Big First Trip Planned - Advice Please

[Shewolf55]

Dear all,

 

We have finally decided on a Fairford Auto-sleeper XL 4 berth (instead of a motorhome and truck that hubby wanted).

 

We hope to pick one up in Early May, ready for our June trip to France/Italy for 4/5 weeks

It made much more sense to us both, to get something smaller in the end that we could drive almost anywhere.

 

As we are used to long planned routes in our caravan, we are looking forward to testing our new Auto-sleeper on an extended trip, after a short, first, weekend snagging trip.

 

Does anyone have any advice for wild camping? So far, I have ascertained that it is best to visit the local tourist office to see where we can park up without offending land owners.

 

We have also bought the new hard copy Motorhome Guide camper stop Europe book for Aires

Another reason for getting an Auto sleeper, is so that we can open the side door or back to let the outside in – but what about sitting outside in the open; as I understand that this is frowned upon at Aires?

 

Any advice welcome - thanks

 

Here is the planned route so far:

Caen

Vichy

Clermont-Ferrand

Viaduc de Millau, Millau Viaduct, Millau

Montpellier

Pont du Gard, Route du Pont du Gard, Vers-Pont-du-Gard

Luberon, Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon, Ménerbes

Aix-en-Provence

Cannes

Nice

Nice

Savona, Province of Savona, Italy

Turin, Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy

Brusson, Aosta Valley, Italy

Chamonix

Mâcon

Bourges

Caen

 

Thanks xx

[mtravel]

Four or five weeks are many for the few visits you have planned and many places worth visiting along your itinerary.

Provence is beautiful, many places to visit. If you want targeted indications, open a dedicated topic.

 

Caen

Vichy

Clermont-Ferrand: Beautiful city, a few kilometers away you will also find Montferrand, a small and pleasant town.

Viaduc de Millau, Millau Viaduct, Millau: Spectacular but it does not make sense to travel it just to go to Millau (beautiful town). Just a waste of money.

Montpellier: There is not much to visit. Rather beautiful cities (not far away) are Arles and Nimes.

Pont du Gard, Route du Pont du Gard, Vers-Pont-du-Gard: Okay, the bridge is worth a stop for an hour or two.

Luberon, Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon, Ménerbes: Ok, nice places, try to visit the "Mines de Bruoux"

Aix-en-Provence: Beautiful city.

The Camargue is not far away. In addition to its nature and landscapes, Aigues Mortes and Les Saintes Marie de la Mer are very beautiful.

Cannes: It is only worth a short visit

Nice: It is only worth a short visit

Savona, Province of Savona, Italy: I guess you consider it only a stage of passage

Turin, Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy: Beautiful city. The Mole Antonelliana and especially the Egyptian Museum deserve a visit, second only to that of Cairo

Brusson, Aosta Valley, Italy: Completely out of the itinerary. What are you going to do?

Rather stop in Aosta and Courmayeur.

Here possibility of ascent by cable car to Punta Helbronner and, if desired, the crossing of Mer de Glace to Aiguille du Midi with descent to Chamonix and return by bus. But it is quite expensive.

Chamonix

Mâcon: Beautiful town but nothing more

Bourges: Beautiful city and magnificent Cathedral

Caen

 

As for stops, in France it is possible to stay overnight in many normal car parks (unless expressly prohibited).

But, since the organized parking areas are widespread everywhere, I would use the latter.

Don't forget the small "municipal" campsites you find everywhere. Typically modest but with all the services and at reasonable prices.

If you have a satellite navigator refer to www.campercontact.com and www.campingcar-infos.com

The latter site also includes the possibility of overnight stays at farms and farmers.

 

Max

 

p.s. Ref. to France passion: Someone likes it, someone doesn't.

I personally never used it, everywhere I go, I just stop at one of stopover (see above)

[Shewolf55]

Thanks Max, that is a wealth of information.

 

Stops along the planned route are flexible and more of a suggested idea, so if we find anything better along the way; we will detour. - Great advice - thanks xx

[DickB]

I guess you will be revising your route to miss out Italy unless the situation changes dramatically?

 

I feel that unless you are having a race and stopping only one night, then you are being over ambitious and will exhaust yourselves. We spent 3 months in France last year with usually 3 nights per stop and we covered fewer miles than you have in mind.

 

Most Aires restrict setting up awnings etc, but that doesn't stop people doing it, usually French. I suggest you just follow the rules, but adapt if it seems OK. The Campercontact app worked brilliantly and we used it almost all the time. We used Camperstop as an alternative. We had the ACSI app but apart from a couple of proper campsites we found the Aires quite adequate. A few times we used Camping--Car sites which come up in the apps. These have reasonable facilities, are quite cheap, and usually the included WiFi works. It seems at first a bit complicated to use but after a few times it is clear. The first time you pay at the entrance machine and it issues a card for life, so subsequent usage is easier.

