Aires in France (1 Viewer)

Don Madge

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Aug 27, 2007
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Arrived back Thursday after a "Working holiday" in Burgundy and Centre.

We stayed on a different aire every night and only paid once and that was at Amboise. A gated entry to the aire cost was €10.00 for 24 hours that included electricity and services. The aire was grass and would be a major problem in the wet, it was bad in places when we visited and it had not rained for a week.

We had no problems getting fuel but I did notice that in a few places people were panic buying. We paid about €1.13 per litre in the hypermarkets and paid €1.22 at Zeebrugge (Belgium) before getting the ferry to Hull.

I was also very surprised at the lack of LPG outlets. In years gone by many garages sold the product but now it seems restricted to the motorway service areas, some hypermarkets plus a few Total garages we came across on our travels.

Super "U" have defiantly gone up market since the last time we were in the area. The new stores we used were very good according to the boss.

It is many years since we toured the area and I was surprised at the number of height barriers on car parks in some of the more popular areas. It is not at all surprising as the number of motorhomes has increased considerably over the years.

For those thinking of visiting France and using the aires here are a few pics of the latest type of Borne (service point).

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This borne was credit card only

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This borne was credit card only

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This borne was tokens (jetons) usually states on the borne were tokens are availble from.

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This is another system where tokens are available from one machine (credit cards only) for use in the other two bornes.

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This is an aire that charges and payment is by credit card only

Safe travelling.

Don
 

MikeandCarolyn

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Things are changing with Aires aren't they-personally I welcome the idea of paying by card if payment is necessary.We had to walk over a mile one morning to get a jeton so that we could fill water tank !!!
Thanks for the pics of the Hi Tec Bornes ::bigsmile:
I agree about Super U-couple of weeks ago we wanted to go to a Leclerc,only to find they had installed a height barrier at the main entrance,we couldnt be bothered to find the truck entrance and ended up getting fuel and provisions at Super U
Last week we went to the aire at St Gilles-but it had closed.However,water was available on the canal side by disconnecting a hose going to a barge, and connecting our own hose-they never knew,and we had free water :Smile:
The French seem adept at arriving at aires after the guy has been round for the money one one day,and leaving before he comes round in the morning!!
Last night at Salin de Giraud we enjoyed a free aire and had a good day birdwatching-we love the Camargue.
Tonight we have the luxury of a campsite next to Le Pont D'Avignon so that we can get some washing done and go singing and dancing on the bridge in the morn ::bigsmile:
Mike

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peter marshall

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Hi Don
We stopped on several Aires in France recently, and noticed on many occasions the France would wash there cassettes out using the fresh water tap, a good reason to use bottled water. pete :thumb::thumb:
 

MikeandCarolyn

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Hi Don
We stopped on several Aires in France recently, and noticed on many occasions the France would wash there cassettes out using the fresh water tap, a good reason to use bottled water. pete :thumb::thumb:

I've watched French/Germans and Belgians filling water containers from cassette rinse taps just to save 2 or 3 Euros ::bigsmile: Mike

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Loujess

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Hey Mike and Carolyn. Are you home yet? We managed 4 1/2 weeks before missing family drew me back to Calais. We are off to the Norfolk meet on 5 November and hoping to jolly off to Portugal early in January.
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niggle

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:thumb: thanks for the good report,, im off tommo for a week :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: i put a post on here about aire charges about 8 to 10 weeks ago,, the french gov has given permission to local maries to charge for aires to do this they changed a law dating back years ago,, they got a company to do a servey about them,, the changes are i think,, 2 days stay max on each one and camping cars max lengh of 7.5 meters alowed,also if you put your credit card in twice for say water its says [ non] this also applys to the ones with auto post,, as i saw at one a french guy oaver stayed the time limet and had to pay a fine of 30 eu at the town hall before the would let his m/h out,, the info i have given is on one of the french gov sites cant rember wat one as it was shown to me by a french friend.:thumb:
 

Bailey58

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Good to see what we're facing the first time we use an aire but is there an idiots guide to how to operate these things for us newbies? I suppose once you've mastered one hopefully the rest come easy. :Doh:

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Mags52

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Speaking of idiots. The first time we used one I didn't realise how powerful the water pressure was going to be and didn't have the right fitting on the hose. I had one of those with a thumb screw fits all types. Pushed the water tap to fill and it shot off and completely soaked my trousers all down the front. I stood there feeling foolish with water pouring down my legs. Not a good look. :Blush:
 
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Don Madge

Don Madge

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:thumb: thanks for the good report,, im off tommo for a week :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: i put a post on here about aire charges about 8 to 10 weeks ago,, the french gov has given permission to local maries to charge for aires to do this they changed a law dating back years ago,, they got a company to do a servey about them,, the changes are i think,, 2 days stay max on each one and camping cars max lengh of 7.5 meters alowed,also if you put your credit card in twice for say water its says [ non] this also applys to the ones with auto post,, as i saw at one a french guy oaver stayed the time limet and had to pay a fine of 30 eu at the town hall before the would let his m/h out,, the info i have given is on one of the french gov sites cant rember wat one as it was shown to me by a french friend.:thumb:



Hi,

I tried to find your original post but had no luck. Could you give me a link to it please?

I would also be interested in where you got the info about the French government changing the law on aires.

Thanks.

Don
 

scotjimland

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Arrived back Thursday after a "Working holiday" in Burgundy and Centre.

Hi Don

nice work if you can get it .. :thumb:

Nice report .. thanks

Here is a pic of an Intermarche with motorhome services point in Plougonvelin, Brittany, complete with laundry washing and drying .. free parking, fuel and LPG

Location http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=115843103054280433491.00045c1ab0c50bf957c9d&ll=48.354082,-4.717598&spn=0.069813,0.160503&z=13&iwloc=00046e887709f06bb8ef7

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Dec 23, 2007
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Jim wouldn't that picture be nice in the UK!!!
I agree that Super U have indeed gone very posh. I was aked by the only other brit motorhomer if he could buy jetons in advance as he was refused in one place. I couldn't answer hime as I have never had a problem,although I have experienced different types of jetons.
Also the number of French motorhomes has increased tremendously which is accounts for the increase in height barriers,probably using an english traffic management consultant!!!:Angry:
 

keithfal

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Good to see what we're facing the first time we use an aire but is there an idiots guide to how to operate these things for us newbies? I suppose once you've mastered one hopefully the rest come easy. :Doh:
Hi, We returned from four weeks in Loire Atlantique and Brittanny through September as newbies and were totally surprised by the variety of the "bornes" = disposal and water supply on aires. We were also surprised by how busy the aires were outside the main holiday period. The most surprising thing was how many aires had actually been closed or gone upmarket into charging between 10 and 15 euros. Several were only accessible by credit cards - our card(s) did work on some and didnt on others. The big aire on the Isle d'Quiberon had been recently converted to a credit card system that was so complex that the regulars were happily watching new arrivals struggle with it and offering sage advice. On trying to get out the frenchman in front hadnt paid for his full time and after a half hour gave up and reversed out of the queue to contact the advice line - boy was his face red.
Having said all that France was so motorhome friendly and so full of parking that we are plannoing on spending much of next year there. And if you cant find an aire go to a campsite and use their facilities after first negotiating the fee (usually around 2 - five euros) and park wherever it suits you (so long as there isnt a sign saying dont).
Good luck, Keith:thumb:

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