Electricity on French campsites

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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sandperson
Posts: 2
Joined: 7 Jun 2011, 3:07pm

Electricity on French campsites

Post by sandperson »

Hello all,

I've tried a search for this and drawn a blank so sorry if it's an oft asked question. I'm touring France for a week on the bike and have various electrical items that will need charging. Do I just need a normal travel plug to use electrical points at French campsites or am I going to need an EHU type plug?

Hope you can help!
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beachcomber
Posts: 921
Joined: 17 Jan 2009, 10:49am
Location: North Yorks

Re: Electricity on French campsites

Post by beachcomber »

I have found many French camp sites have reversed polarity or worse. I use a special plug in my campervan to check the polarity. (Available at most caravan dealers shops). Reversed polarity is so common I assembled an adapter to change it back .

I don't know what effect reversed polarity would have on mobile phones-computers- ipods etc. Perhaps someone can tell us. I'd be interested to know if damage is likely.
wirral_cyclist
Posts: 1024
Joined: 17 May 2010, 9:25pm
Location: Wirral Merseyside

Re: Electricity on French campsites

Post by wirral_cyclist »

sandperson wrote:Hello all,

I've tried a search for this and drawn a blank so sorry if it's an oft asked question. I'm touring France for a week on the bike and have various electrical items that will need charging. Do I just need a normal travel plug to use electrical points at French campsites or am I going to need an EHU type plug?

Hope you can help!


Just plug any chargers into the sockets in the toilets with an ordinary travel adaptor, this will save you having to pay for an EHU (and the adaptor http://www.towsure.com/product/Caravan_ ... ns_Adapter), some EHU bollards as is reported above can be reverse polarity but this matters little to any AC device - all it means is a switched item (in some UK caravans) can still be live, so poking around inside is a bit more risky than it otherwise would be ( :shock: ).
If you get stuck just ask one of us caravanners to charge stuff for you, I've done it loads of times and I've know lots of others do it too - you may even get beer while you wait :lol:
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bikes4two
Posts: 1306
Joined: 12 Jan 2010, 10:14pm
Location: SE Hampshire, UK

Re: Electricity on French campsites

Post by bikes4two »

I've cycle camped in France a good few times and managed to get things charged easily by (a) asking Brits with caravans/campers if they'd help (and never had a 'no' nor a scowl), (b) the reception office (and my French is non-existant so holding up the item along with the charger plus travel adaptor works fine) (c) on the odd ocassion, the bathroom shaver points (but always be cautious for theives I guess) and finally (d) sometimes the older power poles will just take the travel adaptor and might well be switched on by default. Never had to pay for electricity yet. Reverse polarity is not a problem for plain old double insulated AC adaptors as used for charging phones, laaptops etc. France - a great place for cycling - enjoy the trip.
Without my stoker, every trip would only be half a journey
sandperson
Posts: 2
Joined: 7 Jun 2011, 3:07pm

Re: Electricity on French campsites

Post by sandperson »

Wow, thanks everyone. I hadn't taken into consideration the kindness of caravaners! Really useful info and I'll report back and let you know how I got on.
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