French Aires (1 Viewer)

[TCG]

Hi information please.. new to motor homing having crossed to the dark side after many years caravanning.
my question is "what exactly is an aire" in the caravan world they are picnic stop overs that are found on the autoroutes, and one would not dream of over nighting in one as they fill up with 40 foot lorries

 

[EX51SSS]

Hi information please.. new to motor homing having crossed to the dark side after many years caravanning.
my question is "what exactly is an aire" in the caravan world they are picnic stop overs that are found on the autoroutes, and one would not dream of over nighting in one as they fill up with 40 foot lorries

Those sound like Aires de service.
Aire designed camping car are completely different.
In towns, villages, cities, urban and rural locations. Some just are parking and go right through to EHU, fresh water and dumping facilities. Most are similar to car parks but some are similar to camp sites.
There are (not adhered to particularly by the French) rules but not particularly strict except in some areas. Some charge possibly up to €12.00 (maybe more) and varying figures to no charge (even with EHU etc)
There'll be loads on here soon to explain.
All the aires
Camperstop
Those are 2 ways to find them

 

[Deleted member 29692]

The ones you mention are Aires de Service which are generally found on motorways.

The ones we generally talk about here are Aires de Camping Car which are found in towns and villages. They are areas provided for Camping Car (Motorhome) overnight parking the idea being that as you have somewhere convenient to park in the town or village you may patronise some of the local businesses.

They vary from literally just an area of tarmac or even packed dirt with nothing to others that are campsites in all but name. Some might just even be a part of a larger car park.

Some have no services at all, most have water and waste, a few have electric.

The cost varies from free up to €15 or more per night. A good rule of thumb is that the ones in popular tourist areas will charge, the ones in the middle of nowhere won't. There are exceptions to both but not many.

The paid for version of the Camper Contact app for iOS and Android is about the best resource to find them.

Here's a random selection of some we've used. We never use anything else where we're in France.

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[Clarky]

Here are one or two more to wet your appetite.
As Nick says, aires vary enormously but there is usually one to suit whatever you want. We like quiet and peaceful ones with a nice view.

 

[EX51SSS]

Camper contact is on mobile/i pad/tablet
All the Aires is paper version
Some will argue that All the Aires is out of date on publication. However, you can keep for 20 years without yearly costs (you can buy every year if you want) as opposed to mobile apps. In last 10 years there have been some additional ones but only found 1 closed.

 

[magicsurfbus]

'Aire' in France means Area.

You can have an Aire de Repos (Rest Area) on the Autoroute which anyone can use. A point with a tap and a drain where you can empty Motorhome waste and take on water is technically an Aire de Service (Service Area).

When MHF members talk about Aires they usually mean places in France where you can stop in a Motorhome overnight (Aires Camping-Car), and (possibly but not always) empty waste and take on water. They can be found in or near most towns and cities, and in quite a few villages. There are also parking areas that tolerate overnight parking, sometimes attached to visitor attractions like theme parks. You pay for many of them, but some are free.

For more info, check the links in my signature, one of which goes to my cobwebsite on Aires.

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[tonka]

The thing to remember with Aires... they are all so different so when you do start trying them dont judge until you have been to a few. Some are very simple and just a parking place. other can be ex-campsites or have 100 + vans..

There are a few videos on here that may give you some ideas..
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBtX3WOsgChwP3OZu3_IIDw

 

[TerryL]

Whilst we always carry the "All the Aires" book and various other publications, including electronic (Campercontact) we've also found a few not in any of our info. Just look out for the motorhome sign - and it's usually better to follow the signage rather than rely on your satnav, a lot of them are up back lanes that will be something of a challenge..............

 

[mitzimad]

aires are the reason you can truly wander in France your never that far from a legal place to park and sleep for the nightweve stayed on packed solid wind swept car parks on the south coast of france and weve stayed on grassy riversides in the middle of france cost will vary expect to pay more for location and less for isolationj

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[gozomike]

In the last three and a half weeks I have paid for one aire (7.72 euro) which was at Chateau Thierry and did stop on a municipal campsite (5.12 euro) as I could not find an aire where I wanted to be. The rest were free. The current one I am on is at Sully le Loire

This aire is at the rear entrance to the grounds of the Chateau, I will stay a couple more nights as there is a country fair on in the grounds of the Chateau.

 

[colyboy]

Buy "Camperstop"it's the only "airies"book you will ever need.

