How easy is parrafin/white gas etc. to buy throughout Europe?

[GrahamG]

I've got a bushbuddy which, for evening meals, gets a lot of use however I need a back up and something for the morning coffee. Looking at multi-fuel stoves, it would seem that they all use petroleum based fuels and was wondering how easy it was to buy whilst in Europe. I'm assuming that I can't just use a petrol pump much like here but was wondering how easy paraffin is to buy and what they call it!

 

[JackE]

Would you not consider a small meths stove ("alcool a bruler" in France) like this guy is demonstrating: http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product398.asp?PageID=118. Apparently, it is very plentiful and cheap over there.
Sorry if I've spelled it wrongly.

 

[rualexander]

.... I'm assuming that I can't just use a petrol pump much like here but was wondering how easy paraffin is to buy and what they call it!

Very often, but not always, you can just get half a litre of petrol from a filling station pump. Paraffin is a good fuel but it doesn't evaporate much so can be a bit messy and is harder to light than petrol, I prefer petrol which evaporates quickly.
A list of international fuel names can be found here :
http://members.iinet.net.au/~mbuckler/fuel/index.shtml#tableoffuelnames

In Europe I would consider using a meths stove as suggested above, not quite as easy to find as petrol, but probably easier than paraffin, and much better for cooking in a tent vestibule. With petrol or paraffin you really need to have the stove completely outside the tent due to flare up fire risks. Meths will not flare up.

 

[andym]

I don't know about other countries, but every large supermarket I went into in France had alcool à bruler. The main disadvantage was that it only seemed to come in litre bottles (although I have seen half litre bottles in Corsica).

I have a Bushcooker and I have a gas stove as back up. I think you'll find that you need to use the gas so rarely that a cylinder will last for ages and ages. If you do go for gas then it might well be worth considering getting a campingaz stove as other types of gas cartridge seem to be harder to get hold of - at least in certain areas and in non-specialist shops.

 

[ASC1951]

I don't know about other countries, but every large supermarket I went into in France had alcool à bruler. The main disadvantage was that it only seemed to come in litre bottles (although I have seen half litre bottles in Corsica).

If you're stuck, most rural pharmacies in France and Spain sell alcohol in 250 and 500ml bottles.

 

[snorri]

I'm assuming that I can't just use a petrol pump much like here

I have never been refused petrol at a petrol station, but only use it when unable to get the more refined petrol which is much cleaner than the sooty stuff you get at the pumps.

 

[GrahamG]

Thanks for all the info folks - are meths cookers a bit slow? It's likely that this will get used for coffee duty so need something that'll boil water nice and quickly. Good point about use in tent vestibule too although my experience with a coleman petrol stove is that as long as it's primed outside then it's been fine. Maybe I'll just take the coleman and not worry about weight/space saving.

 

[JackE]

When on a tour I'm normally trying to slow myself down so the speed of a meths stove doesn't really matter that much. Apparently, the Whitebox meths stove is one of the fastest, whereas the Triad is painfully slow (see here:http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/page99.asp). So you takes your pick.

 

[stewie griffin]

Apparently, the Whitebox meths stove is one of the fastest, whereas the Triad is painfully slow (see here:http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/page99.asp).

The Triad looks like a "pop can" stove, you can make it yourself, Google it. Also called a "penny stove".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage-can_stove

 

[GrahamG]

Well I'm convinced - meths looks a good bit easier both for buying fuel and in-tent cooking, and the mini trangia I've just bought is a good deal cheaper than any other stove to consider!

Thanks everyone for the input, it's very much appreciated as I've not got long before disappearing.