France, advice please.

[Dancer]

Hello everyone.

Setting the scene:

1. A 6 berth A class motorhome, hereafter called Eeyore.

2. Two couples with hearsay knowledge of continental       touring / visits

3. One 40th wedding anniversary in Feb 2011

   Two 60th birthdays one in May & one in Aug 2011

4. Never toured overseas. Plenty of touring in England.

This will be a very open ended question.

Where and when do we go to experience 'the continent' without encountering too much in the way of bad roads, weather, people, officialdom.

We do not intend to 'wild camp'.

I know! I know! It's a big question but, you all have such a vast collective knowledge of touring I hope you will be pleased to share it.

[nowtelse2do]

Hi Frank,

Are both couples retired?

How long will you be staying?

What time of the year will you want to go?

And what are your interests?

Dave

[colin]

As far as roads go france has generaly better roads than us 8-)

Once you are in france and away from port you get the 'continental' experiance, so choose any region you want, personnaly I wouldn't go back to riviara, but apart from that all good. My next french trip will be back to some areas of britainy we missed before.

[Guest pelmetman]

France is a wonderful place to tour.

 

Surely if you want to experience the true France don't plan just go.

 

Sue

[Syd]

There seems to be some "Romance" in the air here so why not Paris it's self

[nowtelse2do]

Syd - 2010-09-25 7:22 PM There seems to be some "Romance" in the air here so why not Paris it's self

First time in France...!! with a 6 berth M/H.......!!! PARIS..........!!!!!!!   Come on Syd :D

Dave

[duffers]

depending on your time available - you could have a brilliant time

in fact I'm seriously jealous

experiencing all that for the first time - brilliant

 

if you want to visit cities - don't be put off - just check the maps for a site that gives you good public transport access to the city of choice

and don't forget that the public transport across the water is generally much better - in quality and quantity and price - than in the UK

 

so try

France

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Germany

Scandinavia

 

the world / Europe is your oyster

 

it depends what you like to do

but we love just sitting - enjoying a drink and some scran

in a town square

just watching the world go by

 

can spend hours doing it

 

could even come along as your guide - reasonable rates

 

:D :D :D :D :D :D

[CliveH]

My trip would be, Cherbourg, the peninsular is a great place to wander about. Then we would meander down to Royan exploring again the fantastic islands, Isle de Ray being one. Then leave the SW coast and across to Perpignan , love the "two seas motorway" (but with more time would use ordinary roads) and love Carcasonne even more.

 

Collioure on the Med coast just north of the Spanish border is a must.

 

Over into Spain then wander back and fourth over the Pyrenees in and out of Spain and France gradually moving West. Salvador Dali's museum is bizarre (naturally) but great fun.

 

Back and forth over the Pyrenees heading West then when you run out of France carry on into "Green Spain" where the scenery and food is stunning. Head up into the Pecos de Europa and try to see the Brown Bears (never seen them yet but they are there).

 

Always wanted to carry on into Portugal but never managed it yet.

 

Because of time constraints we have then taken the Ferry from Santander -

 

And Santander is a fantastic place, one of my favourite cities. The ferry is expensive but a great treat - it really is a nice "end" to a trip.

 

But if time was no object I would head back into France to Biarritz then up the coast to where we left it to head over to the Med and either retrace my steps around Royan (one of my favourite parts of France - just love the way the pine trees are just behind the beach so that you can sit in the dappled sunlight in the mid-day sun. The paths where you can cycle or walk though the trees are tremendous) then up into Brittany and home.

 

As you can tell I very much want to do this! I have it planned! - I just need to stop work. *-)

[CliveH]

Sorry! - overenthusiastic spillchucker

 

Should be "Isle de Re"

[Syd]

nowtelse2do - 2010-09-25 7:53 PM

Syd - 2010-09-25 7:22 PM There seems to be some "Romance" in the air here so why not Paris it's self

First time in France...!! with a 6 berth M/H.......!!! PARIS..........!!!!!!!   Come on Syd :D

Dave

What is the big thing about driving in Paris, I have ALWAYS found it to be an absolute doddle. Plan your route first, I always start at Notre Darme (I know) becaues there you can decide which side of the river the attraction is that you want to see is and easilly get there, have a good satnav tooEven the "Arch de triumph" (I Know) is easy if you first plan your routeThe French are far the better drivers than the BritsBeen there several times with no problems

[nowtelse2do]

There is no big thing about Paris if you are a seasoned traveller over there, but they are taking their first trip over into France so until they get some good mileage under their belts I would not think about Paris until another time.