Colyboy


NYE INFORMAL RALLY LOOE CORNWALL

 

[shawn&emma]

Here are one or two more to wet your appetite.
As Nick says, aires vary enormously but there is usually one to suit whatever you want. We like quiet and peaceful ones with a nice view.
View attachment 184621 View attachment 184622 View attachment 184623 View attachment 184624 View attachment 184625

I recognise Marvao in the top photo. We are living just over the hill from there. Is the photo taken from a drone of did you climb the rock with the cross on?

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[EX51SSS]

Buy "Camperstop"it's the only "airies"book you will ever need.

Colyboy


NYE INFORMAL RALLY LOOE CORNWALL

That's ok if you want it on a device but some prefer books as I do. Horses for courses.
It's an individual choice. I gave those options earlier in thread.

 

[Clarky]

I recognise Marvao in the top photo. We are living just over the hill from there. Is the photo taken from a drone of did you climb the rock with the cross on?

Well spotted. What a lovely place Marvao is, hope to return this winter.
Picture was taken from the rock.

Richard.

 

[andyman]

Can someone tell me if you can pay cash at St Vallery sur Somme aire.
Stop 2 years ago and can't remember if it was cash or card. Hope to be there 2 weeks tomorrow.

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[Zigisla]

Can someone tell me if you can pay cash at St Vallery sur Somme aire.
Stop 2 years ago and can't remember if it was cash or card. Hope to be there 2 weeks tomorrow.

Both cash and card. We were there last week and the machine was faulty so barrier remained up. Free overnight with ehu. Not bad.

 

[Richard n Ann]

That's ok if you want it on a device but some prefer books as I do. Horses for courses.
It's an individual choice. I gave those options earlier in thread.

Camperstops Europe is an Aires book. Same price as all the Aires but it's for all of Europe. We've got the 2014 edition but won't bother again the apps are better now..

Park4Night
Camping car infos
Camperstops

And they navigate you there.

 

[EX51SSS]

Camperstops Europe is an Aires book. Same price as all the Aires but it's for all of Europe. We've got the 2014 edition but won't bother again the apps are better now..

Park4Night
Camping car infos
Camperstops

And they navigate you there.

Strangely enough so does my Sat Nav as it came with a previous Sat Nav and info was added to new one when upgrading but I will try Camperstops but the book.

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[joka250]

To the newbies It's worth noting that Spain and Portugal both have their equivalent of Aires and Germany with Stellplatz. Belgium and Holland much the same. We use all of these qhite extensively it keeps the costs down, often brings you closer to the local community and many are in fabulous locations.

 

[John.]

Hi @joka250 which app/book do you recommend for the above for ease of use etc?
Last year our first time abroad we found All the Aires excellent but a bit large in the cab whilst driving also we bought a couple of apps for the iPad but didn't really like these (forgot which ones)
We prefer to use a paper copy like Acsi.

 

[andyman]

Both cash and card. We were there last week and the machine was faulty so barrier remained up. Free overnight with ehu. Not bad.

Lets hope its still faulty in 2 weeks times.

Both cash and card. We were there last week and the machine was faulty so barrier remained up. Free overnight with ehu. Not bad.

lets hope its still faulty in a fortnight.

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[joka250]

Hi @joka250 which app/book do you recommend for the above for ease of use etc?
Last year our first time abroad we found All the Aires excellent but a bit large in the cab whilst driving also we bought a couple of apps for the iPad but didn't really like these (forgot which ones)
We prefer to use a paper copy like Acsi.

Like you we have ended up with several books, All the Aires France (north and south) another for Spain and Portugal and so on. As you say all excellent but bulky and heavy. Tried several different apps but struggled with them. We even resort to Google searches of some areas with some success. Funsters are a good source for word of mouthful for obvious reasons they are very France centric. In short I haven't found what I think is ideal. Off again in November so currently looking at other alternatives and hoping something in this thread might point me and others in a good direction.

 

[glenn2926]

We use all of the above. Can't have too many options. We also use britstops when in the U.K. Next spring we are going to the Black Forest. I cannot remember the name of the book with Stellpatz in. Can anyone remind me?

 

[denisejoe]

We use all of the above. Can't have too many options. We also use britstops when in the U.K. Next spring we are going to the Black Forest. I cannot remember the name of the book with Stellpatz in. Can anyone remind me?

Bord Atlas? This also covers all of Europe but is predominantly German Stellplatz.

Denise

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[Northernraider]

That's ok if you want it on a device but some prefer books as I do. Horses for courses.
It's an individual choice. I gave those options earlier in thread.

You can get it in a book.... On eBay £19

 

[DL42846]

Aire, Carro near Marseilles. 11€ per night. No EHU but free water and grey water disposal, and a beautiful view with nice walks along the beach. Town is fairly dead. Local fishing port where you can buy freshly landed fish. Bring your own wine.