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SITES IN FRANCE


Guest Ana

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Would welcome information on sites that you may have loved in France (en route to Spain). We would be taking the coastal road. I have heard that some are very reasonable and that also there is free parking - where exactly and is it safe? We are not going until next Jan (!) but I am compiling information already as we are looking forward so much to this trip. If you all wouldn't mind me asking this every so often so that maybe different people see it with different ideas? Are dogs welcome on the sites? Where do you empty the waste? Any information would be most welcome as we will be away possibly 3 months. Ana x
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A French policeman once told us "Park where there are people". So we do. Places we use include non autoroute Lorry parks alongside cafe's (Le Routiers), parking by village churces (many provide basic facilities), near Gendamerie buildings and some camping sites. Places we no not use are :- Autoroute service stations and Aires, anywhere in or near big towns. France is one of the most friendly places for wild campers, they all do it! Worst ? Well UK of course.
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Guest Nick Miller
Ana If you use the search button above and type in French Municipals with good dog walks A list should be revealed that was provided by Brian Ramsden. That should keep you and the dogs happy for a year at least.
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Guest Brian Ramsden
Thanks, Nick, for the free publicity! ana, two guides you should get as soon as you arrive in France - both published by "Les guides Motor Presse" and compiled by the French caravan and camping asssociation - "Guide Officiel Étapes Camping-Car" which lists the Aires - overnight stopping places for motorcaravans - and the Guide Officiel Camping and Caravaning which lists virtually every camp site in France. Also for more information on a particular aire, visit http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm For Spanish sites visit http://www.guiacampingfecc.com/
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Ana, further to Brian Ramsden's reply. I have just put "Guide Officiel Camping and Caravanning" (with quotes and note the spelling of caravanning)into Google and it came up with an offer to buy on line from the Alan Roger's company. The 'campsites book' is £11.49 and the 'aires book' is £8.49 both including p & p. Probably cheaper in France! Have a good trip. Cattwg
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Guest Brian Ramsden
In so far as anywhere is "safe" these days, then yes. However, you do need to be sensible about where you stop, particularly in urban areas. the advantage of the aires is that you are very unlikely to be alone on an aire in a town, at any time of year. The 2004 guides are €7.50 and €12.00, and can be bought in a "Maison du Presse" or a large supermarket. But wait for the 2005 edition if you are going to buy them now.
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Guest Derek Uzzell
A couple of small caveats that I don't think have been mentioned yet. You are planning to travel in January when most French campsites will have closed for the winter, not re-opening until Easter at the earliest. This is something to bear in mind when planning your route. Also, many of the aires de services (particularly those in cold areas) will have been taken out of service to avoid frost damage and because usage during the winter months is so low. It's perhaps worth saying too that an aire de services isn't a motorhome parking place - it's a service-point providing fresh-water and waste-emptying facilities. Although parking is usually available nearby, dedicated motorcaravan parking is relatively rare and you normally share a car-park with everyone else. So, regarding safety, parking near 'aires' is no more or less safe than parking on a common-or-garden car-park. I echo Brian's advice on safety - you just have to use common sense, ensure your motorhome is secure and hope for the best. If that philosophy concerns you then choose campsites and sleep sound. However attractive free overnighting is (and it's definitely attractive to me!) there's absolutely no point saving a few Euros then being unable to sleep because you think hordes of mad axe-murderers may be lurking outside your motorhome.
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Ana. As Brian says not many camp site open in January in France. as regards safety be aware of where you stop, but are you not taking a dog with you, surely this must be the best security system going. David
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Sounds as if we will have to wild camp maybe in safe areas? That's the trouble with going January time I suppose, it happens to be a quiet time work wise for us...!! Thanks everyone, Ana xx
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Guest Derek Uzzell
Ana: No, you appear to have misinterpreted what I said - as there are lots of campsites in France, even though most will be shut in January that will still leave a good few open. If you can find a Michelin Camping/Caravanning Guide in your local library, it's easy to see which sites are 'permanent' and which aren't (though you would still need to confirm that the information on the all-year-round campsites is still correct (use the Internet)). All I was saying was that, when you rough out your route, it would be sensible to find out before you set out which French campsites will be open. Then you'll know what your options are when you want to stop somewhere overnight, replenish water, dump waste, etc.
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