Prefer sites (with hedges) to aires (1 Viewer)

[Chris]

Caught a couple there Buttons

 

[Reallyretired]

One reason I like Aires is that they are usually conveniently placed for visiting whatever it is that we've gone to a place for. Camp sites are often a long way away, however we do stay at them as well.
For example in Carcassonne there is an aire next to Le Cite which is a car park with a borne and cost €10 a night. The full facility site is a pleasant 20min walk away and is €16 (ACSI), so we stay on the site (which incidentally has large pitches with hedges). If you had walking difficulties though you might find the aire better as its a lot nearer.
Some sites in the UK are charging stupid fees though. I am staying at the CC site at Chapel Lane while my van is being done by Tappers, they are charging over £30 an night, which is more than a travelodge/Premier Inn whatever. It is convenient to them but I wouldn't normally pay that much for basically a parking space. It has EHU and showers etc though I don't need the first and never use campsite showers.

 

[buttons]

I very very very very strongly disagree with the suggestion that if you are in a motorhome and you do not stay in campsites then you are inconsiderate.

OUTRAGEOUS. :Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry::Angry:

JJ :Cool:

No suggestion that you are anything but totally committed to good practices JJ but not all motorhomers are as considerate to others.

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[buttons]

Total and absolute twaddle.

I see you live in Suffolk iandsm, you have the perfect example of selfish behaviour by motorhomers in your very own county. What do you know about the sea wall parking at Aldeburgh. Not such a load of old twaddle after all:Cool:

 

[buttons]

Brilliant, just brilliant, and if I say more I'll probably get banned
Motorhome are for whatever you want, as has been said before, but some people just ram on the blinkers and WONT bother looking at all views. You may not like, but a view contrary to your own isn't wrong, simply different.
[HI]We use sites, we like sites, well as long as they aren't to big and loud, here in the UK and doubtless always will, but when we escape into Europe, well who knows, definitly want to try the Aries bit and JJ you never know, we might give the off site bit a go[/HI]:thumb:

As hard as I try, I just cant disagree with any of that Dodgey.

 

[marrod23]

aires parking

We have stayed on the harbour at St Tropez & payed try finding that in a camping book Happy travels Rod:thumb:

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[iandsm]

I see you live in Suffolk iandsm, you have the perfect example of selfish behaviour by motorhomers in your very own county. What do you know about the sea wall parking at Aldeburgh. Not such a load of old twaddle after all:Cool:

Oh I know quite a lot about the sea wall motorhome parking at Aldeburgh. In fact it had been a parking place for years, I should say probably the last 20 years or so, without ever a problem. It was popular and the motorhomers did bring trade to the local pubs and fish and chip shops (Famous).

Aldeburgh then became more and more popular with the hooray henries, just down for the weekend from Kensington you know. Prices went up sky high in the town and property prices went stupid. Many of the incomers sought to put their mark on the town, joining whatever local committee would have them, and if there wasn't one they started one. It was the incomers who complained because the motorhomes were driving through the town to access the sea wall. Some of the complaints were so spurious they were ridiculous, e.i. one was that motorhomers empties their cassette toilets on the beach!

Exactly the same thing happened in Southwold where I lived for 30 years. Eventually, because the incomers would not integrate, but wanted to take over as in Aldeburgh I moved out. By the way, you now cannot cook in your camper if you park it on North Parade, Southwold, neither can you sleep in it. Why? Because the incomers complained that the occasional motorhome spoilt the view of the sea from their holiday homes. Other reasons were put forward, but that was the real reason for hatred.

In both Aldeburgh and Southwold I have never heard of a local person complaining about motorhomes and I have no knowledge of genuine problems being caused by motorhomes, although I do know of spurious problems and highly inventive stories being put forward to local councilors.

So having re read all these posts again, bearing in mind all the available evidence, taking a view on one hand and comparing it with the other, applying the local knowledge you credit me with ( and which I am not sure you share), together with first hand knowledge of the problem, or rather lack of it, and reconsidering all the facts outlined in these various posts I have arrived at the conclusion that is still my considered opinion that your assertion that considerate motorhomers should only use sites is total and utter twaddle.

 

[JJ]

No suggestion that you are anything but totally committed to good practices JJ but not all motorhomers are as considerate to others.

...but you get inconsiderate people any and everywhere... Inconsiderate people on campsites making too much noise at night or early in the morning...