Yes, in my opinion Paris is easier than London but it's not for first timer's. If they do want to go then duffer's idea is the best option, a site on the outskirt's and the Metro into the city.

Frank, where ever you go in France you cant go wrong with a M/H, it is geared up for our type of lifestyle, and so is Germany, you won't be disappointed.

Dave 

[duffers]

nowtelse2do - 2010-09-26 10:02 AM

Yes, in my opinion Paris is easier than London but it's not for first timer's. If they do want to go then duffer's idea is the best option, a site on the outskirt's and the Metro into the city.

Frank, where ever you go in France you cant go wrong with a M/H, it is geared up for our type of lifestyle, and so is Germany, you won't be disappointed.

Dave 

AND my way you get to sample the local vino / beers without having to draw short straws for who's to be stuck with the driving

[Bulletguy]

Dancer - 2010-09-25 5:23 PM

Hello everyone.

Setting the scene:

1. A 6 berth A class motorhome, hereafter called Eeyore.

2. Two couples with hearsay knowledge of continental       touring / visits......Where and when do we go to experience 'the continent' without encountering too much in the way of bad roads, weather, people, officialdom.

Blimey Dancer.....you make it sound like you are about to launch into space instead of a jaunt over the channel!Weather is the only thing nobody can guarantee so forget about that.When first exiting the ferry ports you can drive a fair way along dual carriageway so you won't actually feel you are driving on the 'wrong side' of the road for a bit. The first time you do will be along a main or minor road. You will soon get used to driving on the right but there are a few things you really do have to THINK about. A good example is what I call the 'missed turn reverse' where you miss your turn off so find a place further down the road to reverse in and turn around to come back. A manoeuvre easily done here without even blinking, but in Europe particularly if it's a not so busy minor road you can easily find yourself coming back out on the WRONG SIDE (the left instead of the right) of the road. It's happened to me twice and I’ve had years of experience driving in Europe so it can happen to ANYONE.Personally I wouldn't drive in any cities unless absolutely necessary and unavoidable. What’s the point anyway? You don't see anything except queues of traffic and the back end of the vehicle in front. You are there to SEE the place as a tourist......not a delivery driver! Best way to see ANY city is park up on the outskirts, take a bus ride in and walk around. Quicker, cheaper and LOTS easier. I did this in Berlin, Leipzig, Salzburg, Bern and Zurich. As for 'officialdom' about the only place you will experience that is at Ferry Ports......and our own HMRC are possibly amongst the worst. I've had more than my share of 'run ins' with some of these 'little Hitler’s', but then I’m a single guy travelling alone so prime target. They tend to leave families, couples, or single women alone.

[Brian Kirby]

Dancer - 2010-09-25 5:23 PM

Where and when do we go to experience 'the continent' without encountering too much in the way of bad roads, weather, people, officialdom.

You will, almost invariably, arrive in France, so I would say stay there.  Campsites are plentiful, and most are reasonably priced and well run.  Avoid the coastal areas during July August.  Expensive, crowded, and generally poor value. 

Don't under estimate the size of France, it is a big country and what look short journeys on a map can turn into marathons if you don't plan adequately.  Many minor accidents, of the damaged rear bumper / snagged luton variety, happen at the end of long days.  Best to keep the driving time short - at least until you are fully right hand traffic adapted (this does take some longer than others, so don't worry if the transition isn't immediate).  Avoid the autoroutes, most are toll roads, and in a motorhome expensive: besides which, all are boring!  :-)  Try also to avoid the main roads.  This is a bit more difficult since France started re-numbering its roads, but broadly if the road number is preceded with an N it is a "national" road and if preceded by a D it is a departmental (regional) road.  These usually carry only light traffic, so driving is easy and relaxing.  Be cautions about using anything preceded by a C (communal) as these are often, though by no means invariably, narrow - higher risk in mountain areas.  Signposting is generally excellent, and most roads are well surfaced.

