# First trip tp France



## bothwell (Jun 27, 2011)

Hi, we've recently bought our first motorhome, and are off to France in July for a couple of weeks. I am looking for a bit of advice on a couple of things. Firstly, regarding electric hook-up on the sites in France, do I need a different connector for my mains hook up lead? Don't want to arrive with my UK lead and find it won't connect! Secondly, I have been told that it is difficult to exchange gas cylinders in France. I have a Chausson Flash 03 and it only has a gas locker for one cyclinder. The cyclinder has been used a bit recently and I am concerned that it might run out whilst abroad. Has anyone got any experience of exchanging cyclinders abroad? Thanks for any advice/tips, and if anyone has any other general tips for a stay in France they would be most welcome

Dean


----------



## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

Welcome Dean
Two years ago we were in your position of planning our first motorhome trip to France, and now we're planning our 4th. 

The hook-up points on some French sites will fit our hook-up leads but on others they use what I believe is the standard French plug connection. You can buy an adaptor for your hook up lead to fit the latter. I imagine most places you can buy hook-up leads will also have the adaptor.

There are issues around changing gas bottles which others on here are more qualified to answer, so I'll leave it to them. You could also try searching the forums on here. We haven't had a problem but we have room for two bottles and tend to stay on sites with hook-up so can minimise gas use.

Chris


----------



## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Hi Dean



bothwell said:


> Firstly, regarding electric hook-up on the sites in France, do I need a different connector for my mains hook up lead?


You should take an adapter lead with you. Something like :: this :: should do you.



bothwell said:


> Has anyone got any experience of exchanging cyclinders abroad? Thanks for any advice/tips, and if anyone has any other general tips for a stay in France they would be most welcome


Yes, they don't have the same sort of cylinders in France.

Which size of cylinder do you have? If you're using hookup, and in July, you probably won't be using much gas. If I were you, I'd exchange the one you have for a full one, and you should be OK. I _seem_ to remember a 13kg cylinder lasting us several weeks in the summer. You (hopefully) won't be using heating, and if you use campsite showers, you won't want to heat any water. We now have a Gaslow refillable system now (available from Outdoorbits, subscriber discount :wink: ) so we don't need to worry.

Gerald


----------



## higgy2 (May 5, 2009)

Make sure you have extra EHU cable as on some sites you
can be a distance from the Campsite electrics. 

At Archiac in the Charente we were about 50 yards away from 
where you plug in.


----------



## Jagman (Feb 16, 2008)

Hi Dean

Just got back from France, wish I was going with you! Agree with Gerald (as usual  ) you will need the two-pin adapter plus consider buying an additional cylinder so you always have full one available, and you can run the current one right down to the last gasp knowing you've got a spare in the shed.

If you run out on a day trip its a minor inconvenience which can be rectified as soon as you return home, if you are going for longer eg your France trip, put the full cylinder in anyway and you know you've got lots of gas. 

A full cylinder can last me a year with six or seven weeks of use but we do have an electric toaster (cheap tesco basic type £5) and kettle (specially bought low power job - not the one from home 8O )which we use on hookup to save gas and get best value out of the ehu fee.

Don't know how much experience you've had driving on the right but I find it useful to have wife reminding me for a couple of days every time we turn, negotiate a roundabout, overtake anything or turn left at a T-junction. Its the one time I don't mind her commentary on my driving  . One of my sons drives regularly on the continent and says even he usually makes one or two mistakes early in his trips. Just driving along is no problem, its when you change direction that the brain usually defaults to the left 

Why do those bl**dy French drivers keep flashing me ... oops!

Have a great time, you'll find loads on here if you've got time to search - good thread on toll roads developing right now.....


----------



## thegamwellsmythes (Jul 29, 2008)

We are just back from 2 weeks in Germany and took 2x6kg full propane bottles with us. We are still working our way though the first one as we had EHU every night and only used the gas for cooking and warming water up. I would guess you'll be OK with one bottle but you could get another small one and stick it in a cupboard.

