French Alps - advice please! (1 Viewer)

Apr 22, 2012
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We're off for our first trip abroad to the French Alps at the very end of May. We've had lots of helpful advice from Alan (the MMM travel consultant for the area) but even he can't have been everywhere! We like scenery and walking, the dogs like walking and swimming! Any suggestions for wild camping spots, Aires or sites (the smaller, the better - but we will need to do a bit of laundry and charge things up occasionally) gratefully accepted. Anyone know whether cable cars will be working that time of year? We like the idea of getting lifts up hills and walking down :Smile: Any places to avoid would be equally useful. Thanks! Sally.
 

Allanm

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The only thing I can advise is to get a copy of All the Aires by Vicarious Books. All the aires :)RollEyes:) are listed, there are pictures and details of facilities available at the aires and surrounds.
I know most cable cars run through the summer because there are lots of summer visitors.
Allan
 
May 23, 2013
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if you Visit the Mt Blanc area you can get a 3 day pass that lets you use all the cable cars and trains in the whole Valley. Well worth going up the Aigle Du Midi and the rack and pinion Railways and very good value for money,
 

Soozywoozy

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The only thing I can advise is to get a copy of All the Aires by Vicarious Books. All the aires :)RollEyes:) are listed, there are pictures and details of facilities available at the aires and surrounds.

get in touch with vicarious "all the mountains aires" which is currently on reduced as it is being discontinued from print to run down their stocks. It is not just for the skiing season.
Just bought it ourselves as off to the alps in the summer ourselves then again skiing next year
 
Oct 1, 2013
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if you Visit the Mt Blanc area you can get a 3 day pass that lets you use all the cable cars and trains in the whole Valley. Well worth going up the Aigle Du Midi and the rack and pinion Railways and very good value for money,
Oh Please!, just Googled that :roflmto:

Gonna put that in the plan this summer :Smile:

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AMK

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Not an Aires but a gem of a site, on the lake side as well.

:thumb:
 

DBK

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I guess you might find snow on the highest passes. It depends on the lateness of the season. For example the Col de Galibier may not open until mid-June or even later in some years.
 
Oct 1, 2013
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I guess you might find snow on the highest passes. It depends on the lateness of the season. For example the Col de Galibier may not open until mid-June or even later in some years.
We went up that last August. Was amazing

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OP
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Apr 22, 2012
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Have already bought All the Aires - I assume that the clue is on the word "all" and it includes the Mountain ones !! Many thanks anyway! Great hint about 3 day pass.
 

magicsurfbus

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We've stopped a couple of times on the huge aire at Montgenevre, which is on the French-Italian border. It's a little way out of the village but well set up. The services are all winterised for the ski season. We passed through Chamonix after using the Mont Blanc Tunnel a while back and stopped in the aire which is basically a huge car park for the town. If you're trying to find a spot there, either go very early in the day or wait until evening when the cars clear off. We were only there for a short time in summer but the cable cars were running and the town was busy.
 

Soozywoozy

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Have already bought All the Aires - I assume that the clue is on the word "all" and it includes the Mountain ones !! Many thanks anyway! Great hint about 3 day pass.

All the aires is just france, there is another for Belgium, holland and luxembourg and the another for " mountains" which is France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain mountain areas with very little overlap with the French one

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Dec 7, 2009
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Whilst "All the Aires" is a great resource, it is not all the aires.

We use it in conjunction with www.campingcar-infos.com which is the most comprehensive listing and free. It is also available to purchase as a download which can be used offline. :Cool:
 
OP
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Apr 22, 2012
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Apologies to Soozywoozy

:Sad: Didn't realise the Mountain Aires covered more than French Mountains. Sorry and thanks for clarification - will investigate. Thanks to all other funsters for their advice. I did look back to see if any earlier threads asked about the French Alps but must have missed it. Sally
 

Forestboy

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We also use the Mountain Aires book it's invaluable if you like to travel the mountains of Europe . :thumb:

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OP
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Apr 22, 2012
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My copy of the Mountain Aires has just been delivered. The photos make me dribble with anticipation!! Soooo beautiful - can't wait. :Smile: Many thanks for telling me about it - especially cos it won't be available in future - I wonder why?
 
Jan 4, 2012
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My copy of the Mountain Aires has just been delivered. The photos make me dribble with anticipation!! Soooo beautiful - can't wait. :Smile: Many thanks for telling me about it - especially cos it won't be available in future - I wonder why?

Ill be there in June but not in a MH , on a ST1300 Pan for a change:thumb:

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