Learning the basics: Driving overseas

Get used to using your motorhome/caravan in this country before you go because doing both for the first time during a trip abroad would be too daunting for most. Or you could try going with one of the “pre-pitched” tour operators, the biggest being Eurocamp or Canvas holidays. With this style of holiday, the tent/mobile home and equipment is already there - all you need to do is get yourself to the site. You can also book ferries or fly/drive arrangements with these operators. If you are planning to be away for some time, check your house and contents insurance policies regarding limitations.

Decide which region you want to visit. Don’t try to do the whole country in one trip. Take in to account how far you would be happy to drive. Decide which crossing will best suit you. The cost will be a factor in this so you will need to price up some possible routes at this stage.

Decide what type of sites you want to use.

Decide whether you are going to book each element directly yourself, or whether you would prefer the help of the Caravan and Motorhome Club to book all or some of them.

Gather reference material about sites and do online research. If you are likely to use large sites, take a look at the Eurocamp and Canvas holiday brochures for site information, whether you are going to book through them or not. Take a look at Alan Rogers and Select Sites which both give useful reviews of hundreds of sites. Many continental campsites have their own website. Search for the word ‘camping’ combined with the name of the town (or region) you wish to visit, this often turns up results.

While many tour operators can book ferry crossings at competitive rates, the ferry operators may also be contacted directly. The main ferry operators are: P&O, Brittany Ferries, Eurotunnel, DFDS, Stena. Ferry prices vary greatly. Shop around and be flexible with travel times and days if you want the lowest prices.

This depends on where and when you are going. If you are going out of peak season, then you may well be OK. However, if you are going in peak season, then you really need to book in advance. Bigger sites will take advance bookings at any time; some will only take summer bookings when they open in the spring of that year. Coastal campsites generally get booked up for summer sooner than inland ones. Advance bookings directly with sites will usually incur an admin fee and possibly some compulsory cancellation insurance.

There is no simple answer to that as they can vary so much. Just glean what you can from the references mentioned above about the sites you are visiting. If you have a large outfit or a twin axle of any variety you are advised to check in advance with the campsite (or tour operator if applicable) that they will be able to accommodate you.

The squat-style toilets are still, very occasionally, found at some sites, and indeed at most public toilet facilities in the country, but very few campsites will have these exclusively. They are currently no more popular with French users than with British. Even if the toilets themselves are of a conventional type, many sites do not provide toilet seats, toilet tissue or soap. Toilet and shower cubicles will often be used by both sexes, even if they are gender labelled. However, the standard of cleanliness at campsite facilities is usually high. Again, a site review will indicate what the facilities are like. Chemical toilet disposal facilities are usually good. Wastewater drains can be difficult to find. Most will have a motorhome service point. Laundry facilities are commonplace on French sites, but the use of washing machines can be expensive. Charcoal barbeques are banned on some sites, particularly those in forests on the coasts. All sites are closed to vehicles during night hours, but there is usually a car park outside the barrier. Many campsites do not allow long swimming shorts in the pool, only brief style (speedo) shorts and a few require bathing caps.

The roads in France are generally straighter, better maintained and far less crowded than most UK roads. Congestion does occur in and around major cities, particularly at rush hour and on Saturdays in the summer months.

Most of their road signs are similar to UK designs or are self-explanatory. Many of the driving regulations are the same over there as here, but you can find out more from driving institutions like the AA or RAC.

These rules vary from country to country; what is advisory in one might be compulsory in another. For what these items cost, you may as well take them, regardless of whether they are mandatory or just advisory.

You must fit beam benders to your vehicle headlights (unless your vehicle has manually adjustable headlights), even during the day. These should be installed before boarding the ferry. They can be complicated to fit, so rehearse at home.

If you speed on motorways you will face an on-the-spot fine (payable in cash) at the next exit point.

Switch headlights on when it rains.

Fuel is generally cheaper than in the UK. The pay desk and 24-hour pumps accept UK credit and debit cards. Bear in mind too that most shops, and a minority of petrol stations within towns, are closed on Sundays, so keep your fuel topped up where possible.

Toll stations can cause severe delays in peak season, especially on motorways. Toll fees are higher if you are towing a caravan. Most toll stations accept card payments for a standard height cars automatically; otherwise, you will need a staffed booth where you can use either card or cash. Some toll stations do not take payment, but instead, issue drivers with a ticket which is to be produced at the next toll station. Alternatively, you can also purchase an Emovis tag which uses number plate recognition. This removes the need to pay at the toll booth, instead you’ll receive a quarterly bill, payable online. 

