Advice for Those planning a first camping trip to France or elsewhere on the continent.
Firstly, it doesn't have to be complicated! You can simply book yourself a ferry (or even just turn up) and get over there. You'll find most towns have a municipal site, many of which do not operate a booking system, so you just turn up. You could ring ahead on the day to see how full they are, but that might spoil the fun.
Read on, and judge for yourself how much planning and booking you want to do. What follows is simply my advice based on the trips I've had, which obviously have been done the way I chose to do them.
I should state at this point that many members of UKCampsite.co.uk have contributed to this post, either directly or by giving answers on other threads. So “Big Thanks” to all. I won’t name them because of the risk of causing offence by omitting (or naming!) someone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Planning: I’m thinking of taking a camping holiday in France, taking my own car and new camping equipment; I’ve neither camped nor been to France before. What advice would you give?
A1: That’s going to be something of an adventure. My advice would be to get used to camping before you go because doing both for the first time would be too much for most. Or you could try going with one of the “pre-pitched” tour operators, the biggest being Eurocamp and Keycamp. With that type of holiday, the tent and equipment is already there; you just need to get yourself to the site. You can also book ferries or fly/drive arrangements with these operators.
Q2. Planning: I’ve done some camping in the UK, but now I want to go to France or the continent. Where do I begin?
A2: Decide which region/s you want to visit. Unless you’re going for ten years, don’t try to do the whole country in one trip. Take in to account how far you would be happy to drive.
Decide which crossing will best suit you. Cost will be a factor in this so you will need to price up some possible routes at this stage.
Decide what type of site/s you want to use (big and busy or small and quiet).
Decide whether you are going to book each element (ferry / site/s etc) directly yourself, or whether you would prefer the help of a tour operator to book all or just some elements.
Gather reference material about sites and do online research. If you are likely to use large sites, have a look at the Eurocamp and Keycamp brochures for site information, whether you are ultimately going to book through them or not. Take a look at Select Sites (now owned by the same leisure group as Eurocamp and Keycamp) and Alan Rogers which gives useful reviews of hundreds of sites. Masses of continental campsites have websites which can usually be found by doing a web search using the word “camping” and the name of the town or region that you want to visit; of course that route will give you site information but not a review. For caravanners, try the Caravan Club’s European Guide - http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/Overseas+Sites+and+Travel/Info+and+Publications/Caravan+Europe+Guide/
Tour Operators (useable for booking ferries and or sites) are:
http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/Category.asp?cat=44 (Known as Carefree Travel Sevice)
http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/
NB: Discounts can be had from both of the above if booking around the turn of the year.
Select Sites : http://www.select-site.com/
Alan Rogers: http://www.alanrogers.com/
Eurocamp Sites Abroad : http://www.sitesabroad.co.uk/
Eurocamp Independent : http://www.eurocampindependent.co.uk/
Keycamp: http://www.keycamp.co.uk/
Whilst all of the above can book ferry crossings at competitive rates, the ferry operators may be contacted directly:
P&O http://www.poferries.com/tourist/
Speedferries (only if not towing) http://www.speedferries.com/
Brittany Ferries http://www.brittanyferries.co.uk/
Seafrance http://www.seafrance.com/seafrance/opencms/uk/en/passenger/index.html
Eurotunnel http://www.eurotunnel.com/ukcp3main
Norfolk Line http://www.norfolkline.com/norfolkline
Ferry prices vary greatly and you are advised to shop around.
Other campsite finding resources:
The French section of the campsite search here on UKCampsite.co.uk: http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/county.asp?region=France
http://www.campingfrance.com/index.jsp?lg=uk
http://users.pandora.be/leo.huybrechts/camp1.htm
http://www.geotour.com/
http://www.les-castels.com/index.php?lang=en
http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/pj.cgi?lang=en
Q3: Planning: Is it best to stay at one site, or tour, and if I tour how long shall I stay at each site?
Only you will know, and probably only after a few trips to the continent. Everybody’s different and has different preferences.
Q4: Planning: Do I need to book all my sites in advance?
A4: Depends where and more importantly when you are going. If you going out of peak season then you may well be ok without reservations. However if you are going to popular destinations in peak season then you really need to book in advance. Some (mainly bigger) sites will take advance bookings at any time; some will only take summer bookings when they open in the spring of that year. Coastal sites generally get booked up for summer sooner than in-land ones. Advance bookings directly with sites will usually incur an admin fee and possibly some compulsory cancellation insurance.
Q5: What To Expect / Sites: What are French and other continental sites like? How big are the pitches? What are the wash blocks like?
A5: No easy simple answer to that. They vary so much. Just glean what you can from the references mentioned above about the sites you are visiting. If you have a large outfit of any variety you are advised to check in advance with the site (or tour operator if applicable) that they will be able to accommodate you.
