How Safe Are French Aires? (1 Viewer)

[Pia]

Talking to an old pal who used to have a MH today and was picking his brains about travelling in France.. He was not at all keen on Aires. He said he felt they were not the safest places to stay and felt a bit like a sitting target...

I suspect he was talking of Aires de Service...we have only stopped at these in the day time whilst driving down to Spain by car....NEVER in the MH. We love the Aires in France and Spain and if we feel comfortable and safe we stay...on our 3 month Spring trip we stayed where we stopped and enjoyed it all. We shall be doing the same for our sutumn trip.....so follow your instincts if you feel safe the chances are you ARE safe....but stick to Aires de Camping Car NOT Aires de Service on motorways...and most of all enjoy your travels

 

[DBK]

Hi.
"Touched your........foot?"
Tea Bag

They knew what they were doing. My brother and I were in a small two man tent which tapered to the foot end. This was the obvious place to put valuables when sleeping - and the thief knew this too! Scissors cut a hole in the fabric just big enough for a hand.

 

[nicholsong]

One cannot be the subject of 'Robbery' under English Law without knowing it, because the offence involves the victim being put in fear of his life or imminent threat of injury. One cannot be in fear and still asleep.

If their is something stolen without that threat the offence is straight 'Theft'

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[EX51SSS]

One cannot be the subject of 'Robbery' under English Law without knowing it, because the offence involves the victim being put in fear of his life or imminent threat of injury. One cannot be in fear and still asleep.

If their is something stolen without that threat the offence is straight 'Theft'

But under French law?

 

[peterc10]

One cannot be in fear and still asleep.

This one can. You have never met my wife have you?

 

[EX51SSS]

This one can. You have never met my wife have you?

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[Northernraider]

A friend of mine was gassed the other night


I can actually remember the entire conversation he said

" I wiz pure gassed thi ither nite by the way....... Dinnae Ken how but as a only had 9 pints and 5 o they jagger whitsits"

 

[EX51SSS]

This is a slight diversion from the OP. A mate of mine has just messaged me via WhatsApp and told me he's bought a tent, a sleeping bag and a tilly set and spending the night camping. He admits he's a scared of the dark since being a boy. To that end, he's also taking in the tent, an air rifle and an air pistol for his own protection.
He's about 18/19 stone and think any intruders would be in danger of being eaten. He's also considering taking his cat with him for early warning.
He's not going far. He's staying in his own back garden.

I've resisted putting the pictures of him and his fire power on but I reckon he voted for Trump by proxy

 

[cruiser]

Oh dear @peterc10 . I have meet your wife. I must have only seen her good side, LOl

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[Just smiffy]

This is a slight diversion from the OP. A mate of mine has just messaged me via WhatsApp and told me he's bought a tent, a sleeping bag and a tilly set and spending the night camping. He admits he's a scared of the dark since being a boy. To that end, he's also taking in the tent, an air rifle and an air pistol for his own protection.
He's about 18/19 stone and think any intruders would be in danger of being eaten. He's also considering taking his cat with him for early warning.
He's not going far. He's staying in his own back garden.
View attachment 179703 View attachment 179704 View attachment 179705
I've resisted putting the pictures of him and his fire power on but I reckon he voted for Trump by proxy

I see from the first picture he has taken the precaution of putting up trip wires.... wise choice...

 

[EX51SSS]

I see from the first picture he has taken the precaution of putting up trip wires.... wise choice...

I think there's a few booby traps and electric fencing. I said if you're that nervous of your safety in your own back garden, how about moving to the safety of Toxteth.

 

[cruiser]

Get him a large dog.

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[Reallyretired]

We only once moved off an aire because we were dubious about it. There were 3 vans there in the afternoon but the two French ones left about 5, leaving us on our tod. They hadn't left to avoid paying (seen a lot of that) as it was a free aire, however they may just have gone there to walk their dogs as it was adjacent to a bit of forest. Sometimes it's best to listen to your gut feelings, other times we have been the only MH on an aire and it hasn't bothered us at all.

