Tony Jones Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 Can I just reassure Tim at this point. Yes, there's traffic in towns. Also, just like our towns, the only signposts are to local areas WITHIN the city, nothing helps you find the road you need to get OUT in the right direction -hence the SatNav. But outside the cities, the open roads really ARE open roads, with far less traffic per mile of road than you're used to in the UK. Also, discipline on motorways and dual carriageways is much better - you never see that queue of bumper-to-bumper cars in the outside lane, leaving the inner ones empty, that's so common here. People travel in the inside lane, move out when they need to overtake (after signalling!), then move back in again - rocket science, innit? I find driving in France ENJOYABLE, whereas here it's soemthing you have to do to get somewhere. Oh, one other thing - those signposts at crossroads point AT the road you need to take, rather than in the DIRECTION you'll be steering (like ours). So for the "straight on" route, you'll see a sign to the left of the road pointing right, and one to the right pointing left, both saying the same thing. Sounds confusing I know, but once you see it you'll see the logic. It's just different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 Patricia - 2013-04-26 10:19 AM Derek Uzzell - 2013-04-26 9:24 AM But look on the bright side - at least UK motorcaravanners now don't have to live in terror that the French police might fine them for not carrying a breathalyser in their vehicle... You still have to carry them of course - there's just no fine for not doing so! Probably be a case of "watch this space" when it comes to adding to their coffers. I don't believe fining for non-carriage of a breathalyser will be imposed during the life of the present French government. It MIGHT be introduced if the government goes back to the right some years hence but, by then, all existing single-use breathalysers will be well out of date (and I can't see those who already have them bothering to replace them when their use-before date expires), so we'd be back to the supply not meeting demand, periods of grace, apathy, etc. issues that plagued the introduction of fining in 2012. As the French police seem to be empowered to check vehicles and drivers pretty much at whim, and can impose quite significant fines for relatively minor regulatory offences, the €11 fine for breathalyser non-carriage was hardly worth bothering with. If the fine had been €100, every motorist driving in France would be carrying a breathalyser now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean.clarke Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-04-26 8:13 But they just force a window and fish goods within reach, and away.......it's really worth fitting those small window alarms, they are cheap. Window forced , alarm sounds , then they should give up, unless valuables within sight and reach *-) They have a flashing led and a warning label, but if they see the goods they would still do it I would think. Unless like johns example they where intent on doing 10 vans. http://www.milenco.com/products/sleep-safe-alarms/ Fitted these after one of your previous recommendations, well worth it even if only for the piece of mind. Works a treat and a doddle to install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 sean.clarke - 2013-04-26 5:55 PM JudgeMental - 2013-04-26 8:13 But they just force a window and fish goods within reach, and away.......it's really worth fitting those small window alarms, they are cheap. Window forced , alarm sounds , then they should give up, unless valuables within sight and reach *-) They have a flashing led and a warning label, but if they see the goods they would still do it I would think. Unless like johns example they where intent on doing 10 vans. http://www.milenco.com/products/sleep-safe-alarms/ Fitted these after one of your previous recommendations, well worth it even if only for the piece of mind. Works a treat and a doddle to install. Your welcome:-D .. Probably the most useful and cheap security measure you can take.... we spend a fortune on clever alarms systems that you have to disable the interior sensors to sleep in 8-). Dead locks and straps, steering locks etc....Then some sneak thief silently opens the window and pinches everything within sight.. only because most leave clothes/valuables on show ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmac Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 Hi off on our first trip in the m/h abroard next Wednesday.Spending Wed night on nephews drive in Ashford and then on 10.15 ferry Dover/Calais Thursday morning.One night in Dieppe and then Two nights in Vendome,Bordeaux,Laredo annd Madrid.Twelve nights at the sister-in-laws in Benitachel and then another ten days to get back home,probably along to Barcelona,Perpignan and up through central France with Millau a possibility.Any suggestions for interesting places to stop off on the return journey would be welcome. Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Just picked up from another thread that the Tall Ships Regatta at Rouen is from 6 to 16 June. Hopefully the dates are correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Patricia - 2013-04-27 12:56 PM Just picked up from another thread that the Tall Ships Regatta at Rouen is from 6 to 16 June. Hopefully the dates are correct. More details here: http://www.armada.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teflontim87 Posted April 28, 2013 Author Share Posted April 28, 2013 Thanks for all the advice folks. Fraud I've always been a bit of a planner. Like to know where we're going to stop next night. But I'm gritting my teeth and going to go where the wind takes me accompanied by the asci camping card book, well for first week anyway! Update on security. I got 4 window alarms and an infra habitation alarm, all for just over a tenner at aldi, all with 3 year guarantee! I think those, along with my 2 dogs and trusty police issue magnetite should help me sleep at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Teflontim87 - 2013-04-28 8:24 AM But I'm gritting my teeth and going to go where the wind takes me accompanied by the asci camping card book, well for first week anyway! QUOTE] When touring with a motorhome in France, the gritting of teeth is not a requirement. Just take your time when you first get there, avoid towns and cities at first, and you will soon find that driving over there is a lot more pleasant than driving over here. .......... and you are never very far from somewhere to stop for the night. Have a good trip ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Teflontim87 - 2013-04-28 8:24 AM Thanks for all the advice folks. Fraud I've always been a bit of a planner. Like to know where we're going to stop next night. But I'm gritting my teeth and going to go where the wind takes me accompanied by the asci camping card book, well for first week anyway! Update on security. I got 4 window alarms and an infra habitation alarm, all for just over a tenner at aldi, all with 3 year guarantee! I think those, along with my 2 dogs and trusty police issue magnetite should help me sleep at night. My advice is chuck em all in the bin, if I'd have thought that anywhere I had stopped warranted them, I was in the wrong place. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Teflontim87 - 2013-04-28 8:24 AM Update on security. I got 4 window alarms and an infra habitation alarm, all for just over a tenner at aldi, all with 3 year guarantee! I think those, along with my 2 dogs and trusty police issue magnetite should help me sleep at night. Sorry to be so thick but what is "trusty police issue magnetite" and how would you use it? I know that it is a magnetic iron ore but still none the wiser. For people with m/home intruder alarm (like me) you should be able to disarm the part that covers movement inside the van. I certainly know some people do not realise this. I can therefore alarm the van and leave the dog in without fear of her setting off the alarm, as I can with my car too, and I always set it at night. Have absolutely no idea, though, what I would do if someone broke in although I have the key fob alarm if all else fails! I also turn the front seats round so no-one can get in even if they manage to open the doors. It is the habitation door which is most vulnerable but I try to only park in sensible places. Be aware of break-ins but in reality there are few of them. France is quite a safe country in comparison to others - I never lock my door when I go out and locals leave their car keys in their ashtrays at home and when they park in local small towns and villages. Have a wonderful time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted April 28, 2013 Share Posted April 28, 2013 Guessing he means Maglight - well known unofficial Police cosh - and quite a good torch too. Far better for security in France is some soap and toothpaste - has the french running in sheer terror... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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