 

Dick

[Brian Kirby]

Shewolf55 - 2020-03-10 12:00 PM

Dear all,

 

We have finally decided on a Fairford Auto-sleeper XL 4 berth (instead of a motorhome and truck that hubby wanted).

 

We hope to pick one up in Early May, ready for our June trip to France/Italy for 4/5 weeks

It made much more sense to us both, to get something smaller in the end that we could drive almost anywhere...……………………………………………………

The on-line catalogue doesn't give details of the chassis or permissible axle loads, but I think the 6.3 metre vans all come on the "heavy" chassis. If not, I suggest you stipulate that chassis for yours, as the payload at 3,500kg MAM is slender for long trips.

 

If the heavy chassis, with its higher permissible axle loads, is standard, you will probably need to get it re-plated to about 3,700kg to get a more realistic payload.

 

If you are not buying new, you will have to live with what you can get, but will still be able to re-plate if on the heavy chassis.

 

You would also be able to re-plate if on the light chassis, but the margins on the axles are much smaller, so in practical terms the extra payload will be relatively limited (usually by the 2,000kg rear axle limit).

[Derek Uzzell]

There’s a 2019 review of an Auto-Sleepers “Fairford” here

 

https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/reviews/motorhomes/details/campervan-review-auto-sleeper-fairford-campervan/988673

 

Peugeot Boxer (and Fiat Ducato) “XL” panel vans with a 6.36m length are marketed in ‘light’ or ‘heavy’ (Maxi) format.

 

Although some Continental-European converters do build on the Maxi base but with a 3500kg maximum overall weight, I’m doubtful that any mainstream UK converters do this. It would be worth exploring this with Auto-Sleepers, but I’m pretty sure all Fairfords are on a ‘light’ base with a 3500kg weight maximum.

 

Although a Fairford’s user-payload is relatively low, fresh and waste water tank sizes are small (69 and 40 litres respectively) and the limited internal volume will restrict what can realistically be carried. If ‘uprating’ the 3500kg overall weight is to be contemplated, I believe a Fairford may already have AL-KO “Air Top” air-bellows fitted as standard to its rear suspension. However - if the vehicle has 15”-diameter wheels - a tyre upgrade would still be required. An underfloor LPG tank is also standard and, when travelling abroad, the appropriate adapters will be needed to refill that tank with autogas.

 

 

[Don636]

Our Vantage Neo is 6.36m and 3500kg on a Maxi chassis as standard so they are available. Carrying everything we need for any length of trip we might go on, including full fuel and water tank, we run at 3500kg +/- a few kg. As far as I am concerned we would have the same amount of stuff on board for 3 months or 3 weeks. Not quite sure why you need more stuff just because it is a longer trip.

 

We would not try to do such a long trip in that amount of time as it would be too much driving. We prefer to take it easier and target a smaller area thus giving us more time to do some walking which we believe is the best way to see the sights rather than whizzing around in the van and hopping out to quickly catch a sight then moving on. Each to their own though.

[Shewolf55]

Thanks for all the advice, we are pretty flexible on touring time and can extend longer if need be.

As for the Fairford! Well - unless we buy new, which is an option (but hate the new cheap looking back lounge area compared to the 2/3 year old styles); we are having trouble actually finding any :-( Must be popular

 

So, we are now looking at a variety of other 4/6 berth types with rear lounge

 

Cross fingers xx

[Barryd999]

Max has given you the two links I would have given you for camper contact and CC infos but I also agree that its too much for 4/5 weeks. I would either add another 4/5 weeks or cut it in half.

 

For France wild camping is generally easy but to be honest its not that necessary unless you crave isolation as there are so many fantastic aires to choose from, Just do your research on those sites before you go and save a few options for each area offline as a PDF or print them out if you prefer. Prepare prepare prepare I always say. Others just wing it which is fine but Im a planner.

 

For Nice and Cannes I would research some campsites. Maybe get an ACSI book / card. Not very motorhome friendly down there but well worth seeing out of season. For me the best parts of the Cote D'Azure are west of Nice. I have a guide on my website here. https://sites.google.com/site/hanktestsite2/downloads

 

The best wilding I have found in France though is up in the mountains, Pyrenees or Alps. Ski resorts are usually a good bet in summer.

 

Maybe I would be giving Italy a bit of a swerve though unless its recovered.

[Derek Uzzell]

It's perhaps worth reminding forum members that Sarah and her husband are experienced caravanners, touring in the past in France and the UK, and that they have property in France and live there primarily.

