# Gas cannisters when touring in Europe



## bikepacker (13 Jul 2010)

Having previously given advice on the availability of gas canisters for camping stoves, I did some further checking while on tour in France a few weeks ago. 



Enquiring at 2 Decathlon stores, 2 Intersport and 1 Sport 2000, there were no screw top canisters to be had. The manager of one of the Decathlon stores told me they no longer stocked them. This means your gas camping stove will need to take push-on Camping Gaz or puncture style cannisters. If you do have a screw thread stove take with you one of the Edelrid (formally Markhill) adaptors. They do one to convert puncture style canisters and one for push-on. 



If you have difficulty obtaining either adaptor, Mark at Ultralight Outdoor Gear http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/home.html tells me, in future he will carry both in stock and dispatch them post-free.


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## andym (13 Jul 2010)

bikepacker said:


> Having previously given advice on the availability of gas canisters for camping stoves, I did some further checking while on tour in France a few weeks ago.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



IIRC I did see the screw-on type in a Decathlon in Spain - so what you were told may not be the official position for Decathlon. BUT I've never seen the screw-on type in campsite shops or supermarkets in either France or Spain - or for that matter the push-on campinggaz stoves. My advice would be to go for a stove (or adapter) that uses the puncture type.

Oh and while we are on the subject, Eurostar confiscated my gas cylinders on my way out even though I've travelled with them in the past. So taking them with you is only an option if you are going by ferry.


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## psmiffy (13 Jul 2010)

bikepacker said:


> Having previously given advice on the availability of gas canisters for camping stoves, I did some further checking while on tour in France a few weeks ago.



Many moons ago I made a list of Gas availability in Europe which I have updated since my trip last year - attached below (I hope)



bikepacker said:


> If you do have a screw thread stove take with you one of the Edelrid (formally Markhill) adaptors. They do one to convert puncture style canisters and one for push-on.



Markhill Adaptor - robust and easy to use


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## Brains (13 Jul 2010)

France is very pro the old pierce type of gaz container, if possible take all you can with you.

The screw top ones are available in France, but not at normal French camping shops.

The places to find the screw top ones are hardware stores as many blow lamps and similar use them, also industrial catering shops, as the stoves they make flambee with by the table also use them.
You may also find them in campsite shops with a high proportion of Northern European/British campers


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## rich p (13 Jul 2010)

I used the push fit, CV Gaz and had a fair bit of trouble locating them. Once in a asmall Casino shop and again in a garden centre.
Bricomart(?) and Mr Bricolage didn't have them, nor Intermarche etc


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## psmiffy (13 Jul 2010)

rich p said:


> I used the push fit, CV Gaz and had a fair bit of trouble locating them. Once in a asmall Casino shop and again in a garden centre.
> Bricomart(?) and Mr Bricolage didn't have them, nor Intermarche etc



Nah - I must disagree - In France Blue CV is dead easy Mr Bricolage is where I would almost guarantee finding the blue Gaz CV - also the Intermarche Bricolage (normally next to the supermarket)


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## andym (13 Jul 2010)

psmiffy said:


> Nah - I must disagree - In France Blue CV is dead easy Mr Bricolage is where I would almost guarantee finding the blue Gaz CV - also the Intermarche Bricolage (normally next to the supermarket)



Well maybe. If you pass through larger towns then yes maybe Mr Bricolage could be an option. But travelling in Brittany and Corsica I don't recall ever seeing one (which of course may be my memory at fault). Personally if I did need a gas cylinder I would want a type I could have a reasonable prospect of finding in a supermarket in a village or small town, or in a campsite supermarket. i don't want to be spending any time whatsoever in a french industrial estate looking for a M Bricolage.

Blowtorch cylinders are all very well if you have a stove that will work with cylinders in a horizontal position but otherwise I don't fancy trying to balance a pot of boiling water on a stove on top of a blowtorch canister.


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## andrew_s (14 Jul 2010)

I've had no problem finding Blue CV in village/small town supermarkets (Alps/Tarn/Ardeche). In about half of the ones I looked in.

To use a blowtorch canister horizontally, you need a remote canister stove that has a preheat loop passinf through the flame (MSR Windpro, Edelrid Opilio, SunnGas Alpine etc). Not all remote canister stoves have the preheat loop, and no canister top stoves do so you can't use a remote adapter.

If you want to use a blowtorch canister with a screw on canister top stove like the MSR Pocket Rocket, you are best off using some string and 3 or 4 tent pegs to guy that canister upright. It will probably raise the burner too high to use under a tent fly, but should be OK otherwise.


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## rich p (14 Jul 2010)

It must be very variable then for the CV as I had real trouble for the last 2 weeks travelling through small town southern France. There was a variety of other brands available in both pierce and screw but CV was a rarity.


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## vernon (14 Jul 2010)

rich p said:


> It must be very variable then for the CV as I had real trouble for the last 2 weeks travelling through small town southern France. There was a variety of other brands available in both pierce and screw but CV was a rarity.



All of this uncertainty could have been avoided if folk took Trangias with them and used alcool a bruler.


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## rich p (14 Jul 2010)

vernon said:


> All of this uncertainty could have been avoided if folk took Trangias with them and used alcool a bruler.




