# First time taking our motorhome to France



## 125422

My wife and I would like to take a two week holiday to France (Normandy) in our Motorhome in June 2010, it would be our first trip abroad with it. We would be grateful for any information on sites that you can reccomend, as well as any tips or pit falls to look out for.
Kind regards, MAD 1.


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## tonyt

Well I could give you a whole list of tips but for now my top one would be to spend a tenner and subscribe to MHF then spend the following weeks/months browsing all the French campsites loaded here by other members and the numerous posts to similar requests of the past.

France - you'll love it.


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## rayc

I can recommend the camping Municipal at Falaise. It is set below the castle and Falaise is a smart small town with lots of WW2 history.
http://www.falaise.fr/tourisme/le-camping/

Ray


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## pippin

France?

Sites?

With a motorhome?

Thousands to choose from!

Depends on what you want, but unless you want all-singing, all-dancing (literally - discos into the small hours) then _Camping Municipals _are a good bet.

If you are touring around then use the _Aires de Repos de Camping-Cars_ which are (often) free and again to be found everywhere.

A lot of us use a mix of _Aires_ and _Municipals_.

France is motorhome heaven.


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## PeterandLinda

Hi

First, do you want to stay on campsites or pay much less to stay on Aires?

In either case go on t'internet and buy some guides. Despite threads elsewhere, Vicarious Books are the recognised source in the UK for travellers in Europe.

We would suggest that you first try camping on a campsite near to your arrival point, get used to the French way of doing things, work out your adapters, remember to take toilet paper with you to the toilets, learn to say Bonjour, etc. etc. then when you feel confident, try a night on an Aire.

P&L


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## Bob45

*First time taking our motorhome to france*

First of all you will love it. France/Normandy is great for motorhomes.
We stayed on a lovely site called Le Brevedent at Blangy le Chateau - it is in the Caravan Club Europe 1 book page 204. 
There are many sites to choose from so no problem.
Bob


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## hblewett

I'll second tonyt's comment. There's loads I could tell you, but the best to say is we have been motorhoming for two years, so till then were newbies. In the last two years we've been all into Europe several times, going as far as Croatia in our first year. This year we're off to Morocco. All this armed with info from this site. It will be the best tenner you ever spend!


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## tonka

tonyt said:


> Well I could give you a whole list of tips but for now my top one would be to spend a tenner and subscribe to MHF then spend the following weeks/months browsing all the French campsites loaded here by other members and the numerous posts to similar requests of the past.
> 
> France - you'll love it.


I'll second this suggestion.. There are so many posts here on MHF ref this subject just keep reading .... June, great month to go...


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## windyspark

I would suggest buying " All the Aires France" from Vicarious books.

A must have book for touring France


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## janni

*First Time in France*

So much to do and see. You could spend months just in Normandy alone. Look at www.campingcar-infos.com where all the Aires in any area are listed. Over the last few years I have downloaded all the entries and then printed off copies of the maps. I then know what's available and usually have a choice of 3 or 4 places to stop at.

Have a great time

Jan-ai


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## Penquin

For a "quick" run through of a few things to think about you would do well to have a glance through the Continental Touring - France Touring selection of threads many and numerous and with a VAST amount of information in there!

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/forum-125.html

You have got 30 pages of threads there which will save you getting bored for the next few weeks! :lol:

Seriously though there are some excellent posts in that section tackling the same sort of points, with many different ideas, excellent suggestions and even a few warnings of things to avoid! :lol:

It all depends on where you want to cross the Channel - there are different possibilities if you go to Calais then if you go to Roscoff. :?

We love going to France and have found that "le camping car" is welcomed wherever - often with free parking where ordinary motorists have to pay! They welcome MH virtually everywhere, and are very tolerant of "les anglais" - particularly if you can speak even a little French - or just try. Children are welcomed - it is common to split a meal in a restaurant between two children and attracts no adverse comments - or charges! :lol:

Fuel is also cheaper than UK - although that does depend on conversion rate, but do use hypermarkets for fuel purchases, not autoroute service areas! 

Enjoy planning, and carrying out, your trip, but do build in "slack" time - you will want to stay and not want to move all the time! :lol:

With that sort of quality, and quantity of information available you will see why spending the tenner to subscribe to this site will bring a massive return for the small sum involved in becming a full subscriber. :lol: It was the best £10 we spent on our MH !

Dave


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## BarneyDormobile

*First time in France*

Hi

I'm also new to camper/Motorhomes, but have been camping and caravaning in France all my life. If you like things laid back, you will love it.

The above websites are great for MH's but we have always used the Michelin Camping book for Campsites. As said above, the Municipal Campsites in France are very hard to beat. We now only use Municipal sites and the Michelin book is the best one we have found for these sites.

If your going to D Day beaches, the campsite at Cruelly is very good and the bistro next to the church is highly recommended. We have also heard good things about the site at Falaise, but never been.

We normally come off the ferry and then go where the weather is good. The only thing we ever book is the ferry. Never yet not got into a site.

Camping in all its forms is a National past time in France and nearly every village has a site or a MH park. All of which are normal very good. Put British sites to shame.

Cheers Mick


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## Mike48

My advice is not to think like a caravanner and feel that you have to book sites and plan every stage of your journey. A motorhome is the journey. You visit somewhere - you like it - so stay a couple of days then move on. If you dont like where you are - again move on.

There are very many Aires in Normandy and if you go further West you will find Brittany is motorhome heaven with Aires where you can overnight and replenish your water and dump your waste in just about every town.