I bet there are inconsiderate fishing folk and inconsiderate members of VW Owners Clubs...

Off-site parking/camping folk are no different... Consideration for others has nothing to do with paying to park in campsites...

I write once again...

I have never ever, ever been moved on from anywhere I have "off-site" parked ever.... and I have LIVED in my (various) vans for over twenty years....

So there! Ya Boo Shucks to you (and my Dad is bigger than your Dad)

JJ :Cool:

 

[Heyupluv]

In reply to your thread
Well I have just read your thread...Bursteneroh:Asking a Question!! but what you have written "to stay in a carpark to save twenty euros" a slightly narrow minded view..your view.. from a person who has maybe only been over to France a few times in a motorhome, and I would guess only used one or two Aires mainly as a transit stop on both the two trips you have been over... I would guess I could can count on one hand how many times you have used a French Aire .....

Swmbo and myself use nothing but Aires in France.....we have been to hundreds of Aires in France..and still hundreds more to see.. usually they are at some of the most beautiful places of France,.... Places where you will not will find .." A CAMPSITE!"....

We have and do use campsites in other countries.. BUT WE CERTAINLY DO NOT PREFER THEM...and not for the reasons you have mentioned.

Mainly the reason is, we have everything on board the motorhome that we need so WHY would we want to go into a campsite, they have nothing to offer that we require.........that is why we bought a motorhome in the first place, freedom to do what, when, where we want,...not having to book months in advance,.... and if it rains ...we just move on...change our destination, change our departure time to suit ourselves, we motorhome for around 8 months in a year.....
If you do not have the freedom .....you may as well go on a package holiday...and hope there are no strikes at the airport.......

Also If you where to park on an Aire on a large field or near the beach in a wood with just three motorhomes...you will always find the French motorhomes will park next to you....that is what the French do, they are very nice, very friendly people, they like to talk have an aperitif share there food be sociable....and pass the day away...so most of the time people will park close to you even though there are no markings on the floor or pegs denoting YOUR PLACE..YOUR LARGE AREA with an hedge around it .. even if the area is marked out, and you are close to another Van/MH...what is the difference to you eating at a restaurant with somebody else at the next table..are you something special

Quote
"a million pounds worth of Mhs parked side by side - just couldn’t see the point.
To spend tens of thousands on the MH, put up with generators, buy solar panels, extra batteries, gaslow bottles…………to stay in a carpark to save twenty euros- not for us
Mind you not every site suited HWMBO

I am not sure what aires you have used....but out of all the hundreds of aires in France we have stopped on ...maybe 4 or 5 times has anybody used a generator and only for a short period of time....

This in response to your second reply.
I noticed after you have had a few replies back to your thread, that did not agree with you,...you have come back with a reply....Now reading your reply you seem to be saying its your wife's illness...is that the reason for the thread...maybe I have got that all wrong but that is how I read it

I would just like to say I am very sorry to hear about your wife's illness MSA, and I sympathise with your wife and yourself (there for the grace of god go I) and yes I do understand your wife's reasons and it must be heart breaking with your wife's MSA and may be need special care, or your wife may like a little more privacy than others......,also your wife may not like going on Aires in the first place......(I am glad to hear you are both getting about with the use of a motorhome).......

BUT please do not criticize or condemn other's doing what they do and enjoy..and as you put stay in a car park to save 20 euros....we are all different... different things please others... but they may displease you...but to imply people with motorhome, any motorhome as there are no cheap ones they are all expensive, go on Aires just to save twenty euros per night...can not further from the truth.

But you should know if anybody, we are all different, I can not for the life of me understand why you asked the question in the first place.,

To me Campsites are places that are normally commercialized to make money....with Toilets, Showers, Pool / slides, play areas maybe a bar tabac, electric hookup, shop, Jacuzzi,.etc..with boundary fences..... some are very good, some just OK but some look like the remnants of the war ex concentration camps...But not what we are looking for....

I hope you and your wife have wonderful holidays together for many years to come in the campsites you stay at.

I can understand people with children going into campsites....

But I would not expect everybody that has spent tens of thousands on a MH, as you put it to go into to a campsite.

I would much prefer to use my own clean toilet & shower cubicle... than campsites toilets and showers..they may look clean and some are...but not all......and how would you know if the person before you that used the toilet or the shower had a skin infection....also some people leave the toilets and showers a disgusting state.

So why pay for something I would never use.....

