoid going to sites that have pools, bars, tennis courts and the like as this tends to attract rowdy types. Nothing worse than being parked next to a group who sit up half the night drinking and talking. The sites in France that we go to tend to be a bit more rustic with no facilities other than a shower block and services but the layouts are better with more separation and hedges. Bottom of the list comes aires (carparks) - awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 We have only stayed in relatively few places in the UK. The cost of sites in the UK is much higher, with generally less facilities than the near continent. Thus France Spain Germany Austria and Italy get our vote. Also costs are lower (except maybe France) so we shall shall continue to cruise Europes relatively uncrowded roads until restrictions say otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pottypam Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Spent 2 months earlier this year in Europe. Average nightly cost of sites, €8 - we used a lot of free aires! 3 nights on a CAMC site, £80. Fairly obvious which we prefer! As for aires being awful , just carparks, not all are as the attached photo (if I manage to post it) shows. This was free to stay, water and electric were charged for. We very, very rarely use shower or toilet blocks, we have our own and can cope very well without EHU, so, apart from some areas of Scotland, it’s Europe for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pottypam Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 Trying again to attach photo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 pottypam The procedure for attaching a file to a forum posting is as follows: 1: Type the posting’s text into the Message box. 2: Tick the box titled "Attach a file after posting”. 3: Click the posting’s SUBMIT button. An “Attach a file” box should now appear, When it does 4: Click on the “Choose File” button. The response to clicking on the “Choose File” button will depend on the device you are using - I use an Apple iMac desk-top computer and an Apple iPad and the response of the former differs from that of the latter as their file management systems differ. But however your device (PC, Mac, tablet, phone) responds, you’ll need to identify and choose the file you want to attach. The file-name should now appear alongside the “Choose File” button. When it does 5: Click on the “Submit” button. If the file you are trying to attach has a format that the forum’s software can handle, a message (in red) “Upload successful” should appear, plus information showing the name of the file and its size. 6: Now click on "Return to the thread” in the “Actions” box to complete the process. (If you want to attach several files, repeat actions 4 and 5 as necessary, and then click on "Return to the thread”.) ...................................................................................................................................... THE CRITICAL THING IS TO ENSURE THAT THE SIZE OF THE FILE BEING ATTACHED DOES NOT EXCEED 100KB Attempting to attach a fairly large file may prodce the following error message Request object error 'ASP 0104 : 80004005' Operation not Allowed /forums/includes/include-upload.asp, line 51 However, if the file is really large, the attachment process may fail with no error message and with “no file selected” appearing alongside the “Choose File” button. ...................................................................................................................................... If a file has a .jpg extension (eg. photo.jpg) the attached file-image should be permanently visible on the posting. If a file has a .jpeg extension (eg. photo.jpeg) just the name of the file will be shown at the foot of the posting. If a forum-member then clicks on the file-name, the member’s own device (PC, Mac, tablet, etc.) will attempt to handle it and the image will normally become visible. It is possible to attach other file-types provided that the file-size is no larger than 100KB.) It has also been reported in the past that a few forum-members have had problems viewing files that have been attached to postings. Such problems don’t seem to be related to the forum’s software as such, but to the particular combination of software that the forum-member is using (say a specific version of Windows and/or internet browser). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 longtemps - 2019-07-19 9:44 PM I spend the vast majority of my time and money in that most civilised of motorhoming friendly countries, France. I despise the U.K. with it’s parking restrictions and signs saying “thou shalt not”. Where do my fellow contributors on this most esteemed forum spend the majority of their time and money? Is it in good old Blighty or elsewhere? Just asking. Since Year 2000 all of my motorcaravanning has been in France: conversely (over a similar period) all of my sister-in-law’s motorcaravanning has been in the UK. I choose not to motorcaravan in the UK and my sister-in-law chooses not to motorcaravan abroad. Neither of us has any interest in tryng to justify our choice, nor in trying to change the other’s mind on how they use their motorhome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicepix Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 We chose to live in France just over 7 years ago. It isn't perfect. Nowhere is. But on the whole our life and the camping-car aspect are far better here than where we used to live and holiday. Despite the financial aspirations of the private site operators there are still lots of pff-piste places where you can safely park for a few days without charge or hassle. We have just got back from a short break in villages just over one hour from where we live; swimming in the river, walking the countryside paths and eating out then spending the evening and night in or around the van that was parked out of the way with no services and nobody to bother us. There are lots and lots of places like the ones we stayed in all over France. Also, all through the summer around half the villages and towns will have a camp site open and these are often delightful places to stay for a few days while you explore the area. Many are pretty basic regards the sanitation block as they are often designed just for summer months, but the sites can be spacious and shady. I have camped and caravanned in the UK for 20 years or more and in France for the last seven years and for me there is no contest. p.s. the photo attachments need to be less than 100kb so I haven't added the ones I was going to as the files, even at web sizes are far too large. