We are looking at a site in France next year which has beach side pitches but am worried about getting stuck in the sand. Our MH is 4000kgs and we got stuck very easily in mud this weekend in a wet Cornwall. We dont plan to move off the france pitch throughout our 5 nights stay, any suggestions on what we do to prevent problems or is a case of stay away from sandy pitches?
------------- Thistledown Easter
Nantcol June
Domaine du Verdon Castellane and Etoile d'Argens Frejus Aug
Some one on here mentioned those bread crates. Cut the sides off and you have cheap mat thingys to stop you sinking and give you grip to get out. Just a thought.
------------- Beauty is in the eyes of the beer holder
On my favourite SW France coast campsite at Montalivet I have frequently seen motorhomes go down to their axles on sandy pitches. Yes you will get stuck if you drive onto a pitch that is bare sand.
What you need to do is find a pitch surrounded by trees, the pine needles fall onto the sand & over time form a thin hard surface which you can drive onto if you are careful, the pitches can be very up & down so take plenty of levelling blocks.
The good news is that large west coast campsites are well used to vehicles getting stuck so usually have a 4x4 vehicle or tractor with tow rope to pull you out. Often these campsites will have lengths of perforated metal to lend you, put these on the pitch & you can park on them.
Its common sense really, dont just roar onto the pitch(plenty do!)you will go straight down, examine the pitch carefully first & work out your best way on & off it.
------------- Sell my camper? I'd rather eat school semolina!
Those look the business!..I've been keeping my eye out for bread trays & for those plastic pallets that have been mentioned on here,for ages but with no luck..
One thing I would add is to make sure that you park up so that you are able get to your towing eye if needed..Sounds obvious but we have nowhere to fasten to,on the rear of our 'van(..the chassis towing eye being "buried" 6ft under the body!),so we have to try and park "nose out"...
this is a good option for grass, not sure if it would work as well on sand - it won't stop you sinking in - but may help you to get out.
saw a Hymer disappear upto its axles a few years ago in France - dreadful job trying to get him out, it was sloping and the van had to come out the same way he went in. Watched him go in - couldn't believe he was even considering that particular pitch, imo you have to be able to drive out over fresh ground not thrashing over an area you've already used
As you've noted my comments on pallets & bread trays i wont go over old ground, my thoughts on the subject of possible soft sand, is how about those half log edgeing rolls you can get from garden centres, the ones that are fastened together by wire this would give you a track to drive on. I've also seen these in poundland