Motorhoming in France

[mongers]

By the way, this will be our home during the trip: https://www.camptoo.nl/camper/8480/Luxe-Semi-integraal-Dethleffs-4-pers-2x-enkel-bed-achterin-en-een-2-persoons-hefbed

Or rather, a very very similar car. The longest we have been away is a two-week trip last year, we only bought it in April last year. So it will be a challenge to be away for 8 weeks. We don't really have any place to dry clothes for example, so I imagine that we will do some manual laundry each day and dry it in the shower. And then sometimes we have to find a washer and a dry tumbler for underwear and bedclothing.

I also imagine food will be a challenge. We can't really afford to eat out every day and besides, it isn't fun with the kids. Life without an oven and a microwave will be a challenge.

Bu the toughest of all is probably coffee. We are both coffee-abusers and 8 weeks with Nescafe will be hard.

Look like a nice drive, for some reason i was imagining you were going to be using one of those hue things from the states;  you choice looks really practical and fun. Good luck with the trip.

[Threviel]

Coffee is 1 euro and there are cafes everywhere. Just buy food at local supermarkets. Food is cheaper in France than Sweden.
Just buy a hotplate and or microwave

We are quite used to this:

Swedes are normally quite peculiar about coffee, and that kind of coffee is hard to get by when we're abroad, it's my understanding that that kind of coffee is mostly used at home for breakfast in France. In Cafés I usually buy an Americano or somesuch, but it's not the same.

I'm quite looking forward to french supermarkets, i have an romantical idea that the products will be of a higher quality than in Sweden. The dairy especially has a good reputation.

Because of size and weight limitations we will only have a small gas grill and of course the gas stove in the car for cooking.

[crazy canuck]

Coffee is 1 euro and there are cafes everywhere. Just buy food at local supermarkets. Food is cheaper in France than Sweden.

There are also all kinds of great village markets, just plan your trip to hit the town you are staying at during a market day 

Lots of small inexpensive places to eat and you get the benefit of french cooking 

[Threviel]

Coffee is 1 euro and there are cafes everywhere. Just buy food at local supermarkets. Food is cheaper in France than Sweden.

There are also all kinds of great village markets, just plan your trip to hit the town you are staying at during a market day 

Lots of small inexpensive places to eat and you get the benefit of french cooking 

How would I go about to find out if it is a market day anywhere? What phrases would I be looking for? And where would I look?

[The Larch]

Coffee is 1 euro and there are cafes everywhere. Just buy food at local supermarkets. Food is cheaper in France than Sweden.

There are also all kinds of great village markets, just plan your trip to hit the town you are staying at during a market day 

Lots of small inexpensive places to eat and you get the benefit of french cooking 

How would I go about to find out if it is a market day anywhere? What phrases would I be looking for? And where would I look?

https://www.completefrance.com/travel/market-days

[Threviel]

Coffee is 1 euro and there are cafes everywhere. Just buy food at local supermarkets. Food is cheaper in France than Sweden.

There are also all kinds of great village markets, just plan your trip to hit the town you are staying at during a market day 

Lots of small inexpensive places to eat and you get the benefit of french cooking 

How would I go about to find out if it is a market day anywhere? What phrases would I be looking for? And where would I look?

https://www.completefrance.com/travel/market-days

That is an excellent site, thank you.

[Zoupa]

Coffee is 1 euro and there are cafes everywhere. Just buy food at local supermarkets. Food is cheaper in France than Sweden.

There are also all kinds of great village markets, just plan your trip to hit the town you are staying at during a market day 

Lots of small inexpensive places to eat and you get the benefit of french cooking 

How would I go about to find out if it is a market day anywhere? What phrases would I be looking for? And where would I look?

https://www.completefrance.com/travel/market-days

That's not bad but not complete or updated much. Best thing is to ask the locals in the area or the local office du tourisme

[Threviel]

Coffee is 1 euro and there are cafes everywhere. Just buy food at local supermarkets. Food is cheaper in France than Sweden.

There are also all kinds of great village markets, just plan your trip to hit the town you are staying at during a market day 

Lots of small inexpensive places to eat and you get the benefit of french cooking 

How would I go about to find out if it is a market day anywhere? What phrases would I be looking for? And where would I look?

https://www.completefrance.com/travel/market-days

That's not bad but not complete or updated much. Best thing is to ask the locals in the area or the local office du tourisme

Do they speak English or German? Many web sites of stuff (museums and other stuff) are only, or almost only, available in French. Would the same be true for brochures?

Last time I was in rural France, Normandy to be precise, in 2002 or something, no-one, or at least barely no-one spoke English and the old-timers that learned German during the war were dying off. In Germany there has been huge improvements since, is the same true for France? My Paris experience a few years ago implies so, but that's Paris.

[Zoupa]

It's not better with the locals but the tourism kiosks should have Anglo speakers and brochures.

[Threviel]

Should I expect to be ripped off at markets or can I trust sign language and then give the guy some cash and expect a proper price?

[crazy canuck]

Do they speak English or German? Many web sites of stuff (museums and other stuff) are only, or almost only, available in French. Would the same be true for brochures?

Last time I was in rural France, Normandy to be precise, in 2002 or something, no-one, or at least barely no-one spoke English and the old-timers that learned German during the war were dying off. In Germany there has been huge improvements since, is the same true for France? My Paris experience a few years ago implies so, but that's Paris.

It certainly helps if you can have some basic vocabulary ahead of time so you can get a good sense of what is on a menu and such.  But as Zoupa said, the tourist information offices will be staffed with people who speak English, and likely other languages.   My wife and children could converse in French and so when I was with them we had no problems.  But even on my own, wondering through the markets etc, after I stumbled my way through attempting to communicate (much to the amusement of all) it was easy as most people have at least a smattering of English and many speak it very well.  Don't be afraid to speak French though, nobody will think the worse of you for your efforts and you are going to be there for 8 weeks and so your vocab is bound to improve over that period of time. 

Should I expect to be ripped off at markets or can I trust sign language and then give the guy some cash and expect a proper price?

Nope, prices are well marked.  These are towns where the locals go so not the same as tourist infested places where you will be fleeced.  One of the many benefits of staying away from tourist traps.  Most of the time you will get so many free samples as you go from vendor to vendor that you will be full just from strolling through the market. 

[Threviel]

We both have an ear for languages, given time we can probably decode written french. We know three languages with lots of french loan words and if in panic there's google.

Talking is a whole other matter, but I have found that a smile and an earnest open attempt to communicate most often gives great results. Most people are after all decent good people that wants to be nice. If in panic I will talk louder and pretend to be american.

[crazy canuck]

If in panic I will talk louder and pretend to be american.

I hope for your sake you were kidding 

[Syt]

Didn't Google have a translation app that lets you point your cellphone camera at text and have it replaced by a translation? Shouldn't that help with most written stuff?

[crazy canuck]

Bah, part of the pleasure is becoming immersed in the culture.