The friendly club ?

[Guest Tracker]

The sad and painful truthful reality is that neither club much like motor caravans!

 

The clue is in their names which you may note does not include the word 'motor' anywhere!

 

They and their wardens don't like the way we often churn up the ground with our tail heavy front wheel drive vehicles and don't like the fact that when staying a week we come and go making an even bigger mess when it is wet and yet there seems to be a reluctance to provide enough hard standing.

 

The wardens particularly don't seem to like those amongst us that only stay for one night and insist on emptying our loo and refilling our water tanks - which I thought was on of the raison d'etres of a caravan site?

 

And as for those fully paid up members of many years standing with the temerity to turn up unannounced without booking and expect to simply be able to stay for just one night while passing through - well who can blame them for not wanting to be inconvenienced by a mere member!

 

So we don't use them any more - not even to stay on one of the grass pitches that has been ruined by a tent or caravan awning being on it for a fortnight - but that's okay because they don't have that awful word 'motor' in their names - their loss not ours.

 

 

[Travelling Tyke]

Hello, strange isn't it?

 

We have used the C & CC sites and not had any probs, found them to be the "friendly club...... Only used one CC and it was friendly....... Tried to use the toilet at the CC at Gatwick whilst a motorhome was being left there to enable a flight abroad for a couple of weeks and came across a mister "No chance" ....... This to a member!

 

The hotel was only minutes away so it was't a prob. but it was must have been a bad day for mister "no chance"......

 

We have been members of C & CC for some time but decided to join the CC to make use of the CLs, i.e. to increase our overnight options. It works for us......But, as they say, one mans meat is another's poison!

 

 

 

 

 

[duffers]

Tracker - 2009-11-25 7:19 PM

 

The sad and painful truthful reality is that neither club much like motor caravans!

 

The clue is in their names which you may note does not include the word 'motor' anywhere!

 

They and their wardens don't like the way we often churn up the ground with our tail heavy front wheel drive vehicles and don't like the fact that when staying a week we come and go making an even bigger mess when it is wet and yet there seems to be a reluctance to provide enough hard standing.

 

The wardens particularly don't seem to like those amongst us that only stay for one night and insist on emptying our loo and refilling our water tanks - which I thought was on of the raison d'etres of a caravan site?

 

And as for those fully paid up members of many years standing with the temerity to turn up unannounced without booking and expect to simply be able to stay for just one night while passing through - well who can blame them for not wanting to be inconvenienced by a mere member!

 

So we don't use them any more - not even to stay on one of the grass pitches that has been ruined by a tent or caravan awning being on it for a fortnight - but that's okay because they don't have that awful word 'motor' in their names - their loss not ours.

 

 

 

sounds too too familiar

[rupert123]

Tracker - 2009-11-25 7:19 PM

 

The sad and painful truthful reality is that neither club much like motor caravans!

 

The clue is in their names which you may note does not include the word 'motor' anywhere!

 

They and their wardens don't like the way we often churn up the ground with our tail heavy front wheel drive vehicles and don't like the fact that when staying a week we come and go making an even bigger mess when it is wet and yet there seems to be a reluctance to provide enough hard standing.

 

The wardens particularly don't seem to like those amongst us that only stay for one night and insist on emptying our loo and refilling our water tanks - which I thought was on of the raison d'etres of a caravan site?

 

And as for those fully paid up members of many years standing with the temerity to turn up unannounced without booking and expect to simply be able to stay for just one night while passing through - well who can blame them for not wanting to be inconvenienced by a mere member!

 

So we don't use them any more - not even to stay on one of the grass pitches that has been ruined by a tent or caravan awning being on it for a fortnight - but that's okay because they don't have that awful word 'motor' in their names - their loss not ours.

 

 

Rich what the hell is it with you and the CC. You always profess that you do not use hookup and have not used their sites for years so how do you know? Now I do use them, in the UK I use nothing else if possible, why because they are well run and well kept, the best in the UK and probably in Europe. Do not take my word for it just go and look out of season when others are empty they are always nearly full. The prices are good when compared with other UK sites, they compare with any in Europe when you look at the quality of the facilities and general condition of site. As for the name it was called the Caravan Club when their were no motorhomes around so why should they change it. I have never ever felt I was being treated as a second class citizen because I have a motorhome and only a few times been directed to a pitch and even then given a choice of several. I have always been given a reason for this when it happened. Now I have no problem with you or anyone else 'slumming it' on some grotty CL or wildcamp but just because the CC club choose to run their sites in a proper manner is no reason to keep bringing up tales from the last century.