French style hole-in-the ground toilets are still found in the facilities at most sites, and indeed at most public toilet facilities in the country. Few, if any sites will have these exclusively. They are currently no more popular with French users than with British. Even if the toilets themselves are of what we might call a conventional type, many sites do not provide toilet seats, toilet tissue or soap. Toilet cubicles and shower cubicles will often be used by both sexes, even if they are labelled as “men's” or “women's”. However the standard of cleanliness at campsite facilities is usually high. Again, a site review will indicate what the facilities are like.
Chemical toilet disposal facilities are usually good.
Laundry facilities are commonplace on French sites, but the use of washing machines can be expensive.
Charcoal barbeques are banned on some sites, particularly those in pine forests on the coasts.
All sites are closed to vehicles during the night hours, but there is usually a car park outside the barrier.
Q6: What To Expect / Driving: I’ve never driven abroad before. What’s it like to drive in France / on the right? And what about the “priority from the right” rule I’ve heard of?
A6: You’ll love the roads; they are generally straighter, better and most importantly far less crowded than most UK roads. Congestion does occur of course, in and around major towns and cities, particularly at rush hours and on Saturdays in August. Most of their road signs are similar to UK designs, or are self explanatory. Most confident drivers get used to the driving on the right fairly rapidly, and the same goes for navigating roundabouts, although the first one is always daunting.
Many of the driving regulations are the same over there as here, but you are advised to consult one of the driving institutions (AA or RAC) for further information. It is difficult to obtain a definitive list of regulations and requirements directly from the true authorities (i.e. the Transport Ministry or Traffic Police) of other countries, so you are advised to undertake as much research as you can. As a guide (according to my own research!), in France, you will need the following original documents in the vehicle with you:
Passport/s
Driving licence/s (old style green ones are still ok),
Vehicle Registration Document, V5 (or a Vehicle on Hire Certificate if you do not have it, e.g. if it is a company car),
MOT Certificate
Evidence of insurance, and possibly a green card (consult your motor insurer regarding these).
You must also carry:
a first aid kit (defined by some as the ability to give assistance in the event of an accident)
a warning triangle
a spare pair of glasses if you normally use them to drive.
a GB sticker on both the car and the caravan/trailer unless you have new style number plates carrying both the EU “Stars” logo, and the letters GB. If you leave the EU you will need the GB sticker regardless of the type of number plate used.
You are advised to carry spare bulbs and a high-visibility vest.
These rules vary from county to country; what is advisory in one might be compulsory in another etc. However for what these items cost you may as well take them, regardless of whether they are compulsory or just advisory.
You must have beam benders / blockers fitted to your vehicle headlights, even during the day. These should be fitted at the earliest opportunity, but at the latest before boarding the ferry. They are cheaper to buy at home than elsewhere. They can be complicated to fit, so rehearse at home, and if necessary refer back to the shop that supplied them; this saves a dusky French panic.
Speed checks are increasingly common, and can result in an on-the-spot fine payable in cash.
Switch headlights on when it rains.
Fuel, of all grades, was generally cheaper than in the UK, but prices now seem to be converging. Beware automated, card-only, forecourts as these commonly do not, yet, accept UK credit cards. Bear in mind too that most shops, and a minority of petrol stations within towns, are closed on Sundays, so keep your fuel topped up where possible. If you wish to research fuel prices over there: http://www.zagaz.com/index.php
Motorways have tolls, and toll stations can cause serious delays in peak season. Tolls are higher if you are towing a caravan. Most toll stations will take a UK credit card for a standard height car automatically; otherwise you will need a manned booth where you can use either a credit card or cash. Some toll stations do not take payment, but instead issue drivers with a ticket which is to be produced at the next toll station.
As for the priority from the right rule, this is not as widely used as it was several years ago. The rule was that vehicles joining the road you are on from your right had right of way over you. This applied at roundabouts too, meaning that those already on the roundabout gave way to those joining. Confirmation that the rule is not in force is given at most junctions by a sign which is a yellow diamond on a white background, or, when on the approaches to a roundabout by the text: “Vous n’avez pas la priorite”. The diamond sign with a line through it means the reverse, or the end of a zone where the rule doesn't apply. Do take extra care in town centres though because whether it is in force or not, some locals still drive by it.
Q6A What To Expect / Ferry: I am apprehensive about using a roll-on roll-off ferry for the first time. Is there anything I should know?
A6A: There’s nothing to worry about. Clear directions on where to go will be given by the crews. Leave your vehicle in gear or Park, and make certain the hand brake is ON. Lock the car, but do not set the alarm if that is an option. You will not be allowed on the vehicle decks whilst the ferry is at sea.
Gas appliances (eg fridges) must not be used on the ferry.