Several times I have driven into sites and straight out again though.

 

[EX51SSS]

Get him a large dog.

Wouldn't get on with his cat. Actually, I'd put a picture of his Swmbo up. No one would dare enter.

 

[JackieP]

We only once moved off an aire because we were dubious about it. There were 3 vans there in the afternoon but the two French ones left about 5, leaving us on our tod. They hadn't left to avoid paying (seen a lot of that) as it was a free aire, however they may just have gone there to walk their dogs as it was adjacent to a bit of forest. Sometimes it's best to listen to your gut feelings, other times we have been the only MH on an aire and it hasn't bothered us at all.

Several times I have driven into sites and straight out again though.

This happened to me but I wasn't as smart as you, I stayed.

This was on an official Aire in Vendrennes which is set in a beautiful park adjacent to the village. It was well lit but around 11pm the lights went out and shortly after the other two French vans left. I was in bed and decided to stay. About midnight some kids arrived shining big LED torches through the window and then started banging on the van's windows. I got spooked and drove up to the village but they followed me. I was peeping through the window and saw one of them with a lighted branch approaching the van. That was it for me. It was my first solo trip, I was a bit green and I'd never driven at night but the bed was up and I was in the drivers seat (naked apart from a t shirt) and I drove until I reached the nearest village where I parked up with some other vans. In the morning when I opened the blinds the windows were covered in their greasy smokey handprints where they'd been banging on the windows.

It scared the pants off me (literally) and for months I wouldn't sleep anywhere without being surrounded by vans.

I wrote to the mayor of the village and told her of my experiences and they decided to leave the lights on all night after that and of course I had a profuse apology.

But it has to be seen in proportion. I've been travelling for ten years, stayed on hundreds of aires and this was the first time I'd had any bother.

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[EX51SSS]

This happened to me but I wasn't as smart as you, I stayed.

This was on an official Aire in Vendrennes which is set in a beautiful park adjacent to the village. It was well lit but around 11pm the lights went out and shortly after the other two French vans left. I was in bed and decided to stay. About midnight some kids arrived shining big LED torches through the window and then started banging on the van's windows. I got spooked and drove up to the village but they followed me. I was peeping through the window and saw one of them with a lighted branch approaching the van. That was it for me. It was my first solo trip, I was a bit green and I'd never driven at night but the bed was up and I was in the drivers seat (naked apart from a t shirt) and I drove until I reached the nearest village where I parked up with some other vans. In the morning when I opened the blinds the windows were covered in their greasy smokey handprints where they'd been banging on the windows.

It scared the pants off me (literally) and for months I wouldn't sleep anywhere without being surrounded by vans.

I wrote to the mayor of the village and told her of my experiences and they decided to leave the lights on all night after that and of course I had a profuse apology.

But it has to be seen in proportion. I've been travelling for ten years, stayed on hundreds of aires and this was the first time I'd had any bother.

Wow!!!! That must have been a truly horrendous experience and well done you for following the actions you did.

 

[Northernraider]

This happened to me but I wasn't as smart as you, I stayed.

This was on an official Aire in Vendrennes which is set in a beautiful park adjacent to the village. It was well lit but around 11pm the lights went out and shortly after the other two French vans left. I was in bed and decided to stay. About midnight some kids arrived shining big LED torches through the window and then started banging on the van's windows. I got spooked and drove up to the village but they followed me. I was peeping through the window and saw one of them with a lighted branch approaching the van. That was it for me. It was my first solo trip, I was a bit green and I'd never driven at night but the bed was up and I was in the drivers seat (naked apart from a t shirt) and I drove until I reached the nearest village where I parked up with some other vans. In the morning when I opened the blinds the windows were covered in their greasy smokey handprints where they'd been banging on the windows.

It scared the pants off me (literally) and for months I wouldn't sleep anywhere without being surrounded by vans.

I wrote to the mayor of the village and told her of my experiences and they decided to leave the lights on all night after that and of course I had a profuse apology.

