We went to test the heating of an Eriba Touring for a winter caravan in Châtel, in Haute-Savoie, at the L'Oustalet campsite.We had met two couples there, a caravanne fiery.Here is their experience.
12 Caravaneiges campsites
Our caravanic advice
A thousand meters above sea level, in the heart of this winter 2019-20.The caravans and motorhomes stationed at the Oustalet seem completely crushed under a thick layer of snow.Where large yellow boxes arise.Most vehicles are equipped with it.Those whom the owner of the campsite takes care of snow.To rid the roofs of hundreds of pounds of snow weighed down by frozen rainwater.However, to prevent the broom with vigorously and blind to damage the lantern.Some caravanners protect them with large wooden chests that they often make themselves.Knowing that the campsite stores them the rest of the year.
Protective measures for winter in caravan
A caravan that parks for a long time under bad weather and by often negative temperatures in winter, must be protected.At the Oustalet, we see large canvas tops intended to endure the snow in place of the caravan-especially since they rest on the roof, at the location of the walls.We meet caravans with berries, wheels and drawn drawn.Thus strange aluminum outdoor blinds intended to prevent frozen snow drips from obstructing the windows.Another great classic, the lean -to, a small light cabin that we stick to the front door.As with Monique and Paul, Swiss skiers who invite me in their large double axle hobby.
"The lean -to serves us as a storage part and SAS, which acts as thermal stamp," explains Paul to me.But others use it as a full -fledged room, there are even some who heat it.»»
At Ruth and Wilfried, German caravanners, no lean -to, but a simple awning all season, which houses the kitchen.
« C’est la cuisinière et le four qui chauffent l’auvent donc, en dehors des heures de repas, il n’y fait pas chaud du tout !»», me précise Wilfried.
70 days a year during winter
The two couples, mountain and skiing bites, are used to staying for several weeks at the Oustalet.If the Germans install and uninstall their Eriba Nova each year, Paul and Monique leave their hobby permanently on the ground. Ils la retrouvent et la « remettent en service»» à chaque début de saison, mi-décembre, et la referment à la mi-avril. Ruth et Wilfried, eux, profitent du « week-end spécial installation»» organisé par le camping au mois de novembre.
« On retrouve tous les habitués, dont certains sont des amis, des campeurs venus de divers pays d’Europe»».
"This requires a lot of work to put the caravan into service: installation of snowfield protections, full of the water tank.We also return to Germany several times during the ski season and each departure forces us to empty the tanks and purge the networks, details Wilfried.And then I install poles inside, to support the roof and prevent the weight of the snow from deforming it.»»
Heating is the key
If they know that they can count on camping managers to heat their Eriba before their return. « la première nuit est toujours froide, me confie Ruth, et il faut du temps pour que le contenu des placards soit chaud»». Dans la Hobby des Suisses comme dans l’Eriba des Allemands il fait très bon, grâce à la résistance du Truma Ultra-Heat, qui offre 2 000 Watts « qui ne coûte pas plus cher, m’explique Paul, car on paie un forfait électricité journalier !»».And if the mercury ever goes down, our two adds 4,000 watts.
« L’important, m’explique Monique, c’est l’air pulsé qui permet de répartir la chaleur dans toute la caravane»».As for Ruth and Wilfried, they have a secret weapon: large electric heating bands that they have installed under the many carpets of their Eriba."It is always 21 ° in our caravan," says Ruth. Tant mieux car, en hiver, on est à l’intérieur à partir de 16 h et toute la Journée s’il ne fait pas beau»».
Kitchen forbidden!
« Chaque centimètre en plus, c’est plus de confort»», m’explique Wilfried dont la Nova 580 SL offre une belle largeur habitable.For these caravanners, it is absolutely necessary to get used to living in promiscuity.The Germans have been doing caravan for 40 years and the Swiss have known, in addition, sailing ... For all, one of the secrets is not to use the kitchen, in order to avoid disorder, fatty furniture and especiallyodors.
Si les Allemands ont leur auvent, Les Suisses ont une solution plus radicale : « pas de cuisine, on va au resto !»», m’explique Monique qui, en 25 hivers, a eu le temps de témoigner de la compassion pour nombre de commerçants châtelains.Same rule for the WC bathroom except, the Oustalet being equipped with heated sanitary facilities as well as spaces devoted to the storage and the drying of the ski equipment. « On utilise notre douche comme penderie et comme séchoir à combinaisons»» note Ruth, qui apprécie les installations de l’Oustalet, même si elle regrette cette spécificité française de séparer douches et toilettes.
Finally, all salute the warm welcome, the excellent situation (the tracks are not far away and the bus stops in front of the campsite) and the level of comfort of the Oustalet.It offers us in particular a pretty indoor and very well heated swimming pool.
Spring cleaning
In April, after 70 days of mountain, the two couples clean their vehicles. « La neige, la pluie qui charrie des saletés ; l’alternance du gel et du dégel… : tout cela laisse sur la caravane une bonne couche de crasse dont je viens à bout en deux heures de nettoyage à l’eau savonneuse, dès qu’il fait beau»», m’explique Paul.With his wife Monique, they will let their hobby spend the summer at the Oustalet, and devote themselves to their 4 × 4 furnished. Wilfried et Ruth, les Allemands, retourneront vers Essen (à environ 800 km), avec leur Skoda Kodiak 2 l TDI 190 ch qui, selon Wilfried, « marche bien pour tirer les deux tonnes de l’Eriba»».And, at a time when we publish this article, I imagine that they are redoing the road to Châtel, in anticipation of a new ski season ...
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