Villages Etapes - Possible Meet Locations In France?

Wombles

Wombles

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We're not planning anything in France at present but saw that these villages https://www.village-etape.fr/lannuaire-de-vos-rassemblements-en-camping-car/ have aires with capacity & welcome groups of motorhomers so maybe a good idea for future meets for anyone considering this. The downloadable directory looks very good although it is all in French the symbols help :)
The main website https://www.village-etape.fr/les-villages-etapes/quest-ce-quun-village-etape/ (click on flag at top for English version) map & guide https://www.village-etape.fr/recevoir-documentation/ might also be useful for smaller aires with facilities in villages near but not next to the motorways & main roads that wish to welcome more visitors, have a Tourist Information Office & points of interest.

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Wombles said:
We're not planning anything in France at present but saw that these villages https://www.village-etape.fr/lannuaire-de-vos-rassemblements-en-camping-car/ have aires with capacity & welcome groups of motorhomers so maybe a good idea for future meets for anyone considering this.
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I always wondered what the 'Village étape' signs meant .... turns out they mean
  • The town is located less than 5km or 5min from a national road or a non-licensed motorway (national road network)
  • The population is less than 5,000 inhabitants
  • The town offers traditional catering with a sufficient number of covers and offers at least one hotel establishment
  • It has food shops (bakery, grocery store, café) but also all types of local shops (newspapers, pharmacy etc.)
  • The town provides quality public facilities: camper van reception area, picnic area, children's play area, and sanitary facilities
What a great resource. :thanks3:

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Ok I know it's miserable old Chas again, but we have been to several of these villages on our travels in France and honestly a lot of them aren't up to much, small places with maybe one of each shop and bar if they are shut you are stuffed.
Ok if they are right on your route but not worth making a special journey for.
 
chaser said:
Ok I know it's miserable old Chas again, but we have been to several of these villages on our travels in France and honestly a lot of them aren't up to much, small places with maybe one of each shop and bar if they are shut you are stuffed.
Ok if they are right on your route but not worth making a special journey for.
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Very much depends on the town.

One we have stopped off at at least 5 times over the years is Camping de l'île Cherlieu,
The campsite is on its own island and 200m from the town centre
It in a small town called Arcis-sur-Aube
The town is east of Paris, 3.5hrs/350km from Calais.
It is just north of Troyes on the A26/E17 motorway, 2 miles from exit 21.
So anyone heading to the French Riviera, Switzerland or Italy will pass within 2 miles of the place.

The town has the usual bar, restaurant, bakery, tabac, (unfortunately the pizza place was closed last time we were there). But most useful is on the edge of town is a big Carrefour supermarket. It's where we do all our shopping and wine buying before heading home.
 
Saint Mere Eglise in Normandie is lovely. We visited a couple of years ago , lots of interesting WW2 history. I think that might be where one of our poor parachutists got stuck on the church clock tower. Probably the wrong village , we visited a lot.

Not far from Cherbourg.

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Fingers crossed we can travel to France safely later this year.
 
carolyn said:
Saint Mere Eglise in Normandie is lovely. We visited a couple of years ago , lots of interesting WW2 history. I think that might be where one of our poor parachutists got stuck on the church clock tower. Probably the wrong village , we visited a lot.

Not far from Cherbourg.
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Am American paratrooper landed on the church roof, his parachute becoming tangled there. The Germans saw him and used him for target practice, thankfully not very successfully. During the night the locals got him down and ghosted him away. There is now a dummy parachutist on the roof. We have been many times on the weekend nearest to the 6th of June when the D-Day landings are commemorated.
 
TheTwoOfUs said:
Am American paratrooper landed on the church roof, his parachute becoming tangled there. The Germans saw him and used him for target practice, thankfully not very successfully. During the night the locals got him down and ghosted him away. There is now a dummy parachutist on the roof. We have been many times on the weekend nearest to the 6th of June when the D-Day landings are commemorated.
Click to expand...
Glad I’m not going completely daft!
 
TheTwoOfUs said:
Am American paratrooper landed on the church roof, his parachute becoming tangled there. The Germans saw him and used him for target practice, thankfully not very successfully.
Click to expand...

He is still there!

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Google street view here

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Just around the corner from the main square is a creperie which does excellent food and has a wall signed by returning soldiers over the years. We have stopped a night on the aire on that square. Well worth a visit.
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