Honfleur Aire - Space (1 Viewer)

[Littlewheels]

Starting our journey via the Tunnel mid afternoon this coming Sunday, we normally just overnight at Cite Europe but fancy Honfleur because of the Restaurant availability,so,does anyone know if we would get a space on the Aire mid afternoon on Sunday.

I do know this popular Aire is often packed,that’s the reason for asking.

we also wish to visit the Menin Gate the following evening any recommendations for an overnight stop that’s convenient for the visit?

Thanks.

 

[keithchesterfield2]

How are you going to get to the Menin Gate from Honfleur - aren't you initially going in the wrong direction from Calais ?

 

[chaser]

How are you going to get to the Menin Gate from Honfleur - aren't you initially going in the wrong direction from Calais ?

beat me to it, dont see the point of this itinerary, but back to the question , we have never found the aire full.

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[Littlewheels]

How are you going to get to the Menin Gate from Honfleur - aren't you initially going in the wrong direction from Calais ?

Thanks the route isn’t a problem as we don’t plan we are away for 3 month before ending up in Southern Span for the winter.

 

[brynric]

Why not spend 2 nights in Ypres - lots to see there & restaurants- then go on to Honfleur. It could save 400 miles.

 

[keithchesterfield2]

Thanks the route isn’t a problem as we don’t plan we are away for 3 month before ending up in Southern Span for the winter.

But it will cost a load in fuel to go to Honfleur and then back up to Belgium the following day, won't it ?

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[klaatu]

I realise that people have their reasons for doing things that seem odd to others, and we do some weird things at times, but driving over 300 km in one direction on Sunday afternoon, and then over 300 km back to pretty much where you started from the next day is somewhat baffling.

 

[chaser]

dont understand this thread at all, you going to be at calais and honfleur at he same time on sunday, hows that work?

 

[Stealaway]

Go to Ypres Sunday, some fantastic restaurants in square next to the gate. Set of for Honfluer Monday

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[Lenny HB]

Ignoring the logistics, space shouldn't be a problem it's huge, Friday is the busy day on Aires for some reason most of the French disappear on Saturday.

 

[chaser]

just another tip, if you do go to the Honfleur restaurants , be prepared to get a new mortgage.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

There is not much to see at Honfleur, its nice but no comparison to Ypres and the menim gate. A good aire at menim, lots of restraunts, nice town rebuilt as it w a prior to ww1, partially walled and moated. Couple of nice towers and generally the centre is all pedestrianised, good for cycling also.

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[Littlewheels]

Yes, my non plan isn’t logical now it’s been pointed out how ridiculous it is, I’ll have a rethink but I’d better take a look at the Map first

My apologies for wasting you’re time,but thanks for the replies.

 

[Littlewheels]

There is not much to see at Honfleur, its nice but no comparison to Ypres and the menim gate. A good aire at menim, lots of restraunts, nice town rebuilt as it w a prior to ww1, partially walled and moated. Couple of nice towers and generally the centre is all pedestrianised, good for cycling also.

I think I will make this my new plan as it makes perfect sense,thanks

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Ypres is just up the road from dunkirk

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[Lenny HB]

A good aire at menim,

No Aire there, you use to be able to park in the car parking area by the canal but they banned Motorhomes a couple of years ago.
Last time we stopped in the new sports centre car park got told off by a Gendarm the next morning but he was very nice about it.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

There is an aire/campsite at the end of the road past the sports centre, we were going to stay on it but stayed on the car park opp the swimming centre on the corner, no issues

 

[keithchesterfield2]

Don't forget to take enough hankies with you if it's the first time you've been to the Menin Gate ceremony - and get there early because it can be a packed event.

?

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[Jimbohorlicks]

View attachment 118482 View attachment 118481 View attachment 118480 View attachment 118478 View attachment 118477 Hi all,

Just returned from Ypres and came across a new aire that has recently been opened.
We intended to stay at Jeugdstadion camping & aire, but both parts were fully booked (you can pre-book the aire there)

On speaking with the manager, she told me that she operated another aire which was slightly further out but nearly half the price (Jeugdstadion were charging €15 per night, where as this new facility charged €8 and included electric)
Water was €1 for 100litres.
Grey & chemical waste dump free.
Facilities are prior to the barrier, do you can utilise even if not intending on staying.
Max stay 48hrs.
17 places and will take large Motorhomes - all hard standing
25a electric included

Rural location with large lake nearby.
On cycle path - 15mins easy cycle or 30mins steady stroll to Menin Gate/centre.

Directions from Ypres:
N37b/N37 at roundabout take N336 sp Zillebeke
Turn left onto Komenseweg (sp Zillebeke)
Motorhome parking sign on left at junction with Zillebekevijverdreef.
Aire is on right prior to lake.
GPS. N 50.83628, E 2.90506

Not currently in all the Aires book but I've just seen that it is featured in camper contact.

Hope this is of some help to any funster wishing to visit Ypres/surrounding areas and a very good alternative to the Jeugdstadion facility.

Taken from a post re the menim gate

 

[namwaldog]

Can't help with Honfleur but if we want to go to the Menin Gate we try either....

