france (1 Viewer)

dorry

Free Member
Jun 19, 2009
8
0
Funster No
7,170
For the first time I am going to visit France and perhaps travel from Calais down the coast stopping in aires along the coast, could anyone advise on the safety and also if the book AIres in france is worth obtaining . I have a fiat ducato chasson flash 07. many thanks dorry
 

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
For the first time I am going to visit France and perhaps travel from Calais down the coast stopping in aires along the coast, could anyone advise on the safety and also if the book AIres in france is worth obtaining . I have a fiat ducato chasson flash 07. many thanks dorry

Funny you should say that, look ^^^^ up, a costs next to nothing book that will improve your odds. I'm just waiting for mine to arrive. Never too old to learn.

But basically you are safe especially if you use your head.


Oops - just remembered it's an ebook - I've had the download authorisation for days.
 
Last edited:

neilmac

Free Member
Nov 24, 2008
217
2
UK, France & Spain
Funster No
5,009
MH
A Class
Exp
2nd year
How far down the coast are you going?

Normandy? Brittany? Down the Atlantic? If you can be more specific with your plans I'm sure you'll get plenty of helpful advice :Smile:

Regarding safety - no problem at all in our experience, but we only stay in town/village/countryside/beachside aires NOT the motorway ones which should be avoided.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:

OKKIMMY

Free Member
Dec 16, 2009
21
0
LONDON
Funster No
9,665
MH
RV
Exp
6 MONTHS
Very dumb question but what are Aires? :Blush: Also desperately seeking new insurance quote and euro breakdown cover... if anyone can advise? :thumb::Eeek::Doh::ROFLMAO:
 

dellwood33

Free Member
Apr 25, 2009
0
877
Newcastle
Funster No
6,426
MH
italian crap
Exp
too long
Here is a link to "Aires". Just scroll down the page for detailed infornation. :Smile:
Link Removed
 

alivan

Free Member
Jan 29, 2010
45
0
UK and Europe
Funster No
10,115
MH
Autotrail
Exp
5
Stopping in France

Hello, I was robbed in France wile asleep: Laptop, Bum Bag with Phone, Passport, Wallet with over 2,000 euro inside. They get in from the front doors. Buy a trailer strap with winch, attach front door handals and winch tight. If they open the lock they cannot pull open the door. Cost about £5.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Zepp

Free Member
Jun 22, 2008
1,673
3,260
Roaming
Funster No
3,005
MH
A Class
Exp
7 Years
Hi Dorry
We went to France for the first time in the motorhome last year we had a great time we stayed on local Town / Village aires .

Its common sense if you get a bad feeling about a aire move and try to stay off the toll roads ..............the the aires book was a great help to us well worth the cost


Paul & Lynne
 

Toffs-G

Free Member
Sep 16, 2009
610
120
West Sussex
Funster No
8,484
MH
Adria Twin 640SPB
Exp
September 2009
Also desperately seeking new insurance quote and euro breakdown cover... if anyone can advise? :thumb::Eeek::Doh::ROFLMAO:

Aires are basically municipal or local village provided stopovers for motorhomes

Some are just parkng places, others have water and waste facilties, some free some nominal charge

We use Safeguard has UK and Continental breakdown:thumb:
 

Heyupluv

Free Member
Oct 7, 2008
3,862
1,593
France,
Funster No
4,322
MH
A Class
Exp
touring many years..42+
For the first time I am going to visit France and perhaps travel from Calais down the coast stopping in aires along the coast, could anyone advise on the safety and also if the book AIres in france is worth obtaining . I have a fiat ducato chasson flash 07. many thanks dorry

ALL the AIRES in France................YES:thumb:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

barryd

Free Member
Feb 10, 2009
1,143
109
Yorkshire Dales
Funster No
5,594
MH
C Class
Exp
Since May 08
We spent most of last summer in France, almost every region. We spent a month at Christmas traveling around southern England. I can tell you honestly that we felt a lot safer in France than England. The only place we encountered anything resembling the menacing behavior you would expect here was when wild camping on the cliffs in Fecamp (northern France) where there was a big rock concert and some youths turned up in boy racer cars, made a bit of a racket for half an hour then buggered off. We never bothered with any more security than the standard door locks. A lot of Aires and places we were at, bikes were left out unlocked and I even left the keys in the scooter one night (accidentally). Most places just felt safe where we were.

