Campsite parking in Europe

[Hymerboy]

we are currently in Spain and am wondering if there’s an etiquette issue when it comes to parking on a site. Our habitation door is on the nearside so if I park nose out like my European neighbour our doors face each other, my wife thinks that we should turn the other way round as she feels that the neighbours are not happy, anyone else come across this? I’ve pointed out to her that some uk vans have the door on the offside so surely it doesn’t matter which way you park and if they don’t like it . Tough. ?

 

[Boringfrog]

Simple, get a proper van with the door on the offside....

 

[Figaro]

Simple, get a proper van with the door on the nearside....

It is on the nearside

Simple solution though is just to turn around if you think it's upsetting the neighbours.
It never bothers me but I know some folk get worked up about it

 

[Boringfrog]

It is on the nearside

Simple solution though is just to turn around if you think it's upsetting the neighbours.
It never bothers me but I know some folk get worked up about it

Sorry GnT talking, I did say offside 1st then got myself confused....

 

[Razamataz]

I usually park depending on
Sun direction ..so as to keep fridge cooler!!
Wind Direction ..to make it easier to open the door
Panoramic rear window…u shaped lounge deserves the view
Basically any way I want to

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[Jimbohorlicks]

Just ask your neighbours if the door on thier side causes them any issues.

 

[monzer]

Some sites will check what side your door is on and ask you to park accordingly. If it's a site where all the pitches are in perfectly straight lines then it's a fair point. It means everyone is able to open their hab door and have their own little private grass area.

 

[royandsharont]

Out of 8.5 years spending an average of 120 nights on the continent I can honestly say I have never experienced any problems of this nature. With my UK van I often parked face in so I was on the natural incline of the pitch against the decline if my chassis leaving it often level & also leaving easy access to my bike rack, as we were about 8.5m overall and often just fitted in this way.

I think I have only ever been asked to pitch a certain way twice out of all those campsites we have stayed on as we didn’t use Aires etc and I’ve never been asked which side my door is on.

I would generally out of courtesy park up so I was not occupying the same outside space as the adjacent van, unless I had a good reason to do that and in most cases abroad the pitches have some separation with privacy in any case, unlike here in the UK.

As suggested above, just ask

 

[Richard n Ann]

we are currently in Spain and am wondering if there’s an etiquette issue when it comes to parking on a site.

No, none whatsoever in our experience (2014- date). You pay for the pitch, it's yours and you park how you like. No one bothers

 

[Just smiffy]

Trust me … they don’t give a toss how you park
And the same goes for anyone else..

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[peterc10]

Never been mentioned at any site or Aire in the 8 years we have been going to Europe. Park anywhere on your pitch.

 

[rod_vw]

What's all this about 'offside' or 'nearside' for that matter?

The correct description is 'left side' or 'right side' and always referred to as viewed from the rear of the vehicle. Please remember that our non-UK visitors do not understand our old fashioned 'offside' and 'nearside' description.

To answer the original question, I have only ever been told that I had parked the 'wrong way round' once and that was on a French Aire!

 

[jumar]

we are currently in Spain and am wondering if there’s an etiquette issue when it comes to parking on a site. Our habitation door is on the nearside so if I park nose out like my European neighbour our doors face each other, my wife thinks that we should turn the other way round as she feels that the neighbours are not happy, anyone else come across this? I’ve pointed out to her that some uk vans have the door on the offside so surely it doesn’t matter which way you park and if they don’t like it . Tough. ?

Other that the origin of the word Etiquette being French...it ends there.....there isn't any......perhaps on some aires, where space is limited between units. Campsites.....whatever, do as you seem fit.

 

[jonsea]

Never had a problem at all

 

[MisterB]

What's all this about 'offside' or 'nearside' for that matter?

The correct description is 'left side' or 'right side' and always referred to as viewed from the rear of the vehicle. Please remember that our non-UK visitors do not understand our old fashioned 'offside' and 'nearside' description.

To answer the original question, I have only ever been told that I had parked the 'wrong way round' once and that was on a French Aire!

Port or Starboard if you've got a Land Yacht ...