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 We occassionally use UK sites and CLs, usually when we are making a trip to go to a show or to visit family, but mostly we head straight for a Channel crossing and thence through France and beyond - because we find the continent more MH friendly with more and much wider options. But each to his or her own and I understand that some people prefer the comforts and security of staying on home ground, doing club rallies etc. Maybe we'll do more of that as our horizons shrink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Based on the fact that we have camped ( i.e. with a tent ! ) and motorhomed throughout France ( and other countries on the mainland ) for around 50 years without EVER booking anywhere - and now finding we are ' expected ' to book everywhere in the U.K. to ensure getting a pitch ----- it's no contest for me. France every time if you are a free spirit / either will do if you are not ( although U.K. is more expensive ). ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 France or UK. There is of course a big difference in land mass, the UK has 93.628 square miles and France has 643,801, that's almost 7 times larger. The population density is about the same so the tighter the space the more restrictions there are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Will86 - 2019-07-20 9:30 AM France or UK. There is of course a big difference in land mass, the UK has 93.628 square miles and France has 643,801, that's almost 7 times larger. The population density is about the same so the tighter the space the more restrictions there are. ….and consequently the roads are far less congested - and driving can be a pleasure ( unless you prefer cities to rural areas ). :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pottypam Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Thanks, Derek. Must be file size that is stopping me posting photo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Or perhaps put another way … keep all the UK camp sites but remove 7% of all Motorhome campers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Why the focus on France and it’s campsites. For us Europe is just a big playground. Yes, we spend some time in Uk, usually short breaks out of season to walk in the lakes or surf in the south west. Otherwise it’s either up to Scotland or over to Europe. Before retirement, when time was limited, it was France or Spain, but now time is not an issue what’s to stop us. Sooooo Scandinanvia, with its ease of wild camping or pitches at remote marinas is a favourite; Poland and Eastern Europe is cheap and well worth time; Austria and Northern Italy are great for walking. If you want to go further afield Greece and Turkey are easily accessible. So I suggest looking beyond France and Spain to where night stops can be even cheaper and often more interesting. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Peter. Because that was the original question. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJB Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 We tend to enjoy the travelling so we very rarely visit anywhere twice and never stay more than 2 to 4 nights in one place. Have even spent time in France over the past few years as we had only used it as a transit country before. Unlike many we can't sit doing nothing and wasting a good holiday ;-) (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinM50 Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 We do both and both have advantages but to paraphrase Mr Trump, if you only want to criticise our country, go and live somewhere else 8-) >:-( (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicepix Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Will86 - 2019-07-20 10:30 AM France or UK. There is of course a big difference in land mass, the UK has 93.628 square miles and France has 643,801, that's almost 7 times larger. The population density is about the same so the tighter the space the more restrictions there are. You are mixing up kilometres with miles, and population with population density. The UK has 93,628 square miles, but France has 643,801 km2 or 247,368 sq. miles. Two and a half time larger, not six. The population numbers are roughly the same, but the density is two and a half times less in France as it is roughly the same population divided by a larger area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Á chacun son goût. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 ColinM50 - 2019-07-20 11:43 AM We do both and both have advantages but to paraphrase Mr Trump, if you only want to criticise our country, go and live somewhere else 8-) >:-( (lol) Who is critising UK as a Country to live in, aren't we just criticising its motorhoming facilities, and aren't those criticisms valid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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