The French have loads of roundabouts, they use them for traffic calming.  Unfortunately, over the years, they have taught three conventions for signalling their intentions, and almost anyone over 40 won't have been taught any convention at all.  You get the picture!  Tread soft.  :-)

If you get Michelin maps, preferably the spiral bound 1:300,000 scale atlas of France, you will soon be able to sort the wheat from the chaff and by relating the roadsigns to the map you should be able to pinpoint your location without trouble. 

If using sat nav, make sure it has up to date maps, and monitor the proposed route against the map.  Don't go with sat nav alone, and don't believe everything it tells you!

Be aware that a sign announcing the name of a town/village also signifies the commencement of a 50kph speed limit.  If the limit is different, it will be indicated on normal speed limit signs.  A board showing the town/village name with a diagonal line across it cancels the speed limit, though it may be immediately followed by the name of another place, and so a new limit.

Watch your speed!  National limit is 90kph on all roads.  Dual carriageways 110kph.  Most autoroutes are 130kph.  However, as everywhere, local limits may be lower, as will be indicated.  Be aware that three lane roads, even if marked to give two lanes in one direction, are still limited to 90kph, as are dual carriageways where there is no central reservation.  If drivers coming the other way flash their headlamps at you, there will be a police speed trap somewhere ahead.  Check your speed, they hide, so they'll get you before you see them!  Be aware there are quite a lot of Gatsos in certain areas.  Their presence is indicated by the usual roadside signs.

At junctions, if the sign says STOP, you must stop.  That is to say it is not acceptable to look, see it is clear, and take it on the roll.  Your wheels must, actually, stop turning.  "Cedez le passage" means give way, so you do not have to stop for these, but is probably best to stop until familiarised.

French weather is not all that different to UK weather: it is variable and influenced by the Atlantic.  The further south you go the warmer it gets, but if you want really good weather you'll have to head for the Med.  South of Valence is where the Mediterranean weather really begins, but it is not that large an area.  In the Alps to the east, the weather can be fickle, ditto on the Massif Centrale, ditto in the Pyrenees.  Weather, after all, is weather.

Generally, between mid May and mid September, south of the Loire should be OK, but wall to wall sunshine can't be guaranteed anywhere in particular.  As above, the further south the better the weather, and the longer the season, but there are still road signs warning of black ice around Bordeaux.  Winter is winter! 

Around the lower Rhone, and along the coast particularly to the east, the Mistrale can make life interesting for a day or two, but it usually blows itself out after this time.  Along the foothills of the Pyrenees there is the Tramontane - another regional wind that will rattle your awning if you leave it out!  You have to choose where you go to suit the forecasts, if sun is important to you.

You will of course experience France, not the continent (doesn't really exist as a place) but France is a good place to start.  Then, you can have a go at some of the other countries later!

Get a Michelin red guide, pick a reasonably priced restaurant somewhere in the sticks that you can walk (or bus) to from your camp site site, arrive just after 12:00 mid day, choose the fixed price tourist menu, choose a bottle of wine (or two!) in the lower price range, or ask for house wine, get a bottle of table water, and just sit back for the next couple of hours and enjoy a good meal!  (Be cautious of anything called andouiette (?sp - no dictionary!), a kind of tripe sausage that is a very acquired taste, but pretty much anything else will be fine.  Be aware that the French eat their red meat red, because it eats and tastes better that way, they all do it, it is completely safe, they do not die in their thousands of food poisoning - this is just a scurrilous British lie! :-)) It won't break the bank and, if you choose carefully, you'll begin to understand the difference between the English and the French.  :-)  Good luck.

[Minstrel]

Brian, as always gives sound advice. I would add that if you're avaiding the expensive motorways, try to plan a route that does not have too many towns and villages, as going through them can be tedious. On the other hand, some of them are very scenic.

 

Clive H's recommendations are excellent, but think about how much time you want to spend travelling, from north to south of France is 6 to 700 miles.

[maggyd]

My only bit of advice is GET A SATNAV :-D I wouldn't like to be without ours they are invaluable when you are abroad.

[Bulletguy]

maggyd - 2010-09-26 5:30 PM

 

My only bit of advice is GET A SATNAV :-D

 

Pre-satnav days I used to drive on my own between here and Bern with just maps, paper, pen and memory.

 

Satnav is a brilliant aid particularly to a solo driver like myself though I still carry plenty of maps plus mapping on my laptop.

[Tony Jones]

Hi Frank, and welcome.

