Through winter in camper in France
Discussion
Evening all.
We bought a 20yr old camper and I prepped it to be self contained, making its own water and power etc as we live in it while searching for property in France having sold up in UK. The Mrs wanted comforts so all the 240V sockets are all permanently live when the engine ain’t running and it has all the stuff we had at home, just not the space (obviously)
Arrived here late October last year and it looks like, touch wood, we’ve made it through winter travelling up and down in all sub zero night temperatures without once staying on a campsite. V. chuffed. Weather starting to warm up here already so it sort of feels like we’ve survived the worst.
If anyone wants any tips on how to prep to go off grid I’m happy to help. The hardest has been been finding water when not near a river, but even that isn’t that hard, if you work out where to look
We bought a 20yr old camper and I prepped it to be self contained, making its own water and power etc as we live in it while searching for property in France having sold up in UK. The Mrs wanted comforts so all the 240V sockets are all permanently live when the engine ain’t running and it has all the stuff we had at home, just not the space (obviously)
Arrived here late October last year and it looks like, touch wood, we’ve made it through winter travelling up and down in all sub zero night temperatures without once staying on a campsite. V. chuffed. Weather starting to warm up here already so it sort of feels like we’ve survived the worst.
If anyone wants any tips on how to prep to go off grid I’m happy to help. The hardest has been been finding water when not near a river, but even that isn’t that hard, if you work out where to look
Hey Scrump, I think I’ve seen you in a another PH forum focussed on nice Brit cars.
The van is a Hymer, winterised. Tanks are in between the floors, no chance of freezing when then van is used, heating on etc. Overnight residual heat more than enough to prevent any liquid getting near zero. We’ve done minus 10 no issues, but when it drops well below zero overnight we leave the blown air heating on, so it doesn’t drop below 10 or 12 inside.
Water is made via a domestic 6-stage RO system. the normal 20m fill pipe and 240V hook up cables are repurposed using adaptors and a little 12V pump to ‘lift’ river water to the 240V HP pump. Fills overnight from a river from lithium batteries and invertor. 600W solar on roof enough for full battery recharge apart from Dec and Jan when engine has to be run an hour every 2 days to top up via a 50A B2B.
Only thing to be managed is condensation, which can catch you out
The van is a Hymer, winterised. Tanks are in between the floors, no chance of freezing when then van is used, heating on etc. Overnight residual heat more than enough to prevent any liquid getting near zero. We’ve done minus 10 no issues, but when it drops well below zero overnight we leave the blown air heating on, so it doesn’t drop below 10 or 12 inside.
Water is made via a domestic 6-stage RO system. the normal 20m fill pipe and 240V hook up cables are repurposed using adaptors and a little 12V pump to ‘lift’ river water to the 240V HP pump. Fills overnight from a river from lithium batteries and invertor. 600W solar on roof enough for full battery recharge apart from Dec and Jan when engine has to be run an hour every 2 days to top up via a 50A B2B.
Only thing to be managed is condensation, which can catch you out
I had to get a 1yr visa before coming. This meant filing in the forms and queuing for interview in London and handing over passport. The passport, c/w visa arrived 2 weeks later.
I’ve done several multi month trips to europe in campers in last 30yrs, the 1st was when we were 21 in early 90s and sleeping in our transit that doubled as builders van. Got taught how to make proper bolognese sauce in Milan just outside the San Siro by a friendly streetwalker who obviously felt sorry for 3 lads trying to make it in the van when all we knew was Dolmio.
This was the first time I had to apply for a visa for europe - and just to visit France. Brave new world. So sorry for all the kids who will never have the freedoms that we did.
I’ve done several multi month trips to europe in campers in last 30yrs, the 1st was when we were 21 in early 90s and sleeping in our transit that doubled as builders van. Got taught how to make proper bolognese sauce in Milan just outside the San Siro by a friendly streetwalker who obviously felt sorry for 3 lads trying to make it in the van when all we knew was Dolmio.
This was the first time I had to apply for a visa for europe - and just to visit France. Brave new world. So sorry for all the kids who will never have the freedoms that we did.
Edited by Calinours on Sunday 26th February 22:44
Calinours said:
I had to get a 1yr visa before coming. This meant filing in the forms and queuing for interview in London and handing over passport. The passport, c/w visa arrived 2 weeks later.
I’ve done several multi month trips to europe in campers in last 30yrs, the 1st was when we were 21 in early 90s and sleeping in our transit that doubled as builders van. Got taught how to make proper bolognese sauce in Milan just outside the San Siro by a friendly streetwalker who obviously felt sorry for 3 lads trying to make it in the van when all we knew was Dolmio.
This was the first time I had to apply for a visa for europe - and just to visit France. Brave new world. So sorry for all the kids who will never have the freedoms that we did.
I'm looking at the 1 year visa to give more flexibility travelling around in my camper later this year, the address bit stumped me. I’ve done several multi month trips to europe in campers in last 30yrs, the 1st was when we were 21 in early 90s and sleeping in our transit that doubled as builders van. Got taught how to make proper bolognese sauce in Milan just outside the San Siro by a friendly streetwalker who obviously felt sorry for 3 lads trying to make it in the van when all we knew was Dolmio.
This was the first time I had to apply for a visa for europe - and just to visit France. Brave new world. So sorry for all the kids who will never have the freedoms that we did.
Edited by Calinours on Sunday 26th February 22:44
I have heard that if you have a pre booked site that will do, but I haven't yet worked out how to get the timing right.