If you break down, you should use the orange emergency telephones, situated at 2km intervals along main roads and motorways, to call the police or an official breakdown service. Your own breakdown assistance provider will be unable to assist you until you have been towed to a safe designated area. You can also call the emergency services by dialling 112.

As for the priority from the right rule, this is not as widely used as it was. The rule was that vehicles joining the road from your right had the right of way over you. This applied at roundabouts too, meaning that those already on the roundabout gave way to those joining. Confirmation that the rule is not in force is given at most junctions by a yellow diamond on a white background sign, or, when on the approaches to a roundabout by the text: “Vous n’avez pas la priorite”. The diamond sign with a line through it means the rule doesn’t apply in the zone you have either just exited or are entering. Take extra care in town centres though because whether it is in force or not, some locals still drive by it.

As a guide, in France, you will need to abide by the following rules and carry the following items:

Passport(s), full and valid UK driving licence(s), V5 or Vehicle on Hire Certificate, evidence of motor and caravan/motorhome insurance. 

First aid kit, warning triangle, spare pair of glasses (if you’re a usual wearer), spare headlight bulbs (recommended), fire extinguisher (recommended), hi-vis vests (one for each person in the car), UK car sticker (if your vehicle doesn’t have a UK identifier on the number plate. You can no longer use a GB sticker).

There’s nothing to worry about. The crews will give clear directions on where to go. Leave your vehicle in gear or Park, and make sure the hand brake is ON. Lock the car (if using the ferry), but do not set the alarm if that is an option. You will not be allowed on the vehicle decks while the ferry is at sea. In Eurotunnel, you will stay in your car/motorhome throughout the journey. Your gas bottle should be turned off, and gas appliances must not be used. Vehicles powered by LPG are not allowed on Eurotunnel. You are not able to use your caravan except for the toilet while in the Tunnel.

Motorway and trunk road service areas are usually superior to those in this country. They range from those being a large car park with a toilet to some having picnic facilities, restaurant/snack bar, shop and toilets. All are called ‘Aires’. The more comprehensive variety tend to have non-french style toilets, but there is occasionally a small fee to use them. These service areas get very overcrowded in peak season. Whether ‘Aires’ are safe as a stopover point, particularly rudimentary ones, is a topic of fierce debate, everyone has their opinion.

Sleeping in your vehicle at the roadside is not generally more risky in France than it is in the UK. With the exception allegedly, of when near to city centres and international borders. You are advised to use either a campsite or a small hotel. If you prefer, head for the centre of a small town, or possibly use the area immediately after a motorway toll station. Incidentally, you can often get free air (gonflage) for your tyres and usually a toilet here too. Use common sense and assess the security of a place before bedding down.

The simple answer is yes. Inevitably the traffic around any capital is likely to be more congested, and this is exacerbated in France, which has a very centralised road system. First-timers will find the Paris orbital, known as the Peripherique, to be something of an ordeal. It’s just like the M25; if it is slow, it is very slow. Junctions are very close together and easy to miss. That said, many find it perfectly navigable, particularly at off-peak times.

Some large towns operate low emission schemes. If you enter such towns and to not have the necessary badge on your windscreen, you will face a fine. The badge can be purchased from the Critair organisation in France. It is a one-off cost. Bearing in mind the low price it is well worth having, as an emergency may take into a town you had not planned to visit.

You can take some foods with you but there are rules on what types of food is allowed into the EU.

Be aware that you cannot take meat or products containing meat (incl Bovril), or dairy products or products containing milk (incl yoghurt, cheese) into France. Powdered baby milk, baby food, special foods needed for medical reasons and special pet foods needed for veterinary reasons are exempt but do check quantities prior to departure. Fresh fruit and vegetables are also restricted unless you pay to get a ‘phytosanitary certificate’ before you leave. All fresh fruit and veg except bananas, coconuts, dates and pineapples are restricted. There are also limits on fish, honey, plants and flowers.

Firstly, be aware that most shops, including hypermarkets, are closed on Sundays. Most boulangeries are open Sunday morning and many on Sunday evening.Super/hypermarkets do not generally hand out carrier bags, so you should take your own or buy a sizeable re-usable bag. The requirement for a €1 to release a trolley is the norm.

Fresh pasteurised milk is not favoured, and so is not stocked at supermarkets in the volumes it is in the UK. You may have to search for it. Payment with UK credit cards is usually accepted. It’s wise to take your passport in with you if you are doing a big shop in case ID is required. Other than that, you’ll find almost everything you’d find in the UK, and much more. It may be worthwhile researching the major supermarkets in your destination before you go, for locations and opening hours.