There are plenty of campsites as well. If you like campsites then buy the ACSI book with discount card giving you discounted sites at 11, 13 or 15 euros a night. It is an off peak card but can be used except in July and August. Link here:

http://www.campingcard.co.uk/gb/en/home/uc33-l2-n253/


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## mygalnme

Hi, I'll bet you one thing once you have been you will go again..  
Apart from toilet roll someone mentioned, take a universal plug for showers and sinks, as some places do not have them, especially Municipal sites which are very good. Too many sites to mention, but one thing we found a bit confusing the first time we went were the signposts :!: They look as if you need to turn left but in fact you go straight on...don't worry you will have fun. Happy motoring and Bon voyage.


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## cronkle

If you have a sat.nav you may find the Archies campsite POIs of use.

Here is a link to the site:

http://www.archiescampings.eu/eng1/


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## Zebedee

I think Mad1 must have gone to France already! :wink: :lol: :lol: 

He hasn't been back to look at the replies since making the original request!! 8O 

Dave :lol:


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## blondy

Another good book is, caravan club Europe 1, it lists thousands of sites all used by members, this is our main book as we like cheap sites where we can spread ourselves around , and also have good facilities.
Have fun.O, one more thing, always have a smile on your face it saves having to learn french.


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## suedew

Have been looking at this thread, but where to go in February or are we now the 'Mad Ones' 
Sue


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## GEMMY

Well, we're off over on our usual Easter trip trip for 18 days; I don't regard us as mad. :lol: 

tony


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## suedew

Our first time abroad in the motorhome, will be fun.
Sue


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## mygalnme

No Sue, go for it, we are off in early March and hope the weather has improved, some friends are in Northern Spain and its not too good at the moment. They are on a rally and some are only just getting through having been marooned in France, so long as you are safe it all adds to the fun....oh the joys of camping   
Margaret


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## TheBoombas

As the previous posts have stated. There is just too much to list and do in France and it is just so easy to do it the French are a nation of campers and places to stay or stop over are nearly in every town & village.
What we do is have a couple of books, a map and programme all the POI's for the aires into the sat nav. Then we just go were we like with no real destination in mind, if we see something we like along the way we stop and look up the nearest Aire on the sat nav (There never too far away) and then we stop and explore. Never had a problem always made to feel welcome.
In one vilage they had moved the Aire, and we were looking & looking for it! then a french man just pulled up and opened his window and said "you want Aire" we said yes and then he indicated for us to follow him, and he took us a few hundred mts around the village to a lovely brand new Aire. 

The Boomba


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## drcotts

Normany is a lovely place for the first trip so you will be fine.

For a start the roads are so quiet. You will hate it when you get back with everyone cutting you up. Its so laid back the problems you thing you will have driving on the other side of the road will all go in a few mins.

There are plenty of aires down the coast charging from nothing to about 6-7 euros. you can even park on the beach car park at Mont St Michelle with it in the backround for 8 euros but there will be about 50-60 vans there with you but theres plenty of room.

Most of the aires are either on the beach or near the beach as well as inland.

The camperstop book is Ok but its not kept as up to date as well as say www.campingcarinfos.com is or the other many good web site are. you will turn up occasionally to find nothing there.

Other than that its fine. We are going 12/13t June too - cant wait.

Phill


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## 125422

*First time taking our motorhome to france*

Hi like to thank every body who has contributed, we have obviously a lot to learn and we will definenatly subscribe to MHF. Cheers MAD1


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## drcotts

We are all still learning so dont worry. Theres no rush esp in France

Phill


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## barryd

I would do a week in Normandy and a Week in Brittany. Dont book anything and dont waste your money on campsites. France is basically free for motorhomes.

We tend to just look for a wild camping spot first and if we cant find anything we like we just program the sat nav to take us to the nearest Aire. Sombody said get All the Aires France book from Vicarous books. Good advice its your MH bible in France.

Heres some pics of places we stayed in France last summer that were fab and cost nothing.

An Aire by a river somewhere in the middle of France (cant remember where)










Wild camping spot Brittany










A lovely free Aire in Normandy










Wild camping on the River Tarn (South of France / Mid Pyranees)










Wild camping on the Loire Valley










And wild camping back in Brittany again










Do you still want to go on a campsite?


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## bikers

As well as Aires, have a look on internet at "France Passion". Free one night stops on farms, vineyards etc. They hope you will buy something from the farm shop and we always do. Some very interesting experiences, so it depends how adventurous you are. You cannot book in advance but we've never had a problem.

On more mundane matters, if you're taking any UK electrical appliances, take spare fuses for plugs. They don't use that sort in France.

Do try to speak some French to the locals and they'll meet you more than half way. Don't shout at them in English!

Lovely MH friendly country with MH service point in nearly every town for emptying water etc. and often free.


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## barryd

I should perhaps also point out that not all Aires are as Idyllic as the impression I painted in the earlier post. When we were back in Brittany in August I took a picture of the sea side Aire at Erquy as we were just gobsmacked by the number of vans there crammed in so tightly. Just up the road about a mile or so there was some lovely wild spots that only had a couple of vans in them. You will find that in the height of the season popular Aires can look like this but there are some fab free aires to be had just a little of the beaten track which will be quiet even in the height of summer. If you have your own transport such as a scooter like we have or push bikes then you have the freedom to park in quieter places.

The packed aire at Erquy Brittany


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## mw0ctx

Hi All. Just Joined. so don't know what to do. Thinking of going to france next year so a lot to learn. Will be very grateful for some help. What to do. And what not to do. We have not been before. My very best Regards to all Bry/kath


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