We tend to stay to small picturesque villages and I wouldn’t adopt this policy in say Paris or any of the big cities as they will have the same issues as our cities but rural and coastal France just feels safe and is. I noticed as well that the youths over there seem to have much more respect for their elders and even when we came across groups of teenagers or youngsters in supped up Corsas (yes they have them too) they were very courteous to us which took me by surprise at first.

Can’t wait to go back there. In fact I would happily just spend my days bumbling around France.
 

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
Hello, I was robbed in France wile asleep: Laptop, Bum Bag with Phone, Passport, Wallet with over 2,000 euro inside. They get in from the front doors. Buy a trailer strap with winch, attach front door handals and winch tight. If they open the lock they cannot pull open the door. Cost about £5.


Well you need a copy of the security guide - Cost about £6
 

scotjimland

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 25, 2007
2,076
8,977
Suffolk Coastal District, UK
Funster No
15
MH
Timberland
The word 'aire' simply means 'area' or place..

To clarify, there are four types of Aires in France

AAV.bmp
Pick nick Aires, as found on Autoroutes ..
Aires sur service, can be used by all vehicles, cars, caravans, lorries etc ..
Do not use for over night stops due to high risk of break in and theft

ASV.bmp
Motorhome Aires ... Aires de Service camping car
For Motorhomes ONLY .. no caravans, cars or lorries.
will have water and dumping, some with electric, many free, others with a small charge, typically less than 10 euro

APV.bmp
. Parking Aires ....Aires de Parking Vérifiées
Motorhome parking, no services.

ACV.bmp
Camping Aires .... Aires sur Campings
Municipal sites for motorhomes, tents and caravans


As already said the, aire de service camping car aires are generally very safe and offer the best value for money when touring France, we have used them for many years and often for months at a time when it is quiet.

Some are little more than car parks for motor homes with little appeal other than a safe over night stop, but many are set by a river, lake or by a beach which you could easily mistake for camping sites, with grassy areas and plenty of space..


For Example ...

Link Removed

Have a look at these two albums of just a few of the fabulous aires we have stayed on ..

Link Removed

and

Link Removed

So next time someone asks about an 'aire' ask them what type they are asking about .. :winky:








There is some confusion when

*
ASV.ov2 (Aires de Services Vérifiées)
*
ACV.ov2 (Aires sur Campings Vérifiées)
*
APV.ov2 (Aires de Parking Vérifiées)
*
AAV.ov2 (Aires sur Autoroutes Vérifiées)
 
Last edited:

ronald4874

Free Member
Oct 31, 2008
175
6
Poole Dorset
Funster No
4,737
MH
CB 6.5 metres
Exp
About 15yrs plus early years in caravan & cruiser
France visits.

For the first time I am going to visit France and perhaps travel from Calais down the coast stopping in aires along the coast, could anyone advise on the safety and also if the book AIres in france is worth obtaining . I have a fiat ducato chasson flash 07. many thanks dorry
Dorry
Don't go short on safety and security no matter what others say. Robbers are a curse in all countries, including France. Make sure you have doors straps, safe -- bolted through the chassis for all money, passports and van spare keys--, large s/s dog bowl to be left outside door and when van is left for visits etc, make sure all blinds are down. Never ever carry passports and excess money about in bags on your person, 75% of people are robbed that way.
If robbers have success they will return over and over again so don't let other motorhome people down in not providing good security.
By doing the simple things you will feel confident in yourself, especially at night. By the way, don't listen to the old worn out 'Chestnut' gassing--- its not possible.
Enjoy your trip to France we all love the place and most of us return over and over again to this motorhome friendly country.
By the way, what time of the year are you going?.
Ron W

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top