Mel

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[Heyupluv]

In reply to your thread
Well I have just read your thread...Bursteneroh:Asking a Question!! but what you have written "to stay in a carpark to save twenty euros" a slightly narrow minded view..your view.. from a person who has maybe only been over to France a few times in a motorhome, and I would guess only used one or two Aires mainly as a transit stop on both the two trips you have been over... I would guess I could can count on one hand how many times you have used a French Aire .....

Swmbo and myself use nothing but Aires in France.....we have been to hundreds of Aires in France..and still hundreds more to see.. usually they are at some of the most beautiful places of France,.... Places where you will not will find .." A CAMPSITE!"....

We have and do use campsites in other countries.. BUT WE CERTAINLY DO NOT PREFER THEM...and not for the reasons you have mentioned.

Mainly the reason is, we have everything on board the motorhome that we need so WHY would we want to go into a campsite, they have nothing to offer that we require.........that is why we bought a motorhome in the first place, freedom to do what, when, where we want,...not having to book months in advance,.... and if it rains ...we just move on...change our destination, change our departure time to suit ourselves, we motorhome for around 8 months in a year.....
If you do not have the freedom .....you may as well go on a package holiday...and hope there are no strikes at the airport.......

Also If you where to park on an Aire on a large field or near the beach in a wood with just three motorhomes...you will always find the French motorhomes will park next to you....that is what the French do, they are very nice, very friendly people, they like to talk have an aperitif share there food be sociable....and pass the day away...so most of the time people will park close to you even though there are no markings on the floor or pegs denoting YOUR PLACE..YOUR LARGE AREA with an hedge around it .. even if the area is marked out, and you are close to another Van/MH...what is the difference to you eating at a restaurant with somebody else at the next table..are you something special

Quote
"a million pounds worth of Mhs parked side by side - just couldn’t see the point.
To spend tens of thousands on the MH, put up with generators, buy solar panels, extra batteries, gaslow bottles…………to stay in a carpark to save twenty euros- not for us
Mind you not every site suited HWMBO

I am not sure what aires you have used....but out of all the hundreds of aires in France we have stopped on ...maybe 4 or 5 times has anybody used a generator and only for a short period of time....

This in response to your second reply.
I noticed after you have had a few replies back to your thread, that did not agree with you,...you have come back with a reply....Now reading your reply you seem to be saying its your wife's illness...is that the reason for the thread...maybe I have got that all wrong but that is how I read it

I would just like to say I am very sorry to hear about your wife's illness MSA, and I sympathise with your wife and yourself (there for the grace of god go I) and yes I do understand your wife's reasons and it must be heart breaking with your wife's MSA and may be need special care, or your wife may like a little more privacy than others......,also your wife may not like going on Aires in the first place......(I am glad to hear you are both getting about with the use of a motorhome).......

BUT please do not criticize or condemn other's doing what they do and enjoy..and as you put stay in a car park to save 20 euros....we are all different... different things please others... but they may displease you...but to imply people with motorhome, any motorhome as there are no cheap ones they are all expensive, go on Aires just to save twenty euros per night...can not further from the truth.

But you should know if anybody, we are all different, I can not for the life of me understand why you asked the question in the first place.,

To me Campsites are places that are normally commercialized to make money....with Toilets, Showers, Pool / slides, play areas maybe a bar tabac, electric hookup, shop, Jacuzzi,.etc..with boundary fences..... some are very good, some just OK but some look like the remnants of the war ex concentration camps...But not what we are looking for....

I hope you and your wife have wonderful holidays together for many years to come in the campsites you stay at.

I can understand people with children going into campsites....

But I would not expect everybody that has spent tens of thousands on a MH, as you put it to go into to a campsite.

I would much prefer to use my own clean toilet & shower cubicle... than campsites toilets and showers..they may look clean and some are...but not all......and how would you know if the person before you that used the toilet or the shower had a skin infection....also some people leave the toilets and showers a disgusting state.

So why pay for something I would never use.....

Mel

Just a quick note which I should have added to the above....out of the 4 or 5 times that a generator has been used... NOT once has it bothered us....even when a motorhome parked next to us had a Honda 1kw 10i running...he had placed it at the back of the van pointing to the hedge...it was only when another Frenchman came in between the two vans to look and talk to the person about the genny did we know it was runningoh:

 

[buttons]

...but you get inconsiderate people any and everywhere... Inconsiderate people on campsites making too much noise at night or early in the morning...

