Aires Guide novice:question (1 Viewer)

[gowboy]

Another one...!

Is it worth the £20-odd for the Aires guide to France (the green annual thing produced by Camping-Car magazine, I know its available on amazon.fr) - or is it worth investing in a broader Europe-wide guide (we intend to meander thru France, Spain, Italy, usual suspects) which will probably be a bit thinner on detail? I've heard the former is a good guide - I understand about camp sites, aires however new to me.
I can "do" French so don't need spoonfed, and hope to use occasional wifi (I know there's a couple of good sites for aires) but I'm old-fashioned and like books/maps!

Any opinions/suggestions?

PS any other novices looking at this check out "heyuplov"s recent post on Aires in Continental Touring forum for pics - v useful!!:thumb:

 

[jaygee]

Being complete beginners we bought this the first time we went to France 2 years ago. Found it failry useful in that we would head for an Aire listed in the book and usually find several we could choose from in the area. There are not that many listed. We found the POI for aires that we installed in our TOMTOM more valuable than the book. It would bleep everytime an aire was in the vicinity and if we wanted to stop we'd head for that. For some reason this has stopped working now but we are buying a new Sat Nav (not much more than the cost of TomTom map updates!) and are getting a Garmin so hopefully we can install POI on that.
Going to France for July so already looking at maps & books and getting very excited.

 

[Heyupluv]

PS any other novices looking at this check out "Heyupluv"s recent post on Aires in Continental Touring forum for pics - v useful!!:thumb:[/QUOTE]

Thank you that is very kind for the above....(keep checking as I update the link when I can)



These are the book's we have... we use them in this order.....we also have many others, Board atlas from Germany,France passion, ACSI and others for France, we also have others for for Spain, Portugal, Belgium..

But for a novice any of the below would be fine

1/ All the Aires in France ....3rd edition from (Vicarious books)(we also have the other editions,) very good
A few people knock this book.. saying it does not have all the Aires in France....but nearly every Brit we come across refer to this and have this book in there collection.....so it is up to

2/ The white book comes out each year in France, called " Le Guide National des AIRES DE SERVICES camping - cars.
Very good

3/CAMPINGCAR INFO......http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm
Either on the inter net or by CD or usb....very good

4/ The green book "le guide officiel AIRES DE SERVICES CAMPING-CAR"...good

Mel:thumb:..."Heyupluv"

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[activecampers]

Not any more

Enough GPS databases and offline aires databases you can buy (a lot cheaper than the books) - see website "camping car info" in French

 

[gowboy]

PS any other novices looking at this check out "Heyupluv"s recent post on Aires in Continental Touring forum for pics - v useful!!:thumb:

Thank you that is very kind for the above....(keep checking as I update the link when I can)



These are the book's we have... we use them in this order.....we also have many others, Board atlas from Germany,France passion, ACSI and others for France, we also have others for for Spain, Portugal, Belgium..

But for a novice any of the below would be fine

1/ All the Aires in France ....3rd edition from (Vicarious books)(we also have the other editions,) very good
A few people knock this book.. saying it does not have all the Aires in France....but nearly every Brit we come across refer to this and have this book in there collection.....so it is up to

2/ The white book comes out each year in France, called " Le Guide National des AIRES DE SERVICES camping - cars.
Very good

3/CAMPINGCAR INFO......http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm
Either on the inter net or by CD or usb....very good

4/ The green book "le guide officiel AIRES DE SERVICES CAMPING-CAR"...good

Mel:thumb:..."Heyupluv"[/QUOTE]

Mel
thanks for this - I've had a play with Campingcar-infos as suggested by a PM-er, looks reaaally good, just need to sort the download. Will probably plump for green book as a back-up.
Had already decided to opt for FrancePassion too: do you get to - as the spiel says - meet any locals/farmers/vignerons using it? (you're limited to single night stays I believe, so guess contact is minimal with the landowners?)
sorry to go on...
Ali

 

[gowboy]

Not any more

Enough GPS databases and offline aires databases you can buy (a lot cheaper than the books) - see website "camping car info" in French

cheers and btw (plug coming up...) best straightforward info on basics (water, toilet etc ) for newbies I've come across in your blog...:thumb:

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[Heyupluv]

Thank you that is very kind for the above....(keep checking as I update the link when I can)




Ali......We meet plenty of the locals Living in France....as we live in a farming village...
Now the people we meet French and Brits do say there host's are very kind on the France passion sites and normally they have a good time....but most feel obliged to buy (it may say you are not obliged to buy!!!) people buy even though they do not require what is being sold ???? ( I hear tales from some French motorhomers of paying from 60 to 150 euros and wished they hadn't afterwards)!!! OMG.they have got carried away!...and the prices at the farm are more expensive than in the shops and can and does work out a very expensive night sleep.....and would have been cheaper on a campsite.....we have had the France Passion last three years running in fact it may even be 4 years, twice we have received it free with something we have purchased a the motorhome dealer / showroom......Giving it away...Mmmm WHY !!
BUT we have never used it yet.....there is still time Mmmmmm.

