France series now live
Follow our 1,400-mile family journey through Paris, Normandy and Brittany—starting with the battery repairs and first overnight test before we even crossed the Channel.
France episode one · 23 October 2026
We leave Ugo Leisure with corrected wiring and solar, stop at Ashford, then spend the night at Little Satmar Holiday Park without hook-up. By morning, the monitor has fallen from 100% to 41%.
Watch on YouTube and commentWhat episode one covers
The episode documents the exact problems, repairs and readings from our own Swift Kon-Tiki. It is a real travel test, not a claim that every motorhome electrical system will produce the same results.
Ugo Leisure rewired the lithium battery negatives and found a plastic-ribbed washer affecting the Renogy battery terminal connection.
A faulty solar connection was repaired before the trip, restoring an important charging source for the no-hook-up challenge.
The repaired system displayed a load of approximately 2,658W while the heating and air conditioning were checked.
After the first night at Little Satmar without electric hook-up, the monitor showed 41%. The fridge running on electricity was identified as the likely major drain.
Jump to the evidence
Go straight to the repairs, load test, campsite arrival or overnight battery result.
Continue the challenge
Plan the journey
Explore our interactive planner to see where we travelled, the route we took and where we stayed during our 2026 France family road trip.
WilderTrips
Partner offer
The route planner I use for UK and European camping trips—routes, stops, mileage, fuel, tolls and campsite costs in one place.
Affiliate partner link. I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
September 2026 · Channel update
The Travelling Vocalist now has YouTube Channel Memberships available, giving you the chance to support the channel and enjoy a few extra perks along the way.
There are three membership levels to choose from:
£1.99/month
£2.99/month
£4.99/month
Membership is completely optional, but every member helps support the continued growth of The Travelling Vocalist, including new vlogs, travel adventures and behind-the-scenes content.
A huge thank you to everyone already watching, subscribing, commenting and supporting the channel.
Become a member Back to news
The Travelling