Can't comment much on the hook up cable but we did take an adapter only to find all of the German hook ups were the same type as the UK. France is a different place though ..... obviously.


----------



## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

2 6kg propane bottles will last us about 8 weeks in July and August, that includes about a third of the time on hook up. However I carry a spare blue camping gaz bottle and regulator just in case.

As for EHU adaptors, 2 pin are easily availabe, although I can't recall many occasions when we used them. The only extra bit of kit for EHU is a long cable, 15m may not be enough, we carry 2 cables and have had cause to use them connected together more than once.

Have a good time.


----------



## Double-Entendre (May 19, 2009)

Hi.

As previously, you'll need to get the plug adapter for the electric hookup. Simple thing that is basically a very short extension cable with a French plug at one end.

As for the gas, if you only have a locker for one bottle, my advice would be to leave your Brit gas bottle at home. As soon as you get off the ferry, there is a Carrefour supermarket in Calais (At the junction of Avenue Georges Guynemer and Rue Yervant Toumaniantz - if you have a Garmin GPS, send me a PM and I'll send you a Waypoint). 

Buy a bottle of Butagaz (The "Le Cube" fits the same space as a 7kg uk bottle). They work on the same deal as here, in that you leave a deposit on the bottle but you'll get that back in full when you return the bottle after 4 weeks. 

The Carrefour is open from 09.00 to 19.00hrs and you buy your gas from the Petrol Station part (Ideal, cheap fill up for the French trip too, not to mention doing all your food shopping as well - then you're fully stocked with all types of fuel and have no more stops 'till you're "There"  )

Regarding the Regulator, Butagaz very often give you one FOC with your bottle, as an "Offer" but if not, the same sumermarket will sell them. Have a scroggie or whatever tools you need, handy to swap your regulator and hey presto, no gas issues! (Other than if you are desperate for a cuppa on the way to Dover :wink: 

Hope this helps


----------



## ralph-dot (May 10, 2005)

higgy2 said:


> Make sure you have extra EHU cable as on some sites you
> can be a distance from the Campsite electrics.
> 
> At Archiac in the Charente we were about 50 yards away from
> where you plug in.


This is very good advice, we have needed it more than once


----------



## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

adonisito said:


> As for EHU adaptors, 2 pin are easily availabe, although I can't recall many occasions when we used them.


It's been a while since we used hookup, but I suppose we needed the 2-pin adapter for less than 5% of the time. Most of the sites use the large blue connector.

Good advice about the extra hookup cable.

Gerald


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

•For your first trip to France , this may be usefull



L’accueil =Office or reception. 
Carrefour =Crossroads. 
L’eau Water	=Poids 
lourds =	Heavy vehicles.
Eaupotable =	Drinking water.	
Rond-point=	Roundabout.
Eaunon potable	=Non drinking water. 
Sortie	=Exit.
Eauvidange=	Water emptying.	
Prendre	=Take.
Eauusees	=Waste water.	
Suivre	=Follow
Jeton	=Token. 
Tout droite=	Straight On
Horrodateur=	Ticket machine.	
Centre ville=	Town Centre
Poubelle	=Rubbish bin.	
Flechage	=Arrows/Signpost
Ordure	=Rubbish. 
Plage =Beach
Etape	=Stopping place. 
Ouest	=West
Camping-car =	Motor home.	
Est	=East
Camping-cariste=	French Motor homer.	
Peage	=Toll
Parkinggratuit =	Free parking.	
Autre directions=	Other Directions
Emplacement	=Pitch or site. 
Toutes directions	=All Directions
Ouvert	=Open. 
Travaux	=Road Works
Ferme	=Closed. 
Campinginterdire=	Camping forbidden. 
Mairie	=Town hall. 
Billet=	Ticket. 
Tirez=	Pull. 
Poussez=	Push 
Pacques	=Easter 
Ete	=Summer 
Hiver=	Winter 

Syndicate d’iniative =Tourist ,
Office de tourisme =Information.
WC Chimmique =Cassette toilet emptying.
WC Fixes =Toilets. (on an aire).
Aire sans parking= Aire without parking.
Pas emplacements =without pitches or parking.