Mel

 

[jonandshell]

We have a 'Camper Stop 2011' from Vicarious Books.

The layout is far better than the old versions of the book and it lists about 7000 stopovers all over Europe.

 

[keith]

Some time ago I got the download from HERE (Camping car infos)and refer to this constanly when in France looking for somewhere to stop.

The beauty of the web site is that it is updated so you don't miss any new ones. It works for me. :thumb:

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[gowboy]

Thanks all

@heyuplov - cynic in me was always going to be wary of PassionFrance, but as far as the landowners are concerned "good on them" it's business isn't it? I'll still give it a go, and will probably (wine anyone?) try to keep my hands in my pockets....I'll have paid a few euros in advance after all and our money will be spent mostly in outback France anyway (always support small business, try to avoid the big boys)...

@keith - seems to be the favourite all round, decision made, will wait for July issue of download (for under 10Euro seems a steal).

Thanks everyone for replying:thumb:

 

[gowboy]

Being complete beginners we bought this the first time we went to France 2 years ago. Found it failry useful in that we would head for an Aire listed in the book and usually find several we could choose from in the area. There are not that many listed. We found the POI for aires that we installed in our TOMTOM more valuable than the book. It would bleep everytime an aire was in the vicinity and if we wanted to stop we'd head for that. For some reason this has stopped working now but we are buying a new Sat Nav (not much more than the cost of TomTom map updates!) and are getting a Garmin so hopefully we can install POI on that.
Going to France for July so already looking at maps & books and getting very excited.

so are we now! pick up van on Thursday - investigated getting POIs onto my garmin 250 satnav, which I'd forgotten may be of use! let us know how you get on - we are looking at Calais for around 12th/13th July!!!

 

[FIDGET]

Hi . I always use a website called motorhoming france costs £12 a year but fab aires reviews + map refs all details you will need pls photos . I research the area that I plan to go then print off copies of relevant pages as I dont take my laptop and use sat nav to take me to aire of my choice from my now vast database. Terry (I o W)

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[FIDGET]

Sample of info
Aire: CARCASSONNE

ADDRESS: RUE GUSTAV NADAUD, OFF N113
TEL: 04 68 10 24 30 (OT) FAX: 04 68 10 24 38
EMAIL: accueil@carcassonne-tourisme.com
TYPE OF AIRE: MUNICIPAL

FACILITIES: WATER /GREY DRAIN/BLACK DRAIN/ TOILETS/ RUBBISH
LOCATION: URBAN NO. OF SPACES: 50

PRICES/ RATES:
PARKING: 10€/ 24HRS SERVICES: INCL
OPENING TIMES: ALL YEAR
GPS COORDS: N43.20901 E02.36595
DIRECTIONS: From the EAST take N113 into city, continue over roundabout & bear LEFT into RUE TRIVALLE as you approach the CITE walls. PARKING & AIRE are 200m on LEFT.
SITE DESCRIPTION The aire is in a large tarmac car park on the east side of the river, on the north side of the walls of the old "Cite" where the parking has marked spaces but only a little shade around the edges under trees. The parking is about 1/2km from St Louis, right underneath the old city walls. Flot Bleu service point & toilets adjacent.
The town is divided into two, quite separate parts, the Cité occupies a plateau on the right bank of the Aude & the bastide of St Louis is on the other side. The old city has 52 towers and 2 concentric enclosures that add up to a total of 3 km of ramparts. Other sights to see are St Nazarius Basilica, the Canal Du Midi, museums and the Bastide of St Louis on the other side of the river.
REVIEW:
2007 A good location for visiting Carcassonne -- right outside the city walls & not too far across the river to the bastide. Slight slope on car park & not much shade but quite quiet in the evenings. Best to arrive before 5.00pm in the summer as it is quite a popular spot.
Link Removedplus lots of photos

 

[lorger]

Hi Gowboy

We have used the France passion book a couple of times and we have found it very good, we have stopped at vine yards and wait for it we dont drink wine. We where asked in to the shop/cellar and the owner gave us a tour of their place which was really good we did explain we dont drink wine they told us ok no problem, we did buy a bottle for about 6 euro for my dad so that was his gift bought. 1/2hour later they cam and offered us free elec, with no pressure to buy anything popped in before we went to say bye.

We have also stayed at someones house where the lady grew all her own fruit and veg to make jam and preserves and her next door neighbour made cider before we left in the morning we had a look round her we shop in her garage and again bought some jam and cider must say it was really tasty and that was the mums sorted for gifts .

While staying at the above one the lady had 3 girls roughly the age of Sophie and she was invited to join them in their games and small swimming pool Sophie thought it was the best site we had been to

We did stop at another one but he didnt sell anything just gave free space.