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Original poster

I'm really quite nervous (France)

17 replies

Changebagsandgladrags · 28/04/2011 20:52

I did quite a bit of camping when single, here in the UK, in the US and even in the Sahara.

We are going Keycamping at the end of May (last week in may & first in June). To St Valery sur Somme. It's not even proper camping FFS but I am bricking it.

I think this centres on my loathing of French. Not the French but the language. I hated my french teacher and she put me right off. So bad that it took me until I was in my 30s to venture further than Calais. Other countries I am fine, I learn a few phrases (done Albanian, Russian, Estonian, Finnish, German, Spanish, Greek, Italian, Latvian, Polish, Lithuanian, Arabic and more) to get by, not afraid to make a tit of myself and usually people will help me out when they see me making an effort.

Apart from French, I am actually afraid to utter any French in case it's wrong and they laugh or get fecked off.

There are loads of things I'd like to ask about Keycamp/Eurocamp but by doing so I remind myself we are going to France which was my bloody idea...

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 28/04/2011 21:56

I have found the french very freiendly, very lovely with both my dd's over the years and their Englsih reallygood and they are even nicer if you utter a a random word in french and no one has laughed at my awful attempts Grin

Where is is it? near Abberville?

jamaisjedors · 29/04/2011 17:20

Nobody will laugh.

They will all think your accent is charming and you are very good for saying something in French unlike a lot of other Brits (stereotype here in France).

BUT... they MAY correct you, "for your own good" ie they can't bear to make a mistake in a foreign language themselves (and so avoid speaking English). All the French people I know WANT to be corrected and so will also be totally unable to prevent themselves from correcting your le/la mistake Grin

It will be fine!

GnomeDePlume · 29/04/2011 18:11

The language will not be a problem plus you will find that at the campsite your courier is likely to be English or Dutch so French probably not needed at that point!

What questions do you have by the way?

bigTillyMint · 30/04/2011 19:41

On the campsite, at least, they will all speak English to you. When I speak (reasonably fluent) French, they reply in EnglishAngry

Original poster
Changebagsandgladrags · 04/05/2011 18:31

OK calmed down about this since I posted Grin

Am going to take a phrase book. At the moment all I can say is where is the swimming pool? Thought I'd never use that sentence, but maybe on this trip!

I'm sure I read somewhere that the BBQs they supply didn't have the mesh grill part, so just coals. How the fuck do you cook on that?

I have made DH buy speedo type trunks much to his disgust.

Last time I went to France (Paris) I found it difficult to eat out, am vegetarian. Hoping it's going to be better this time.

What about toll roads? Do you pay once at the start of your journey or do you have to keep paying along the journey? Do I need to stop somewhere when we get off the ferry to get a whole load of change? Can you pay in advance (would make things simple).

Is there anything I need to bring that they don't provide apart from torch and loo roll and cooking things like my favourite spice mixes? I'm sure I should have a long list.

OP posts:
Lucycat · 04/05/2011 19:14

The tolls ate really easy- just remember that it's the passenger who will be dealing with the toll booth person- they will take a note, it's easier to hand over a note than scrabble round for the right change. You can see on your road map where the toll booths are and they are really easy- honest. The barbecues MUST have a grill - surely? If not then get your rep to get one - that's what your paying for!
Big deep breath- you will love it- it's soo much more civilised camping in France than here!

Lucycat · 04/05/2011 19:16

Apologies for typos and poor grammar - joys of the iPhone!

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 04/05/2011 19:21

Thread hijack! The Speedos thing; does this really mean men have to wear skimpy briefs? Are proper swimming shorts not allowed? What about tight but larger (ie not so skimpy, more like short cycling shorts). I can understand a ban on normal "dry" shorts, but we are off to France soon and DH is nervous!

Lucycat · 04/05/2011 19:33

Yes longer shorts are fine- they just need to be obviously swim shorts which are more fitted- tell your dh not to worry, just wait until you see what the Dutch wear!

GnomeDePlume · 04/05/2011 20:57

Changes - never yet been to a campsite where I had to ask which way to the pool!

You pay tolls normally when you come off the motorway but sometimes there are toll booths (hulking great things, impossible to miss) across the motorway outside large cities to encourage people to use the motorway rather than clutter up the city roads). Tolls can be paid with cash (manned booths) or with credit card (carte bancaire) at unmanned booths. Both will be available.

I guess you will be cooking for yourselves so you should have no problem. Make sure you get to a local market to try the local produce (produits regionaux). You may catch the start of the cherry (cerise) season. The Eurocamp/Keycamp couriers will have the details.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 04/05/2011 21:42

Thanks Lucycat. Every invoice or email that we get from the campsite we have booked has a large notice about swimwear for men at the end of it, which has caused me some amusement, but DH less so!

GnomeDePlume · 04/05/2011 21:43

Changes - DH has mentioned the following

  • this list
  • power adaptors - once or twice we have only had continental sockets so these are useful
  • a couple of sharp knives and a sharpener. The knives eurocamp supply always seem to be blunt until DH gets hold of them with his sharpener in which case he could perform surgery with them.
  • towels, teatowels and sheets/pillowcases, bathmat/shower mat (I am assuming you are in a mobile home)
  • clothes pegs
  • we take salt, pepper and any favourite sauces plus tea (I'm fussy)
  • we take a cheap ream of paper plus colouring pencils for DCs
  • a couple of decent shopping bags
  • a torch
  • a sense of humour

Enjoy, we have stayed at that campsite, I'm sure you will have a lovely time.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 05/05/2011 09:23

Marmite, take Marmite. We live in Belgium and it's possible to buy it here, but it tastes completely different and costs nearly 4 euros for an eggcup full.
We camped in France last year, it was fine. The supermarkets stock every thing you need if you can't find it at a market.
DH has some longer length budgie smugglers. His came from Decathlon and cost, IIRC, about 3 euros.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 05/05/2011 14:58

Marmite essential in our family! To our horror last year we got our jar confiscated by airport security as it is on the banned substances list (either that or the security guards wanted something to put on their toast)

MoChan · 05/05/2011 15:04

Tolls are easy, just use a credit card (take ticket as you go in, credit card at the end). I find that they're more understanding of my poor French in the small towns and villages, and really keen to help you get it right. Was just in the Somme area at the weekend and everyone was v. friendly.

bigTillyMint · 05/05/2011 16:56

Peanut butter is the key essential in our tent - it costs a fortune in France!

Having said that, Nutella is pretty favourite tooWink

ljb11 · 08/05/2011 22:41

Sometimes the BBQs are gas ones, we have always had a mesh grill supplied.
A European Sat Nav is brilliant.
Take plenty of shopping bags.
A few bin bags are useful.
St Valery Sur Somme is full of English people so no language problems.

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