Dave p
It was initially on a spread sheet but did not upload correctly. But easy to print and take with you.


----------



## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

Hi To be totally ssorted for france take a stanard mains hook up lead and a euro to UK adaptor (about a fiver from caravan shope.
Also get a UK plug and socket and connect these with a short length of cable but wire the live and neutral in reverse.
Mark this up with a sign or dymo tape "warning reverse polatiry" or similar.

Some site have reverse polarity and your mains unit charger may not like it. ising this short cable you can correct it quickly.
(you can rewire your existing cabnle if you want but this is quicker)

If you only have space for one bottle get a camping gaz 906 0r 907 and regulator as these are in mearly all french supermarkets...just sitting on the shelf

You can take just the reg or buy one there if you think the main one may not run out but then you have to connect this to the flexible pipe in the locker.

or you could got for refillable bottle NO dont say it.....

Phill


----------



## jonse (Nov 2, 2008)

*France*

Being flashed is normally a speed trap ahead could be a mile or less mostly on entering a village or town but can also be on the exit, just raise you hand to acknowledge don't flash back


----------



## CaGreg (Mar 28, 2007)

When starting motorhoming life, it is a good idea to make a note of when you start a full bottle of gas and see how long it lasts. From then on it's easy to know if you will have enough gas for a trip. We know that our bottles last between 23 and 28 days but they are only teeny tiny ones. 

France is eeeeeaaasssssyyyy!

Ca


----------



## midlifecrisismil (Sep 27, 2009)

Hi there

Came back from France end of May. Stayed on two campsites and our EHU cable worked at both places so no need for a two pin extension where we stayed.

Our MH has two gas cylinders but depends on how much you need the gas. We spent 12 days in France and our bottle was not full before we went. Is a 6kg bottle and lasted till we came back to England. If you are only cooking with it it's not going to use much. Perhaps take a full bottle with you.

Roads in France are brilliant have wonderful time.

Milly


----------



## stephenpug (Sep 18, 2008)

we usually get thru 2 gas bottles when we go to france and we only use it to run the fridge and hot water for cooking we use a one ring gas cooker from tow sure the one that you put the little gas canisters in


----------



## CaGreg (Mar 28, 2007)

Is it just me or does anyone else think that 'Poubelle' is such a pretty word for a rubbish bin. We discussed this at length in a French bar one night. The bar owner said her favourite English word is 'Fluffy'.

I said if I had a dog I would call her 'Poubelle' and she said if she had a dog she would call her 'Fluffy'. It's amazing what conversations take place after alcohol is consumed!!

Ca


----------



## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

CaGreg said:


> Is it just me or does anyone else think that 'Poubelle' is such a pretty word for a rubbish bin. We discussed this at length in a French bar one night. The bar owner said her favourite English word is 'Fluffy'.
> 
> I said if I had a dog I would call her 'Poubelle' and she said if she had a dog she would call her 'Fluffy'. It's amazing what conversations take place after alcohol is consumed!!
> 
> Ca


Then with my profound understanding of the French language.
Poubelle translates literally into English as 'beautiful stink'


----------



## Tone2 (Apr 15, 2010)

OK, first European trip coming up and I've been reading this and other threads - even other forums and websites - about French adapters, carrying two of them with one rewired to correct reverse polarity, and I get all this.

But if I find that I don't need an adapter because the EHU bollard will accept my usual cable, can I assume that reverse polarity won't happen. Or do I need to carry a short lead wired to correct it on these bollards too???

T :?: ny


----------



## captinb (Mar 23, 2006)

*France*

We've been travelling to France for over ten years now and have found many newer EHU points are wired with the polarity the right way round. We do however carry a short lead with a single 3 pin socket into which we plug a polarity tester (usually around £10 from camping accesory shops), this will tell you if polarity is reversed or in some rare cases if there is no earth.

France is a joy to travel in as you have access to many aires where overnight parking is cheap and sometimes free, the sites are often in the very best locations although EHU is rare.

Hope you have a great time.


----------