Q7: What To Expect / Driving: What are the motorway service areas like, and what about stopovers on those and on major roads?
A8: Motorway and trunk road services very similar to those in the UK are interspersed with more basic areas which can range from just a lay-by to having picnic facilities and a toilet block. All are called “Aires”.
The more comprehensive variety tends to have non-French style toilets, but there is occasionally a small fee to use them. These service areas get very overcrowded in peak season with large queues. Rudimentary “aires” tend to feature more French style toilets, and often rather exposed urinals for gents; they can often be rather dirty too.
Whether “Aires” are safe as a stopover point, particularly rudimentary ones, is a topic of fierce debate, and everyone has their opinion.
Sleeping in your vehicle at the roadside is not generally more risky in France than it is in the UK. With the exception allegedly, of when near to city centres and international borders.
Personally I prefer to plan worthwhile stopovers, and use either a campsite or a small hotel. If you prefer or indeed need something impromptu, my advice is to head for the centre of a small town, or possibly use the area immediately after a motorway toll station, where incidentally you can often get free air (gonflage) for your tyres. Use common sense and assess the security of a place before bedding down.
Q8: Planning: Where can I get route planning information and an idea of toll costs? Is it best to use motorways or major roads?
A8: Try "Via Michelin" or “Mappy” for recommended route, and toll charges.
As for motorway-or-not, it comes down to personal choice. Motorways tend to be very boring, whereas major roads may take you through the occasional rather nice town which may present an opportunity for a comfort break. It’s a case of trying both and seeing which suits you best.
Q9: Planning: The route planner takes me through or around Paris; would this be better avoided?
A9: Simple answer is yes. Inevitably the traffic around any capital is likely to be more congested, and this is exacerbated in France which has a very centralised road system. First-timers will find the Paris orbital, known as the Peripherique, to be something of an ordeal; if it is slow it is very slow, but if it is moving it is like a cross between Wacky Races and Starsky and Hutch. Junctions are very close together and easy to miss.
That said, many find it perfectly navigable, particularly at off-peak times, and prefer not to deviate from a direct route.
Q10: Health Insurance: Do I really need an E111, or its replacement the European Health Insurance Card, and/or personal medical insurance?
A10: The E111 is defunct, so no. However its replacement is vital in the event that you need medical assistance of any kind, but it will only get you rudimentary treatment. Medical insurance is not compulsory, but in my opinion it’s foolish in the extreme not to have it. I have the T shirt.
Q11: What To Expect / camping kit: What do I need to take with me? I’m frightened I might forget something.
Take with you what you normally take on any other camping trip or holiday. Arguably the only extra bits of camping gear you will need are electrical adaptors, more of which later. Many folks pack for their first overseas camping trip as though they are going to the moon; remember France has a far bigger camping population then the UK, and has shops to support that, often at lower prices too. Don’t get stressed over your packing list, don’t overload your vehicle, have a more comfortable journey and deal with any shortages when you get there.
Q12: What To Expect / Shopping: What are the supermarkets / hypermarkets like?
A12: Firstly, be aware that most shops, including hypermarkets, are closed on Sundays, and are thus busy on Saturdays and Mondays.
Most boulangeries are open Sunday morning and many on Sunday evening (they like their fresh bread!).
Super/hypermarkets do not generally hand out carrier bags, so you should take something in with you or buy a large re-usable bag with your shopping.
The requirement for a coin (1Euro) to release a trolley is the norm.
Fresh Pasteurised milk is not favoured by the French, and so is not stocked in anything like the volumes it is in the UK. More varieties of Sterilised than you can shake a stick at though.
Payment with UK credit cards is usually accepted, although the French Chip-and-Pin system is years older than ours and is different, and can sometimes give issues. It’s wise to take your passport in with you if you are doing a big shop in case ID is required.
Other than that, you’ll find almost everything you’d find in the UK, and much more besides.
It may be worthwhile researching the major supermarkets in your destination region before you go, for locations and opening hours (a minority, in tourist areas, may be open Sunday mornings):
http://www.auchan.fr/
http://www.e-leclerc.com/c2k/portail/storelocator/home.asp
http://www.carrefour.fr/magasin/trouver/?show=true
http://www.geant.fr/
http://www.intermarche.com/englishpage.aspx
Super U
Casino
http://www.france4families.com/Shopping.htm
Q13: What to Expect /Electric Hook-Ups.
The standard connector supplied these days with UK EHUs will be ok in some French sites but not all; some require an adaptor as though for use with a standard French domestic-type socket. These adaptor cables are widely available in UK, and French, camping accessory shops. That said, they can be expensive at campsite shops, so take a spare from home if you have space.
