robertandjean Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Hi All, Sorry for long delay from part one but here goes. This time thought we would concentrate mainly on our experiences on one aire Port St Louis de Rhone (Dept. 13) rather than another cooks tour around different aires. Our arrival in Port St Louis last October coincided with a strengthening Mistral; this did not concern us too much as having stayed on the aire previously we know it provided some shelter and in any event the wind was forcast to die down the following day. We were surprised however, to find the parking next to the aire point closed but pleased to see a sign pointing to new dedicated motorhome parking. But the new parking proved disappointing. It is situated a long way from the town in a large unlit car park adjoining industrial units on two sides, but it does have frontage onto the canal. Despite the rather poor setting we would have stayed, but the mistral was blowing directly at us, and increasing so a move was called for. We noticed a line of other vans parked the other side of the water, much nearer town and with shelter from buildings so braved the wind and drove to join them. Despite the earlier forcast the Mistral blew for the next two days so we stayed put. No hardship really, with blue skyes and a visit to the excellant market in town. Our only problem was an emptying water tank. A notice on the aire point told us, so we thought, tokens were available from the capatinare for 5€. The conversation at the capatinare translates roughly as: Can we have a token for the born please? Can you return after lunch, we have no tokens now. After lunch: Token for the born? Have you your ticket for overnight parking? No, no one has come round. Where are you parked? This side of the river. He only collects the other side. Can I pay you now. Not possible monsuier, but if you park the other side he comes at 2.00pm and you can buy a ticket and bring it over here and I will give you this token. But it's 2.30!! Yes you will have to buy one tomorrow. Ah, but on Saturday he comes around 12.00, and we close at 12.00 so could be a problem. We both laughed, I returned to my van and he held onto his token! Lessons Here. 1 France is a great country but can be bureaucratic at times. 2 Aires do move, often to provide mores spaces; somtimes for better, sometimes not so always best to arrive in decent time and have a back-up in mind. A main reason we are members of France Passion is that it provides insurance if aires are full, closed. impossible to find, overrun by a circus etc. 3 We understand the parking on the town side of the river is now not allowed. We are not surprised. We saw some vanners emptying toilets in old buildings over the road, but near houses and one, a Brit we are sad to say, emptying down a soak away next to the boules pitch. Without a token it was possible to empty toilet and grey waste at borne, but clearly some could not be bothered. Would we return to aire at St Louis? Not sure, aire at St Mairies de la Mar is better, much nearer town etc. Jean and Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Hi, Yes we know its silly replying to ourselves but this will move it up list infront of the blank thread with same name, so not gone fully mad yet! Whilst here might as well mention aires in Cote D'Azure. Well main problem is that this is one of the few areas in France tha is not really motor home friendly and with few aires. We did find a couple of good ones however: St Maxime (Dept 83) This is one you will either love or hate. Its in a car park opposite Mac Donnalds, is always busy, and vans park very close. But you can walk into St Maxime centre, catch a boat to St Tropez or a bus to Grimund etc, get free wi fi , from Macs and all for 5€/night. So we like it, but sure the Judge would not! (Max stay said to be 48 hours but not enforced by police who collect each morning; infact on first name terms with many of the vanners! Grasse (Dept 06) OK this is not an aire but a France Passion stop over. This is a real gem outside a shop selling regional produce. Owner lives on site, speaks excellant English and if you ask lets you stay a couple of nights. Local bus to Grasse just outside gate; Grasse really interesting with perfume museums etc. We also took train from Grasse to Cannes. And being France Passion no charge, but like us sure you will want to buy produce which is all local and good quality. Very secure locks gate overnight. (details France Passion Guide 2008. page 60 Espace Terriors). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Easy Tiger! lol We like an Aire along with everyone else, as long as it’s civilised. But when on the cote de Azur in high season we prefer sites, as any Aire we have looked at have been more like a refugee camp. Never ceases to amaze me the obsessive behaviour and reluctance of some to pay a few quid to stay in the relative comfort and security of a site. Preferring instead being squashed in a car park where you’re lucky to be able to open your side door. The free camping attitude at all cost, is destroying motorhoming in Spain. Where knowing my luck, by the time I retire motorhomes will probably be banned*-) PS it now seems that you have thought better of personal comment re Moi......and removed it? No matter :-D either that or I'm going bonkers lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Hi Judge, Be assured our comments re your opinon of St Maxine aire were made in a spirit of jest; but we were right! To be honest the aire when we visited in September was not too bad and we were not only able to open our door but even managed to put our chairs out. For us it is not about saving a few quid, but these days who does not need to, but that the aires provide so much more freedom. We do not suggest overnighting anywhere, indeed we only stay on offical aires. We feel sure you would like the France Passion place in Grasse, give it a try next time you are down there. All the best Judge Jean and Robert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigal55 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 