Prahecq Aire falls to CCP

[VXman]

I do not want a smartphone because I find the keys too small. When I try to make a phone call on my phone I often key incorrectly. I much prefer a full-sized jeyboard.

We have one smartphone so we do not need two, and I am often planning when Basia has the smartphone away.

I only really want to access the CCP map to find out which aires they have taken over.

We only park, so do not want showers, toilets and EHU. Cassettes one can empty at most aires when one is passing, except Flotbleu.

Fair enough Just suggesting that more and more organisations are going down the app only route. A large tablet may be a good alternative as it runs apps like a phone but is big like a computer.

 

[ChrisL]

Thanks Barry, mate. That makes me feel less of a dinosaur.

Somebody suggested a certain Samsung smartphone with 3 cameras Oh Please! ! At £170 - well I am not paying that just to access CCP, which is the only system I have not been able to access, so far.

Bad news on St Croix. I cannot see you hauling your kayak down from the village to the lake - and back up again. Maybe you will have to join the 'grottles' and hire a pedlo to go upstream of the bridge

[BTW I am down 13kg since Christmas at 77Kg. Bit more to go. How you doing chum?]

When are you back in SW London? I'll give you a Samsung S7 or an HTC for a few beers if we are in the same area at the same time.

 

[VXman]

Seems sad that France Aires are going down the paid route.

Seems Portugal is the place to go nowadays for good free Aires and legal free parking ups. Been here for over 4 weeks now and it's only cost me 35 euros.

 

[barryd]

Thanks Barry, mate. That makes me feel less of a dinosaur.

Somebody suggested a certain Samsung smartphone with 3 cameras Oh Please! ! At £170 - well I am not paying that just to access CCP, which is the only system I have not been able to access, so far.

Bad news on St Croix. I cannot see you hauling your kayak down from the village to the lake - and back up again. Maybe you will have to join the 'grottles' and hire a pedlo to go upstream of the bridge

[BTW I am down 13kg since Christmas at 77Kg. Bit more to go. How you doing chum?]

LOL! Basia has a Smartphone! Just use hers but I suspect you wont be going on these new fangled "pricey" posh aires you being a proper wild camper!

You forgot about the secret weapon for the Kayak. This is the old bike but I can get the entire thing, two sets of oars, two seats, pump etc on the bike so it don't matter to me how far away the lake is or how steep. The old Aire at St Croix was up a massive steep road anyway. Very handy for the village though for drinkies.

 

[MichaelT]

€17.90 plus tax today according to the site. These are two of the most expensive examples though I suspect. Still cheaper than a CL at home with the same facilities and where I think the CPP does win is when they provide them in places such as this where there are no traditional free aires or wild spots and never have been. The only alternative is sites and I wont want to be on one of them in the summer holidays



This could be handy if you are ever daft enough to do Monaco. The mountains above are stunning though as are some of the roads around it. Last time I looked there were no motorhome Aires in that area but CCP have put one there and its not expensive really for that area. Not far from the Italian border.

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[nicholsong]

LOL! Basia has a Smartphone! Just use hers but I suspect you wont be going on these new fangled "pricey" posh aires you being a proper wild camper!

You forgot about the secret weapon for the Kayak. This is the old bike but I can get the entire thing, two sets of oars, two seats, pump etc on the bike so it don't matter to me how far away the lake is or how steep. The old Aire at St Croix was up a massive steep road anyway. Very handy for the village though for drinkies.

View attachment 1047711

Looks like a good excuse to leave 'Lara Croft' behind to do her yomping

 

[DerryW]

You're pretty much wrong on all your assumptions, they are far.. far Superior to Britstops (which are just pub car parks) CCP sites are quite well equiped dedicated stop overs for mohos, with 6amp EHU, water and waste dumps included... there is nothing like this in England.

They don't suit everyone, but I think they're great, using them whenever possible when in France.

Some of them are ex camp sites with showers and toilets open in the high season,some even have cafes many are located close to towns and villages.

They are not a corperate company buying up land, they usually work with the local authorities by refurbishing aires and 'sharing' any profit.

They are now our go to stop overs. At around £12 per night for all they offer, what’s not to like. Still use the odd free Aire if not to tightly packed in.

 

[barryd]

Scroll down....

View attachment 1047739

I don't understand that. The seasonal rate is the entire year but then the price next to "book" says 17.90 plus tax 1.30. Ive never been on one or got the app yet but I will be using them at some point this summer. Ill figure it out I Guess.

 

[barryd]

Looks like a good excuse to leave 'Lara Croft' behind to do her yomping

Yeah it does get a bit complicated if she comes out on the Kayak which she does if its somewhere hot. I've not figured out a way to fit her and the boat on at the same time yet . Ill generally drop her off first and go back for the Kayak.