I may look into it further!


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## andym (14 Jul 2010)

> All of this uncertainty could have been avoided if folk took Trangias with them and used alcool a bruler



Indeed or any of the other alcohol stoves that are available. Or a wood-gas stove. But if you want to go to france/spain and cook with gas then I think the options are either buy a stove that works with the camping gaz puncture -type canisters; or buy the adapter; or be prepared to have to improvise/search around.


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## bikepacker (14 Jul 2010)

vernon said:


> All of this uncertainty could have been avoided if folk took Trangias with them and used alcool a bruler.



I used a Trangia for many years and now I have discovered the ease and cleanliness of gas, I would never go back. 

If you want a one item solution take the adaptor for the puncture style cannisters as they are abundantly available.


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## rich p (15 Jul 2010)

bikepacker said:


> I used a Trangia for many years and now I have discovered the ease and cleanliness of gas, I would never go back.
> 
> If you want a one item solution take the adaptor for the puncture style cannisters as they are abundantly available.




Is that an adaptor forom CV to pierce? For some reason I assumed it was from Screw to pierce?


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## psmiffy (15 Jul 2010)

rich p said:


> Is that an adaptor from CV to pierce? For some reason I assumed it was from Screw to pierce?



I would of said pierce to screw - not much use if you have a CV stove - I took an epigas one to Greece with me a few years back because i thought that I would not be able to find CV/or screw on canisters - actually only used it once before I found CV canister (karki in Greece not blue) - The adaptor was OK - had a valve so that you could seperate the "base" and the burner - the little piercable's do not last long though and are at a lower pressure than the screw on or the CV.

Personally I think the best bet (probably because its what I use) is a screw on stove - primus et al and an adaptor for CV to screw on - using this setup I have never been without a cup of coffee first thing in the morning anywhere in western Europe 

I must reiterate (is that legal) that finding CV gas canisters in France is *easy* (see my list above for where it is not so easy)


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## bikepacker (15 Jul 2010)

rich p said:


> Is that an adaptor forom CV to pierce? For some reason I assumed it was from Screw to pierce?



There are two possible adaptors. One is to convert puncture-type cannisters to a fit a screw thread stove. The other is to convert push-on or CV cannisters to screw thread stoves. Both have built in non-return valves to allow the removal of the stove from the adaptor.

I carry both when touring in Europe but if I could only carry one it would be for the puncture-type cannister as they are the most widely available.


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## andym (15 Jul 2010)

rich p said:


> Is that an adaptor forom CV to pierce? For some reason I assumed it was from Screw to pierce?




there are two types of adapter both made by Edelrid (was Markill)/Vaude. One for using CV canisters with screw-on burner. 









The other for using puncture cartridges with a screw-on burner.









http://www.actionoutdoors.co.uk/shop/edelrid-puncturestyle-cartridge-adaptor-p-881.html

http://www.actionoutdoors.co.uk/shop/edelrid-valve-cartridge-adapter-p-880.html


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## rich p (15 Jul 2010)

I get it. It doesn't help if you have a CV stove but Smiffy seems to have better luck than me. I'm sure the French will come round to CV eventually though!

Is it safe to leave the adaptor on the pierce-able canister in the pannier?


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## psmiffy (15 Jul 2010)

rich p said:


> I get it. It doesn't help if you have a CV stove but Smiffy seems to have better luck than me.



You have either got it or you hav'nt



rich p said:


> I'm sure the French will come round to CV eventually though!



In my experience France is the most CV rich place in Europe (possibly the world)



rich p said:


> Is it safe to leave the adaptor on the pierce-able canister in the pannier?



Yes - I keep mine in a bag on top of my rack with the burner detached


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## willem (15 Jul 2010)

There does seem to be some confusion. There are three types: pierce, screw on with a valve and click on with a valve (CV). Pierce cannisters are easiest to get, but are also a bit inconvenient and not the safest thing. The cannisters with a valve are better, but unfortunately there are two types: the screw on with a Lindall valve such as used by Primus, Coleman and many others, and the Camping Gas click-on version. In most countries the screw on canisters are quite easy to get (though never as easy as the piercable ones), but in France you can forget about getting screw on cannisters. France is Camping Gaz / click-on country. If you have a screw on stove, you need either an adapter for pierceable cannisters, or for click-on cannisters. There is one alternative, however, and that is to use a stove with a connector that works wioth both the scre on valve and the click-on valve. MSR do one, but Primus now also have at least three dual mode models. 
Willem


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## rusky (24 Jul 2010)

Anyone know what highstreet chains sell the screw-on stove to click on adapters???


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## andrew_s (24 Jul 2010)

None, as far as I know.
Internet order from (eg)
Action Outdoors, Ipswich 
UOG (puncture)
BPL (CV)


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## bikepacker (29 Jul 2010)

rusky said:


> Anyone know what highstreet chains sell the screw-on stove to click on adapters???



The importers are DB Outdoor Systems Limited who deal with Blacks. I went into my local Blacks yesterday and the manager said he could get them to order but did not stock them.


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## rusky (6 Aug 2010)

On returning from France after a week camping, I can confirm that the puncture & CV (CV more so) are readily available in northern France. However, the R90x less so!


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