Camping-Car Park - another one bites the dust

[Camdoon]

La Canourgue which was nicely situated south of Issoire with some nice restaurants and take aways mid way between Catalonia and Calais has now had the benefit of being overtaken by this lot and a charge of 12.4Euros being instigated. They are advertising 100 "new" sites. Inevitable and probably more concerned with access and the faffing about which will occur.

 

[MichaelT]

Personally we like CCP, generally of a decent standard, includes EHU, Water & Waste and in general prices very reasonable. I know we do not always want or need EHU & Services but you can still just use them even if you don't want to stay for a small fee. As for faffing once you have your card there is none, just wave it at the barrier and it lets you in, top up card either online or at machine for the amount due (or carry a balance on it) and wave at barrier on way out.

 

[Red Sonja]

We like the Camping car park as well. I like the fact that you can see how many spaces there are. We always keep enough on there for at least a night.

 

[Neil S]

Another vote for CCP had the pass’etapes card since 2017
We have privileges pack which allows you to pre-book a pitch

 

[Landy Andy]

Problem is too many people use a free aire, over stay, and spend nothing in the town/village. So can’t say I’m surprised.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Chuns]

I met (by coincidence) one of their senior people. While there is no doubt their business model is one of expansion, their acquisition wish list is far, far, exceeded by local authorities seeking to devolve. It is exactly as Landy Andy said, they (the communities) feel cheated, and sort of betrayed by users of their free community-run aires. A fair bit of outlay which benefits their community almost not at all is how that group see it.

We use free aires a lot, and in most cases my spend is limited to beer and bread (if I can find anything open) and a resto occasionally, plus groceries rarely.

Like Red Sonja, our card is kept with 25€ on it, and I have to say, when we do use them, it is rather nice to breeze in, just by waving a card somewhere near a machine.

 

[Littlewheels]

As l understand CCP are currently accessing the possibility of creating a similar operation in the UK, l accept that CAMpRA are attempting something similar.
CCP have now reached the figure of 300 Aires under their Brand/Management in pretty short order and many are new,not established ones that they have taken over they actually interact with townships to create new ones based on the success of established ones that bring benefits to said township.
Lets imagine that they reach 1000 managed Aires with a Business model that actually works,is profitable and in turn is successful this would be of benefit to all Motorhomers that use Aires as they could expand this into the UK and elsewhere,a benefit to us all and growth of 10.000’s of overnight stops.

 

[GAVLAD]

I’m on CCP’s email list and was considering joining this year for our trip abroad but as that has been postponed, so will the membership.
I must admit that looking through their venues, they all look great.
I’m happy to pay the premium as some of the Aires that we’ve stayed at, we’ve ended up paying a similar rate for the privilege.
I suppose if you’ve always stayed at a particular aire and paid a small fee or stayed for free and then the rate has gone up, it is a disappointment. However, hopefully, they’ll put some money back into the aire.

I could do with a lesson on joining and using the barrier. That’s my only concern about them

 

[Madcaravanner]

Having not travelled in France since 2019 I have not yet acquired a card but plan to and will use more of them especially as they are planning to open here in the UK too

 

[bobandjanie]

We have stopped at them, Yes they cost and some of the old Aires were free but also encouraged people to be living on them .
We like the way you can see how many spaces are left, you know exactly how much your paying and the overall upkeep is quite good, also the barrier keeps the boy racers out. Bob.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Barclaybasher]

I joined CCP about 3 years ago. Getting the card seemed a bit of a faff at the barrier but was made easy by the operator you connect to who was patient, polite and spoke perfect English.
The next time I used the card was last year, just waved the card and barrier went up. Paid for my stay by phone, again polite, friendly, perfect English.
Great service and a fair price, hope they do spread their network

 

[MichaelT]

I joined CCP about 3 years ago. Getting the card seemed a bit of a faff at the barrier but was made easy by the operator you connect to who was patient, polite and spoke perfect English.
The next time I used the card was last year, just waved the card and barrier went up. Paid for my stay by phone, again polite, friendly, perfect English.
Great service and a fair price, hope they do spread their network

No need to pay by phone just do it in your account on-line

 

[MichaelT]

I’m on CCP’s email list and was considering joining this year for our trip abroad but as that has been postponed, so will the membership.
I must admit that looking through their venues, they all look great.
I’m happy to pay the premium as some of the Aires that we’ve stayed at, we’ve ended up paying a similar rate for the privilege.
I suppose if you’ve always stayed at a particular aire and paid a small fee or stayed for free and then the rate has gone up, it is a disappointment. However, hopefully, they’ll put some money back into the aire.

