French Aires

[Don Madge]

Following a thread on one of the other motorhome forums where somebody asked about running generaters on Aires.

 

I found and translated into English the info on French Aires. http://tinyurl.com/5urct3

 

 

This is more info translated ref parking of motorhomes in France

 

The parking of the motor homes or the autocaravanes is governed by the code of the road traffic, the code of town planning and the general code of the community territorial. Indeed, the parking of the vehicles of the autocaravane type can generate, because of its duration, of the embarrassments or of harmful effects on the public highway and thus on the territory of the common to very strong tourist frequentation.

 

Definition: Is regarded as caravan for l' application of this chapter the vehicle or l' element of vehicle which, equipped for the stay or l' exercise d' an activity, preserves means of mobility permanently enabling him to move by itself or to be moved by simple traction.

 

Parking of the autocaravanes on the public highway

The code of the road traffic specifies that the autocaravanes could not be private right to the parking lorsqu' they are empty and of day, (see circular of October 19, 2004) but that any improper use is sanctioned by an infringment. If l' interest of safety or l' law and order l' require, the mayors or the prefects are in right to prescribe more rigorous measurements so much as regards circulation that of parking.

 

The mayor thus can, by justified local by-law: - to prohibit, at certain hours, l' access to certain lanes; - to regulate in urban area l' stop and parking of certain categories of vehicles (autocaravanes/caravans) prohibition to station them market days or night prohibition of parking on certain 8 p.m. places at 7 o'clock in the morning for example. Local needs for circulation and the protection of l' environment can impose such restrictions on the parking. These restrictive measures with the parking must however define with precision the characteristics inherent in certain categories of vehicles such as: gauge, surface, length, PTAC, etc

 

The parking d' autocaravane as a d' mode; lodging

The mayors, under the terms of their general capacities of police force, cannot enact with l' opposition to all autocaravanes a general prohibition of to station on l' together territory of the commune. However, improper use of autocaravane in parking on the public highway and as a mode of lodging can cause: - night noises, - flow of waste water, - deposits of refuse, spreading out objects, - the pollution of the network of rain water by the discharge of the chemical tanks of toilets, etc. The mayors can thus prohibit the parking in certain particularly significant zones. They must however preserve the right of autocaravanes with a night halt in unspecified place of the territory of the commune by l' installation d' special surfaces d' stages in edge of more exposed hot areas.

Definition of a Motorhome:

 

The motor home is a vehicle of less than 3,5 tons, and classified of M1 category (automobile) at the European level. It is thus authorized to station where a private car can. It is subjected to the Highway code, s' discharge controls anti-pollution technique and, and n' does not have label. The mayor can enact a local by-law, but this one must be moved by proven disorders and relate to the of the same vehicles gauge, even weight and even mass, c' be-with-to say not to be discriminatory. Moreover, l' general and absolute prohibition is illegal. Lorsqu' a problem occurs, it is appropriate, of course, to charge in the respect of the law. But c' is the driver which owes l' to be and not the vehicle.

 

I think everyone should remember that French Aires are under increasing pressure and abuse of this system will only cause resentment.

 

Safe travelling

 

Don

[Don Madge]

I realised after I'd posted this info there might be some who did not know what an aire is, so for the details see http://www.ukmotorhomes.net/aires.shtml

 

Don