Mad or desperate? (1 Viewer)

[DBK]

Ok, so we couldn't get away last summer 'cos of lockdown, then I caught Covid, was hospitalised etc etc & 3 months later I'm still on the slow road to recovery. Two days ago I fell & broke my nose & needed stitches to put my lip back together again - right fed up & bored with constant crocheting!... Then I thought I used to love research when I was at Uni so why not use this lockdown to plan a trip for next year (fingers crossed!) The idea is plan out short trips, max 200km a day or so, staying in villages rather than towns (preferably staying on small campsites like the French municipal sites) and avoiding autoroutes etc. We'll have about 6 weeks to do it in, was thinking maybe head for Italy, possibly in May - need to work out a route where the alpine passes would be open, but we can get out of Italy before it gets too hot!
Yes, I know I'm asking a lot, but I figured I could waste my time doing jigsaws or something so why not? So, how about it? where would you recommend we go?

You shouldn't have a problem crossing over into Italy in May. Montgenevre should be open and there is an interesting aire on the pass. See post #51 on this page.

Two Go to Corsica

Today was a public holiday, Victory in Europe Day I assume the locals were cheering you on and buying you a big drink.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Downside is the first bit of Italy you reach around Turin is er... boring.

 

[Attila the Hen]

You shouldn't have a problem crossing over into Italy in May. Montgenevre should be open and there is an interesting aire on the pass. See post #51 on this page.

Two Go to Corsica

Today was a public holiday, Victory in Europe Day I assume the locals were cheering you on and buying you a big drink.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Downside is the first bit of Italy you reach around Turin is er... boring.

That great, thanks - I was wondering if it’s worth going via Germany & Austria & heading for the Dolomites, or would that be ’alpine overload’?

 

[KiwiKampers]

Can I suggest and recommend Romania? No need to plan or book ahead, just go and explore, especially off the beaten track. If you need EHU there are some lovely small campgrounds and some grotty municipal ones. All part of the adventure.

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[Northernraider]

That great, thanks - I was wondering if it’s worth going via Germany & Austria & heading for the Dolomites, or would that be ’alpine overload’?

Thats what i did this trip im on now...the dolomites are the best part of italy in my opinion....stunning scenery

 

[Attila the Hen]

Can I suggest and recommend Romania? No need to plan or book ahead, just go and explore, especially off the beaten track. If you need EHU there are some lovely small campgrounds and some grotty municipal ones. All part of the adventure.

Mmmm, sounds interesting.... I hadn’t thought of that one. As we love to explore the countryside & get away from it all it could be just the job. Thanks!

 

[Happy1]

Yes, all Aires are glorified, concrete car parks. Don’t use them, leave the spaces for us.

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Stayed on the first photo one, only 4 spaces until a French van turned up and parked on the pavement between the two proper spaces! Table and chairs fine even put out awning occasionally fixed to brackets on side of van never a problem

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[maison]

Stayed on the first photo one, only 4 spaces until a French van turned up and parked on the pavement between the two proper spaces! Table and chairs fine even put out awning occasionally fixed to brackets on side of van never a problem

It was an ideal stopping off place on our way down to our property in Burgundy, now sold. In the middle of summer you have to arrive early but
, out of season, it is usually quiet.

On one occasion we arrived about 4:00pm. At 6:00pm locals came and closed the road, also taping off the Aire. The next day was their annual Brocante. We were asked, politely, to leave by 09:00 the next morning when they arrived to erect the last few stalls that would have blocked our exit.

Each of us were given a free bottle of local wine for the inconvenience.

 

[Augusta08]

The Col du Fréjus is our favourite between France and Italy, plenty of nice aires en route.

 

[Catpirate]

Hi, Lots of good ideas for parking here, I use this company for ideas https://www.vicarious-shop.com/collections/motorhome-aires-stopovers/farm-vineyard-stopovers

They have lots of vineyards farms etc, also recommend search for sites app

.I personally love the route napoleon as a way to Italy. comes out above Monaco then into Italy. A bit wriggley and steep at times but have done it in my 8.2m moho several times.

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[Gaston aires]

Some more concrete car parks ? I don’t think so. All aires in France.
Phil

 

[Abacist]

As an alternative you could go down the west coast of France and down into Spain/Portugal

or

Moselle Valley then across to the Romatic Road and down to Fussen and into Austria and then Italy

or

Down through centre of France to the Med Coast then down into Spain along the Med coast

Lots of place to stay, lots of things to see and do, have a great trip!

 

[Attila the Hen]

Hi, Lots of good ideas for parking here, I use this company for ideas https://www.vicarious-shop.com/collections/motorhome-aires-stopovers/farm-vineyard-stopovers

They have lots of vineyards farms etc, also recommend search for sites app

.I personally love the route napoleon as a way to Italy. comes out above Monaco then into Italy. A bit wriggley and steep at times but have done it in my 8.2m moho several times.

That’s lovely, thanks. We have done part of the route Napoleon & agree it’s lovely - with our 6.5m PVC we don’t mind steep & twisty, so much so we headed back up the ‘Route des Grandes Alpes’ - fantastic! I think we have just been unlucky in our previous attempts to stay on aires - it was boiling hot & the sight of vans parked about 2 feet apart was was off putting! Worth looking into ‘France passion’?