 

Rant over.

[W3526602]

Hi

 

If they don't like motor caravans, what happens if you turn up with a horse?

 

I'll get my coat.

 

602

[W3526602]

Hi

 

If they don't like motor caravans, what happens if you turn up with a horse?

 

I'll get my coat.

 

602

[Guest Tracker]

Good morning Henry!

 

It is good that you are able to post your own point of view on the CC to balance the opinions and I don't see it as a rant after all you are well able to make your point, which I respect, without personal attacks which is always good for the forum and I am delighted that your own CC experience is a positive one.

I have never slated the sites themselves as I too always found them first class and as you say possibly the best anywhere and certainly in most cases better than the CCC sites in terms of facilities. They can be a little regimented at times but that is an observation rather than a criticism.

As a good boy who always uses CC sites and always bboks ahead and always uses the ehu and maybe always stays for a week or at least several days at a time - you did not say so I have to surmise - maybe the attitude towards your 'normal' style of camping differs to my nomadic one night stays approach.

The clubs and wardens do seem better able to understand and cope with 'normal' campers who conform to their idea of normal caravanning, whereas members like us who appear out of nowhere ask to stay one night and wander off again the following morning are often seen as an inconvenience to them - especially if we arrive unannounced after 5.00 pm when they have just finished their day's accounting!

My experiences may all be pre 2006 but I have seen or read nothing anywhere since then to make me think that attitudes have improved - in fact on the contrary - the impression I now get is that club attitudes in general have worsened - if not in theory then certainly in practise.

However I like to keep an open mind and I look forward to being told by more than one person that my perceptions are quite wrong?

I don't want either club to make your experience worse but it would be nice if they could make the nomadic motor caravanner's experience better.

I hope you continue to enjoy your style of camping.

[rupert123]

Hi Rich,

As you say they work in a certain way but all business does and the wardens have to stick by the rules. If you do not like it then, as you do, keep away, no problem with that but your view of them does seem a touch extreme. However my, should really be our, journeys seem to differ in Europe and the UK. In Europe while we still stay on sites most of the time we never ever book and the most time we usually stay is three nights, often just one it depends on many things. We rarely have a plan more than one day ahead and even then are very easily diverted, which is the reason we have a M/H not a caravan. In the UK we will usually book ahead at CC club sites to avoid arriving and they are full, which is most of the time. However except for our visits to places like York, just before Christmas, we never book more than a few hours ahead. By using some common sense and for those always moaning about not being able to get on club sites it is actually pretty easy. Telephone site direct about 9.30 in the morning as by then they will have had a couple of 'no shows' so will have a vacant pitch to fill, works 90% of the time. Am interested in why people bother to stay on aires so must start a thread on this some time.

 

[Guest Tracker]

We use Aires in France and Germany in particular because there are just so many of them and you are never far from one that is on or very close to your intended route - even if the intended route gets changed suddenly on a whim - which it often does - so not only do we save on site fees we save on diesel too as well as having more hours to relax and/or explore.

 

It works for us, and many others, but I appreciate that it is not everyone's scene.

 

Our type of holiday is not spent relaxing on a site but wandering not quite aimlessly where the whim takes us but in a general direction and for us Aires are ideal.

 

To us a site or an Aire is simply somewhere to park up for the night without risk of being moved on.

 

We don't want or need toilets, showers, shops, hook ups, an office or a warden. All we need is a drinking water tap and a CDP every few days.

 

That way we can arrive and/or come and go as we please at times to suit ourselves.

 

Good job we all have different holidaying styles or the sites or the Aires would all always be full!

[Brian Kirby]

I think a lot of this string is rather unfair and unbalanced.  The wardens are ordinary folk, and although some are a bit cross grained most are pleasant enough, and a few are very agreeable indeed.  Condemning the lot on the basis of one, or even two, bad experiences, is not balanced. 

Most of the sites, most of the time, provide good, clean, accommodation, with goodish facilities, at a fairish price.  Not perfect.  Not infallible.  But overall, not that bad either.  There is the odd cross grained pillock, but there are also some charming, cheerful, souls at as well.  It would have been rather more constructive to complain directly to the clubs about the pillocks, quoting time and site, so that they can do something about them, than just blackguarding the whole lot on here.