I bet there are inconsiderate fishing folk and inconsiderate members of VW Owners Clubs...

Off-site parking/camping folk are no different... Consideration for others has nothing to do with paying to park in campsites...

I write once again...

I have never ever, ever been moved on from anywhere I have "off-site" parked ever.... and I have LIVED in my (various) vans for over twenty years....

So there! Ya Boo Shucks to you (and my Dad is bigger than your Dad)

JJ :Cool:

Could I draw your attention to one of today's threads. It sort of suggest that there is definitely a problem with inconsiderate users but nobody will ever own up to it.
So it is not you,:Cool: it is not me:Cool: and it is not the others:Cool:. So who is???
I know lets blame the travellers for the growing number restrictions they are an easy target. If it wasn't for travellers there wouldn't be a need for height barriers. Yeah right.oh:

Broken Link Removed

 

[joner8888]

Could I draw your attention to one of today's threads. It sort of suggest that there is definitely a problem with inconsiderate users but nobody will ever own up to it.
So it is not you,:Cool: it is not me:Cool: and it is not the others:Cool:. So who is???
I know lets blame the travellers for the growing number restrictions they are an easy target. If it wasn't for travellers there wouldn't be a need for height barriers. Yeah right.oh:

Broken Link Removed

Maybe it is them,
maybe it is us,
maybe it is you-- so what ,
each to their own.

Whinging on here by a forum reaction fisherman is not going to change what we do ,it just maybe brings it to the attention on the internet, of those who are in power to deal with parking areas??
Stop me parking on my drive next??

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[buttons]

Oh I know quite a lot about the sea wall motorhome parking at Aldeburgh. In fact it had been a parking place for years, I should say probably the last 20 years or so, without ever a problem. It was popular and the motorhomers did bring trade to the local pubs and fish and chip shops (Famous).

Aldeburgh then became more and more popular with the hooray henries, just down for the weekend from Kensington you know. Prices went up sky high in the town and property prices went stupid. Many of the incomers sought to put their mark on the town, joining whatever local committee would have them, and if there wasn't one they started one. It was the incomers who complained because the motorhomes were driving through the town to access the sea wall. Some of the complaints were so spurious they were ridiculous, e.i. one was that motorhomers empties their cassette toilets on the beach!

Exactly the same thing happened in Southwold where I lived for 30 years. Eventually, because the incomers would not integrate, but wanted to take over as in Aldeburgh I moved out. By the way, you now cannot cook in your camper if you park it on North Parade, Southwold, neither can you sleep in it. Why? Because the incomers complained that the occasional motorhome spoilt the view of the sea from their holiday homes. Other reasons were put forward, but that was the real reason for hatred.

In both Aldeburgh and Southwold I have never heard of a local person complaining about motorhomes and I have no knowledge of genuine problems being caused by motorhomes, although I do know of spurious problems and highly inventive stories being put forward to local councilors.

So having re read all these posts again, bearing in mind all the available evidence, taking a view on one hand and comparing it with the other, applying the local knowledge you credit me with (and which I am not sure you share),[HI] together with first hand knowledge of the problem, or rather lack of it[/HI], and reconsidering all the facts outlined in these various posts I have arrived at the conclusion that is still my considered opinion that your assertion that considerate motorhomers should only use sites is total and utter twaddle.

Like me iandsm, you must remember Goliath or was that a tad far back for you.:Blush:

 

[buttons]

Oh I know quite a lot about the sea wall motorhome parking at Aldeburgh. In fact it had been a parking place for years, I should say probably the last 20 years or so, without ever a problem. It was popular and the motorhomers did bring trade to the local pubs and fish and chip shops (Famous).

Nothing has change then as motorhomers can now stay in one of Aldeburgh’s excellent camp sites, one of them being closer to your famous fish and chips than the sea wall itself is. The only difference is that there is room along the sea wall for the majority who don’t camp. They can now park and walk along the beach without feeling guilty for daring to walk across an area of beach that has been commandeered like a site pitch.

Aldeburgh then became more and more popular with the hooray henries, just down for the weekend from Kensington you know. Prices went up sky high in the town and property prices went stupid. Many of the incomers sought to put their mark on the town, joining whatever local committee would have them, and if there wasn't one they started one. It was the incomers who complained because the motorhomes were driving through the town to access the sea wall. Some of the complaints were so spurious they were ridiculous, e.i. one was that motorhomers empties their cassette toilets on the beach!


