Guest 1footinthegrave Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Well here we are again and I still can't find any, what you may ask, well after a two month trip to France, and as ever all over the place, down as far as Bordeaux area, covering some 2000+ miles, where do the French hide their camping / motorhome spares and accessory shops. The last two weeks spent with no toilet chemical was a bit of a smelly challenge. Does anyone have a POI set to locate these type of outlets. Or a few names that I could google search please. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Momma Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 1footinthegrave - 2011-07-05 10:48 PM Well here we are again and I still can't find any, what you may ask, well after a two month trip to France, and as ever all over the place, down as far as Bordeaux area, covering some 2000+ miles, where do the French hide their camping / motorhome spares and accessory shops. The last two weeks spent with no toilet chemical was a bit of a smelly challenge. Does anyone have a POI set to locate these type of outlets. Or a few names that I could google search please. ;-) Might be a bit of a daft answer but have you thought of trying a campsite shop *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 It's not that hard (lol) Just go onto any manufacturers site and look at their distributor list. e.g. Rapido Also most hypermarkets stock toilet chemicals for future trips maybe worth investing in a SOG, then no need for chemicals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Every single supermarket in Europe stocks cheapo washing machine liquid - does exactly the same job as the "pink" and the "blue" Thetford stuff, for about 99% cheaper. We've not used the Thetford stuff ever since we got the tip about using this type of stuff instead......works a treat. Also, we only open the toilet "slice" when you absolutely need to - ie after finishing a pee, and then with the lid of the toilet down - to minimise the amount of air circulation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 I have never found toilet chemicals in any supermarkets even huge ones like Leclerc, Super U and the rest, and would in any event use only formaldehyde free ones,and have tried other "home made" solutions like Oxiclean etc, and had a Sog on a previous van but not overly impressed to be honest. But to widen my comment out more what I meant was considering the French are such big fans of motorhomes we have never found anywhere that you could buy if really stuck say a leisure battery, or some odd generic spare part, or even one of those "lamb tail" fly screens for example that on every trip we try to find. Perhaps we've simply passed them by without noticing, but I was interested to hear others take on the general question of our perceived invisibility of this specific type of business ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Before we had SOG's never had trouble finding toilet liquid in large supermarkets...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 JudgeMental - 2011-07-06 7:17 AM Before we had SOG's never had trouble finding toilet liquid in large supermarkets...... Perhaps we are always looking in the wrong place then, and as our French is limited to two words, a bit of a challenge to ask. Maybe next time I'll take the cassette in with me ! (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Try: http://www.narbonneaccessoires.fr/nos-magasins ....location of 50 accessory shops around France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 I know of 4 accessory shops on the Periferique at Bordeaux and another 4 at Ste Eulalie just north of Bordeaux near the A10 and also 6 in and around Angouleme. If you send me an email I will send you a list of accessory shops throughout France, I have them on a PDF file. Sylvia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Very many thanks to both of the above posters. Just what we needed, and hopefully useful to others as well. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solwaybuggier Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Another option is to buy a copy of the magazine, Le Monde du Camping Car, which has dealership lists sorted by departement towards the back. Or if you have the same magazine's guide to aires, you can glean some addresses from manufacturers' adverts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Thanks again, Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 1footinthegrave - 2011-07-06 5:48 AM ,and have tried other "home made" solutions like Oxiclean etc, and had a Sog on a previous van but not overly impressed to be honest. I'm not supprized, Oxiclean must be one of the worst things to put in your toilet! If you get caught short use biological washing liquid, seems to work same as the proprietry fluids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterandlinda Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Hi We suggest you google "caravan dealers" and the town you're in - there will be quite a few locally. French dealers invariably seem to have large accessory showrooms and are well stocked. We've even managed to find Efoy fuel and spares for our fridge/freezer - certainly much easier to find than in the UK. We would also suggest that you fit a SOG, it makes life easier (and the carrying is lighter too). P&L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 I have sent him a PDF file of all the accessory shops in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Because you dont speak French you may have missed 'Bordeaux Loisirs' which is on the rocade (ring road) round Bordeaux. For apprentice, or NVQ French speakers, using GPS, GPS-passion has a range of POI's for Camping cars including: Accessories, garages and dealers they also have an anglophone section. If you are not a member you may not be able to fully launch the link above , when you have gained entry to the site the folder name is 'Camping-car' sub folder:'Concessions accessoires sav' easiest way is to use the search function.B-) You will need to sign in but at least there is no fee to pay. (must not tempt anyone into a drift)(must not tempt anyone into a drift)(must not tempt anyone into a drift) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 French camping shops tend to be closed for summer holidays in July/August...at least they are always closed when we look for them during the school holidays *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Dishwasher tablets in the cassette, and washing up liquid in the flush tank works fine for us, the only proviso is don't use the lemon flavour:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 JudgeMental - 2011-07-06 4:29 PM French camping shops tend to be closed for summer holidays in July/August...at least they are always closed when we look for them during the school holidays *-) We've noticed this too Eddie - which seems a little strange, given that things don't usually break (or run out) when they're sitting in a cupboard at home, only when they're being USED, ie during holidays! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Tony Jones - 2011-07-06 7:32 PM JudgeMental - 2011-07-06 4:29 PM French camping shops tend to be closed for summer holidays in July/August...at least they are always closed when we look for them during the school holidays *-) We've noticed this too Eddie - which seems a little strange, given that things don't usually break (or run out) when they're sitting in a cupboard at home, only when they're being USED, ie during holidays! Send me your email address Tony and I will send you a PDF file with all the outlets. By the way, Monday is usually the day they are closed. These days most of them are open all July, a few smaller ones close for 2 weeks in August. Sylvia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Thanks Sylvia, I've PMd you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 1footinthegrave - 2011-07-06 6:48 AM I have never found toilet chemicals in any supermarkets even huge ones like Leclerc, Super U and the rest, ;-) Usually in the section that contains Camping gaz, cold boxes and swimming pool supplies, parasols, Bikes and posh outdoor beds. may be labled 'Camping Gaz' rather than 'Thetford' but when in Rome............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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