First time to Francais in a MH Forums

Alfa_Scud

Morning all,
Well we've only had the van for 5 days & haven't even had a night in it yet, but are now planning our jollies for summer. Decided on France at the minute. Now we've done it quite a few times in the car, which means getting off the ferry, blatting halfway, stopping for a night, then blatting the other half & stopping for a few days.
So, how far do you chaps normally go in a day? I appreciate it's a bit of a how long's a piece of string question, but realistically 150 miles? 250 miles?
More or less? I know in my own mind I just have to chill down & go with the flow, & when we've been in the spider we've tended to stick to Route Nationales, but still probably don't see enough.
Also, what about sites - prebook or stop where you fancy? We're intending to go from 4th - 19th July, & go maybe through Champagne and down to Burgundy. Is provence a bit far without rushing do you think? Would the trip be ideal for the much mentioned France Passion?
Yet another question - any specifics for France when MHing - it's usually just the First Aid kit, triangle, bulbs, plate etc when in the car, but do we need anything for the bike rack or anything?

Any advice much appreciated thanks, more questions to follow!!!

Zebedee · Moderator

DABurleigh

"when we've been in the spider we've tended to stick to Route Nationales"
Very wise; much quicker for the breakdown truck Smile

"So, how far do you chaps normally go in a day?"
Yes, it does depend. We do a right mix, varying from rapid long hauls at the beginning and end of a week or 2 week holiday, then not much in between, to moseying 100 miles a day throughout. Some suggest consciously splitting travelling days from leisurely days. Some mix it each day.

"realistically 150 miles? 250 miles?"
Overall, I think that's a good bracket to bear in mind. Again, it depends on how busy things are, whether you like leisurely breakfasts/brunch before moving off, or are early starters and therefore early arrivers.

"Also, what about sites - prebook or stop where you fancy?"
I think this is key to the above. If you keep flexible by not booking, your itinerary, the weather you experience, and pace are all of your choosing each day. IMHO, that's the way to do it.

"Is Provence a bit far without rushing do you think?"
Not if you blast down first, then blast back at the end, in which case sharing the driving helps.

"any specifics for France when MHing - it's usually just the First Aid kit, triangle, bulbs, plate etc when in the car, but do we need anything for the bike rack or anything?"
No to the bike rack, but if your flexibility means you end up in Spain .... Smile

Yellow jackets.

Dave
Edit - didn't know that the First Aid kit had to be visible from outside (mine supplied as standard isn't). Do you have a reference, Dave?

Zebedee · Moderator

geraldandannie · Moderator

I've blatted and dawdled. It all depends. Last year, in the Pollensa, blatting involved some white knuckle tactics when passing trucks as the cross wind / bow wave caused some uneasy movement Confused

Even then, other motorhomers would pass me at something over 80 mph Shocked

Our first year, we got off the ferry, and changed our plans (we turned left rather than right), and we chugged south, looking (in vain, as it turned out) for good weather. You can trudge through our dire and dreary (that right, DABs? Wink

) blog

Alfa_Scud

Brilliant advice so far thanks very much to you all, well apart from Dave & his nasty quip about the probability of the spider breaking down Evil or Very Mad

-! True Mind you Very Happy

.

We do like Provence but I think we could both do with stopping off on the way, instead of the usual "ooh this looks nice, fancy a bit of lunch? Nope, haven't got time, got to reach Dijon for teatime!!" situation. Loved the time we spent round Beaune & Nuits-st-Georges before, & am looking forward to getting parked up, popping on the trainers then having a run round the quiet lanes, followed by a barby & some finest plonk!

But the pull of the Gorge-du-Verdon & stopping off there - hell's teeth I'm looking forward to this!

P.s. Whats the going rate for sites rather than Aires? Probably another how long question, but are they a similar price to here for like for like facilities? We've usually Eurocamped so haven't seen nightly rates

eribiste

G'day friends,
My wife and I have been to France quite a few times now and we've got into a sort of SOP (Standard Operating Procedure).

Cross the ditch by Le Shuttle, choosing a cheaper time, which co-incidentally helps avoid the worst of the UK traffic.
Spend the first night at the motorhome rest halt aire at Calais, along with loads of others. By the way, the Friterie des Nations here does a nice, good value line in frites. Any more than the 3 euro barquette will be more than a man can manage.
Next morn, onto the A26 to Reims or Chalons en Champagne to miss the worst of the interminable towns and villages on the N44. Then take the said N44, because from here down it's a more open road, and more interesting than the autoroute.
We usually dive off the N44 and head towards Dijon, taking an overnight on the municipal at St Seine l'Abbaye (cheap, simple, but use your own toilet!).
If we're heading for Provence, like what we usually does, the next overnight is usually somewhere along the N85 Route Napoleon. Then again, we sometimes go along the N75 instead.
High mountain passes will be difficult to unpassable before June.
We like to have stopped driving by about 1600 to 1700.
We never go to France without our copy of the Guide Officiel des Etapes Camping-Car. You could do worse than buy the English language Aires guidebook from Vicarious Books.
Most towns have a municipal site, but these can be somewhat "rustic", not a problem with your own on-board facilities.
We never overnight anywhere lonely, and never on an Autoroute. What we do do, every time, is enjoy ourselves, and I hope you do the same.

John

P.S. More stuff

If you're going to Provence you could do a lot worse than staying on the municipal at Bonnieux (Camping Le Vallon) Bonnieux is a small village perche with a jolly cafe, Cafe Clerici, a belting good butcher and a good boulangere. Markey day is Friday.
The village is a stiffish uphill march of about half a mile. You'll deserve your beer when you get to the cafe!
The positon, on the north slopes of the Luberon, not far from Apt, makes it handy for Mont Ventoux, Fontaine de Vaucluse and the like, and the Gorges de Verdon and Lac St Croix are also well within reach.

Suenliam

Hi Alfa_Scud - we don't even book in August and have only once had to resort to Plan B. Also you can do your driving distance by time if you see what I mean. 150 miles on the motorway is not much, but the same distance on local roads soaking up the local views and stopping if you see an interesting market in a village can take all day!

Unless we are "blatting" to get to somewhere specific for a particular time (unusual, but not unknown), we try to spend 2 nights on a site. This gives you a full day to explore without worrying about getting to a site. The number of small towns and villages in Champagne and Burgundy could keep you going for weeks if the weather was good. Unless you really like driving, I think I would leave Provence for next time.

I think I have to disagree with John about Municipal sites. We usually use them and their facilities. Most have been very clean and ideal for us as they are usually within walking distance of the village/town. Agreed not ideal if you want bells and whistles, but for clean toilets and showers and wash ups they are perfect for us.

Alfa_Scud - what ever you decide upon, enjoy the trip and enjoy the planning even if you don't stick to it!

Sue