How did you overcome that if you don't mind me asking.
Calinours said:
Hey Scrump, I think I’ve seen you in a another PH forum focussed on nice Brit cars.
The van is a Hymer, winterised. Tanks are in between the floors, no chance of freezing when then van is used, heating on etc. Overnight residual heat more than enough to prevent any liquid getting near zero. We’ve done minus 10 no issues, but when it drops well below zero overnight we leave the blown air heating on, so it doesn’t drop below 10 or 12 inside.
Water is made via a domestic 6-stage RO system. the normal 20m fill pipe and 240V hook up cables are repurposed using adaptors and a little 12V pump to ‘lift’ river water to the 240V HP pump. Fills overnight from a river from lithium batteries and invertor. 600W solar on roof enough for full battery recharge apart from Dec and Jan when engine has to be run an hour every 2 days to top up via a 50A B2B.
Only thing to be managed is condensation, which can catch you out
Thanks for the reply. The van is a Hymer, winterised. Tanks are in between the floors, no chance of freezing when then van is used, heating on etc. Overnight residual heat more than enough to prevent any liquid getting near zero. We’ve done minus 10 no issues, but when it drops well below zero overnight we leave the blown air heating on, so it doesn’t drop below 10 or 12 inside.
Water is made via a domestic 6-stage RO system. the normal 20m fill pipe and 240V hook up cables are repurposed using adaptors and a little 12V pump to ‘lift’ river water to the 240V HP pump. Fills overnight from a river from lithium batteries and invertor. 600W solar on roof enough for full battery recharge apart from Dec and Jan when engine has to be run an hour every 2 days to top up via a 50A B2B.
Only thing to be managed is condensation, which can catch you out
My tank is underslung and although insulated I do get worried when temps drop below freezing. I have electric heating fitted to the water tank to stop freezing but don’t rely upon that when I am not using the van as it draws a lot of power and not convinced the solar would keep up over a long period in the winter.
Looks like I will stick to carrying fresh water inboard over the winter months.
Russ T Bolt said:
Calinours said:
I had to get a 1yr visa before coming. This meant filing in the forms and queuing for interview in London and handing over passport. The passport, c/w visa arrived 2 weeks later.
I’ve done several multi month trips to europe in campers in last 30yrs, the 1st was when we were 21 in early 90s and sleeping in our transit that doubled as builders van. Got taught how to make proper bolognese sauce in Milan just outside the San Siro by a friendly streetwalker who obviously felt sorry for 3 lads trying to make it in the van when all we knew was Dolmio.
This was the first time I had to apply for a visa for europe - and just to visit France. Brave new world. So sorry for all the kids who will never have the freedoms that we did.
I'm looking at the 1 year visa to give more flexibility travelling around in my camper later this year, the address bit stumped me. I’ve done several multi month trips to europe in campers in last 30yrs, the 1st was when we were 21 in early 90s and sleeping in our transit that doubled as builders van. Got taught how to make proper bolognese sauce in Milan just outside the San Siro by a friendly streetwalker who obviously felt sorry for 3 lads trying to make it in the van when all we knew was Dolmio.
This was the first time I had to apply for a visa for europe - and just to visit France. Brave new world. So sorry for all the kids who will never have the freedoms that we did.
Edited by Calinours on Sunday 26th February 22:44
I have heard that if you have a pre booked site that will do, but I haven't yet worked out how to get the timing right.
How did you overcome that if you don't mind me asking.
How about if you want to go into other countries ? Can you spend 3 months in say Germany/Belgium/Holland and then return to France ?
Reason I ask is that I thought you could only spend 3 months max in mainland Europe ?
Met a couple who previously were living in Europe in their camper but could now only spend 3 months at a time and had to return to the UK for 3 months.
Reason I ask is that I thought you could only spend 3 months max in mainland Europe ?
Met a couple who previously were living in Europe in their camper but could now only spend 3 months at a time and had to return to the UK for 3 months.
I dont know. I suppose there’s forums and the like that will tell you.
Common sense would dictate that 1yr in France is one year in schengen and 3 months in france is 3 months in schengen. Has to be as there’s no checks.
As far as 3 months in France, then to Germany for 3
months etc, I can think of a hundred reasons why that won’t work, most of which are obvious, ie your passport is stamped on entry to france, but not on exit to, say, germany. Therefore when you return to France, or try to go back to UK, or go to any other country, the second you try to exit Schengen and go back to UK it would be evident you have overstayed. Then you can look forward to being treated the exact same as a Russian, a Turk or a North African who has done the same.
Long and Short, think of yourself as an African, or a Russian, as that’s what the Brits now are, in law, to the EU.
We can’t complain, it is what we voted for.
Common sense would dictate that 1yr in France is one year in schengen and 3 months in france is 3 months in schengen. Has to be as there’s no checks.
As far as 3 months in France, then to Germany for 3
months etc, I can think of a hundred reasons why that won’t work, most of which are obvious, ie your passport is stamped on entry to france, but not on exit to, say, germany. Therefore when you return to France, or try to go back to UK, or go to any other country, the second you try to exit Schengen and go back to UK it would be evident you have overstayed. Then you can look forward to being treated the exact same as a Russian, a Turk or a North African who has done the same.
Long and Short, think of yourself as an African, or a Russian, as that’s what the Brits now are, in law, to the EU.
We can’t complain, it is what we voted for.
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