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[grasscutter]

Always park to take advantage of the afternoon sun if possible

 

[599]

hi guys . i am sorry to have a dig at the French again but over our long years of touring in Europe they are the worst . we had 2 moving off this year on our 7 week tour of France we have had them move there m/h's because they like to eat alfresco & don't like you watching them ( especially dipping chocolate croissant in there coffee yuk ) & the fact they didn't like parking next to a 8.5m m/h we even had a French women stride out the length of our m/h THEN drive off & an Italian guy at capbreton did the same very peculiar people those Europeans . but like RAZAMATAZ said in summer bill parks so the fridge vents are not facing the sun good tip if you don't know already plus the fans . Aires are the worst for parking problems but in our present times we don't park in small stopovers . val

 

[Southdowners]

hi guys . i am sorry to have a dig at the French again but over our long years of touring in Europe they are the worst . we had 2 moving off this year on our 7 week tour of France we have had them move there m/h's because they like to eat alfresco & don't like you watching them ( especially dipping chocolate croissant in there coffee yuk ) & the fact they didn't like parking next to a 8.5m m/h we even had a French women stride out the length of our m/h THEN drive off & an Italian guy at capbreton did the same very peculiar people those Europeans . but like RAZAMATAZ said in summer bill parks so the fridge vents are not facing the sun good tip if you don't know already plus the fans . Aires are the worst for parking problems but in our present times we don't park in small stopovers . val

How can you possibly know the reason folk decide to move?

 

[MisterB]

We try to park so as our habitation door isn't DIRECTLY facing someone else's habitation door and we would prefer it if others offered us the same consideration,of course this often means that the kitchen window is directly facing us, so it doesnt give any real privacy either way, but it just 'feels' right.

 

[Landy Andy]

To answer the question. No there is no etiquette in Europe (abroad) it’s park where you should, but how you want. The parking “etiquette“, if it can be called that, is an English thing.

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[Jimbohorlicks]

Never had a problem at all

You will now, you have a "foreign" van .

 

[jonsea]

You will now, you have a "foreign" van .

At the moment Jim you know what i,m like

 

[Bucket]

We have been asked to adjust our position once on an Aire in Spain. And that was when we were parked across from him!
Couldn't believe the cheek but moved anyway to be a good neighbour.
Since then I have worked out a form of words to respond along these lines
'I understand what you are asking, we will consider it'
That gets rid of the person and allows us time to think about how to react.
My main concern is not wishing to have a stroppy neighbour in case we go for a walk or something. On the other hand I am not going to be bossed around unless there's a good reason.
We have occasionally been asked to park in a certain way on campsites, but very rare. Our hab door is continetal so generally we fit in anyway.
I agree about the fridge vents and sunshine, no.1 priority.

 

[SpeedyDux]

In Italy the sites seem rather anarchic and noisy especially at weekends. Everyone annoys their neighbours by the look of it.

One good feature of many French sites is the dividing hedge between pitches. Although you might need to find a gap to access the EHU bollard. I have never had any stroppy French people tut-tutting whichever way I park. Anyway my sliding door is on the continental side, a bonus across the Channel.

 

[nicholsong]

For privacy reasons I cannot understand why the door itself matters as I doubt anyone stands in their MH doorway looking across at their neighbour. If you are sat in the MH then there are windows on both sides to observe the neighbours, if you wish, whichever way the MH is facing.

The only relevance of the door position is that the awning is normally on that side so if needed one is using the same space as the neighbours. If that is an issue we often place our chairs in the shade on the other side or even in front or back of the MH if the view is better.

Of course aires with 'nose-to-tail pitches are best, preferable alongside a river or canal.

In 12 years we have never had any complaints or requests to move, but then we do not go on campsites.

Geoff

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[cyberyacht]

I used to have a UK style van. Now I've gone "continental". Never give it a thought. Principle criteria is "can I level without ramps?" hotly pursued by "are my panels in the sun?"

 

[Dobby 2]

You are paying for a pitch you can park as you wish (within the rules). We have a nearside door and have never had a problem. It's generally the view or where the sun is that dictates how I park (after I've been given the relevant instructions by the boss) Isn't everyone supposed to be friendly anyway.

 

[599]

How can you possibly know the reason folk decide to move?

first of all we was there m/h's parking next to us then moving off to park further up or in the last case in merilmont we parked up next to a France m/h then they came back packed up & move around the corner & set up again we have seen this many time on our travels that's how we could possibly know obviously you haven't been m/hing as long as us looking at your exp date

 

[Brella]

We try to park so as our habitation door isn't DIRECTLY facing someone else's habitation door and we would prefer it if others offered us the same consideration,of course this often means that the kitchen window is directly facing us, so it doesnt give any real privacy either way, but it just 'feels' right.

We do exactly the same.

 

[bellabee]

One of the most enjoyable stays we have had, was at the Stellplatz in Uberlingen. A German van parked with it's door facing ours and we quickly made friends with the inhabitants.
If your doors are facing each other, it makes it very difficult not to be sociable with people.