Looking for an aire This afternoon in the mountains between France and Spain, 5 in a row all changed to the Aire campingcar thing or some other form of paying, 12 euros, two at 9.50 didn't stop to find out what the other were but we now have had to park on this one at 6.50..filling and emptieing but nowt else all packed in.
Paid Aires killing the old road
- Thread starter chaser
- Start date
Where in the mountains are you.?
OP
OP
Sare
The aire there was just like a car park, think it was 8 e to overnight. We didn't stop overnight but had a look around Sare, not much there but the church was worth a look and in the graveyard was an odd grave with a massive stone slab held down with chains, a bit Dracula type. It was raining when we were there so didn't have the opportunity to ask any questions about it. Not typically basque.
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We stopped a Sare earlier this year a lovely village but pretty basic aire for the price and not best of roads in a larger van is it??
It very difficult finding anywhere in that stretch in the winter months as well.
It very difficult finding anywhere in that stretch in the winter months as well.
OP
OP
Must be a discount after September then unless I didn't read it right, but yeah all the same really.
OP
OP
Can't quite remember where we parked a few years ago in ax Les thermes but you could walk into town but it's not there now it's this bloody campingcar Aire thing miles out of town so we gave that a miss as well.
OP
OP
I suppose new mhomers coming along will take it as the norm and prices will rise to keep pace but us old timers will be remember the old days when we are sitting in our rocking chairs, off the road.
Lenny HB
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We are in the Dordogne at the moment at Beynac. Cars have to pay to park but Motorhomes FREE, my sort of village. 
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Northernraider
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That's France for you
I'll stick to Spain and Portugal
I'll stick to Spain and Portugal
Northernraider
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I don't blame them better weather better food better roads better wild spots...better people
Not withstanding the charges at some aires, it is still very convenient to be able to park close to town and village centres. Not so easy in the UK.
OP
OP
No argument there mate just stating what is gradually happening
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Yeah I know what you mean I am a camping car park thingy now 12 euros but electric ect provided and close to the village I suppose its a sign of the times but I would still rather come to France then pay 30 quid a night on UK campsites just because they have a toilet block. But yes I think you are right things will slowly increase in price and then you might as well use camp sites or park for night French passion ect
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Mixed feelings here, I love the free close to village Aire , we like to use the same town or village for supplies or a meal, often find everything closed
Where they have a fill / dump option I have no problem with paying a fair fee, the barriered aires seem to have good facilities at least and often seem to be taking over municipal camp sites
Nothing comes for free in this world anymore ?
Where they have a fill / dump option I have no problem with paying a fair fee, the barriered aires seem to have good facilities at least and often seem to be taking over municipal camp sites
Nothing comes for free in this world anymore ?
It’s been changing over some years, we paid 18€ On s seafront Aire two years ago.
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We dislike the Camping Car Parks for the same reason as most of the French, they take over from a municipal aire that was usually free close to the town so they spent lots of time in the town shops and bars. Now we can use our blue badge if the mairie charge as well so we too spend time in the town, but the camping car park usually wants so much of our daily budget we can't afford to spend too much in the towns any more
This year on our meander we found lots of aires costing far less than the CCP ones and lots were open all year NOW we saw that lots had changes to make them more attractive to the motorhomer, lets hope this continues that said we are off to Portugal in February
Lenny HB
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If I stay on a free Aire I try and spend a bit of cash in the village. If it's a paying one not so bothered.
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I personally dont have problem with paying a reasonable amount if it helps the local village not sure what the crack is with camping car park though maybe they pay a percentage to the village?. Or maybe the village doesn't have to worry about upkeep anymore. Freeloaders I feel have done a certain amount of damage I feel so many feel because they have paid thousands for a motorhome why should they pay anything ever and I am afraid that just ain't gonna work these days
Markas
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Is this just fear of using the Aire de Camping-Car parc network?
Pay 4€ for your card online - a one-off payment for life - recharge online, present at the borne when you enter the aire and you have an assured place for 24 hrs. In the most popular locations tarifs are 9 - 12€, I'm a fan as you may have guessed. Oh and you can check availability at their aires and 'Campings Mon Village' on line.
Spot on mate I've used a few this year and been happy with them all.
C
Chockswahay
Deleted User
Call us old fashioned ...................... but we always liked to travel around France and stay on Aires for free.................... it was a great incentive to travel
We don't have a van now but if we did ................ we might not rush back to France
We don't have a van now but if we did ................ we might not rush back to France
Freeloader lolCall us old fashioned ...................... but we always liked to travel around France and stay on Aires for free.................... it was a great incentive to travel
We don't have a van now but if we did ................ we might not rush back to France
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keithchesterfield2
Free Member
Six nights on Aires - paid once, five free - at the lake side at Montlucan - mind you, the Borne is expensive if you need to use it.
The bar nearby has been belting out a live group with someone's idea of music for us all to hear - Queen, Presley, Beatles and others in a mixture of French and English/American which have had a very different interpretation than the original - they've stopped now to give our ears a rest.
Love France.
The bar nearby has been belting out a live group with someone's idea of music for us all to hear - Queen, Presley, Beatles and others in a mixture of French and English/American which have had a very different interpretation than the original - they've stopped now to give our ears a rest.
Love France.
Northernraider
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It does if you know where to go
Ivory55
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To be fair money is tight everywhere now so charging is going to happen. I expect the village residents would like money spending on schools etc not providing free holidays for van owners. Probably why it would not take off in the Uk.
C
Chockswahay
Deleted User
Well, yes that's true (and I assume the LOL means you are being a little tongue in cheek)
We were always happy with just a safe space to sleep overnight and park during the day. We didn't need leccy or any fancy facilities and because the aires were free we felt more inclined to visit an area and spend our money on whatever else we wanted to spend it on. This is surely good for the local economy and tourism.
Also I would add that if you are touring for say 3 or 4 months then the cost of paid aires and campsites can add up to a lot of money! It's enough paying for the van and diesel
We have been on the move for some months now so I have lost count of the amount of Aires we have stayed on but I’d choose them every time over a campsite, about two weeks ago we choose to stay on a site as the Aire we choose was full and we needed to settle for the weekend in a particular area so 3 nights, nice sized pitch 9m but no water point or waste point anywhere on the site that had 180 pitches which is absolutely nessasary with tanks, people talking loudly late on, music and entertainment, kids on bikes etc etc, we very rarely experience this on an Aire , you don’t always get a large pitch but it’s normally very quiet by 10pm and a service point is almost always available, I pay what’s requested and am happy to do so, the Camping Car Aires are a bit more cost wise but on balance including free stops it’s extremely cheap,overall.
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