End of August we're off on a road trip to Ile de Re near La Rochelle. I haven't had our Model S over in France during the summer, and wondered if anyone had any experience of how busy the Superchargers get? Specifically I'll be routing thru Mont Saint-Michel, Nantes, Poitiers and Le Mans. I've sorted destination charging as there is destination charger a 3 minute walk from our Airbnb, but just wondering if I should plan in some time for waiting for a stall. Many thanks.
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French Road Trip
- Thread starter mj88
- Start date
What do you do about your headlights on the Continent? I am getting a Model 3, and intend going to Spain, but I'm not sure what is required for getting the headlights to point down and right, instead of left. Is it just the old stick-ons?
I asked that question when i bought my S and was told there was no need to do anything due to the flatness of the light....but then i haven't been abroad (yet) with it so not looked any further
mj88, you'll need by law a gilet jaune in your car. Not the demonstrator, the actual yellow jacket.
The worst part of the journey will be staying at an Airbnb. Good luck.
The worst part of the journey will be staying at an Airbnb. Good luck.
Yeah I've driven thousands of miles in UK vehicles in France over the years and never had any issues with lights, but I HAVE seen how busy the french autoroute network can get when it appears everyone in Europe all use its network to move around, hence my original question about Superchargers... the Dutch especially love to drive for their holidays... and they have ALOT of Tesla's
Rluner
Member
We traveled to France in our Model S in 2017, there was no issues with charging. However, as numbers of Teslas have risen drastically since then the situation could be different.
We are heading to the south of France the last week of August too, so any update on here maybe to late for you.
As for the lights, in 2017 I rang Tesla support while waiting to board the ferry, I was informed I didn’t need to do anything to my lights as the car would sort them out itself, after it realises we have left the U.K. so I never did anything and never got pulled.
We are heading to the south of France the last week of August too, so any update on here maybe to late for you.
As for the lights, in 2017 I rang Tesla support while waiting to board the ferry, I was informed I didn’t need to do anything to my lights as the car would sort them out itself, after it realises we have left the U.K. so I never did anything and never got pulled.
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
Model-S headlights are adjustable and I have always changed them to "point down" when on continent in case of any drift towards the left. I don't drive much at night on back roads, so managed OK with the somewhat "feeble light effect" that that produced
Might not be necessary (based on above comments) but if available on Model-3 too? then is an option if you get flashed etc.
Might not be necessary (based on above comments) but if available on Model-3 too? then is an option if you get flashed etc.
Did a trip St Malo - Quiberon - Caen last summer hitting a few Superchargers including a couple of those mentioned above and I have to say it was a joy. Didn't see many French Teslas but there were plenty of other British ones as well as the Dutch and Belgians. Never enough to cause queuing though and was impressed with the placement - all of the ones we hit were 8-stallers at the edge of hotel car parks, very convenient for conveniences and a bite to eat!
As other have mentioned, Model S/X lights don't require any blanks or adjustments abroad per the official advice. I did nothing and had no trouble although we weren't out after dark that often anyway. I'd hope Model 3 is the same...
As other have mentioned, Model S/X lights don't require any blanks or adjustments abroad per the official advice. I did nothing and had no trouble although we weren't out after dark that often anyway. I'd hope Model 3 is the same...
I was talking to the Stockport service manager today about M3 lights on the continent. He confirmed that they are a “flat beam” design, so don’t need adjusting. He did advise however that I might want to apply some black tape or deflectors anyway, because the French Plod have a habit of pulling over UK cars without anything obvious on the headlights. He also said if my French was good enough to explain, there was no need. I wish!
@Roy W.
Please note that the traditional way of dealing with authorities in foreign countries that haven't bothered learning english is to speak louder.
Please note that the traditional way of dealing with authorities in foreign countries that haven't bothered learning english is to speak louder.
Alway be polite to the officers by using the greeting "good moaning"“PARDON?” in best ‘Allo ‘Allo Fringlish accent
(Only readers of a certain age will understand...)
So to answer my own question re. french supercharger traffic, half way in to our trip down near La Rochelle, and its been super easy, never queued, most cars I saw on any one charger was me being the 4th vehicle at the 8 stall in Nantes. Super easy! Just watch the destination chargers, as its peak season down here, getting some push back on using these...
interbear
Active Member
Sounds good. We are regular drivers in France, either Normandy where Mrs interbears family reside, or down to the south west Basque Country for holidays, we love that area. Prior to ordering the Model 3 I checked out a few of our typical French routes, we have a tag for the motorway tolls so tend to stick to them. It all looked fine in terms of supercharger network. If it didn’t I would have held off ordering the Tesla. Also spotted several Teslas en route this summer, mostly Dutch, but there was a nice black UK Model X at the campsite we stayed at (Sylvamar in Labenne) which I also saw now has a EV charger on site, which is handy.
Biggest challenge for us will likely be rural Normandy so I need to find the right cables to charge at home there, I’m sure the in-laws won’t mind me plugging in
busaman
Member
we stayed in the cannes monaco area also up in the north nancy metz area all good no problems a lot of model3 arround and it will become a queing problem next year i think with more and more pouring in.
Blimey Yes you're right. Time to stop the shipments.
(I've got mine.)
Elon - You can stop shipping them now!
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Its the destination chargers that I worry about. The owners of the properties are perfectly within their rights to deny access to public, but the messaging about them "alludes" to accessibility. There are 5 within a 10 mile radius of my location here, the first has been physically removed for the high season, the second I had to negotiate access to. I would recommend anyone planning a roadtrip in europe, to plan on using Superchargers as your primary source, and either book into a Destination Charger property, or presume you cannot access them. Which having typed that, is totally logical, the only reason I needed access was due to an accident on the autoroute caused a significant detour, and left me a little light on Watts for next leg of trip.
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busaman
Member
i aggree with that i only used 1 destination charger and that was by accident i was supprised to see it at the hotel we were staying at..
interbear
Active Member
My assumption anyway was that destination chargers were only for guests / users of the destination property, be that a hotel, restaurant, whatever. Isn’t that the point of these properties installing a destination charger, to provide a charging facility for their customers and/or to attract new customers who need this? Not sure what rules, if any, Tesla apply to destination chargers in terms of accessibility.
Overall though, I think that your suggestion to plan on using superchargers only unless you intend to use the facilities at a destination charger location, is definitely the right policy.
ElectricJoules
Member
Next year I'm off to southern France in my M3, but going the scenic route, staying in various small hotels. I hope to use Supercharges mainly, but would like a backup plan. I can get a Izivia Access pass for €15, and no monthly subscription. Their network of charges seems large and varied. Does anybody have experience of Izivia or any other charging networks in France?
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