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Topic: Storing Caravan in France

karende

16/9/2013 at 11:00am
Location: Uk
Outfit: Swift conquerer 550

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We have been regular visitors to France now for many years always taking our folding camper with us, however this year we have decided that we want to store a carvan on the site we use Le Logis Du Breuil in the Royan region.

We have bought an older carvan which we plan to take over to France next May and leave it there and we will go again in August but we are wondering what gas regulator we would need for France we have always took gas with us in the past so never had to purchase any before.
Plus any other advise on storing the caravan in France would be very welcome.

Many thanks

Karende

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Jack+Jon

16/9/2013 at 11:50am
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If your caravan is sited for summer use, your cheapest option would be any French 13kg butane bottle, any of the French gas suppliers do these. google for websites, Antargaz, Primagaz, Butagaz, but cheaper will be same size own brand bottles from Carrefour or E.Leclerc supermkts. These have a very cheap price for bottle, only a few €s + cost of contents slightly cheaper than Calor.

I think you will find that all the 13kg French butane bottles use the same screw on regulator as the 4.5kg Calor butane bottles so you can bring one of these from the UK including hose & jubilee clips.

Regulators are available from supermkts in France but seem to be twice UK price & the hoses have screw on fittings & are about 3 times UK price.

If you want smaller French bottles then these, depending on make use either 20mm or 27mm clip regulators, same fitting on either butane or propane bottles but different regulators of course. You can buy 27mm clip propane regulators in the UK as BP bottles & some Calor bottles use them but beware that Calor 21mm clip regulators will fit French bottles but should not be used as 20mm clip is correct size.

Additional info about gas hose. As I said French regulators & hoses use screw fitting that come with the hose. French regulators are usually, but not always supplied with additional screw on nipple to allow UK type hose & jubilee clip. Your UK caravan will also have a nipple for push on hose so to avoid changing this or buying expensive hose in France & possibly having to cut of 1 or both screw end fittings, bring some hose & jubilee clips from UK even if you want a smaller French bottle & have to buy a regulator in France.

Post last edited on 16/09/2013 12:50:22

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Regards, Jack+Jon.

askill

16/9/2013 at 6:13pm
Location: very near Portsmouth
Outfit: None Entered

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Hi Karen! How exciting - good for you. As you know, we have stored ours at Logis for 5 years (I think, it may be longer) and have always been pleased with the storage arrangements. We paid 250 euros this year and the insurance for the caravan (through MMA, office in Royan) was 80 euros.
You have seen our caravan so you know it's not brand new, but over the years it has provided a comfortable base for our holiday. It's so easy to arrive with the caravan already on the pitch and setting up is generally quick. Packing up takes longer though, as the van has to be thoroughly cleaned before we leave it there. Plus we have no towing hassles.
As for the gas, we have taken a UK bottle down so we use a UK regulator. We will be switching to a new French bottle and a French regulator next year (if we go, we're undecided as our children are older and no longer wish to come). The time may be near for us to sell up; you may well see our van with a A Vendre sign up on the field by the bar.
Good luck with everything and if you need any more information just ask.

Val A

16/9/2013 at 8:01pm
Location: West - North Yorkshire
Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate

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We use UK gas too - but we use hardly any gas as we cook outside with a double electric ring, and a mini oven.

We store our caravan inside a barn, English owned, between Chateauroux and Vierzon, but have actually just brought the caravan back home as it needs some work on the brakes and a replacement large stay on the front window. We took spares with us to do the work whilst we were there but unfortunately they were the wrong ones.

We're happy storing our van in France and it seemed strange to bring it back this time.

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Kelper

17/9/2013 at 12:01pm
Location: Northern Ireland
Outfit: Sterckeman Alize Concept CP480

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I quite agree with Val ... not having our FC permanently parked beside the house, and securely under cover in a modern, secure, dry and superbly maintained facility for 185 euros a year (he even greases hitch, steadies and wheels before you arrive ... free!) ... is all a marvellous relief.
Add to that not having to tow the first five hundred miles of the journey and just the car on the ferry ... it's a 'no-brainer'.
The only downside (that I can see) is if you do need to carry out any repairs ... you have to do it on holiday! This year I replaced a pumped tap and the water heater unit and tank ... but doing it in sunny climes, with a handy bottle ... made it much less onerous than fiddling around in the rain at home!
One suggestion ... you might consider a storage facility not tied to a particular campsite ... a lot of campsites do not provide undercover facilities, which does, eventually, 'weather' your outfit.
Either way ... you'll not regret the decision!

karende

17/9/2013 at 5:06pm
Location: Uk
Outfit: Swift conquerer 550

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Many thanks for your replies, Alison you may find me stalking you for info especially on the insurance company details. With regards to the gas have you been taking a bottle over with you previously? I am not sure we would have room for that. Our plan is to take one with us when we take the van over in May and then have a look at the different regulators and bottles for when that one is empty .

We did think of buying a caravan when we were there in August but it must have been the first year none came up for sale, maybe I should have put a wanted sign up lol. I suppose with the caravan we have just purchased we will be able to find and fix any niggles over the winter before it goes over.

Karende

Jack+Jon

17/9/2013 at 5:20pm
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Caravans are expensive in France & those that come up for sale on campsites are usually overpriced & often in poor condition as they might have been sited for yrs & not serviced, so probably cheaper to buy in the UK & tow down there rather than buy local.

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Regards, Jack+Jon.

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

askill

17/9/2013 at 6:12pm
Location: very near Portsmouth
Outfit: None Entered

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Yes keep in touch Karen, I am so excited for you, it's certainly worked for us. We normally leave the gas bottle in the caravan when we aren't using it. It will need to be replaced soon (probably when I am in the midst of BBQing something tasty) so we will look for advice from fellow Logis people as to what to purchase. L'Eclerc in Royan is a favoured spot for camping accessories.
I remember one year on holiday a couple had simply had enough of caravaning and put their van up for sale on site - it still had breakfast cereals in the cupboards, 2 decent bikes, the lot. It was sold within the week and towed straight off onto a pitch!
We haven't had our van serviced since we towed it down to Logis but my husband has had to fix a couple of things, nothing major. We only use it for 3 weeks a year anyway.

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