# First timer abroad Eeek



## tumbleweed (May 18, 2007)

Hi its our first time heading through France to Italy via the eurotunnel and the only agenda is for us to be near Lucca for the first week of September.
Never having done anything like this before we would be grateful for any tips and advice.
Neither of us speak either language.
I have seen a lot about Aires but am confused as there seem to be different ones, and do they mind foreigners using them(I guess it will be peak summer time for them too)
Should I plot every stop on the route? and book up? (seems that might take the adventure away) 
Any suggestions for the first place to stop at? close to the eurotunnel please.
Those mountains look tricky are the roads through easy, or should we drop down to Marseille or Nice and travel the coast.
Will it be worth getting a pocket translator? sat nav? or can we wing it.
Is there a site that lists all the essentials, desirables and must haves.
Is fuelling easy with visa cards? can we access towns and supermarkets easily or are there height barriers like the UK? 
I also have a blue badge is it recognised abroad?
I sound so green, but hopefully if this trip goes well it will be the start of a long love affair with the continent and our new van.
Many thanks in advance.


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## solentviews (May 9, 2005)

tumbleweed, Welcome to the site. I am probably not qualified to answer your question but I did three weeks touring Belguim, France, Luxemborg and Germany last year over a three week period in August and had no problems with just winging it. My only recommendation would be to arrange to get to your stopping point late afternoon around 4ish. i did find that once it got to 6 there was invariably a queue for sites.
Enjoy the experience and safe travelling.
Ian


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Cor that's a few questions

Don't worry about the language, it helps to have a few words of greeting, and a "menu reader". For Aires, avoid the autoroutes for parking up at night (you should discount the stories of "gassing", but you are an easy target for break ins). Use the official "aires in villages & towns - look for the motorhome signs, and get hold of one of the aires books. look at the guide on here http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Aires.
If you can't find an aire you could use a local municipal site - a good bet and normally quite cheap. You'll find that the majority of filling stations take CC's; some French supermarket station (which are normally cheaper) only take French carte Bleu cards. Look for the Vis / Mastercard sign & you should be OK. 
If you drive through Switzerland on the autoroutes you'll need to pay the till; buy at the border.
Normally the continental towns & villages are much more motorhome friendly than in the UK (have you seen the number of MH's at the side of the road on the Tour de France?)
I think the blue badge is a eurpoe wide thing; some restrictions may apply in certain areas, like the UK.


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## tumbleweed (May 18, 2007)

bognormike said:


> Cor that's a few questions.


Sorry I cut it down honest :wink: 
I havn't heard about gassing, I gather its not an I've eaten too many beans thing!
I'll set the alarm and tracker when over there then, that way if I get abducted the exhasperated lady on the other end of the phone can call me and tell me where I am :lol: She will know us by name soon as hubby keeps sitting on the doohicky thats sets the alarm (silly thing should have a cover.)
French carte Bleu cards, never heard of them can I get one or will they take cash instead?, it might be in their interest too just in case we dont have enough fuel to get out of the filling station.


> have you seen the number of MH's at the side of the road on the Tour de France.


 Yes but assumed they belonged to the riders and helpers
Ian thank you for the welcome and early turn up advice 
Ohhh so much to learn and plan and sort, but so excited.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

"French carte Bleu cards, never heard of them can I get one or will they take cash instead?, it might be in their interest too just in case we dont have enough fuel to get out of the filling station."

If you use the autoroute / main road fuel stations you'll not have a problem; it's the small 24 hour ones (unmanned) and some supermarket ones that often only take the CB cards.


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

I would take the "Caravan Club continental touring guide". It is updated by members so the comments are usually helpful. Prices usually a guide but not exact.
It does,however, list practically every little ( and big) site.
I think that it is available to non-members. (It is in two volumes - you will need both as France is in one and Italy in the other)
ASDAC also do an excellent guide but it is in German and I have found it more difficult to get along with.

I like "camping municipal" and am not too keen on airs.

We do not usually book but you would need to in August at the popular places. Anywhere near water can be a problem. 
Watch out for Holidays on the continent: everything closes. (Even Cite de Europe at Calais) Fuel only on motorways.

Do enjoy yourselves we have been many times and when you get there it does not seem to much of a problem


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Relax Tumbleweed ! Whatever happens your holiday is not going to be a fraught as you imagine.

Language: Go on the BBC websites and try to get the basics ( Hello, Goodbye, where is ? etc) You won't actually need then as you can get buy with gestures and English but it will be appreciated if you try a little.

Aires: All are welcome to use the aires and you meet people from all over the world so it is great. Remember they are built often so that you shop or site see in the town or village and your euro is as good as anyone elses.