robertandjean - 2009-02-11 4:19 PM Hi, Yes we know its silly replying to ourselves but this will move it up list infront of the blank thread with same name, so not gone fully mad yet! Whilst here might as well mention aires in Cote D'Azure. Well main problem is that this is one of the few areas in France tha is not really motor home friendly and with few aires. We did find a couple of good ones however: St Maxime (Dept 83) This is one you will either love or hate. Its in a car park opposite Mac Donnalds, is always busy, and vans park very close. But you can walk into St Maxime centre, catch a boat to St Tropez or a bus to Grimund etc, get free wi fi , from Macs and all for 5€/night. So we like it, but sure the Judge would not! (Max stay said to be 48 hours but not enforced by police who collect each morning; infact on first name terms with many of the vanners! Grasse (Dept 06) OK this is not an aire but a France Passion stop over. This is a real gem outside a shop selling regional produce. Owner lives on site, speaks excellant English and if you ask lets you stay a couple of nights. Local bus to Grasse just outside gate; Grasse really interesting with perfume museums etc. We also took train from Grasse to Cannes. And being France Passion no charge, but like us sure you will want to buy produce which is all local and good quality. Very secure locks gate overnight. (details France Passion Guide 2008. page 60 Espace Terriors).hi r&j checkout the aire at cavallere,(not sur mer) on the coast road between le lavandou and st tropez, we didn,t stay there as we were on a site but in sept it looked half empty and is only a 5min walk to the the beach,so we have logged it for the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 robertandjean - 2009-02-11 7:14 PM Hi Judge, ...........To be honest the aire when we visited in September was not too bad and we were not only able to open our door but even managed to put our chairs out. ........... All the best Judge Jean and Robert. However, there are those among the French motorhoming fraternity who regard placing chairs, tables etc, outside the van when on an aire as an abuse. I'm not agreeing with them, and the opinion is not universal, but from correspondence in the French magazine I get, it can provoke a degree of animosity. From their point of view, as they express their objection, this amounts to greed; to attempting to get more space than has been paid for. How much one risks encountering this attitude will, presumably, depend on the layout of the aire and pressure on space. Still, if met, it could take the shine out of a sunny day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 "hi r&j checkout the aire at cavallere,(not sur mer) on the coast road between le lavandou and st tropez, we didn,t stay there as we were on a site but in sept it looked half empty and is only a 5min walk to the the beach,so we have logged it for the future." I like this stretch of coast west away from St Trop. Beautiful long sandy beaches & accessible coastline. A much calmer area away from mad coast road east of St Trop, which in height of summer is more or less non negotiable...... There is a nice site right in the town of Cavalaire sur mere and many more around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I thought that it was French law which permitted motorhomes to park overnight on aires and that the use of tables, chairs, pull-out awning and barbecue etc constituted camping, which is against the law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 You're right about the distinction, John, but even that only makes a difference if "Camping" is itself illegal. There's no general prohibition on Aires, and I've never seen a sign banning it, but in principle there could be. The main places where the "camping/parking" distinction comes into play are actual car parks and on-street parking, where you can stay overnight (and cook etc) INSIDE the van, but not put anything outside. However, the point about others' attitude is well made - the point of Aires etc is to be able to eat and sleep somewhere, not to spend your holiday there, and where space is limited it's considerate not to spread your stuff about. I remember visiting the Aire at L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer a few years back, and seeing that someone had "reserved" a space with two chairs and a table, (as you might on a campsite without numbered pitches). We looked at each other and, remembering the legends about towels on sunbeds, wondered if they were Germans. Sure enough, they returned later, proudly sporting their "D" plates!! I must confess to a TEMPTATION - and to wishing I'd given in. Wouldn't it have been rewarding to fold their furniture up and put it to one side, so that the next person to arrive took "their" place? >:-) Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted February 12, 2009 Author Share Posted February 12, 2009 Hi All, Regarding putting out chairs etc then it is strictly correct that on aires this is not allowed and Brian is also correct that in the French camping car mags some do object strongly. We do not often put out our chairs and never our roll out awning; on this occasion however, seeing that almost all the French vans (and 95% were French) had chairs, tables, generators, second cars, trailers etc etc out we thought our use of two chairs for an hour in the early evening would cause little complaint. In addition the local police came round each morning and raised no objection to all this camping activity. So really it depends on the aire; in the town or village square certainlt not; in an area away from houses dedicated to vans then maybe. Jean and Robert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 \We were at the Aire in Valery sur somme at October half term, amd a group of french had tables out and there were about 12 eating...no problem, as Aire was about half full and they were a quiet group.. I think its OK to put you chair out to read but thats about it really..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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