 

By the time I saw your thread there was already plenty of wise advice on it, so I won't duplicate. Just a couple of things I'd add:

 

1) Motorways - these have one vital role, namely to get you from A to B (especially over long distances) in the shortest possible time. In France, that's really important if the area you want to explore at leisure is far from your Channel port. But they cost, TWO ways. The visible cost is the toll, but IMHO if you've decided it's worth paying good money to get quickly to where you want to relax, then there's no point in skimping on the fuel by driving less than 100/110kph.

So either avoid them completely (if you're staying in the north, or have unlimited time) or else grit your teeth, pay up - both toll and fuel - and put the hammer down, looking forward to slowing down when you get to your chosen region.

 

2)

We do not intend to 'wild camp'.

I'm not sure how you define that, but if you're thinking of the UK version, where you pitch up in the middle of some forest and hope no-one catches you, you need to know the situation in France is very different. There's a whole network of places where motorhomes (not caravans or tents) can stay overnight, fill and empty etc, either for free or for a nominal charge. These are the "Aires" you'll have read about on here - actually "Aires de Service (or Stationnement) Camping-Cars" - and are mostly in towns or villages. These are excellent for an overnight stop - especially as I've not found one yet without a boulangerie/patisserie a few strides away!

You can also join France Passion, which provides free overnight stops (without facilities) on farms, vineyards etc all over the country. the added bonus is the opportunity to taste (and buy IF YOU WANT) whatever the host produces - no obligation though.

None of this is what in the UK we'd call "wild camping," but it avoids having to keep paying campsite fees for facilities you've already bought (in your van).

 

But however you travel, and wherever you stay, enjoy the experience!

Oh, and as for not wanting to encounter "bad ... people:" there are no guarantees, but any honest attempt at the language (however inept), liberally sprinkled with "monsieur" and "madame," should bring out the best in most French people.

[kelly58]

nowtelse2do - 2010-09-25 7:53 PM

Syd - 2010-09-25 7:22 PM There seems to be some "Romance" in the air here so why not Paris it's self

First time in France...!! with a 6 berth M/H.......!!! PARIS..........!!!!!!!   Come on Syd :D

Dave

Paris camping is easy at Camping International Maisons Laffite just outside Paris only 15e pn with the CC ASCI discount card 15min walk to station 20min metro into Paris about 7e each right to the Arc-De-Triumph about 185 miles from Calais .We are going to-morrow on the 16.50 Eurotunnel will overnight at the municipal aire in Arques 2e parking pick up diesel at Ardres on the way from the Carrefour and should be on site for Paris on Wednesday lunchtime.

[Guest JudgeMental]

The amount of roundabouts (when you avoid toll motorways) can be a real grind in a high top mororhome...really takes the pleasure out of it sometimes, as they seem to appear again just when you get in a high gear *-)

 

if not in a rush its not to bad though, I am hoping to remedy this a bit with a van conversion......

[nowtelse2do]

Looks like Dancer's as waltz off, hope he took his toothbrush !! (!)

Dave

[colin]

JudgeMental - 2010-09-27 3:14 PM

 

The amount of roundabouts (when you avoid toll motorways) can be a real grind in a high top mororhome... I am hoping to remedy this a bit with a van conversion......

[Dancer]

Sorry guys and gals, I hav'nt waltzed off.

I posted the thread just before I went off to run a dance on Sat eve, Was dancing all day Sun, working all day Mon, and teaching dance Mon eve. Just got back in.

Wil not have time to look fully at all your advice 'till I have a night off on Thurs.

What I have seen quickly seems to be very helpful.

Couple of clarifying answers.

1. Not retired, all work full time, two are self employed as well in the evenings and weekends.

2. Probably only two weeks holiday intended, sorry Clive would love your suggestion

3. We all love maps so a sat nag is not on the cards. Thank you Brian I will get a Michelin.

4. Time of visit will be June/early July, avoid the main holiday season.

Thank you Tony, will look carefully at the aires and French passion. The last may tie in with the suggestion made earlier in the thread regarding 'romance' :D :D

Please keep the ideas coming.

[Dancer]

[Dancer]

kelly58 - 2010-09-27 1:31 PM

Paris camping is easy at Camping International Maisons Laffite just outside Paris only 15e pn with the CC ASCI discount card

Where do I get one of these?

Last reply did'nt work, try this.