But it has to be seen in proportion. I've been travelling for ten years, stayed on hundreds of aires and this was the first time I'd had any bother.

I had a similar experience to that on the isle of mull of all places, 2am group of drunk youths in a car shaking the van and banging on it, I was there with my ex wife and 2 kids.
But like you it's the only incident I've ever had in over twenty years of wildcamping

 

[Northernraider]

Yeah but then in 25 years my house has been broken in to twice..... So things happen occasionally outwith control

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[MichelleRyall]

We have only driven through once. It was a small aire, can't remember where but it was before Les Pieux on the way home via Cherbourg. It was in the aires book so we stuck it in the sat nav. As we drove in we saw several, obviously long term vans, a couple of caravans, some pick up vans, washing on lines and some very dubious electrical wiring!!!!! Carried on driving needless to say.

 

[JackieP]

I don't think you can say that staying on an Aire is wild camping. To me wild camping is staying somewhere unofficial.

And do keep in mind that these were isolated incidents. You're probably more likely to experience something far worse than this walking through your town at 1am.

When something like this happens it gives you something back. For me I learned not to be so complacent and believe that everyone is my friend. It's also toughened me up a bit and I needed that to happen.

I also learned that I could drive in the dark - in bare feet and half naked!

 

[JackieP]

Yeah but then in 25 years my house has been broken in to twice..... So things happen occasionally outwith control

So true..

And, as a fellow Fifer, how lovely to read you saying 'outwith'. It's a word you rarely hear these days but it's used such a lot in Fife I know.

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[Northernraider]

So true..

And, as a fellow Fifer, how lovely to read you saying 'outwith'. It's a word you rarely hear these days but it's used such a lot in Fife I know.

Yeah you can't live your life worrying about what could happen you'd never leave the house it's best just to do things and deal with stuff if and when it happens.

Really I've never really noticed folk using it or not lol I'll be paying attention now ha ha

That van in your avatar is cool..... I'm assuming it isn't yours it looks Indian but very cool

 

[JackieP]

It's my van.

That van in your avatar is cool..... I'm assuming it isn't yours it looks Indian but very cool

It's my van. It's a marmite van - folk either love it or hate it. The majority love it and so do I.

Here's my favourite picture of it. I'm coming up to Fife at the end of September - if you see me give me a shout!

 

[Northernraider]

It's my van.


It's my van. It's a marmite van - folk either love it or hate it. The majority love it and so do I.

Is it really.... I have to say it's awesome lol
I've never seen that around I'd certainly have remembered...
Are you going to the Fife rally?

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[Northernraider]

Ah just noticed your now on the isle of man

 

[JackieP]

Thank you. No my boat doesn't leave here till the 27th September so I will miss it.

Anyway - back to the thread…..

 

[nicholsong]

The only time we have be disturbed in the night was by a lake in Slowakia - at 0200 we heard thumping noises. Looking through each window we could see nobody. Turned out it was the boiler trying to start up for the heating.

I believe that if one is really in a wild spot there are unlikely to be people driving miles around wild areas in the hope of finding the odd MH. More likely to go where they know there will be some - campsites/Aires etc.

Geoff

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[Deleted member 29692]

Why would things happening on aires put you off wild camping?

The two aren't even remotely similar.

If anything the two incidents described should put you off using any type of organised official camping area or site.

 

[Northernraider]

Why would things happening on aires put you off wild camping?

The two aren't even remotely similar.

If anything the two incidents described should put you off using any type of organised official camping area or site.

Yep I find it's normally teenagers who cause bother and the places I normally wildcamp there's no one about
The incident on mull I was camped at calgary bay but not beside the other vans near the toilet block but at the picnic area just up the road, middle of summer its apparently a place where the local youths of the island go to make out
Everytime I've camped there since I've been down near the toilet and had no issues

Aires I have little experience of as only toured France once and mainly wildcamped and used service aires for water and waste, think I only spent the night on 3 aires in 17 days