I could do with a lesson on joining and using the barrier. That’s my only concern about them

You may as well join it cost 4 or 5 euro for life so no great outlay or even a yearly subscription

 

[jumar]

We have stopped at them, Yes they cost and some of the old Aires were free but also encouraged people to be living on them .
We like the way you can see how many spaces are left, you know exactly how much your paying and the overall upkeep is quite good, also the barrier keeps the boy racers out. Bob.

Used them a few Pandemics ago...would like to use them again....love keeping the wheelspinning idiots out...must have money as well as rubber to burn...

 

[chaser]

One thing you all don't seem to get is, when this firm have got a majority of the Aires it will end up like here with the club sites, when they have you all by the b...... the price will rise, the regimenting will start and you will be better off stopping here.
Ok you might be alright now and think it's a good idea, and for what traveling I have left it won't make a scrap of difference, but for people in the future, it's going to ruin the old way of touring France, carefree and no expense.
For me I won't touch them with a bargepole.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Sunlovers]

We carry a CCP card, usually with akin to €30.00 sitting on it. Works just fine, and is generally trouble-free. Had a stay on one aire which had been plagued with EHU issues since being set-up (Sedan) and most of the pitches were struggling to get their EHU to feed them anything. I reported it that afternoon when we realised that having specifically gone there to be able to hook up, we weren't going to be able to (although we finally did, but that's another story), and to be fair to them, they sent a tech guy round early the next morning, but he was of the opinion that the problem lay in the underground cabling and until that was resolved, the intermittency of the connections was just something that was frustrating everybody.

Mrs Sunlover loves using it as it really is as simple as waving the card out of the window nearby to the reader (she uses an adapted selfie stick to avoid having to get out of the van) and bingo, up goes the barrier

 

[Gaston aires]

I’m going to join right now. Only so it gives me the impetus to go there and try it out.
Phil

 

[chaser]

Traditional Aires have no card or barrier

 

[MichaelT]

One thing you all don't seem to get is, when this firm have got a majority of the Aires it will end up like here with the club sites, when they have you all by the b...... the price will rise, the regimenting will start and you will be better off stopping here.
Ok you might be alright now and think it's a good idea, and for what traveling I have left it won't make a scrap of difference, but for people in the future, it's going to ruin the old way of touring France, carefree and no expense.
For me I won't touch them with a bargepole.

Good then more room for the people who don't mind paying for the service they supply rather than freeloading off the French local community. Dont get me wrong I love a free Aire but if the CCP is in or around the place we want to visit we will use them same as campsites especially if we need to fill up or dump and with roaming charges coming back the free WiFi may well be handy along with the EHU.

 

[Jo662]

I could do with a lesson on joining and using the barrier. That’s my only concern about them

We joined 3 or 4 years ago, it was a bit of a faff back then, but we were helped by a lovely French guy. I think its alot easier now.
We have used them perhaps half a dozen times when we have found them in a particularly pretty location in an area we wanted to be.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

We have used them occasionally if they are where we want to be but too expensive for general use. Some are quite pleasant but some are just car parks with chicken wire fences pretty grim.
I never keep any money on the card just top it up enough for one night so the barrier let's us in.
The only people I've seen having problems getting in are the French.

 

[MichaelT]

I’m on CCP’s email list and was considering joining this year for our trip abroad but as that has been postponed, so will the membership.
I must admit that looking through their venues, they all look great.
I’m happy to pay the premium as some of the Aires that we’ve stayed at, we’ve ended up paying a similar rate for the privilege.
I suppose if you’ve always stayed at a particular aire and paid a small fee or stayed for free and then the rate has gone up, it is a disappointment. However, hopefully, they’ll put some money back into the aire.

I could do with a lesson on joining and using the barrier. That’s my only concern about them

Join online is easiest to do and add whatever you want to the card in your account

JOIN CCP HERE

 

[chaser]

I know this isn't what this thread is about but if I may put a plug in for France passion, for anyone who doesn't know.
You pay up front, I'm not sure how much ,think it's around 30 euros, you then get a book or an app of thousands of farms, vineyards, and all manner of places that you can stay for free, pretty much like britstops here, but they are brilliant for getting to know real french people.
www.france-passion.com.
I know where I would rather have my money.

