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Charging in France

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I believe one appoach is to look for Bornes (charge spots) for camper vans. I believe there is a directory "Bornes de France" that lists them.

There is also a brand of parking structure (possibly Vinci Park) that offers EV charging.

This is all vague recollection from occasionally looking at this over the last several years. Let us know what pans out.
 
Here are some links that Andrew found:


Localisation des bornes de recharge en France (general commentary point: lots in Paris, but you need to apply for a special access card by post* or in person; very few in the provinces, with notable exceptions in a few towns like Bordeaux, La Rochelle and Lyon)



Geochargelec.com ===== Geolocalisation de prises de recharge pour vehicules electriques (attempts to list French charge stations, and includes the following map)

Points de recharge - Google Maps

People are invited to submit their own plug at Proposer vos prises



Véhicules électriques dans les parkings - VINCI Park gestion du stationnement et des parkings (Vinci Park offers electric vehicle charging in a number of its car parks across France - but what form of plug is not clear)

The picture here may offer an idea: Véhicules électriques dans les parkings - VINCI Park gestion du stationnement et des parkings



* To l'Espace Mobilités Electriques, 16 rue de la Tour des Dames, 75009 Paris enclosing your own address and your vehicle registration documents (I will try a photocopy first) which must show EL as the energy source
 
So far I have contacted Tesla stores Paris and Monaco and Zürich by Email, waiting for reply.
I have contacted VINCI Park ( sounds good ), but have no idea what type of charging they offer, waiting for an answer.

I have looked at the places for camping cars. They do say whether they have charging points, but they do not say what kind of charging...
 
on my visit to France ( with my XK120 DHC ) I looked for charging points.

The parking slot of my hotel had this:

th_405cb259.jpg

opened:

th_ac382104.jpg

What is it? It says 500V?

Then the hotel had this, too:
th_c979aee5.jpg

opened:
th_f3665912.jpg

Then I went to the yacht port of Cannes. I think this would be a very convinient place to charge you vehicle. They have hundreds charging points for yachts, and just beside the charging points they have parking slots. Why doesn't anybody use those existing charging points? It is so practical. They have numerous different possibilities:

th_100dc6c9.jpg
Is Mennekes allways only 16 A?

th_ed398252.jpg
What is this actually? 400V?

th_db4f012c.jpg
What is this?
Opened:
th_9e69cd2f.jpg

Then my second hotel had those:

th_a70f4d92.jpg

th_65abd99f.jpg

Can you tell me what the big red is? I was not able to open it.

Any thoughts?
 
I did a trip from Germany through southern France to Spain and return, more then 5200km with 16 days. We found also those sockets. Best use are those with 32A with adapters to my UMC but were very rare. Most found where the Schuco, but somtimes only with 10A. We did 300-400km through the day and recharged through the night. I got a charge in Monaco but only with 40A.
 
on my visit to France ( with my XK120 DHC ) I looked for charging points.

The parking slot of my hotel had this:

th_405cb259.jpg

opened:

th_ac382104.jpg

What is it? It says 500V?

I'm 99% sure that's the German/Dutch "Perilex" 25A three phase cooker socket. It's not actually supplying 500V, that's just the maximum rating. It's rare and dying out - and what it is doing in France I don't know! You get 230V from it by just connecting one of the live phases to neutral.


Then the hotel had this, too:
th_c979aee5.jpg

opened:
th_f3665912.jpg

That's the standard French domestic 16A socket, in a waterproof housing.


Then I went to the yacht port of Cannes. I think this would be a very convinient place to charge you vehicle. They have hundreds charging points for yachts, and just beside the charging points they have parking slots. Why doesn't anybody use those existing charging points? It is so practical.

I agree and I thought the same thing in Nice recently. Each berth has power up to 125A (with other smaller sockets on the unit too) and you see these huge boats with cars in the back - must be a new market for Tesla.


They have numerous different possibilities:

th_100dc6c9.jpg
Is Mennekes allways only 16 A?

No - they make everything up to 125A (they're just a manufacturer and a high quality one at that, but their name has also become associated with the new EV plug like Xerox with copiers).


th_ed398252.jpg
What is this actually? 400V?

It's a three phase 16A IEC 60309 (60309 being the family of connectors in all the photos below). Again, you get 230V from it by just connecting one of the live phases to neutral.


th_db4f012c.jpg
What is this?
Opened:
th_9e69cd2f.jpg

That's the single phase 32A 60309 - the type that the Tesla UMC comes with in the UK.


Then my second hotel had those:

th_a70f4d92.jpg

th_65abd99f.jpg

Good place - they've covered all the bases.


Can you tell me what the big red is? I was not able to open it.

Any thoughts?

It's a 32A three phase 60309 (the type that the Tesla UMC comes with in mainland Europe), but the IP67 fully waterproof version. To open it you give the cover a quarter turn to the left.


Thanks for logging them all - it would be helpful if you could let us know where they are for future tourists.


This also shows some of the diversity of sockets that we have around Europe and is a good demonstration to Tesla of why we need a full set of UMC pigtails (like the US gets) and not just the one type of 32A blue plug that they supply in the UK and Ireland and 32A red plug that they sell in mainland Europe. Calling it a "Universal Mobile Connector" but only supplying one pigtail in each market is a bit of an oxymoron. Come on guys, that's another $800 you could make right there.


Here's a document I did for EV Components two years ago when they were interested in making a full set of European pigtails for the RFMC. It explains all these in more detail.
 

Attachments

  • Power sockets in use in Europe v2.0.pdf
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I was driving my old XK120, so I did not pick up hotels with EV charging, but I looked allways where I will be able to charge when, next time, I take my Tesla.
But now, I'm thinking about taking the other route: Zürich - Milano - Monaco. In one day, charging at the Tesla store in Milano?!
 
Can some of our French members say which smartcards are useful to have now? Are there national networks or regional networks (or both)?

I came across these guys:

http://www.e-totem.fr/data/documents/racine/contenu-site/service-lemansparking

LE MANS Gare SNCF - Réservation parking LE MANS | RESAPLACE


What are the Renault and Nissan garages like for charging other manufacturer's cars?



Also, does Leclerc need any card or is it just a physical key from the staff, as said here?


Also, is this the cheapest way to get a Type 3 cable? Câble Type1-Type3c monophasé 32A
 
Can some of our French members say which smartcards are useful to have now? Are there national networks or regional networks (or both)?

I came across these guys:

http://www.e-totem.fr/data/documents/racine/contenu-site/service-lemansparking

Regional stuff only, that's really one of the main problem in France with public charging.


It's a parking run by Effia, so the charging is for free no card needed, and usually the charge points are near the exit/entry and close to the security guards. Probably a shuko plug.


What are the Renault and Nissan garages like for charging other manufacturer's cars?

From my own experience they are ok, but accessibility is usually limited to opening hours.

Also, does Leclerc need any card or is it just a physical key from the staff, as said here?

It's a key you need to ask to the local staff


Also, is this the cheapest way to get a Type 3 cable? Câble Type1-Type3c monophasé 32A

If not the cheapest, probably not far. The guy running that shop is very nice and helpful. He's a model S owner going under the name of nlc here in the forum. Drop him a PM if you need more info.
 
Thanks for the comprehensive reply ManuVince.

I guess I'm a little bit hesitant to spend €350 on a Type 3 cable that I might not need. It's only if the campsite electrics let me down that I might head into town and use the 32 Amp Type 3, and even then the plug is being phased out.

Does anyone have one they are prepared to loan or rent to me please?