It is called progress, things change and move on. As far as your spurious complaints from hooray henries. Wherever did you get that load of old twaddle from.

Exactly the same thing happened in Southwold where I lived for 30 years. Eventually, because the incomers would not integrate, but wanted to take over as in Aldeburgh I moved out. By the way, you now cannot cook in your camper if you park it on North Parade, Southwold, neither can you sleep in it. Why? Because the incomers complained that the occasional motorhome spoilt the view of the sea from their holiday homes. Other reasons were put forward, but that was the real reason for hatred.


Hope you made a handsome return when selling you Southwold home. The incomers have made quite a difference to the house prices in the town.

In both Aldeburgh and Southwold I have never heard of a local person complaining about motorhomes and I have no knowledge of genuine problems being caused by motorhomes, although I do know of spurious problems and highly inventive stories being put forward to local councilors.


I have a number of friends in Aldeburgh and they all complained about the freeloaders along the sea wall.

So having re read all these posts again, bearing in mind all the available evidence, taking a view on one hand and comparing it with the other, applying the local knowledge you credit me with ( and which I am not sure you share), together with first hand knowledge of the problem, or rather lack of it, and reconsidering all the facts outlined in these various posts I have arrived at the conclusion that is still my considered opinion that your assertion that considerate motorhomers should only use sites is total and utter twaddle.
Would you like some help with Goliath.

total and utter twaddle.

 

[iandsm]

twaddle

total and utter twaddle.

A. It is hardly possible to take over part of the beach as a pitch, the seawall gets in the way. Indeed anyone can sit below it and a motorhome parked above. In any case if one has parked a motorhome or car, why should one not sit on the beach near it. Nothing wrong with that.

B. I doubt that true local people would call the influx of hooray henries progress. Such mass ingress certainly ruined Southwold, a town I once loved is now referred to as "Kensington on sea" by local people. Some of the the complaints were made directly to me from such a hooray henry , who did not at the time know I had a motorhome.

C. I made an absolute packet, which I do not have any guilt about, rather I view it as compensation.

D. I wonder what really detrimental effect motorhomes have had on your resident friends. Could they demonstrate it, would that be any different to too many cars, too many pedestrians too many ice cream vans (yes there were complaints about an ice cream can not so long ago).

What has the large biblical gentleman got to do with anything?

Seriously though, I still feel it is wrong to insist all motor homers use only sites. It's not about the money. For me, it's about freedom of choice and provided what I or other motor homers do does not adversly effect others, I don't see it's up to anybody else to interfere be they private individuals, councils or whatever.

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[buttons]

A. [HI]It is hardly possible to take over part of the beach as a pitch, the seawall gets in the way.[/HI] Indeed anyone can sit below it and a motorhome parked above. In any case if one has parked a motorhome or car, why should one not sit on the beach near it. Nothing wrong with that.
Are you absolutely sure you you were a visitor to this area when camping was allowed along the sea wall???
.

I'll make this as painless as possible, some stayed for weeks if not months at a time. See attachment........:Blush:

 

[magicsurfbus]

With reference to the original post, why not paint a privet hedge on the sides of your MH for an added sense of privacy and security, then stay on aires to save money?

I can recall staying one night on some overpriced campsite at Bidart and it was wall-to-wall Brits all peering over their little hedges at each other like it was a commuter suburb ("It's alright Cynthia, the newcomers only have an '05 reg, so we're obviously better than them"). We cleared off the next day and found an Aire to stay on instead. The Brits and their hedges eh?

Likewise, when we drove a '75 VW Kombi we once stopped on a hedgeless site in Devon, and every time we returned from the beach the people on the neighbouring pitch used to hastily erect their windbreak along the boundary. I think it was a sort of hedge surrogate to make them feel they were keeping the riff-raff out and preventing us from trying to sell drugs to them. Made us laugh.

 

[iandsm]

I'll make this as painless as possible, some stayed for weeks if not months at a time. See attachment........:Blush:

Yup, and what's the problem with that. If part of the beach is taken by someone who arrived before someone else, then someone else just goes further along the beach. There are no reserved spots. No different to a busy beach anywhere else in this country or abroad.

There may have been the occasional one who outstayed their welcome I know that there were some hedgehog grilling types a while ago but not having visited every day to see who was there I couldn't say, but months?

By the way, it didn't hurt in the least.