 

[MichaelT]

I don't understand that. The seasonal rate is the entire year but then the price next to "book" says 17.90 plus tax 1.30. Ive never been on one or got the app yet but I will be using them at some point this summer. Ill figure it out I Guess.

I took it to say 16.60 plus tax? But it's still €17.90.

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[barryd]

I took it to say 16.60 plus tax?

Ah yes I see. That does add up to 17.90. Been a bit of a rough day today. My brain is fried.

 

[Tigertom]

There are thousands of aires that aren’t ccp, all of the detractors can go use them so more availability for the believers/ converts …………then everyone is happy.
Failing that , stay in Britain with the superb network of cheap, quality aires !

 

[chaser]

There are thousands of aires that aren’t ccp, all of the detractors can go use them so more availability for the believers/ converts …………then everyone is happy.
Failing that , stay in Britain with the superb network of cheap, quality aires !

I hope you remember this when you are paying £20 next year
There used to be no better motorhome feeling than drawing into some unknown to you village and knowing you would have somewhere to park up. That's all gone now , got to have an app on your phone to know if there is anywhere to book and have money in their account to pay for stuff you don't want.

 

[Barryh]

I hope you remember this when you are paying £20 next year
There used to be no better motorhome feeling than drawing into some unknown to you village and knowing you would have somewhere to park up. That's all gone now , got to have an app on your phone to know if there is anywhere to book and have money in their account to pay for stuff you don't want.

But you’re happy and presumably have been for many years to pay at Gravelines.

 

[chaser]

£3.50 last time we were there. I think it's £7.00 in summer. It's got a view , it's in easy walking distance of the town , excellent restaurant on site, no forward paying, no app, no barriers , I don't think all ccps have that. If any.

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[gus-lopez]

I am unable to add my email address to my newly set up CCP account (box is greyed out). I've called them twice and got cut off. Also tried their contact forms and emailed them. No response.

Not keen on loading funds into account until my details are amended. Is it essential they have my email address, do they communicate with you via email?

I joined up at a machine here in Lorca supposedly issuing me a card which didn't happen.. they sent me 3 emails from 3 different addresses, I replied to one asking about the card, no reply ,I replied to all them asking = no reply. I have emailed each 8 times now & still no reply. I just object to paying 5€ for a card that I do not have & only 10€ was credited to my account. Not that I am ever likely to use them .

We only park,

So do I.

The only 'aire ' I use is a private one at 4€/night.

 

[Tigertom]

I hope you remember this when you are paying £20 next year
There used to be no better motorhome feeling than drawing into some unknown to you village and knowing you would have somewhere to park up. That's all gone now , got to have an app on your phone to know if there is anywhere to book and have money in their account to pay for stuff you don't want.

Haha, you sound like Trump pulling a random number out of thin air .
We must go to a different France to you, as we drive along we’re always amazed at how many small towns and villages have free aires and signs directing you to them.

 

[barryd]

Its a while since I have been to France, before the pandemic but we were regular visitors for years. In the process of planning for this summers trip and whilst its obvious a lot has changed just using the CC Infos site there are still literally thousands of free Aires or wild camping spots on their site. Lots of my old favourites are there and yes there are one or two that are now CCP Aires but I reckon it will be a long time if ever before they all go that way. In a lot of places it wont be viable I wouldn't think. We tend to park away from the hots spots a lot though as we prefer that and having a bike with us helps.

Never stayed on a CCP Aire yet so will reserve judgement until we have.

 

[Reallyretired]

We use ccp a lot but invariably those where they've taken over a municipal or private campsite rather than an Aire. They seem cheaper than they were when municipal and open all year. Toilets and showers only available in high season or not at all for those who use such things.

 

[Barriesimpson]

There are lots in Spain now too

Last time I looked there were 2.

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[Reallyretired]

Just looked. 6 in Spain and 3 in Portugal.

 

[chaser]

I have said all I can say on this subject, if you are lucky enough to be young enough to not remember the old Aire system I suppose this new thing seems to be alright compared to the UK, and I will admit we are using them while they are still cheap enough as it's getting that you can't find anything else in popular places but in a couple of years in the time we have left we won't be using any I'm afraid but the folks who are young enough to still be going will be in for a very big shock when inevitably the prices are going to rocket..
It used to be that you could balance out your tunnel or ferry fare against having free stays when you got there but it's going to get dearer than stopping here.
Such a shame that new motorhomes are going to miss out on the Good old days.

 

[suavecarve]

Exactly what I was predicting 5 years ago but got shot down many times.
The ruination of Aires in France as we know it.
And actually years ago would have been against old french law.