Note: some French sites’ electrical supplies are reverse-phase. You do not need to know what this means, but you do need to correct it if using UK appliances. So you will need a mains tester to establish if the supply is reverse phase or not (these too are commonly available at larger UK accessory shops), and if it is you will need an adaptor to correct it. These adaptors cannot be bought, but can be easily made by making up a short (6inch) extension to your regular EHU cable, but swap the live and neutral wires in ONE end. This adaptor should be clearly labelled as what it is.
Q14: What to Expect /Gas.
“Calor” gas is not available outside the UK, but if that is what you normally use, then just take a bottle with you. The French have an equivalent which requires a different regulator. Camping Gaz is widely available in the same formats as in the UK, and most campsite stores sell it.
Gas bottles are allowed on ferries and Eurotunnel, so long as they are shut off and secured down.
Q15: What To Expect / the language: I don’t speak the language, will I get by?
A15: You will survive, yes. It is common courtesy though to learn and to use as much as you can. If nothing goes wrong (car accident, lost child, robbery or an illness, for example) then you will get by with almost no language knowledge. However if you use the words for please, thank you, excuse me, yes and no, and numbers to ten (without sticking up the relevant number of fingers) you will get by, without, probably, upsetting anybody as a bonus. A phrase book or dictionary may well come in handy for the unlikely event that you get really stuck. You will find that most site receptionists, and many shop and café staff, in tourist hotspots particularly, speak some English, and are prepared to use it if necessary; by contrast you will find that many car mechanics for example do not speak any English at all.
You will find that many German and Dutch visitors to France do not speak any French, and get by with using their rather good English.
Top Tips:
- Documents: create, and take, a plastic file containing the following original documentation, and take a second containing copies of same: (ensuring you keep all documents safe)
Passports
European Health Cards – see the Department of Health website on the subject.
Driving licences
Travel insurance policy,
Invoice for the car
Invoice for the caravan or tent
Registration Document (V5) of car (see Government website if you don’t know what this is)
MOT certificate
Car insurance certificate
Green card (signed by the policy holder)
Caravan or tent insurance details
CRiS Documents (don’t keep these in the ‘van!)
Breakdown insurance policy
Trip itinerary
Ferry tickets out/ return
Booking confirmation, including addresses for all sites
Very recent photo of any children in the party, in case they get lost.
A motor-accident information form, which you will need to complete and exchange with third party drivers. Put this, with a biro, right at the front of your file so that you can find it easily; if the worst happens that will be by far the most stressful time of the holiday.
List of phone numbers, including all relevant banks for lost debit and credit cards, lost mobile phone and all relevant insurance companies (medical / car / caravan); leave a copy of this with a relative at home, and do not simply rely on storing these numbers in your mobile phone.
Some people have advised scanning all documents at home and having them accessible via personal webspace or email should copies be required whilst abroad.
- Don’t be fooled into thinking that there is a correlation between how far you drive and how good your holiday will be; this is simply not so. At the planning stage do not commit to over-long drives; know the limits of yourself and your passengers, and stay well within them. Keep in mind that an on-paper journey of 8 hours could well take 12. Take in to account relevant strike/pitching times for your outfit. Don’t underestimate the shear size of the country, which is easily done when looking at maps; Calais to St. Tropez is the same distance as North London to Edinburgh and back again.
- Consider using one of the following schemes to achieve paying favourable site fees in low season:
Camping Cheques
ASCI Card
Touring Cheques
- Take common-sense anti crime precautions. Being foreign you are seen as being a duck-out-of-water, and as such may be singled out for victimisation.
- If you’re new to driving on the right: many drivers come a cropper when pulling out of a service station or T junction, ending up on the wrong side of the road. Avoid this by forming the habit of waiting (within reason!) for a vehicle to pass in the direction you will be going and then simply follow it.
- Buy or borrow a guide book of the region or country you are visiting. Study it before the trip and ideally take it with you. Ditto; phrase book.
- Use your UK bank cash card to withdraw cash from French cash machines. This is inexpensive and reduces the need for carrying large amounts of cash on your person.
- Help your fridge to cope with the ferry crossing by putting in one or two large frozen drinks at home. These will act as ice blocks, but of course can then be enjoyed once off the ferry, making room for local specialities.
- Remember (it will be hard not to!) that many other Brits will be doing the same thing, and can be a useful source of help and reassurance.
Further Reading:
- All threads on this section of the UKCampsite.co.uk forum!
- Haynes “Driving Abroad”. http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=19161&langId=-1
- Department of Health Advice for Travellers: http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAdviceForTravellers/GettingTreatmentAroundTheWorld/EEAAndSwitzerland/EEAAndSwitzerlandArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4114793&chk=KCVYDZ
- The AA; http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/index.html, and
- The RAC http://www.rac.co.uk/?ac=PPC-A0005-A0014-A023
- if you’re taking pets: DEFRA
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Topic: Advice for continental first-timers V2