Details and reviews for Urban Gardens Ieper

Details and reviews for Urban Gardens Ieper a Independent Campsite Belgium plus motorhome stopovers and campsites in Europe

www.searchforsites.co.uk

Or

Details and reviews for Kampeerautoterrein Zillebekevijver

Details and reviews for Kampeerautoterrein Zillebekevijver a Overnight parking - with services Belgium plus motorhome stopovers and campsites in Europe

www.searchforsites.co.uk

First one you can book online and can opt for either the Aire or the Campsite( both at same place) it is a easy 5 minutes traffic free walk to the Gate. Can be subject to ambient noise overnight but is handy for shops etc.

Second is about 5 min cycle or 25 min walk (both away from traffic) but is in the countryside & much quieter at night.

Barry

 

[keithchesterfield2]

There's a video of each Aire on my YouTube channel - and you can park for free (and very quiet) on the Fisherman's car park down the lane to the left of the Zillebeke Aire - not a lot of people know that ....

.

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[GAVLAD]

I usually use the Hull to Zeebrugge ferry route and drive down to western France travelling via Normandy.
To do Hornfleur to Ypres is quite a stretch in a short space of time.
I would re plan your stops.
If you’re wanting history, there’s plenty near to Hornfleur with the Normandy beach landings.
Alternatively, there’s plenty in and around Ypres.
The Aire at Hornfleur is a large aire and I would suspect there’d be space on a Sunday afternoon.
Most of the French tend to arrive mid afternoon on a Friday and leave after lunch Sunday.

Ypres on the other hand - the aire located at the entrance to the campsite is a prebookable aire through the campsites website and gets booked up.
We turned up on spec and although space, they would not let us through the barrier as the empty spaces had been prebooked.
There’s a new aire a little further out. We walked to the Menin Gate with our 4yr old, so it’s do-able.
Both Aires and the Hornfleur Aire are featured on my YouTube channel - The Motorhome Kid.
If you have a look, it will give you an idea of the layout and size.

As someone has mentioned, Motorhomes do park on street near the sports centre in Ypres which is a very short walk from the centre but you may run the risk of being asked to move on.

Le Touquet is a nice place if you wanted a mid way stop and that has two large Aires. Again, featured on my YouTube channel.

 

[chaser]

dont understand why they have stopped parking by the canal, its all set out with spaces , in a road that goes nowhere only the sports centre or whatever it is, we have parked there many times over the years and very nice too.
in fact we have stayed there since they stopped it and no one moved us on.

 

[GAVLAD]

I think it's because the top end towards Menin Gate is residential and there's a school half way down too, so whether there's been complaints or issues with parking on the school run, I don't know.
But like you say, where the road bends around towards the sports centre, there's ample parking - and in the sports centre car park.
Maybe someone's taken the P! and emptied their waste. (Ooops, I've done it again - that's another thread started)

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[Jimbohorlicks]

I noticed you had, Littlewheels ,checked out the mosel thread. If your going to Ypres why not carry on through luxemburgh, get yourself filled up with cheap diesel and booze and head down to the mosel, some lovely places along the mosel and you can meander down to the rhine. Lots of Aires along the mosel, lots of water, dumps etc. Interesting places to visit.
You can always do honfleur another time.

 

[Littlewheels]

I noticed you had, Littlewheels ,checked out the mosel thread. If your going to Ypres why not carry on through luxemburgh, get yourself filled up with cheap diesel and booze and head down to the mosel, some lovely places along the mosel and you can meander down to the rhine. Lots of Aires along the mosel, lots of water, dumps etc. Interesting places to visit.
You can always do honfleur another time.

This is something I had in mind as a number of Funsters are doing the Mosel and being encouraged to meet up by Snowbird we tried to do the Mosel a few years ago but got terrible weather so quit and headed south.
I got all confused yesterday, I had read about the Restaurants etc and thought that sounds just up our street but I just lost all sense of direction when thinking that will do we will start there.

Many thanks for your guidance you wouldn't think I've been doing this for close on 50 years and its not the first time we set off with a plan get off the Tunnel/Ferry and think were are going to go.

Following your recommendation we will start at Ypres as its something I have wanted to see for such a longtime, if I get lost again I will give you a shout

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

At the menim gate, every night at 8pm they play the last post, the road and gate area are cordoned off, lots of wreaths are laid and buglers play the last post, a very moving experience. More so are the thousands off names engraved around the walls and steps of the gateway to commemorate those fallen in the area during ww1. Lots to see in the town, several museums if you like that sort of thing, steeped in history. Lots of shops and eating places.

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[chaser]

if you are interested in war stuff this place is worth a visit while you are in the area

Blockhaus d'Éperlecques - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[GAVLAD]

If you've settled on Ypres, please try and visit Sanctuary Hill not far out from Ypres.
It will give you a taste of what the trenches were like.
Next to do has got to be Tyne Cot cemetery - the largest Commonwealth cemetery I think.
And whilst you're in the area, you could also call in to see Langemark cemetery which has over 44,000 Germans (24,000 in one grave). All of these are an easy drive from Ypres and all offer good motorhome parking. Langemark used to have an aire (no facilities) but they've apparently built a visitors centre/entrance and I'm not sure whether you can still overnight there now.
The tourist office is located inside the town hall and they're really helpful and will have free maps etc. It's also home to a very good museum In Flanders Fields.
There's also a church worth visiting called St Georges Memorial Church - everything in it has been donated by the Brits.
Enjoy, take loads of photos and don't forget to update us all on here!

 

[Littlewheels]

Thanks Gavland, I’ve added your recommendations to my itinerary as I’m definitely doing this and will be in the area for a few days as I will now be awaiting friend joining up with us.

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