Plotting your route: We don't and prefer to go where the whim and weather takes us but we've done it before and know how easy it is. I'd book or plan my first and last night and then wing it but others prefer to know they are going to a specific site and so they can dawdle all day. Compromise and plan your next days journey and campsite the night before. Take several good campsite /aires guides to do this.

Mountains. Europeans have mountains down to a fine art and most toll roads across them are superhighways with very small if any gradients. You can go on the RN ( free) roads -like our A roads- but you'll very rarely find them too steep.

Pocket translators are hopeless IMHO except to give you a laugh or drive you mad. A few pocket dictionaries are necessary though. Satnavs are VITAL. They are very good, can be set to take you to the door of where you want to go and avoid the 33 circuits of a foreign town while you all get more and more hot and angry. Take maps though and keep an idea of where you are in mind. It's a good idea in case you lose the satellite and you're on your own.

Fuelling is easy with a Visa card except at weekends. Most supermarkets 
have pay at the cabin and that is no harder than at home. At weekends however the pumps are only self-service and it is easier to make sure you have a tank full on Saturday lunchtime. All motorway service stations stay open all w/e and they are not really more expensive than supermarkets.

Blue Badges are recognised all over Europe in exactly the same way as at home.

Enjoy your trip. I'm sure you will. Keep a diary of it and you can enjoy it several times over.

G


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## babyrhino (Oct 19, 2006)

I had never been in a motorhome to Europe until spending four months there recently and we are just on a short pit stop back in the UK before returning for more! Take it from me - you will make a few mistakes and feel silly every now and then but really it is very straightforward - we wild camped a lot of the time as well.

In answer to one of your questions, if you want to stop overnight straight after your crossing try the aire at Gravelines - it is up near Dunkirk but not a great distance from the tunnel and it is quite pleasant - right next to the marina.

There are no services at the aire but there is a full service point at a municipal site up the road - don't suppose you'd be needing services that soon, though!

Brian


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

PS
Height barriers: Some supermarkets - especially in northern France- are putting up barriers. They usually provide somewhere for MHs to park but they don't always make it clear where this is. Remember that the shopping areas in France are a lot bigger than most in UK so there will usually be somewhere in someone else's car park to stop if you don't mind a short walk to get the shopping.

There are lots of threads on MHF ( see Search) which will advise about what to take by way of reflective jackets, documents etc

G


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## tumbleweed (May 18, 2007)

You are all so helpful and inspiring I really do appreciate it and will print out all the reply's to ponder over.
Just ordered a Guide Officiel des Aires de Services Camping-car
2007 issue, hopefully it will arrive in good time and sent son to buy a garmin satnav he uses one so can help program me in 

Now to learn a few phrases if I can find the BBC links


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## tumbleweed (May 18, 2007)

Just occured does anyone access the net from their motorhome and if so how?


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Net access*



tumbleweed said:


> Just occured does anyone access the net from their motorhome and if so how?


Hi

I use laptop and datacard, or, wireless when available.

Russell


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Hi Tumbleweed - can't really add anything substantial to the above. However, the supermarket height barriers are not really a problem as you will probably find an entrance somewhere. For instance at the Beaune Le Clerc you go in the out if you see what I mean. Seems not right at first, but we have done it regularly for years now and no one bats an eyelid. We just join the rest of the MHs in that part of the car park! 

If you find you are not too keen on aires, try to find municipal sites. Most small towns (and big ones) have them. They are usually cheap, clean and very friendly. If you stick to the inland route you will probably not have any trouble just turning up around 4pm even in August. The only time we have ever booked was to get a particular pitch on a particular site when friends flew out to join us for a week in the Dordogne. 

Fully recommend the CC site book for France. Vol 1. Bit confusing about the location of the entries. They list them under the nearest main town and they say they are Xkms from there. Easy when you get the hang of it. Sorry can't speak for the Italian section in Vol 2. 

Lots of people in my home town either come from Lucca or have hol. homes in the area so we are also interested in going there in the MH (of course) probably next year to see what they are raving about. Would be very grateful if you could let us know how you get on. We are very experienced in France, but novices anywhere else on the Continent. 

Wave to all the MHs you pass and the majority will respond enthusiastically. 

I'm sure you will have a great time. Safe and happy travelling. 

Sue


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Suenliam said:


> We just join the rest of the MHs in that part of the car park!


Good advice here. Motorhomes are like flocks of birds. They do tend to roost together and, even in an otherwise nearly empty car park you'll always find them parked together while the owners do their shopping. We reckon its a sort of safety in numbers syndrome. It does mean it is usually quite easy to find a place to park - look out for the white vans.

If there are no "indicator vans" then the Europeans are usually more relaxed about parking than we are here and so parking in among coaches or lorries is not a capital offence. The rule seems to be that you are left alone if you are not blocking the entrance to something or causing an obvious hold up.

G


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