[Brian Kirby]

Don636 - 2020-03-11 10:21 PM

 

Our Vantage Neo is 6.36m and 3500kg on a Maxi chassis as standard so they are available. Carrying everything we need for any length of trip we might go on, including full fuel and water tank, we run at 3500kg +/- a few kg. As far as I am concerned we would have the same amount of stuff on board for 3 months or 3 weeks. Not quite sure why you need more stuff just because it is a longer trip...……………....

 

It depends where, and when, you go. Hitherto our spring trips have run to about 10 weeks, usually starting some time in early-mid April and heading south. So, we change change latitude, and during the trip frequently altitude, and go from northern mid spring to southern early summer. Suitable clothing for the cool northern bits is bulky, and then one needs comfortable clothing for the (hopefully) hotter days in the warmer southern bits.

 

Were we travelling for only two weeks or so we should not carry the same range of clothing, so would not need the same amount of space and consequent load capacity.

 

As you have the heavy chassis you have higher maximum axle loading limits than you would have on the light chassis, so the prospect of overloading your rear axle (but with some PVC layouts the front axle) is relatively remote when your MAM is 3,500kg.

 

This is not the same for the light chassis where the axle limits are lower and, with the longer bodyshell and its greater internal volume, the axle limits are liable to restrict what can be carried before the MAM comes under threat.

[davidmac]

Hi, a couple of sites we have stopped at on your route and would recommend. Camping l'hippodrome Cagnes Sur Mere. Half way between Cannes and Nice, cheap bus service to both and to Antibes. Campsite is 150m from a large Casino supermarket and fuel station. Camping Rustica, Spotorno, about 10 miles from Savona. Typical small Italian town, narrow streets. old buildings ,lots of character and a beach.

Regards David

[Don636]

Brian - as regards a range of clothing for different temperatures this does not really apply to me so much as I wear shorts all year round regardless of temperature and just need to carry a fleece and a waterproof coat which I would have for any location anyway just in case. Clothing for any trip would normally be half a dozen tee shirts and shirts, two pairs of shorts, one pair of long convertible trousers, a fleece, maybe a couple of gilets with lots of pockets, a lightweight wind cheater and a waterproof coat plus waterproof over trousers. I will also have a pair of gloves, headband, hat, baseball cap and a neck tube. The clothing is almost exclusively Rohan so very lightweight and all that lot takes up very little space and would do any length of trip with some washing in between. Wife is pretty much the same.

[Brian Kirby]

Shewolf55 - 2020-03-12 11:31 AM

 

Thanks for all the advice, we are pretty flexible on touring time and can extend longer if need be.

As for the Fairford! Well - unless we buy new, which is an option (but hate the new cheap looking back lounge area compared to the 2/3 year old styles); we are having trouble actually finding any :-( Must be popular

 

So, we are now looking at a variety of other 4/6 berth types with rear lounge

 

Cross fingers xx

Sarah

 

It seems to me that due to the Coronavirus (which seems to have a long way to run yet!) no-one is going to be going anywhere much over the next few months.

 

So, as there is a huge range of PVCs on the European market, and as you in any case expect to be spending much of your time in France, instead of getting the van in the near future would it be worthwhile postponing your purchase (even until next year), and researching the market in depth to settle on the van that will best meet your needs?

 

If so, and as you own a property in France you have the option to buy, insure, and register a vehicle in France (where access to the full range of European Brands/models is greater) and, if there is a motorhome dealership near to your French home, you could look for a Brand that has (reasonably) convenient dealers whichever side of the Channel you were, assuming that you bought one of the Brands handled, for example, by Premier Motorhomes at Birdham, near Chichester, or Southdowns at Portsmouth (or any other dealers within reasonable reach).

 

If you plan to use the van extensively in Europe, I think it would be worth considering LHD, as it does make a difference (albeit small) when driving on the right, particularly at acutely angled junctions and when overtaking.

 

If looking at PVCs bear in mind that, at first sight, they all look pretty much the same, but on closer examination there are significant differences that, depending on your planned usage, will make some a much closer match to your requirements than others.

 

For example, some have much larger gas lockers than others (so can accommodate two decent sized gas cylinders), while a few come with underslung gas tanks, fresh (and waste) water tanks vary considerably in size, shower/toilet rooms can be surprisingly restrictive (and some have tip-up washbasins that can't be filled!), hobs can be two or three burner (most gas, a few diesel), heaters also vary (though most are Truma - either gas, or gas plus mains electricity), ovens are rare outside UK made vans (but do you really, really, want an oven, as they take up valuable storage space in a smallish vehicle :-)), some have no outside lighting as standard. The devil really is in the detail. Plus, none are cheap!

 

Collectively, they are the embodiment of the phrase, "buy in haste: repent at leisure".