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Topic: Taking caravan to France

Mrs mouse

via mobile 17/7/2023 at 1:25pm
Location: Devon
Outfit: Lunar Ariva

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Hi, this will be our first time towing our own caravan to France this August. Not overly worried about the towing side but have a few questions regarding setting up on site.
We are going to a Sandaya site in Brittany, Le Ranolien. Has anyone stayed here before? What is the situation with electric hookup? Unsure if we need some sort of converter/connecting lead to join our standard UK hook up lead to the French mains...or are they the same sockets as ours on the campsite?
Have read and still not totally understood the polarity issue....I get the impression that a lot of people don't bother with this whole others are adamant its necessary. If we don't take a polarity checker will there be any real problems? Like will the electric still work if not checked and polarity is different?
Sorry, bit unsure about all this which makes me worry and stress about it. Have camped in mobile homes many times on campsites but this is a new venture for us despite using our caravan over here many times.
Thanks.

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Linda

2017
May - 3 nights Yeatheridge.
May - 5 nights Mill Park, Ilfracombe
July - 6 nights not sure where yet
August - 2 weeks Croatia, Camp Lanterna.
2018
May - 3 night Yeatheridge campsite
May half term - 6 nights Cornwall
July - 1 week Cotswolds
August - 2 weeks Vendee.

blueexpo97

17/7/2023 at 1:46pm
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Most French sites will have the UK type socket, but it is advisable to take one of these just in case.

-------------
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saxo1

17/7/2023 at 2:01pm
Location: None Entered
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You can safely ignore the polarity issue everything will work as it should quite safely.
if you are worried about it ensure you don't mess about taking anything apart while it is switch on or plugged in and test trip your RCD every time you connect to the mains as you should in the UK.
saxo1

Mrs mouse

via mobile 17/7/2023 at 6:15pm
Location: Devon
Outfit: Lunar Ariva

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blexpo97 a little confused...does the two pin end plug into the site mains with the normal blue end plugging into the caravan same as we do here? I expected a protected plug as here we have two protected blue ends, one with three pins, the other end with the three holes to plug into the site mains as well as into the caravan.. not all site mains posts have protection from wet weather so a simple two pin one would potentially get wet with obvious consequences.

-------------
Linda

2017
May - 3 nights Yeatheridge.
May - 5 nights Mill Park, Ilfracombe
July - 6 nights not sure where yet
August - 2 weeks Croatia, Camp Lanterna.
2018
May - 3 night Yeatheridge campsite
May half term - 6 nights Cornwall
July - 1 week Cotswolds
August - 2 weeks Vendee.

dk168

17/7/2023 at 6:39pm
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC

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I made a reverse polarity adaptor myself back in 2007/8, and keep it in the van. I did not need to use it at the campsite in France in May 2023, and did not need to use the 2-pin adaptor that I also carry.

DK

-------------
* Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
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* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *

Triaxle

via mobile 17/7/2023 at 6:40pm
Location: Worcestershire
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It will be fine, you are overly worrying about this. No one does camping like the French. As long as you have a 3 pin and 2 pin plug just use whichever is required 👍

arthurdent

via mobile 17/7/2023 at 7:28pm
Location: N. Ireland
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In Spain, Cantabria to be exact, when it rained most people took out a plastic shopping bag and put it over their hookup. It was quite the shock (boom boom !).

saxo1

17/7/2023 at 7:54pm
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Quote: Originally posted by Mrs mouse on 17/7/2023
blexpo97 a little confused...does the two pin end plug into the site mains with the normal blue end plugging into the caravan same as we do here? I expected a protected plug as here we have two protected blue ends, one with three pins, the other end with the three holes to plug into the site mains as well as into the caravan.. not all site mains posts have protection from wet weather so a simple two pin one would potentially get wet with obvious consequences.

The 2 pin plug plugs into the campsite hook up post, your blue three pins plug plugs into the blue connector on the end of the adapter,the end with the three holes plugs into the caravan.
The adapter when plugged in is vertical and rain won't cause a problem,I have camped in France for 40+ years using an adapter frequently and never had a problem.
saxo1

Paul and Nikki

via mobile 18/7/2023 at 4:10pm
Location: Stoke on Trent
Outfit: Bailey Pegasus Modena 2016

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As others have said, would definitely take a 2 pin to 3 pin converter as you do still get sites that use the 2 pin EHU, we have been to France almost every year for 11 years and usually stay at 3 sites over a two week period, off the top of my head I think I've used the 2 pin plug 2 or 3 times, one thing I would consider is the length of the EHU, we have stayed at a few sites where you need a decent length cable (35 metres or so), although most of these sites have had EHU cables that you can hire, we carry both 25 metre and a 15 metre cables in the van just in case.

Apart from the above, I don't think you will have any problems in France, the pitches are generally a good size (some exceptions of course), the roads are better, the weather is generally better and the experience is generally better than UK sites.

We are in Royan in August and hope you have a great holiday 👍

Pickled Onion

19/7/2023 at 11:30am
Location: Near Alton Towers
Outfit: Bailey Burgundy S7 H

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Larger campsites like Ranolien will use the Blue type 3 pin cpnnectors like in the UK, it's the smaller, older campsites that have'nt upgraded to them that are likely to have some older two pin connections. However, in all the year's that I've been to France I have never encountered one but I have always carried one plus a reverse connection one and a polarity checker.

Appliances will run perfectly well even if they are wired in reverse but our UK sockets in our vans only switch off the live conductor and that is a small potential problem should a fault occur, it is safe to use in a modern van

Dave.

-------------
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day,
Teach a man to fish and you can get rid of him for a whole weekend.

morepints

19/7/2023 at 4:01pm
Location: Dartford Kent
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All the advice above is sound - Saxo is a mine of electrical knowledge, and always seems sensible. (That being said, I always carry a polarity reverser, and a two pin to blue Euro connector conversion and have used both). The thing I found useful is a socket tester like this one from EBay, that gives a voltage reading too. Our last expedition we were having fridge trouble, which we finally narrowed down to a low voltage issue with the site: at peak times it dropped below 200v which the fridge didn’t like. Once we knew, it wasn’t an issue.
Just love the freedom of French camping, they do know how it should be done!

Mrs mouse

via mobile 19/7/2023 at 4:45pm
Location: Devon
Outfit: Lunar Ariva

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Thank you everyone. We will buy a lead with the two pin connection just in case. Jury's still out on the polarity reverser.
Hopefully we will have good weather, it can't be too much worse than last weekend in Plymouth when it was torrential rain on the Friday and dodging showers for most of the rest...until Monday when we come home and it was lovely!

-------------
Linda

2017
May - 3 nights Yeatheridge.
May - 5 nights Mill Park, Ilfracombe
July - 6 nights not sure where yet
August - 2 weeks Croatia, Camp Lanterna.
2018
May - 3 night Yeatheridge campsite
May half term - 6 nights Cornwall
July - 1 week Cotswolds
August - 2 weeks Vendee.

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