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[buttons]

Yup, and what's the problem with that. If part of the beach is taken by someone who arrived before someone else, then someone else just goes further along the beach. There are no reserved spots. No different to a busy beach anywhere else in this country or abroad.

There may have been the occasional one who outstayed their welcome I know that there were some hedgehog grilling types a while ago but not having visited every day to see who was there I couldn't say, but months?

By the way, it didn't hurt in the least.

 

[iandsm]

So after all that has been said, are you still saying that considerate motorhomers only use sites and that those who do not confine themselves to sites are inconsiderate ?

 

[Barclaybasher]

I shouldn’t have brought the matter of my wife’s illness, MSA, into the thread, it was unnecessary but my view on aires is just that - my view.
We have used the van from day one, following the sun in this country, through the Winter (Wales was unusually sunny) and have covered 10,000 miles in 10 months including 2 trips to France, one en-route to Spain.
Back to the thread, on the last trip to France we decided to follow the coast from Calais and head towards Brittany and we were surprised how pretty the coastline was, stopping at aires for lunch, drive a bit further then find a site for the night. We only found one aire that we might have stopped in, two other ‘nice’ aires were already occupied with caravans, white panel vans and washing lines, the rest that we passed were ‘carparks’, Wissant and Cap Gris Nez were just two.
Snowbird’s picture is of Morocco, not the Pas de Calais or Normandy, we got as far as Gold Beach before turning back.
We enjoyed our trips to France and if we come back again we will still be using campsites.
Not all aires are carparks but neither are they all next to lakes, set in woodland or overlooking empty beaches.
One thing that aires do is to encourage motor home use - that doesn’t happen here.
The well organised and tended sites in France (with hedges) impressed us when we took our first MH through France 16 years ago, far different from a lot of the sites here which are merely camping fields - and we now have a green windbreak.
A final note, a few years ago, discussing MSA someone said to us that where he came from (Romania) they had a saying “God laughs at mans’ plans”.
Enjoy the time you have, however you travel, it may be shorter than you think.

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[Snowbird]

Ooops sorry........A few of my old Vdubs slumming it in mainland Europe :Cool:.

 

[Heyupluv]

I shouldn’t have brought the matter of my wife’s illness, MSA, into the thread, it was unnecessary but my view on aires is just that - my view.
We have used the van from day one, following the sun in this country, through the Winter (Wales was unusually sunny) and have covered 10,000 miles in 10 months including 2 trips to France, one en-route to Spain.
Back to the thread, on the last trip to France we decided to follow the coast from Calais and head towards Brittany and we were surprised how pretty the coastline was, stopping at aires for lunch, drive a bit further then find a site for the night. We only found one aire that we might have stopped in, two other ‘nice’ aires were already occupied with caravans, white panel vans and washing lines, the rest that we passed were ‘carparks’, Wissant and Cap Gris Nez were just two.
Snowbird’s picture is of Morocco, not the Pas de Calais or Normandy, we got as far as Gold Beach before turning back.
We enjoyed our trips to France and if we come back again we will still be using campsites.
Not all aires are carparks but neither are they all next to lakes, set in woodland or overlooking empty beaches.
One thing that aires do is to encourage motor home use - that doesn’t happen here.
The well organised and tended sites in France (with hedges) impressed us when we took our first MH through France 16 years ago, far different from a lot of the sites here which are merely camping fields - and we now have a green windbreak.
A final note, a few years ago, discussing MSA someone said to us that where he came from (Romania) they had a saying “God laughs at mans’ plans”.
Enjoy the time you have, however you travel, it may be shorter than you think.

Well burstner...I am glad it is just your view....I have read your 2 reply to your thread....Mmmm ..I am not sure what to say to you....

Firstly Aires do not allow caravans, white vans with washing lines... If there ever was what you have described..".two other ‘nice’ aires were already occupied with caravans, white panel vans and washing lines",.the Gendarmes would clear them off very very quickly... I have never ever seen them on any of the aires I have been on..What you have been looking at are Gens de Voyage....(Gypsy sites)... and there are many purpose made gypsy sites all over France....

Wissant is a parking area for coaches a place where they can empty there toilettes.. the coaches that have onboard toilettes ..... motorhomes are allowed to park.....its a service point.....mainly used as a drop off point to empty your cassette and grey water free of charge over a grid and manhole.... it does not have a borne.....

