Aires and campsites in Europe (1 Viewer)

Aug 19, 2015
630
11,765
West Sussex
Funster No
37,743
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 2015
We are going through the tunnel at the end of July for four weeks. It has to be that time of year as I still work and I have school holidays off.
We have both of the Aires books - Southern and northern France which we have used.
We are starting to think of where we could travel for the four weeks.
What books would you recommend for Aires and sites in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Croatia, etc.
I personally think having a book may be better for us rather than an app. I understand that they can’t be updated as quickly as an app can but what happens if you can’t get a signal on your phone?
We haven’t been very adventurous in the past, having been for just two weeks at a time just in France and along the Moselle.
Any advice would be very welcome. Thanks.
 

EX51SSS

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 18, 2015
6,073
28,561
North Manchester
Funster No
37,198
MH
Hymer Exsis A Class
Exp
since 2007
We are going through the tunnel at the end of July for four weeks. It has to be that time of year as I still work and I have school holidays off.
We have both of the Aires books - Southern and northern France which we have used.
We are starting to think of where we could travel for the four weeks.
What books would you recommend for Aires and sites in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Croatia, etc.
I personally think having a book may be better for us rather than an app. I understand that they can’t be updated as quickly as an app can but what happens if you can’t get a signal on your phone?
We haven’t been very adventurous in the past, having been for just two weeks at a time just in France and along the Moselle.
Any advice would be very welcome. Thanks.
Normandy and Brittany are nice and extremely popular with Motorhomers and we've done the area and like but for the last 5 years we've done Eastern France, though Champagne and into Germany, Luxembourg, Holland and Belgium and last year, Switzerland and Italy.
 
Jul 5, 2013
11,713
13,681
Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, UK
Funster No
26,797
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2013
French tourist areas are at their busiest at that time. Steer well clear of the coast I would suggest. The best I can suggest for Aires (and many campsites too) throughout Europe is the Campercontact app on your smartphone. You will need to get the paid for version, which you will be able to use without internet.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
The Cruisers
Aug 19, 2015
630
11,765
West Sussex
Funster No
37,743
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 2015
Thanks so far.
I don’t suppose that there is one book with Aires for Europe? Probably not as it would be a bit hefty. (Answered my own question!)
Are there Aires or similar in Croatia, Austria and Switzerland?
 
Jul 5, 2013
11,713
13,681
Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, UK
Funster No
26,797
MH
A class
Exp
Since 2013
Thanks so far.
I don’t suppose that there is one book with Aires for Europe? Probably not as it would be a bit hefty. (Answered my own question!)
Are there Aires or similar in Croatia, Austria and Switzerland?
Why not use the Campercontact App - much lighter and easier.

You could try , which covers all of Europe, but the number of places, the info on them and photos are much more limited that on Campercontact. Not sure where you could buy it - Vicarious Books have sold out of the 2017 Edition. And don't know when the 2018 Edition will be out.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Easyliving

Free Member
Dec 4, 2012
956
2,021
Norfolk
Funster No
23,899
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2011
I recently downloaded the Camperstop app and upgraded to the 'pro' version for £4.19. You can use the app offline which is handy although the downloadable maps and photos are several hundred megabytes so you need a decent wifi setup.

As for where to go, I can recommend Bodensee / Lake Constance, beautiful scenery, plenty of stellplaz and not too far to drive.

Paul
 
Jun 23, 2011
425
753
Pedreguer, Spain
Funster No
17,017
MH
Low profile
Exp
Since 2011
The CamperContact app is your best bet, you can use it offline and you don´t need a phone signal; although we haven´t found anywhere in Europe we couldn´t get a phone signal yet - except the UK.
(Beaten to it by Easyliving!).
 

Ven

Aug 15, 2008
1,486
68,578
East Sussex and beyond
Funster No
3,693
MH
C Class
Exp
Since 2009
We have most of the Aires books but once we started using Campercontact I have to say they very rarely get looked at. You can’t beat people’s first hand experiences which CC gives you.

One tip I would give you travelling at the busiest time of year and using Aires is always arrive early afternoon at the latest to maximize your chances of getting in and always have a plan B/C in case you can’t get in. At that time of year even the ones that take 100s of van can be chokka but they do have a turnover every day.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

suavecarve

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 18, 2009
7,446
38,668
Surrey/Hants
Funster No
8,035
MH
Rollerteam 685
Exp
July 09
We started off with all the aires, moved onto campercontact and the paid version, now I use maps.me and searchforsites.
I have left enough reviews on searchforsites to be able to download what i want onto maps.me which is a free map and is totally useable offline and zooms in ridiculously. Can double up as a satnav and a satnav on foot, so we mark where to go to or where we have parked the motorhome or the motorbike so we know where to go back to, so maps.me is an absolute necessity imho. You just download the areas you want to go to. You can use different colours to differentiate what you are looking for (aires, france passion, beautiful villages, wild camping etc)
Unfortunately aires in croatia are called campsites ! Planning our trip for June to Croatia and can only find a couple of aires in the whole country

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Lenny HB

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 18, 2007
52,685
147,595
On the coast in West Sussex
Funster No
658
MH
Hymer B678 DL
Exp
Since 2008 & many years tugging
Thanks so far.
I don’t suppose that there is one book with Aires for Europe? Probably not as it would be a bit hefty. (Answered my own question!)
Are there Aires or similar in Croatia, Austria and Switzerland?
Austria has Stellaplatz like Germany can be expensive over €20 a night but get up in the mountains and you can wild for the night. I think Switzerland has a few but can't confirm as not been there since our tugging days.
Croatia, there is the odd carpark you can overnight in out of season but not in July you can wild inland well away from the popular areas otherwise it's a case of using sites, Auto Camper Stops are small campsites £10-£12 night plenty all down the coast.
Another vote for Camper Contact, gave up books years ago.
 
Last edited:

Zigisla

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 24, 2015
2,575
3,099
Gosport, Hants
Funster No
39,738
MH
Sunlight A72
Exp
Getting better month by month.
We stayed on a few aires in Switzerland last summer. They were all free,:D but you do have to pay tourist tax fr using them, but that only worked out circa 5 Swiss francs for two adults.(y) One lesson learnt was never fill up a whole tank of fuel in Switzerland as it is sooo expensive. :eek:
 

TerryL

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 5, 2010
6,152
8,138
North East
Funster No
10,511
MH
Low Profile
Exp
2009
Thanks so far.
I don’t suppose that there is one book with Aires for Europe? Probably not as it would be a bit hefty. (Answered my own question!)
Are there Aires or similar in Croatia, Austria and Switzerland?

Vicarious sell "Camperstop Europe" which does a good job of listing pretty well all of the places in Europe. However it's not the easiest to use and the descriptions are somewhat brief. We've got a copy but usually use others which are more country specific.

We prefer paper reference but do have a selection of electronic guides, including various POI databases I've converted to use with MS Autoroute (now discontinued but okay for planning purposes). I've also loaded the same databases into my TomTom which we find useful.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jan 26, 2017
3,453
11,651
Mid Suffolk.
Funster No
47,068
MH
Autosleeper Inca
Exp
Eight Years and 28,000 Miles.
Croatia and can only find a couple of aires in the whole country
Camperstop Europe lists dozens of places to stop, not sure if they are what we know as Aires though.

The book contains a lot of other useful info on traveling through 'Europe'...
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top