Travelling France in an EV

[PinkyMarshmallows]

Planning a trip to France this year. Not sure of the exact destination just yet but it will be a Eurocamp. Probably at least 12 hours driving from home to arriving (likely to do the drive over several days). We may also go to Belgium for a bit.

Has anyone taken an EV over to France and can tell me what the infrastructure is like for chargers?

One stop will be in Paris at a hotel with chargers so that's fine. I'm thinking more about what the service stops are like over there, if there's many of them and if they are likely to have rapid chargers?

I've also got another thread running about taking ddog with us off anyone has any tips for that https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_doghouse/5353662-taking-dog-to-france

Many thanks

infrastructure was good a couple of years ago when we took an ev all the way to marseille.
must be even better now.

Oh interesting
Also planning similar,but France Belgium Holland Germany and with dogs and EV .
Except we don't think it's a good idea taking the dogs ,so trying to find kennels that will take a dog with conditions..proving difficult..
But the thought of possibly loosing them abroad and having to come home without them ,is putting me of taking them

I’ve not done it yet but was recently in Amsterdam and omg they had charging points everywhere even on the canals!!!! Europe far superior to us and cheaper (I looked whilst there even though I’d flown)

have you got the ev navigation app? Much easier to use on laptop can put exact car model and plan route. It’s epic

We’ve driven an ev to Switzerland via Belgium and France and recharging en route was fine. Far better than uk. Hotel charging not 100% reliable - several places added it to their list of features in spite of only having domestic plug (so v slow charging) available

@SunnyPugdays we can't leave ddog behind for a similar reason. I think I'll dig out her tractive tracker and get the subscription reactivated for this trip.

@babasaclover no I haven't got that. I'll try to find it. DH also just reminded me that if I put the route into my car's app it will show me chargers along the way.
Tricky as we haven't decided on a destination yet but it can put in a few towns/cities around France to get an idea

You might want to read this story. I know all dogs are different but this made me feel so sad for poor Missy.

At first glance it seems quick grey and slow but that’s just cause it’s got so much data.

you can even say your tyre pressure and how many people in the car / driving style etc.

let us know how you get on but for what it’s worth I was more frightened going in England recently - usually I don’t go more than 5 miles from home so have always charged at home charger.

We have two dogs with one with bad conditions who was a rescue and barks at everything..he's going to be a nightmare if he comes with us and a nightmare in kennels... assuming we can get him in kennels as he had a trial run and they said they couldn't take him.
So the whole trip now hangs on what we do with the dog .
He's ill with his condition..but not feeling ill with it ,it's a long term illness that won't ever improve,but he is ill.
So I just don't know what to do

Also this is probably a really stupid question but are the standard charging cables and charging ports the same as over here?

Plus if we take them it's a rabies jab and a lot to organise

Had you thought about a housesitter. I joined Trusted Housesitters to get someone to mind my dreadful terrier when I had to go off overseas last year and couldn't take her with me - it was brilliant.

No ,never heard of it
They live in your home ? Is it expensive

@babasaclover is it just came EV Navigation App?

I'm fine in the UK. I don't tend to ever go more than a couple hundred miles at a time and it tends to be to the same 3 or 4 places where I'm familiar with the charges and which ones have quirks etc.

I think it just scares me not knowing the country but I'm sure I'll be fine

I think mine was about £200 but that is for the entire year, there are different subscription levels. But yes, they come and stay in your home and look after your pets (even if your pet is particularly 'tricky'). They're vetted and have to be approved, which reassured me. I had a lovely lady looking after the house and dog and she left me a fridge full of food and a tidy house when I got home. Google them, I'm sure prices are on their website.

Had this on an air B&B recently. Messaged first to see if any additional charges for charging and they said it’s just a plug 😂😂😂 also had to use that one plug and was a 10 minute walk from the house which we were not allowed to granny charge at. So so odd didn’t book obviously

That sounds hard @SunnyPugdays and does sound like a live in dog sitter might be best for him so he can be in his own environment

Yes rabies jab, certificate, de worming before entry back into the UK

It looks like this

DS and mates have taken mate’s Tesla (with bikes on the roof) though France to Switzerland with no problem, easier than in the UK. Tesla tells you where the charging points are though.
DB and SIL took their Leaf to the South of France with no issues. Infrastructure is fine.
I think Zapmap has European changing points.

Thanks @Daisymay2. Mine is a Nissan but not a leaf. In theory it should have a much bigger range than the leaf so that's reassuring

EV infrastructure was amazing on our holiday to the Loire Valley. Fast chargers were easy to come by. We charged very easily, often too fast for us to even finish our coffees.

Zap Map works in France and if you use Google Maps you can set it to tell you when a charger is en route. We used Tesla superchargers a few times, charged once at a retail park and then mostly at motorway services. We did book an air bnb with an EV charger but it was ultra slow.

Got it. Thank you :)

So a vet appointment over there while on holiday 😮

We drove to Paris for May half term and had no problem charging. The service stations had rows of EV fast chargers (more than most UK service stations I've used), as did McDonald's and the Carrefour hypermarkets.

Driving around Normandy last year was also fine. Even little villages had a decent charger in the village square.