# French Gas bottle



## witzend (Aug 22, 2009)

Hi having read the comments on refillable bottles I'm considering buying a gas bottle and regulator on arriving in France are there any pitfalls to this that anyone is aware of. Also is there any that are more generally available any comments welcome


----------



## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

Hi, I've used the LeCube French bottles for years now,never had a problem changing one in supermarkets and service stations, even in some small village shop. Nearest garage from the tunnel is a Shell.
curlyboy


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Intermarche 11kg propane bottle. Check the collar to see that is is propane and not butane - the cylinders are identical.

Cost - €1 (one) plus the cost of the gas. (Assuming the permanent "offer" is still running.)

Get one of these nifty adapters http://tiny.cc/btgu1 for a tenner before you go, and your standard Calor propane pigtail will fit perfectly.

Couldn't be a lot simpler, especially since if you are uncertain about the gas bottle fitting you can carry the adapter in your pocket and test fit it in the shop.

Dave


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We had hoped to be able to do this with each of the 3 vans we have owned so far but, despite extensive research and careful measurement we were unable to get any of the available continental bottles in our gas locker. Some would have fitted but we were unable to get them in through the gas locker door. 

So...check carefully ( dimensions available on many websites) before you set off, gas-bottle-less, for foreign parts.

We went for Gaslow in the end and have not regretted it.

G


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Good point Grizz.

The Intermarche one is exactly the same height as a 6kg Calor propane, and a little bit fatter.

49cm high by 30.5cm diameter.

Dave


----------



## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi.

Just to say if you use the 13 Kg bottles in the UK the french gas bottles fit straight into the locker. 

steve & ann. ---- teensvan


----------



## witzend (Aug 22, 2009)

[

We went for Gaslow in the end and have not regretted it.

G[/quote]
This was my first though but in France now it seems your not allowed to fill them


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

witzend said:


> This was my first though but in France now it seems your not allowed to fill them


Well we're only 2 weeks back from Spain,Portugal and France and we had no problems at all filling the tank in any of those 3 countries. We have a filler on the outside of the gas locker but no-one took any notice of what we did at any station. The only time we drew attention to ourselves was when we did not put the nozzle back firmly enough in the machine and the transaction did not register at the till. A man was sent over to park it properly and we paid.

G


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

witzend said:


> This was my first though but in France now it seems your not allowed to fill them


Don't panic Mr Mainwearing! 8O

We have had only about 3 reported refusals in the more than six weeks >> this thread << has been running.

It doesn't seem to be as serious a problem as was first thought - if it is in fact a problem at all??

More reports will be coming in as our members return from early season breaks in France.

Dave


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

witzend said:


> Hi having read the comments on refillable bottles I'm considering buying a gas bottle and regulator on arriving in France are there any pitfalls to this that anyone is aware of. Also is there any that are more generally available  any comments welcome


If you are passing near us in Portbail, I have several spare empty 13kg. French bottles and regulators.

Ray.


----------



## hymerbeliever (May 8, 2009)

Leclerc supermarkets will sell you a 6kg stubby pink bottle of Clairgaz butane for about 12.50 Eur including the regulator/adapteur and no deposit. Just go to the kiosk at the petrol station and give your address as being at the campsite.

The 11kg propane and 13kg butane are 7 Eur more. Click here:

http://www.e-leclerc.com/chateaubriant/votre+magasin/les+plus/clairgaz.asp


----------



## amydan (Sep 8, 2009)

*french gas bottles*

Can I get a french gas bottle in france without having one to exchange also what sizes are there. Costs if possible.


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

*Re: french gas bottles*



amydan said:


> Can I get a french gas bottle in france without having one to exchange


You can at Intermarche.  Don't know about any others personally, but members have often said they had no trouble getting one.



amydan said:



> also what sizes are there.


Physical or capacity? Suggest you Google. All the answers are there, and should be 100% accurate when provided by the manufacturers. (If your gas locker is small, precise physical sizes may be crucial to you. :? )



amydan said:


> Costs if possible.


For the cost of the Intermarche one, and the size and capacity, read my earlier posts on this thread.

Also have a look at >> this << excellent article by our own Rayhook.

Dave


----------



## hymerbeliever (May 8, 2009)

*Re: french gas bottles*



amydan said:


> Can I get a french gas bottle in france without having one to exchange also what sizes are there. Costs if possible.


see my post above yours with sizes and costs.

there's no deposit and you don't have to exchange or ever take it back but obviously you should exchange it to refill: that also avoids having to fill out another cylinder agreement.

Diameter wise, the 7 and 13 kg are the same....both slightly smaller in diameter than a calor 13kg and will fit in a Hymer locker without filing the door.


----------



## stevee4 (Oct 12, 2007)

*le cube*

I have used a Le Cube bought in france and swopped them there. I still have one in my garage including reg. I live in Eastbourne so not far from the Ports. If any one wants to buy it....make me an offer. 
I now have gaslow


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Zebedee said:


> Intermarche 11kg propane bottle. Check the collar to see that is is propane and not butane - the cylinders are identical.
> 
> Cost - €1 (one) plus the cost of the gas. (Assuming the permanent "offer" is still running.)
> 
> ...


Is it 11kG's Dave?

The Intermarche website sates

"Butane and propane Brand Energaz comply with the law and are therefore identical to the gas distributed by major national brands.
They are sold in bottles 9 kg for propane and 10 kg for butane. Practices, ergonomic handles allow easy handling. The bottles are equipped with standard valve, which fits all common facilities."

As well as the Inter/Eco/Bricomarche they are listed as being available at Netto and Roady too!

TM


----------



## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

The Calor 13kg Propane is too wide to get through my gas locker door but a Totalgas 13kg Propane goes in no problem. Last time I bought one in april this year it was €29 and is available at thousands of supemarkets.


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

teemyob said:


> Dave


Is it 11kG's Dave?

The Intermarche website sates

"Butane and propane Brand Energaz comply with the law and are therefore identical to the gas distributed by major national brands.
They are sold in bottles 9 kg for propane and 10 kg for butane. Practices, ergonomic handles allow easy handling. The bottles are equipped with standard valve, which fits all common facilities."

As well as the Inter/Eco/Bricomarche they are listed as being available at Netto and Roady too!

TM[/quote]
Quite correct TM.

I just had to go down the garden and check. 

Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa. :lol:

Dave


----------



## witzend (Aug 22, 2009)

*French Gas*

Thanks to all who replied on arrival in France we bought our gas bottles from Intermarche and regulator from same store the 1 euro deposit is still in force have had no problems changing them either and aren't fluent in French 9kg bottles at 18 euro


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Well done Witzend, and thanks for the feedback.

A bit of a concern at first, but after you have been to Intermarche and realised how easy it is, you wonder why you were bothered. :wink:  

Dave


----------