Yes. Your pet will need to be microchipped, have a valid rabies vaccination, an Animal Health Certificate (speak to your vet) and tapeworm treatment. UK-issued Pet Passports are no longer valid. You will need a new Animal Health Certificate each time you travel to the EU. Before returning to the UK you should take your dog to the local vet to obtain a return pet travel document. Ask the site owner to recommend a suitable Vet.

You can contact the Pet Travel Scheme helpline by emailing pettravel@apha.gov.uk or call 0370 241 1710 Monday to Friday.

You will survive, yes. It is common courtesy to learn and use as much as you can. If nothing goes wrong (car accident, lost child, robbery or illness, for example) then you will get by with almost no language knowledge. However, if you use basic words/phrases (please, thank you, excuse me, yes/no, and numbers to ten) you will get by, without, upsetting anybody!

A phrasebook may come in handy for the unlikely event that you get really stuck. You will find that most site receptionists, and many shops and café staff, in tourist hotspots particularly, speak some English, and are prepared to use it if necessary. By contrast, you will find that many car mechanics, for example, do not speak any English at all. You will find that many German and Dutch visitors to France do not speak any French, and get by with using their rather good English.

Numerous apps are now available if you want to learn a few choice phrases before you go, including Duolingo, which is free to use. Alternatively, Google Translate provides comprehensive and generally accurate instant translation.

Calor gas is not available outside the UK, but if that is what you usually use, then consider taking an extra bottle with you. The French have an equivalent which requires a different regulator. Camping Gaz is widely available in the same formats as in the UK, and most campsite stores sell it. Gas bottles are allowed on ferries and Eurotunnel, so long as they are shut off and secured down.

The standard connector supplied for use with UK EHUs will be OK in most French sites but not all. Some require an adaptor for use with a standard French domestic-type socket. These adaptor cables are widely available in the UK, and French, camping accessory shops. That said, they can be expensive at campsite shops, so take your own. It is also a good idea to have an additional 12m hook-up cable as some sites electricity bollards are a distance from your pitch.

Some French sites’ electrical supplies are reverse-phase. You don’t need to know what this means, but you do need to correct it if using UK appliances. So you will need a mains tester (if one is not already built in to your caravan/motorhome) to establish whether the supply is reverse-phase or not. If it is, you will need a reverse-phase adaptor to correct it. These adaptors can be bought online or may be easily made by creating a short (15cm/6in) extension to your regular EHU cable, but wired up live to neutral, and vice-versa. This adaptor should be clearly labelled so as to avoid using it on a standard polarity connection

Motorhomes weighing over 3,500kg are required to display blind spot or Angles Morts stickers. The position and design of these are tightly regulated.

When you pass through customs at an English port, ensure that your passport is stamped.

Some campsites on the continent, especially smaller ones, often close for lunch between midday and 2pm.

Visit the UK Government website prior to travelling to get the latest infomation gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

We recommend bringing a folder containing the following original documentation, and a second containing copies:

Passports, GHICs, full and valid UK driving licenses, travel insurance policy, invoice for the car/motorhome and caravan/tent, V5 document, motor insurance policy, caravan insurance policy, breakdown cover insurance policy, trip itinerary, tickets and booking confirmation for all sites, letter of authority from parents or guardians if taking children that are not yours (eg. grandchildren), recent photo of children in case they get lost, motor-accident information form (have this at the front so you can easily find it), list of phone numbers (banks, mobile network provider, insurance companies, family members). You should leave a copy of this at home with a family member or close friend.

Euro 7 is introducing a limit on the emissions from brakes and tyres. This will restrict the amount of brake dust and tyre particulates released by all new cars.

Each time you brake, the friction between the brake pad and disc produces a fine, powdery residue known as brake dust. This dust is toxic to humans and harmful to the environment. Euro 7 will require that the abrasion of brakes be severely limited in the future, increasing the demands and requirements placed on the brake pads.

From July 2025, all new electric cars and plug-in hybrids will need to have their batteries tested to see how they change over time. 

This is good news if you’re in the market for a used electric car. It improves the standard for used EV car batteries and ensures they’ll last longer the more you charge and use them.

Petrol and diesel vehicles will also need to be checked to ensure they're as clean as possible for as long as possible. This means monitoring things like general wear and tear, exhaust filters and engines. To monitor and check this over time, new cars will need to be fitted with electronic sensors. 

As it stands, all new vehicles are pushed to their limits before the product can go on sale. Euro 7 standards are designed to make them safer in more conditions. This new testing means that the emissions will be closely measured on shorter journeys and in hotter temperatures up to 45 degrees.