 

[MichaelT]

I know this isn't what this thread is about but if I may put a plug in for France passion, for anyone who doesn't know.
You pay up front, I'm not sure how much ,think it's around 30 euros, you then get a book or an app of thousands of farms, vineyards, and all manner of places that you can stay for free, pretty much like britstops here, but they are brilliant for getting to know real french people.
www.france-passion.com.
I know where I would rather have my money.

But the €30 is wasted if you don't use the FP places and from what I know you can stay at these anyway without paying as like staying at a CL here no one ever checks your card? Plus like most CL's here they will likely be in the middle of the countryside which is great for just peace and quiet but not if you want to visit somewhere in a town and the pressure to buy something from the shop/winery etc. which we hate.

 

[Diabalo]

I know this isn't what this thread is about but if I may put a plug in for France passion, for anyone who doesn't know.
You pay up front, I'm not sure how much ,think it's around 30 euros, you then get a book or an app of thousands of farms, vineyards, and all manner of places that you can stay for free, pretty much like britstops here, but they are brilliant for getting to know real french people.
www.france-passion.com.
I know where I would rather have my money.

No good for us as we would feel obliged to buy a case of wine or half a pig and it ending up costing more than a site. We wouldn't feel comfortable staying for free as it seems like your taking advantage, but us southerners don't mind putting our hands in our pockets

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Dorset Diver]

We have used both France Passion and Camping-Car Parks since just after they started. Both are excellent as are other Aires. I do hope that CCP moves into the UK and shakes up the motorhome camping scene here.

 

[Neil S]

I know this isn't what this thread is about but if I may put a plug in for France passion, for anyone who doesn't know.
You pay up front, I'm not sure how much ,think it's around 30 euros, you then get a book or an app of thousands of farms, vineyards, and all manner of places that you can stay for free, pretty much like britstops here, but they are brilliant for getting to know real french people.
www.france-passion.com.
I know where I would rather have my money.

Are you not expected to buy your hosts products such as wine or cheese
on France Passion sites if your staying for nowt
I don’t like French cheese and don’t drink wine so it would like taking and giving nothing in return

 

[Red Sonja]

We carry a CCP card, usually with akin to €30.00 sitting on it. Works just fine, and is generally trouble-free. Had a stay on one aire which had been plagued with EHU issues since being set-up (Sedan) and most of the pitches were struggling to get their EHU to feed them anything. I reported it that afternoon when we realised that having specifically gone there to be able to hook up, we weren't going to be able to (although we finally did, but that's another story), and to be fair to them, they sent a tech guy round early the next morning, but he was of the opinion that the problem lay in the underground cabling and until that was resolved, the intermittency of the connections was just something that was frustrating everybody.

Mrs Sunlover loves using it as it really is as simple as waving the card out of the window nearby to the reader (she uses an adapted selfie stick to avoid having to get out of the van) and bingo, up goes the barrier

We stayed at Sedan when it was a municipal campsite. Can't remember having any problem with the electric then.

 

[Sunlovers]

Traditional Aires have no card or

We stayed at Sedan when it was a municipal campsite. Can't remember having any problem with the electric then.

We stayed at the newly constructed aire which is now on the old municipal campsite (right by the bridge/river). This was January 1st 2020. The original campsite reception office building was still there, but not in use from what we could see. The below image grabbed from Google Street View shows the aire being constructed, circa May 2019.

 

[chaser]

But the €30 is wasted if you don't use the FP places and from what I know you can stay at these anyway without paying as like staying at a CL here no one ever checks your card? Plus like most CL's here they will likely be in the middle of the countryside which is great for just peace and quiet but not if you want to visit somewhere in a town and the pressure to buy something from the shop/winery etc. which we hate.

Can't be bothered arguing your other comments, which are not the case, but the pressure one is simply not right, you very rarely see any one unless you go looking for them and we have never bought anything we didn't want or need and they still wave you off if they see you go.
But on the other side we haven't been in it for a couple of years now even before covid, as,as you say a lot of places never ask for anything, and we still have a 2018 book which does the job, but for someone new to France and don't feel ready to use free Aires they are an ideal start at real France not some gloryfied campsite trying to persuade folks they are on an Aire.
Once on one and got money on it will they ever experience real France, don't think so it will be like camping clubs here.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}