Aires etiquet (1 Viewer)

Sep 24, 2013
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I've been reading one of the Vicarious Books books(!) which imply that you can not use external screen covers or wheel ramps as this classes as camping. Is this right.?Do I need to get some internal screen covers for use on aires as my wife can't sleep with just the curtains at the front of the MH?
 

makems

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Loads of people use external blinds and ramps on aires in France ourselves included. If you are on an official aire I doubt that you will have any problems.
Can be different in Spain and Portugal however where anything outside the van is considered camping and you may get moved on.
 
Nov 6, 2013
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We have used our screen cover in France, Spain and Portugal on aires and wild camping with no problems.
Perhaps we were just lucky but don't know of anybody that have been moved on.

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makems

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Perhaps we were just lucky but don't know of anybody that have been moved on.
Well Its happened to me! in Portugal where I had wound out the awning about a foot so I could hang the waterproofs to dry after getting soaked on a walk. We had been at the same place for three days and that was the first time we had put anything outside. My own fault really.
I have missed being moved on also in Portugal by leaving on the day the police came to move everybody else on. Just luck, I had no prior information they were coming!
And I know several others who have been moved on in similar circumstances.
You may be lucky, but if locals have complained about MHers wild camping then the police can use the slightest infraction to move you on.
Less likely to happen on a proper aire, but for example many in the All the Aires book for Spain and Portugal are merely parking places and not proper aires.
 

tonka

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There is also a train of thought that "should" anything happen and you need yo drive away in an emergency.. Be it for security or otherwise then the use of external screens and ramps will hinder your movements..

We have used screens on a Spanish aire as it was cold near Madrid in January !!!

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Busman

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Can I ask about aires etiquette regarding beer/wine etc, if you've had one over the odds while parked up on the aire can you be moved on or are you ok on the aire.
Ta.
 

Glandwr

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It is difficult if not impossible to come up with general rules about Aires. They are peculiar to the authority or commune that provides them.

Dick
 

Bertie Bassett

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Can I ask about aires etiquette regarding beer/wine etc, if you've had one over the odds while parked up on the aire can you be moved on or are you ok on the aire.
Ta.

When we over wintered at Mojacar sometime ago the Guardia would regularly move people on from the beach. One lone French Lady would always apologise profusely and hold up her half empty bottle. As she was then alone on the beach the Guardia would return every half hour throughout the night to check she was OK!:)

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Ven

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I would say use your judgement on each aire in France. On paid aires such as Le Tréport, Mortagne sur Gironde, La Suze etc. we have used our external screens where there are always lots of other vans too. On smaller village aires by the side of the road such as Le Sap or La Flèche we would use internals just in case we had to move (we never have in 5 years and probably more than 365 nights on French aires though).
 

Bertie Bassett

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I would say use your judgement on each aire in France. On paid aires such as Le Tréport, Mortagne sur Gironde, La Suze etc. we have used our external screens where there are always lots of other vans too. On smaller village aires by the side of the road such as Le Sap or La Flèche we would use internals just in case we had to move (we never have in 5 years and probably more than 365 nights on French aires though).

That's our experience too!
 

ojibway

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I've never heard of not being allowed to use screens or blocks!
Awnings, I imagine, are at your discretion - just be courteous towards others - you may be taking up valuable parking space as, unlike back home, in France they bunch up close to each other!;)

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ojibway

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I've never heard of not being allowed to use screens or blocks!
Awnings, I imagine, are at your discretion - just be courteous towards others - you may be taking up valuable parking space as, unlike back home, in France they bunch up close to each other!;)
 

Glandwr

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The Dutch campercontact app that lists most aires type stops throughout the whole of Europe classifies them as those that you can and cannot "indulge in camping behaviour". This they define as putting out table and chairs and awnings. Nothing about blocks or external blinds.