You got "Shut down many times" (actually corrected with their own figures) because of your predictions (which havent come to light in the 5 years since) that they would take over "Snowballing"
That Snowballing rate has not come to fruition. "but double it every year and see where it gets you"

90 new Camping Car Park aires in 2022

Whatever, it's still too far for me to get a baguette in a morning, 0.8m is 3min on electric push bike, maybe four taking time on a normal pushie?

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

I also note they have now gone to 566 in France (including the 7 added last week) 6 in Spain, 3 in Portugal, 4 in Germany, 6 in Belgium and 1 in Holland. NB they have been expanding in the non French countries for over 3 years and according to their own website do not have the 600 sites they claim to have.

So just France, they have gained roughly 200 in the past 3 years and basically nothing in the rest of Europe. That still leaves me over 3,500 FREE aires to choose from before I decide to use the french parking style.

 

[suavecarve]

This is from August 23

Depends how much research you want to put it into and where you are going.

Some places, mainly along the West coast are tied up CCPs and the choice is limited but not preventative in finding cheaper or free aires.

Here is a map of the 450 CCP aires

Here is a map of the 3,728 free stopovers in France, and I know there are several missing

If you raised the price to a fiver then there are 3,866 stopovers at or below that price
A tenner raises it to 4,358
15 makes it 5,290
20 makes it 5,862

Just based on these figures CCP manage about 7.5% of the stopovers after 11 years of business. I think they opened 90 last year. It may be a snowball but it isnt accelerating that concerningly (for me)

For every CCP there are 7 free stopovers.
About 60% of the stopovers in France are free.

I have a CCP card, I have 96 euros of availability on it. I tour very similarly to Lenny HB apart from he can afford meals out I have used 4 CCP aires in the last 8 years of membership with them and probably stay 60-90 nights a year in France.

The CCPs really cause me no concern whatsoever, and I doubt they will cause me any concern in the next 10 years.

 

[chaser]

Looks a few more to me in two years

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[chaser]

This is from August 23

Depends how much research you want to put it into and where you are going.

Some places, mainly along the West coast are tied up CCPs and the choice is limited but not preventative in finding cheaper or free aires.

Here is a map of the 450 CCP aires

Here is a map of the 3,728 free stopovers in France, and I know there are several missing

If you raised the price to a fiver then there are 3,866 stopovers at or below that price
A tenner raises it to 4,358
15 makes it 5,290
20 makes it 5,862

Just based on these figures CCP manage about 7.5% of the stopovers after 11 years of business. I think they opened 90 last year. It may be a snowball but it isnt accelerating that concerningly (for me)

For every CCP there are 7 free stopovers.
About 60% of the stopovers in France are free.

I have a CCP card, I have 96 euros of availability on it. I tour very similarly to Lenny HB apart from he can afford meals out I have used 4 CCP aires in the last 8 years of membership with them and probably stay 60-90 nights a year in France.

The CCPs really cause me no concern whatsoever, and I doubt they will cause me any concern in the next 10 years.

For a start off, it doesn't cause me any concerns as I won't be there to see it, I'm just trying to point out where it's going to end for you younger people, but your figures are way out of date and remember ccp aren't the only ones in this game there others catching up that aren't mentioned.

 

[MichaelT]

For a start off, it doesn't cause me any concerns as I won't be there to see it, I'm just trying to point out where it's going to end for you younger people, but your figures are way out of date and remember ccp aren't the only ones in this game there others catching up that aren't mentioned.

Yes there's 3 or 4 others

 

[chaser]

Yes there's 3 or 4 others

Blaye and montendre , two more of our favourites have both been closed in the centre of town and moved more than a mile outside, too far for me to walk. And neither of these are ccp.

 

[Graydo]

Does anyone know when your 24 hour expires on the CCP's?
Is it 24 hrs from the time you book on the app or from when you arrive?
Been leaving it as late as I can to book so I dont "lose" any hours if it's taken from the app time.

P.S
I think they're great, especially on an ad hoc basis in conjunction with all the other apps/aires on offer.

Never been stuck yet.

Graydo

 

[MichaelT]

Does anyone know when your 24 hour expires on the CCP's?
Is it 24 hrs from the time you book on the app or from when you arrive?
Been leaving it as late as I can to book so I dont "lose" any hours if it's taken from the app time.

P.S
I think they're great, especially on an ad hoc basis in conjunction with all the other apps/aires on offer.

Never been stuck yet.

Graydo

If you just rock up its 24 hours from when you enter but if you book o believe it's 12 midday onwards. DBK I think has booked so could confirm.

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