Driving a motorhome in France

Our motorhomes are based on modern, powerful vehicles so are no more difficult to drive than a small modern van. They all have manual transmission, power steering,, driver/passenger airbags, electric windows and powerful demist/air conditioning systems. They also have larger mirrors to allow the driver to see clearly down the sides of the vehicle.

However, motorhomes of course, have a larger "body" than a car so extra care must be taken when manoeuvring in tight spaces, parking or in heavy traffic. Once on the open road, you will quickly find that the motorhome handles very much like a car.

During the check-out process, a member staff will explain all controls of the vehicle to you in as much detail as you wish and you can take as much time to become familiar with your vehicle as you feel you need.

One area where we urge you to take particular care is in reversing. Motorhomes do not have a rear view mirror or rear windows so it is easy to misjudge objects behind. Therefore, whenever you reverse the vehicle or manouver in a tight space, we strongly recommend that you ask a passenger to guide you from outside the vehicle - the few extra moments it takes could save you a lot of anxiety and money.

Our depot is in a quiet, rural part of France so you will be able to drive for quite sometime before you have to tackle traffic in town or join a motorway. There are also no nasty gateposts or trees to reverse into as you leave our depot!

Driving in France offers a variety of challenges but on the whole, traffic conditions are lighter and less frantic, there is far less congestion and the roads are much quieter than in many other countries. However, there are different rules of the road to consider and traffic customs may differ compared to other parts of the world. To help you, each of our vehicles has a Hirer's Manual which includes driving tips (as well as other information you need for a successful Motorhome trip).

Tips on driving in France and other foreign countries can also be found on the following websites:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2082863

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/general_advice.html

Location of the motorhome rental base in central France