Dick
 

Bertie Bassett

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I've never heard of not being allowed to use screens or blocks!
Awnings, I imagine, are at your discretion - just be courteous towards others - you may be taking up valuable parking space as, unlike back home, in France they bunch up close to each other!;)

Seconded and many thanks for your pics on Flickr..........absolutely first class. Take 500 proxy likes!

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Vimbus

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To me the concept is about being purely self contained, so no bbq's or table and chairs laid out. I don't see a problem with leveling chocks however I personally avoid using external screen for fearvf vandalism

We've got a small camper by comparison to most you see on aires and the french don't seem to take exception to us doing some washing or doing the washing up outside
 

scousebird

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When at the Brantome aire this summer the garda came round & told everyone to put their awnings, tables & chairs away

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Dec 12, 2010
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you can not use external screen covers or wheel ramps as this classes as camping.

Well what do they think we're all doing with our camping cars, the clue's in the name :rolleyes:
 
Apr 12, 2010
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Never had a problem with screens or blocks, awnings a no no.
I once asked a Frenchman to take down his awning on a full aire so we could park. He duly obliged without a fuss.
Same applies to tables and chairs at side of van.
Phil
 

magicsurfbus

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I've never seen any bother on French aires regarding external windscreen covers or chocks. I've seen notices forbidding any form of spreading outwards from the basic footprint of the vehicle, but have never seen it being enforced, and I've never been asked to put chairs away. The trick that most seasoned users latch onto is parking near a convenient patch of grass or foliage if you want a bit of outside space.

Having once seen a camper go up in flames on a crowded aire around midnight I always stow everything away and make sure my chocks wouldn't prevent a rapid exit if it was needed.

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Welsh girl

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I've seen people use their awnings to stop people parking close to them effectively keeping 2 spaces for themselves. We don't use outside blinds while free camping but we do while on a recognized Aire.
Otherwise we use internal screens.
 
Sep 5, 2008
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We were at Mimizan a few weeks ago, aire was really busy. We parked beside a French van. She came out, surveyed her space then they proceeded to move across spanning the white line and taking up 2 spaces. Washing, table and chairs and BBQ out.

Lin
 

ojibway

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We were at Mimizan a few weeks ago, aire was really busy. We parked beside a French van. She came out, surveyed her space then they proceeded to move across spanning the white line and taking up 2 spaces. Washing, table and chairs and BBQ out.

Lin
I never feel I should feel bad if French motorhomers takes up more space that they should. We don't even offer them anything like the hospitality they offer us. Then the aires get taken over by Brits, Belgians, Dutch, Germans, Danes, Swedes, many of whom take the Noddy (yes, Noddy is called Oui oui in France!)
I'm just grateful for the opportunity they give us to enjoy their beautiful country without getting ripped off!(y)

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Sep 5, 2008
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Agree, the hospitality is great, but everyone is paying for 1 pitch. Why should some be denied a space there.
 

Steve101uk

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French aires I have had table chairs out and external satellite dish pegged down, van on ramps. When the local police or attendant arrived to check the ticket or collect the fee's they have never made any comment and have always been polite. I think its just a matter of using common sense. The French don't seem to be so hung up about these things in my experience. I don't tend to use the awning on aires although I have seen the some French take up two spaces doing this.

Cheers

Steve
 
Dec 18, 2010
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When we over wintered at Mojacar sometime ago the Guardia would regularly move people on from the beach. One lone French Lady would always apologise profusely and hold up her half empty bottle. As she was then alone on the beach the Guardia would return every half hour throughout the night to check she was OK!:)
How do you know as she was all alone?

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ojibway

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Agree, the hospitality is great, but everyone is paying for 1 pitch. Why should some be denied a space there.
More often than not it is the French who respect the etiquette on aires and the Brits and Germans who flaunt it.
In Fort Mahon, a couple of years ago we parked up three vans widths from another van and a French motorhomer asked us to move closer to the van. No probs, we did.:)

Worst we saw (in Biarritz) was a Dutch motorhome parked on the drive over emptying platform. OK, the aire was full but but that really was taking the Noddy!:eek:
 

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