French virgins wanting help.

andygilljoe

andygilljoe

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So we have taken the plunge and committed to mid June trip to France. Bit nervous!

So need somewhere within couple hours of Calais for first couple of days. Can anyone recommend nice place to stop. Do we need to book?

We have no idea how to use Aires or what to expect? Can anyone enlighten me please?

Thanks

Andy&Gill
 
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Park 4 night App, read the reviews. Job Done.
yes it can be daunting, and after France the next country will feel the same, and the next Etc.
But if you do not feel the fear/trepidation are you alive?
 
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andygilljoe said:
So we have taken the plunge and committed to mid June trip to France. Bit nervous!

So need somewhere within couple hours of Calais for first couple of days. Can anyone recommend nice place to stop. Do we need to book?

We have no idea how to use Aires or what to expect? Can anyone enlighten me please?

Thanks

Andy&Gill
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Whereabouts do you think you are heading ? It would help with the advice
 
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Get campingcarpark app Useful all over France https://www.campingcarpark.com/en_GB/search/areas/map

You can get a card. Top it up with euros. Use it to enter the site. The sites have water, waste, wifi and EHU. When you swipe your card to leave they will charge you. Prices vary 8 - 15 Euros mostly.

There is one at Merlimont, about an hour south of Calais. There is another at Le Crotoy which is a nicer coastal town - about 2 hours from Calais.

Actually - now I think about it there is a Aire right by the marina in Le Crotoy - Think it's just pay like a car park.

www.google.com

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
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:giggle:Dam not what I expected from the title but nothing to worry about in France it's motorhome heaven your never more than a few kilometres from a place to stop
Northern France is a bit plain I'd head south even if only a hundred k
France. Is very big best to pick a region and wander round thataway from the coasts there's no need to book
 
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Our very first stop ever in France was at Le Teleport near the funicular, very easy, plenty of space, and a simple well signposted stop.

Aire camping-car Le Tréport
maps.app.goo.gl

Aire camping-car Le Tréport · D126E, 76470 Le Tréport, France

★★★★☆ · Caravan Park
maps.app.goo.gl maps.app.goo.gl

Personally, use all the apps you can find, but initially campercontact as virtually all the stops they list are easy to use for a motorhome.

Nowadays we just use Park4Night and then check other apps campercontact and search4sites to read reviews etc..
 
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Good news! It is easy. We are on our first European trip and you can find it in my signature below.

Our first ever aire was in the edge of a village. Two vans already there. Pulled next to one, nice chap (Dutch) asked if we had dogs as his wasn’t dog friendly. You can’t book Aires. If you must be somewhere arrive by three.

You will have read how easy it is many time I’m sure. France and Spain are very well catered for.

One aire we didn’t like so didn’t stop and drive out. Another aire was too early in the day so I had a siesta before driving on. So flexible. And so many.

I doubt you’ll have any problems. You’ve got the apps and you can expand using CCP and campsites.

It’s been great and we can’t wait to come back next year.

Enjoy the planning!!
 
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Avoid Rouen if you can. Many people (including me) accidentally end up going thru' the city instead of around it. It's famous for its very low road tunnels that have scalped a few motorhomes. A fate I only just avoided.
 
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All I can say, as everyone is fed up of hearing, you can't beat gravelines for a first stop, straight out of the tunnel on to the motorway, you can't go wrong as everything is going the same way even though you might be in the wrong lane noone is worried, 15 mins up there to the slip road about 2 mile right in to the town, nice Aire in front of the harbour, very short walk into the very nice small square with all shops and bars you need.

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Gravelines might be a bit busy, pronounced Gravealean! Vauban fort.
Grand Fort Philipe, free, not inspiring but lovely walk across salt flats.
Montreiul sur Mer, free, very very popular may have to park on car park. Nowhere near the Sea now was hundreds of years ago, lovely walk around Ramparts!
 
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a lot of people recommend using apps, but for me i also use the books 'All the Aires' - they contain quite a bit of information re the different types of facilities you will find on each aire. We use them for planning our trips, though don't just rely on them or even use the actual aires in the book. Park4night is very good, but read the latest reviews to make sure.

we like to have several options when planning a route, if we dont like what we see, we move onto the next one, it really is that easy! You could use Aires for stop overs en route to your destination or even as your destination, if the aire is close to where you want to end up?

dont get overly concerned, its not a complicated process. After a couple of stop overs you will realise how easy it all is, so enjoy the experience!

if you let us all know of your intended route/destination, then i am confident you will get some fantastic recommendations !
 
