Newbie Forums

cozzar

Hi all
My wife and I are living in mid France and after ages talking about buying a camper have finally taken the plunge. Just bought a new Chausson Flash 04 Top. Delivery is the first week in June and first trip is a short one to the Black Forest to learn.
Any tips from Chausson owners or from anyone for total beginners will be most welcome.
It will be strange not staying in a tent anymore though Smile

Andy

timbop37

Hi Andy

Welcome to MHF. I don't think you will be disappointed buying a motorhome. I'm sure you are very excited planning your first trip. There are a few Chausson owners on MHF, and a wealth of experience to answer questions on any other topic too.

Regards

Tim

Jagman

Welcome Andy and mrs andy, sounds great using middle of France as a starting point for mh-ing, its where many aim for! Have friends with Chausson Welcome and they are delighted with it.

If you really need any tips after camping a lot, which is great preparation, I would say don't rush anything, take your time, enjoy it. Rushing usually means not securing things, forgetting the hook-up is still connected, running out of gas, driving into overhanging tree branches, reversing into something more solid than your back end (which is most things!) etc. etc. - all the things you though you'd never do but which we all do from time to time! Depending on how your brain works a checklist for departure procedure can be useful at first - like a pre-take-off checklist for a pilot and have the vehicles dimensions written on something handy so you know immediately where it will fit when confronted by 'dimensions ahead' on a signpost.

Anyway - best wishes and happy mh-ing!

Dave

Rapide561

Hi

I would suggest you start planning a list of the things you will need in the new motorhome - some are obvious such as towels and linen, and also the smaller items that you may forget - can opener etc. There are various checklists on the forum.

Also, get clued up on what you need to have legally - paperwork, high viz vest etc.

Russell

Grizzly

Welcome both. I'm sure you'll very soon get used to the comforts and conveniences of a motorhome - especially on stormy or snowy nights !

Have you looked at the database of campsites and aires on this site ? Lots of good suggestions for places to stop.

G

cozzar

Thanks all will take everything on board. Nervous but very excited about the first (of many) outings. After the black forest its up to North France, then over to Belgium, home for a couple of days then Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and back. Good job I am self employed as there just arent enough days in the summer. Full report to follow.
Thankl again.
Andy and Mrs Haggis.

mercman451

welcome to mhf / take your time yes a list is great or leave it to her in doors then you know who to blame only joking.
enjoy years of m/homing it,s a great life and we are all here to help
all the best geoff & lyn

geraldandannie · Moderator

Hi Andy and Mrs.H

Well, what a superb choice you made! A quality motorhome, well tested and manufactured by a professional company. But then, I would say that, wouldn't I?

We love ours, and have found 0 problems since we picked it up last October. There's a few little improvements we want to make (we could do with more 240V sockets in easy-to-reach places), but the layout and storage is spot on for us.

We're heading over to Lake Garda at the end of July, but we'll be spending almost 2 weeks meandering our way back up through France. So looking forward to it.

Enjoy your travels.

Gerald

longman

Hi Andy & Mrs H

I echo Gerald's sentiments, great choice of van we took delivery of ours a couple of weeks ago and very pleased. We were also new to this but no problems. Well I say that, apart from the night of the first trip I thought I would move the van about 4 metres and thought I could leave the hook up cable plugged in as there was plenty of cable. Unfortunately the rear tyre ran over the cable and ripped it out of the socket - what an idiot I felt (brand new cable as well). Fortunately the plug broke rather than damage the socket on the van. So my only advice is don't try and be a smart arse like me.

Very best wishes

Andy

Grizzly