Sites or Aires? (1 Viewer)

themountaintiger

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I went to france for first time in motorhome last year for 2 weeks with intention of using aires. Stopped off at 12 places and enjoyed it, the only issue we had sometimes was the evening 'entertainment'. This wasnt so much of a problem at certain places where a town was nearby i.e. Le Harve, Fort Mahon Plage, Honfleur, but in some places we went to it was very quiet. I do remember going for a night out in Bayeaux looking for a pub, sorry "bar...." and me and misses were the only 2 customers in it..I suppose we could have had a restaurant meal but was a bit put off by cost.....

Re the point about using campsites, then I would consider using them as well as aires, if not near a main town (unless quiet night in required) . Im not too bothered about having bingo, karaoke etc, but it would have been good sometimes to have had more of a holiday atmosphere around the bar...

Re the other point, tables and chairs/awning, I just observed what others were doing. Awnings, tables and chairs were all out at some of the locations so I just joined in. In some aires there just wasnt enough room for the awning anyway (Calais).





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MR2

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We use both aires and campsites and as in all things there are good and bad. On touring France we pick the area where we want to go eg Normandy and select an Aire -have them & ACSI campsites all downloaded on Satnav as POI's. We have found some which on inspection are not good enough so we move on. This way we have found e.g St Valery-en-Caux, Le Touquet, Le Crotoy and others which are great sites with good local facilities. Have the ACSI dvd which makes campsite selection easy! Will be in France during April and using Aires through Brittany


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Heyupluv

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Going back to Hermia...I think was the last name ...Hi and Welcome

Just to go back to one of the questions
The White book "Le Guide National Des AIRES DE SERVICES Camping-Cars...

This book comes out every year and is updated every year
Its has
2300 Etapes Pratiques
Aires Municipales
Aires Privees
Aires sur Autoroutes
Aires en Camping

Produced by Le Monde du Camping-Car......around 9 50 Euros :Doh:

This book may be of some help if you are looking for municipales Aires ::bigsmile::winky:

Mel

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MR2

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I mentioned earlier having aires as POI's on satnav, it is a TOMTOM and searching for aires on TOMTOM Home gives you loads.
 
Jul 24, 2009
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We usually take the bike in the trailer, so are m/homes with trailers permitted on aires and if so how secure would they be if we went off on the bike? The only aire we looked at was like a gypsy encampment so we drove straight through and vowed never to use one again but the comments on here are making me think I might have been a bit pre-emptive in my assumptions and perhaps we should give them another try?
 

haganap

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We usually take the bike in the trailer, so are m/homes with trailers permitted on aires and if so how secure would they be if we went off on the bike? The only aire we looked at was like a gypsy encampment so we drove straight through and vowed never to use one again but the comments on here are making me think I might have been a bit pre-emptive in my assumptions and perhaps we should give them another try?

again, much of that would depend on the aire itself. The only thing we ever do with aires is plan nothing.Play it all by ears and eyes, eventually you will arrive at one where you feel and know its safe. Generally Aires are safe, there is normally others around to keep an eye on things. But like in much of life you can not take anything for granted. I have known people robbed, I have known many more enjoy the facilities.

sorry forgot, no problem with trailers other than length. I have noticed a few busy barrier cntrolled aires unable to accept units over 9 meters

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mick noe

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We usually take the bike in the trailer, so are m/homes with trailers permitted on aires and if so how secure would they be if we went off on the bike? The only aire we looked at was like a gypsy encampment so we drove straight through and vowed never to use one again but the comments on here are making me think I might have been a bit pre-emptive in my assumptions and perhaps we should give them another try?

we take our bike on a trailer and make sure that when parked up we tuck the trailer away taking up little or no extra room.
 

themountaintiger

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I can only speak about the 12 aires I visited, and the question about the trailer is similar to the one I had about my concern before I went for the first time "that my motorhome was over 7metres in length." 7.13 metres, 13cm longer than the 7m in the aires book.

In terms of permission, there was only one occasion where I met anyone with 'authority' and that was someone collecting 'rent' money at one of the aires. Of all the other aires, there was noone 'official' to allow/deny anything. The majority were either free or pay and dsipay type. I didnt see any signs saying no trailers, so couldnt see it being a problem.. unless other motorhome funsters know different...