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Search for sites app for us, the pay version. Brilliant. We always stop at Pont,d,larche just South of Rouen if heading in that direction. Really nice aire next to the municipal campsite. You can use their facilities for a few euros as well.
Phil
 
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dont stop on motorway aires can be noisey and less safe head off the major routes for villages it can be confusing as aire just means area
 
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Shrimp said:
Gravelines might be a bit busy, pronounced Gravealean! Vauban fort.
Grand Fort Philipe, free, not inspiring but lovely walk across salt flats.
Montreiul sur Mer, free, very very popular may have to park on car park. Nowhere near the Sea now was hundreds of years ago, lovely walk around Ramparts!
Click to expand...
We have never seen gravelines anywhere near full, and now you can park on the grass as well.

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There are many people who use airs and many who use campsites, as its a first time maybe a campsite first then when you have found your feet you will be better prepared. It's personal choice but the learning curve is steep you will soon know what suits you.
 
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I thought I would add this answer to the post in the other forum, in the hope it will help others who may be touring France for the first time, and who may not have have seen the duplicate thread….

You ask about what to expect and how to use Aires. I hope the following helps you and others who may be wanting to try this style of touring.

The Aires system is a range of places, usually provided by Local Authorities, and sanctioned by the French Government, where Motorhome(r)s may stop, and sleep, overnight. You are not allowed to carry out ‘camping activities', but depending on circumstances getting chairs and a table out is acceptable, but the convention is that everything is put away overnight. Not a bad idea anyway, as these are public spaces. Awnings tend to be frowned upon (they take up space). The convention is that you do not park 'hab door to hab door', which often mean Brits are parked the other way round to everyone else.

There will be no shop, children’s play equipment, resto/café, or other features you expect from a campsite. You will usually be limited to one or two nights.

If they are free it seems that the principle is that you could simply drive away if you had to, if paid for there is a bit of latitude - ramps are a good example. And of course you can expect the French to flaunt the rules from time to time!

They vary from a couple of spaces in the Town Hall Car Park, through town centre squares, gravel areas on the edge of a community, to idyllic spots in a field on the banks of a stream, or a place with outstanding views. Beware of a town centre aire the night before market day, as you will be woken up very early. Also be aware that very popular ones will fill up early, especially on a Friday or Saturday.

They are often free, some have an honesty system where you leave a little money in a box, or visit a local shop or the Mairie. Some communities enhance their Aires with free or paid for services, many provide picnic tables and benches, some have barbeque facilities. Coastal ones are rarely free.

Increasingly there are hybrid Aires, a sort of halfway house between Aire and Campsite, most notably the CampingCarPark organisation, but there are some others. Here you pay, but can expect security, water, electricity, grey and black waste disposal included in the reasonable price.

Finding one is easy - you will often see signs showing a representation of a Motorhome dumping as you drive along, a community telling you you are welcome. Otherwise there are books like 'All the Aires' and some French ones; and increasingly on-line Apps like CamperContact, SearchforSites, and Park4Night. The search term 'aire de service camping cars' entered into Google maps can be very good, though the apps allow you to see photos, read reviews, and find out practical details.

I like to find out the closeness of a bakery, a bar, and a grocery store. They are a great way to explore and enjoy France.

I also like, later, to send an informal email saying ‘Thanks to the Mairie/Community'. My little part in trying to ensure this excellent system remains in place.

And do respect your fellow Motorhomes and the local community.

Take it for what it is, and enjoy yourselves.
 
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It’s motorhome heaven, so easy. If you don’t need services every night there are even more opportunities. This is my first time here and I feel I could do it for ever.
The road signs are great and totally uniform.
For route planning though, park4night/google maps seems to want to send me down some very tight and bumpy roads. On the route today a height limit of 2.7m, which was ok by about 40mm, then 2.2m, no way!

The other thing I have noticed is that wherever I have been there is virtually no litter.
 
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ooops, like others above, misunderstood the catchy thread title, I'll go now

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Thankyou to all that have replied, very much appreciated. We are sorting our battle plan shortly.
Even those expecting something a little more interesting!

Andy&Gill
 
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