Wissant is used a lot by your fellow Brits and others coming to France and returning home as it is a safe night stop when you are very tired from driving...it is a good resting place for the night close to Calais Port and the Tunnel....and Free

You see Burstner France is not like the Uk... for parking a motorhome

You say you have a green windbreak....I suppose that is your own portable green high hedge...well now I know why you do not like Aires ....the green windbreak would not be allowed to be erected on an Aire....that is a NO NO

And to quote the other place you mentioned Cap Gris Nez that is a car park ..just that..a car park... not an Aireoh:

Aires are not designed for you to Stop on for weeks and months on end like a campsite..and set up camp with your green windbreaks, carpets ,awnings, table chairs, sun loungers, BBQ, 2 to 6 bikes left out side the motorhome at all times...for this you want a campsite

Aires are people touring staying 24hours...23 or 48 hours then moving on....

Burstner I agree totally with you, your best bet is to Stop on a organised Campsite...:thumb

Also you do not seem to pleased with campsites in the UK...when we took our first MH through France 16 years ago, far different from a lot of the sites here which are merely camping fields - and we now have a green windbreak.

What do you really want / require when you Camp....

:

 

[Heyupluv]

Ooops sorry........A few of my old Vdubs slumming it in mainland Europe :Cool:.

Gosh Snowbird you do seem to slum it a lot.......like the pics..nice:thumb:

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[Roryboys Dad]

Heyupluv - Wissant is a parking area for coaches a place where they can empty there toilettes.. the coaches that have onboard toilettes ..... motorhomes are allowed to park.....its a service point.....mainly used as a drop off point to empty your cassette and grey water free of charge over a grid and manhole....

As far as I can remember there is only a grid for emptying grey water - and not toilet waste at Wissant.

There is no water supply to swill away any effluence and any emptying of cassette and toilet waste would leave a very nasty wiff.

 

[Heyupluv]

Heyupluv - Wissant is a parking area for coaches a place where they can empty there toilettes.. the coaches that have onboard toilettes ..... motorhomes are allowed to park.....its a service point.....mainly used as a drop off point to empty your cassette and grey water free of charge over a grid and manhole....

As far as I can remember there is only a grid for emptying grey water - and not toilet waste at Wissant.

There is no water supply to swill away any effluence and any emptying of cassette and toilet waste would leave a very nasty wiff.

Thanks for the Photo Roryboys Dad... great....... Wissant...yes as said it is a service area for coaches..and motorhomes can stop if wanted.....the long grid is for the grey water..but just about 12" to the rear of the grid is a small round manhole to empty your cassette also as you enter the service area on your right is another small manhole....

What I was trying to say to Burstner...the two places he mentioned, one was just a car park and not an Aire..???..because he said... it looked like a car park...and the other was mainly a service point for coaches..but motorhomes could stop if wanted tooh:

 

[Roryboys Dad]

Heyupluv - I must admit I hadn't noticed the small manhole covers but it still gives the problem of having no running water to flush away the effluence if any is spilt.

We used the Aire overnight for an early departure in July and it's only 10 - 15 minutes from the Eurotunnel terminal - wouldn't want to stay there too long!

Had a good evening meal at a Hotel restaurant in Wissant - better inside than it looks from the outside and would recommend it to anyone.

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[buttons]

So after all that has been said, are you still saying that considerate motorhomers only use sites and that those who do not confine themselves to sites are inconsiderate ?

No iandsm but it is difficult to put up an argument with someone who agrees with everything you say.:Cool:

Yup, and what's the problem with that. [HI]If part of the beach is taken by someone who arrived before someone else, then someone else just goes further along the beach. There are no reserved spots.[/HI] No different to a busy beach anywhere else in this country or abroad.

[HI]There may have been the occasional one who outstayed their welcome I know that there were some hedgehog grilling types[/HI] a while ago but not having visited every day to see who was there I couldn't say, but months?

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]:Wacko:[/FONT]

 

[iandsm]

No iandsm but it is difficult to put up an argument with someone who agrees with everything you say.:Cool:


[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]:Wacko:[/FONT]

So what ARE you saying then, did you not say, "So in this country I think considerate campers stay on camp sites." in an earlier post? The inference being that those who don't stay on sites are inconsiderate?

 

[JJ]

I only have two complaints about this thread...

The first was the suggestion that non campsite users avoided them to save €20 a night...

And the second was the statement that, in the UK, motorhomers who didn't use campsites were inconsiderate.

Reading all the replies have kept me busy adding to and taking off names from my Christmas Card list...

JJ :Cool:

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