France Holiday Trip Planning.....................................................help

Yes, don't break down on a Monday. It's mostly shut!!

 

Legal stuff you must have:
A full, valid driving licence.
Proof of insurance
Proof of ID (Passport)
Proof of ownership (original V5C Certificate, not a copy)
Hi-Viz vests (one for each occupant, within easy reach inside the vehicle)
Warning triangle
Headlamp beam deflectors
Spare set of bulbs
GB sticker (or euro plates with GB)
And it is still a legal requirement to have a Breathalyser although the fine for not carrying one has been postponed indefinitely so there is no penalty for not having one.
Don’t breakdown on a motorway because even if you have European breakdown cover that can’t help you.
Don’t travel through Paris, Lyon or Geneva because you need a Crit'Air vignette ('clean air' sticker) and you won’t get one for a Bay.

 

Seriously we've been to the France a couple of times, the last time was a disaster we went down to the Cap d'Agde
Stopping off at the Paris and the Clemont st Feronde
The distances between were far too great - I was driving all bloody day for three days there & three days back.
When we got there Cap d'Agde turned out to be gurt big funk off nudist resort - but I'd booked a week and was obliged to stop.
The fair wife was less than amused.

Now I travel on my own and just pack the bare minimum;

 

great list thank you

 

Seriously though as others have said you'll love travelling off the beaten track in France. It's so easy!
I get you're on camp sites coz of the kids but it's worth bearing in mind that many villages have Aires that are free/low cost overnight stops for campervans. Great if you're behind schedule & need a secure & authorised spot for the night. 'All the Aires In France' is the book to have & is published by Vicarious Books.

In addition to the usual basic spares of cables & belt I'd be inclined to pop a woodruff key in your tool box.
You'll probably never need it but for the space it takes it's better to have than not. If the fan belt snaps or you need to adjust the shims & you drop & loose the key then you're knackered. Ask me how I know!

It happened to us on a Sunday (well the key sheared actually rather than I lost it coz I overloaded the van coming back from Spain), Monday was 'this part of France is closed day' & the rest of the week was an adventure shearing 2 other keys sourced from a garage in a tiny village that happened to have 3 VW's in with type 1 engines. All good fun

 

Empty placcy bottles for vino

 

yes mate, needed somewhere that the kids could be secure and have plenty to do, if it was me and the missus alone i wouldn't be fussed about booked sites.
the only day we maybe behind schedule maybe the first, and we may call it a day in the afternoon if we can find somewhere decent to stop, other than that the last day will be a tough one as we will be going from biscarrosse to roscoff in one hit!

will go though my tool kit and spare parts bag when we get the bus back on the weekend and update and add to it if needs be.

cheers all for the help

 

if it gets bought it gets drunk

 

It's for buying it, fill em up at caves for peanuts

 

Er, eat fibre....not just bread.

Learn how to make a wasp trap.

Check where the 'worlds largest nudist resort' (cap d'agde) is , and don't 'accidentally' book a weeks holiday there, since bay fan belts can be dangerously placed (and it messes up the dogging.)

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap_d'Agde

 

I've been cap d agde couple of times , the French like a rosbif willy. Very popular

 

did it make you gag

 

Only as i swallowef

 

Great advice Westy . I'm officially carping myself for my maiden voyage now

 

what happends if you pickup a sexy hitchhiker or give a mate a lift?

 

Thought you were going to suggest adding condoms to the list when I saw sexy hitchhiker !

 

The law states that you must have a hi-vis vest for everyone in the car regardless of how sexy they are. Air bags are different.

 

Did south west France in 2 bays in past, once 3 months no probs great area, other time I broke down on the Spanish/French border got towed back to camp site in Biarritz and let local garage try to fix... they had no clue, I ended up leaving it outside the campsite for about 3 months before I could go back and collect it using an a frame! Half expecting it to have been stolen or on bricks with the alloys off!, but only thing touched was the Ariel twisted upside down!! The residents all came out tho when I moved it and looked so relieved it was going!! . The roads down that side of France through pine forests and camper friendly!!, if or when I do it again I'd make a note of vw friendly garages or clubs nearby so if the worst did happen and I brake down I'd take it to a propper place not a garage that doesn't know much about air cooled vans as I found out. I've always gone from Calais tho but often looked at your ferry route


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i would have saved you van for you...