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Heyupluv

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again, much of that would depend on the aire itself. The only thing we ever do with aires is plan nothing.Play it all by ears and eyes, eventually you will arrive at one where you feel and know its safe. Generally Aires are safe, there is normally others around to keep an eye on things. But like in much of life you can not take anything for granted. I have known people robbed, I have known many more enjoy the facilities.

sorry forgot, no problem with trailers other than length. I have noticed a few busy barrier cntrolled aires unable to accept units over 9 meters

I agree what haganap is saying.....we find there are Mmm four types of Aires in France some very very good with plenty of room like a camp site or CL..some very good car Type parking bays in some prime town / and village spots...and the others more of a transit Aire car-parking if you are on route and just need to pull up for the night without going to far off route....and then there is the Motorway Aires Ok for stopping for lunch or a rest on your journey...but people advise not to over night (even the French say no)..it is up to you and how you feel
Now even some of these car Type parking bays in some prime town / and village spots. are excellent if you want to explore the town, church or just chill out and read a book but have the shops around and no need to go far.....one I have just been to recently, beautiful old village large landscaped gardens a small river..... the Aire was a spot in one corner of a car park...the aire consisted of a borne....and one bay for you to back into empty your grey water and cassette....there was three other bays for motorhomes I would say maximum length permissible would be 7.5 meters ....free electric...free water...a beautiful large church all lit up with coloured lights as was the grounds surrounding the car park...clean, shrubs and flowers and well kept gardens .....but it is car park at the end of the day..... I will try to put a few photos on


Mel

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keith

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If you wish to see a few aires we have used to give an idea of what can be available look

HERE
 

Heyupluv

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sorry about the up load .....see if this works ok:winky:...Mel
 

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Heyupluv

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These are two aires.......

this one is a car park type good if you want explore France, villages and culture


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and the other is on the outskirts of old village and Chateau more like a CL



It all depends what you want / looking for from France in your holiday ....and what type of person are you....if you have come over to enjoy France and there culture and history and there way of life and peace and quite and relaxing reading ,moving about on a daily or two to three day stops....then the Aires are ideal that .... touring around France.

If you have come over to France for better weather and some sun....but you still want all the comforts of the UK....a full awning up with all the trimmings, children playing all around you, children's bikes and toys, you may have children with you, swimming pools, bars, slides and play areas like a UK campsite, car, scooter, and to stay on a site for one, two, or three weeks, more static than touring around or worried about leaving your motorhome unattended while you are shopping or out walking (although the French leave there's all the time) somewhere needing a large area / pitch... then I would say private camp sites would be the best option for you .......

If you want a bit of the between not too basic and not too expensive... then may be Aire Municipales may be the better option for you

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TDH

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I know other people have already said it but its worth repeating - it depends what kind of a break you want.

I think we've stayed on sites just twice in our various French travels. We've also stayed on aires - the best were beautiful, the worst crowded and claustrophobic. Most of all we've wild camped - and by that I mean proper wild spots, not a space outside somebody's house, or a supermarket carpark.

The beauty of having a small vehicle is that, in France in particular, you can tuck yourself up a corner or the entrance to a field or a little pull-in, and really enjoy the place and the time. You might not be able to shower every night, or commune with like-minded people but, for us, the idea of extending our experiences of carrying tents on our backs to quiet places by using wheels and an engine is what we've tried to do (a different matter in the new Rosabella I'm afraid).

In another thread soembody said that they lived where their wheels stopped turning - that's a bit how we see our travelling.

The reason I think France is particularly good for this type of approach is partly because the place is so big with so much scope and partly because of the French psyche, talked about in this thread and which means that a healthy disregard for the rules gives plenty of opportunities for free spirit.

So, you pays your money and you chooses your lifestyle, not necessarily one thing or another but mixed in whatever proportions suit you. Voila.....
 

Teasy2007

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If you wish to see a few aires we have used to give an idea of what can be available look

HERE

Hi Keith and Jean,

We have looked through your aire pictures and they are great. We usually go to Marboue and then Uzerche - which is fantastic - but we noticed a photograph of La Ferte Beauharnais which looks more central and probably a better stop than Marboue. Have you started going to this one instead of Marboue now??

Ginny and Mike
 

keith

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Hi Keith and Jean,

We have looked through your aire pictures and they are great. We usually go to Marboue and then Uzerche - which is fantastic - but we noticed a photograph of La Ferte Beauharnais which looks more central and probably a better stop than Marboue. Have you started going to this one instead of Marboue now??

Ginny and Mike

Depends which way you are heading, we don't know Marboue. :Doh:

This year we stopped at Vouvray just N of Tours travelling down, then at Ondres Plage just before the Spanish border.

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