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[Attila the Hen]

Some more concrete car parks ? I don’t think so. All aires in FranView attachment 439184View attachment 439186

Some more concrete car parks ? I don’t think so. All aires in France.
PhilView attachment 439183View attachment 439184View attachment 439186

They all look lovely, especially the one near the Millau Viaduct, we were near there in 2018 but managed to miss the aire! Definitely ready to reconsider aires now we no longer really need a hookup & I have plenty of time for research!

 

[Gaston aires]

They all look lovely, especially the one near the Millau Viaduct, we were near there in 2018 but managed to miss the aire! Definitely ready to reconsider aires now we no longer really need a hookup & I have plenty of time for research!

The aire in question is at Peyre near the Millau bridge. Use search for sites app and pay a few quid for the enhanced version. Worth every penny.
Phil

 

[LesW]

Not in my experience.. I have stopped on some beautiful aires easily as good as some campsites.

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[Attila the Hen]

I so agree! There are some lovely aires about but I’ve found that lots of municipal sites are quiet & friendly, have basic, but clean, facilities, and the vans are not 2 ft apart. I wish Britain could do the same! France is great,but I fancy going just a little further this time, & my limited language skills suggest Italy - fingers crossed He lets us all out!

 

[gwyntaxi]

Just to clarify as I've never stopped on one, are you allowed to put table, chairs and awning out on an aires?
Thanks.

Officially I don’t believe you are, some are so small a closely parked that you wouldn’t be able to anyway, but then that is what they are intended for parking, though some don’t seem to bother too much if you do whilst on others the warden/collector on the aire will be quick to remind you and so will some of the campers.

 

[gwyntaxi]

Not in my experience.. I have stopped on some beautiful aires easily as good as some campsites.

Some are even better.

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[busby]

Most municipal campsites are pretty cheap. We stayed at Martel this year for example and it was about 11 euros with electric, toilets, showers etc. We need to get out fridge fixed so it works in gas (no time for that this year by the time we could get the van from storage lockdown!) Previously we have only used aires in Honfleur and Bruges but would like to try some more. It would be good to know locations of some really nice ones for newbies to Aires perhaps.

Download Campercontact.BUSBY.

 

[John Barrett]

Just to clarify as I've never stopped on one, are you allowed to put table, chairs and awning out on an aires?
Thanks.

Short answer is no, especially if the next van is about 5 feet away...or less!

 

[Reallyretired]

I thought that you were not allowed to put tables and chairs outside or indulge in camping behavior when staying on an aire. The aires in your photos look very nice though

Correct, camping behaviour is theoretically not allowed on aires, however if theres room everyone does it and unless you are taking up space that someone else needs to park in no one will object. Likewise trailers are not allowed but you will still sometimes see them.

Some aires have separate pitches which separated by strips of grass/hedges and these are obviously designed for camping behaviour even if its technically not allowed. Some aires were campsites at one time.

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[maison]

Correct, camping behaviour is theoretically not allowed on aires, however if theres room everyone does it and unless you are taking up space that someone else needs to park in no one will object. Likewise trailers are not allowed but you will still sometimes see them.

Some aires have separate pitches which separated by strips of grass/hedges and these are obviously designed for camping behaviour even if its technically not allowed. Some aires were campsites at one time.

We tend not to put out tables and chairs but we do tow a trailer for our scooter.

On an Aire, when we have the trailer, we disconnect, turn it 90 degrees across the back of the motorhome in “our” space. As our motorhome is a Compact at 5.99m long and the trailer is only about 1.5m wide we still take up less space than many motorhomes on their own.

We have never had a problem but would never park the trailer alongside our m/h, where it may take up someone else’s space.

 

[LesW]

Short answer is no, especially if the next van is about 5 feet away...or less!

Very misleading reply, and largely incorrect.

There are hundreds if not thousands of aires on mainland Europe where tables and chairs are no problem.

 

[John Barrett]

Very misleading reply, and largely incorrect.

There are hundreds if not thousands of aires on mainland Europe where tables and chairs are no problem.

The poster asked about chairs, tables and awnings. if you want to be deliberately combative that's fine, but please read and understand both posts first...

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[Clarky]

Very misleading reply, and largely incorrect.

There are hundreds if not thousands of aires on mainland Europe where tables and chairs are no problem.

The poster asked about chairs, tables and awnings. if you want to be deliberately combative that's fine, but please read and understand both posts first...

John is technically correct, tables, chairs etc are not allowed on aires.
Them's the rules!
But, as I said before, when in Rome France.
Just follow what the majority are doing and be sensible.
On aires where there is plenty of space nobody will complain, where space is tight latecomers will want to squeeze in and won’t be happy if you have 'stuff' spread all over the space they want to get into.
I get the impression more and more that good old common sense seems to be in short supply these days. If a bit more was deployed we would all be so much happier. That goes for aires and the current Covid crisis.

Richard.

 

[denisejoe]

A lot of aires say no camping behaviour

 

[LesW]

The poster asked about chairs, tables and awnings. if you want to be deliberately combative that's fine, but please read and understand both posts first...

What are you talking about?

Never had to be 'combative' on any of the many aires I've been on.

It’s just a case of doing some research and choosing your aire carefully.

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[LesW]

A lot of aires say no camping behaviour

A lot don't.

 

[tinkerbell]

So glad you are on the road to recovery. If you want sites, then get the ACSI book, (as well as aires book), book not expensive and sites all over France etc, all with electric, small sites and larger ones, some aires have now got expensive and taken over by by others now making them almost as dear as ACSI sites. We have used them along with aires for years. I have this years unused ACSI books but it would cost as much to post to you as you buying next years book. Good luck for next year, we too are hoping to get away after a bad year.