Camping in France - essentials

[wickedfairy]

Hello,

We are going camping in the Vendee this summer and I am thinking about the essentials we need for actually going to France (not so much the camping list, tent, etc).

So we are driving so need to take:

hi-vis jacket (stored in car for easy access)
warning triangle
insurance docs (inc, green european bit)
V5 (showing we own the car - is this essential, someone said yes I am sure)
GB sticker
headlight stickers so we don't blind people

Is there anything else I should be taking?

Thanks in advance!

p.s DH wants to buy satnav but I think we'll be fine with a good map - what do you think?

If yes to maps, which is the best one to get? TIA

I think you'll need 2 hi-vis vests and put them over the seats so police can see them.

A good map will be fine. It's pretty easy to navigate around France. Michelin do good maps. Their website is good for routefinding too. (it's viamichelin.something)

You'll need a set of spare bulbs for the car.

You must visit Puy de Fou - it's fabulous!

www.puydufou.com/en

Enjoy your holiday!

First aid kit.

Spare bulbs.

What is the green insurance bit? I just took the certificate plus the page about being insured to drive in Europe.

We had a satnav as I'm not great with maps

enjoy!

agree puy de fou great.

credit card to pay tolls with
if you are driving on a sat in july/aug you may experience long delays - so anything to ease this

Thanks!

Is 2 hi-vis vests a must? Thought one would have been fine.....

Norma - I meant the euro bit - am sure last time we drove abroad it was green, maybe not now though!!

Would Puy de Fou be ok with a 4yo boy (baby will be 1yo by then), or it it aimed at older children?

Thanks again for all your advice!

It would be ace for a 4 year old. Just make sure you wear hats because it gets very hot in the auditoriums when you're watching the shows. Last time I went (about 15 years ago) it was all in French and I had to translate for family but I think they might do English translations now. However, even if you don't understand, the shows are a lot of fun. They have jousting and falconry and magicians and all sorts. There's plenty of space to run around in and animals to see. You might want to take a packed lunch as I seem to think the food was a bit expensive.

I think the vest thing is debatable. We only took one last year but that's just because I got confused and thought there were two in the kit we got from Halfords, but my parents go to France a lot and they reckon that technically there should be one for each adult in the car. I suppose they think you'd be holding the kids, I don't know. You're unlikely to be pulled up for it but if you do come into contact with the police, you'd be annoyed if some jobsworth booked you for something so minor.

Check with your insurance company what you're covered for and if you have breakdown cover, make sure you've completed any relevant checks in advance. I've generally found French garages pretty helpful to be honest.

We took 4 hi vis vests iirc.

Ensure you have adequate breakdown cover.

Where are you going?

What ferry crossing are you doing?

Thanks for the tip re Puy de Fou - think we'll go along for the day then, it sounds like it would be right up DS's street (and DH's!)!

Will get another hi-vis vest then, just to be sure.

We are doing the overnighter Portsmouth- St Malo outbound and the overnighter back from Caen. It's pretty straight down down from St Malo, if I remember correctly from my childhood days.

Erm, re breakdown cover - I think we get it through our bank account (either RAC or AA), so don't have an actual policy number, as such (I don't think) - will have to check and see how much they would charge us to upgrade to Euro breakdown for our holiday duration.

We are going to Camping Bel, in La Tranche sur Mer - got our own stuff, so looking forward to our first proper camping holiday with the children! Have any of you been to this campsite? It has had good reviews on here for families with young children. Am trying to recreate my childhood hols, camping in France

Oh, meant to ask as well - are there toll roads from St Malo down to just before La Rochelle? I thought there weren't but need to investigate properly! Have heard about the peage things, but was under the impression we wouldn't be on toll roads - am I incorrect?

Thanks for all your help!

We took hi-vis vests for all of us when we went last year. I thought something had changed since the last time we were there when you just needed one for the driver. I don't object to owning them.

Puy du Fou is out of this world, but don't bother with the English translation equipment. We bought this and it was fairly useless. The volume from the shows is louder than the headphones, so drowns out the English, and the French is pretty easy to understand. Make sure you have hats, sunscreen and water bottles. If you want to do the late night spectacles, be sure to book in advance.

There are toll roads leading to Vendee. We travelled on a Sunday and everything was quiet.

I would go on via michelin and print out the route there and the route back. Last year I only printed out the route to somewhere and not the route back. Should have done both as you come back a little bit differently.

Do take hi vis jackets for everyone. We sometimes see groups on the side of the road. One hi vis jacket isnt enough. They arent simply a legal requirement they could save your family's life. We have a local remaindered shops which sells them cheaply.

Michelin maps are the best. The red guides are also useful for their town plans if you are going out and about.

Of course, dont forget your EHIC cards for the whole family plus check that passports will be valid (we are experienced travellers and forgot this one year!).

Do make sure you have breakdown cover for the trip.

Puy du Fou is fab - DC were probably 4 and 6 when we went and they loved it.

We go every year (10 years!) and have never taken hi vis jackets. Maybe we should pack some. Take your driving licences, we got stopped last year and DH had to show his. They never looked to see if we had a warning triangle, etc. Or the hi vis tops!

No sanav - it's the devils work, buy one of the maps they sell in the services en route.

If you do get a sat nav then ensure you put the co ordinates in correctly

bigTillyMint - hi vis jackets are now a legal requirement (I think for all in the car). If you get out of your car on a motorway without one on you will be fined on the spot.

Having seen a few family groups waiting on the side of the road I think they are an excellent idea.

We carry them trucker style on the back of each seat.

Satnav is useful to give an idea of time and also helps if you have to go off piste for any reason.

Oh yes, it is also great when the kids start asking when you will get to your destination because you can then say '17.28' or whatever!

Puy du Fou is excellent. On arrival, get a programme of the day's events and plan when you want to see each show. It's quite a challenge to get around them all in one day. Take packed lunch for eating whilst queuing for the shows.

DH (he does the packing) has also suggested the following:

• Tyre inflator/repair foam - this is useful if you have one puncture then get another.
• Nappy sacks - my DCs are prone to travel sickness. Plus they are waterproof and useful as little rubbish bags (my DCs are 15, 12 & 11!)
• Joyrides - see above plus just in case
• Water bottles for everyone
• Picnic blanket
• DVD players for DCs (ours have one each as their tastes are so different)
• Tissues, wet wipes, hygenic wipes/spray, hand sanitising gel, toilet roll
• Change for coffee machines in motorway petrol stations (Selecta do the best coffee in the world!)