[colin]

Brian Kirby - 2009-11-26 6:39 PM

  It would have been rather more constructive to complain directly to the clubs about the pillocks, quoting time and site, so that they can do something about them, than just blackguarding the whole lot on here.

 

That is exactly what I did, got a half a**ed reply so left the club. The other thing I thought odd was reading a long list of 'rules' outside one toilet block, why, I thought do I need telling to act like a decent person? are members so bad?

[malc d]

Brian Kirby - 2009-11-26 6:39 PM

I think a lot of this string is rather unfair and unbalanced.  The wardens are ordinary folk, and although some are a bit cross grained most are pleasant enough, and a few are very agreeable indeed.  Condemning the lot on the basis of one, or even two, bad experiences, is not balanced. 

Most of the sites, most of the time, provide good, clean, accommodation, with goodish facilities, at a fairish price.  Not perfect.  Not infallible.  But overall, not that bad either.  There is the odd cross grained pillock, but there are also some charming, cheerful, souls at as well.  It would have been rather more constructive to complain directly to the clubs about the pillocks, quoting time and site, so that they can do something about them, than just blackguarding the whole lot on here.

I would agree with that, but it would also be interesting to hear from some wardens about what sort of 'guests' they sometimes have to put up with ! ;-)

[Guest Tracker]

Brian Kirby - 2009-11-26 6:39 PM

I think a lot of this string is rather unfair and unbalanced.  The wardens are ordinary folk, and although some are a bit cross grained most are pleasant enough, and a few are very agreeable indeed. 

That's a very fair comment Brian and whilst I did not set out to blanket criticise all site wardens per se, I appreciate that I may have given that impression.On balance I suspect that we encountered many more really nice wardens than we did despotic ogres - trouble is the mind tends to remember the exceptions - be it exceptionally good or, and more likely, spectacularly awful - of which it must be said there were only a very few.We all have 'bad' days and even the best of us have days when it seems like black is white and the world is populated by inconsiderate imbeciles unable to share our own points of view!

[Stuart]

One aspect I don't recall being mentioned is the restriction on hours of work.

 

Before the present rules became operative many wardens seemed to do extra hours without (noticeable) complaint. Now they are only allowed to work "X" hours so may well have done their quota by the time you roll up at possibly 1830?

 

Stuart

 

typo edited

[robertandjean]

Regarding Rupert 123's question as to why people "bother" to stay on aires then a better question he might ask, given the comments on this thread is why people with motorhomes, not caravans, bother to stay on sites? Tracker answered his first question very well, and as enthusiastic aires users fully support his comments. Using aires is about freedom, to come and go as you please, no one telling you where to park, no advance booking (not even at 9.30 in the morning) and often the opportunity to park in a village or town rather than the middle of nowhere. It really is motorcaravanning as God intended! But from previous comments on other threads it is clear some of you do not like using aires and prefer sites; that's fine but all we ask is why not give the aires another go,(not the one at Calais perhaps) and see what you are missing. More than happy to suggest good first time aires, very secure aires, etc.

[rupert123]

robertandjean - 2009-11-26 9:06 PM

 

Regarding Rupert 123's question as to why people "bother" to stay on aires then a better question he might ask, given the comments on this thread is why people with motorhomes, not caravans, bother to stay on sites? Tracker answered his first question very well, and as enthusiastic aires users fully support his comments. Using aires is about freedom, to come and go as you please, no one telling you where to park, no advance booking (not even at 9.30 in the morning) and often the opportunity to park in a village or town rather than the middle of nowhere. It really is motorcaravanning as God intended! But from previous comments on other threads it is clear some of you do not like using aires and prefer sites; that's fine but all we ask is why not give the aires another go,(not the one at Calais perhaps) and see what you are missing. More than happy to suggest good first time aires, very secure aires, etc.

 

Sorry to disagree but Rich did not answer anything to me. In Europe, where I assume you are talking about, I use campsites most of the time and as I have said if you bothered to read it properly, I never book, it is rare to be told where to pitch, I come and go as I please, this freedom bit with aires is pure delusion. Why the hell would anyone park up and sleep in a town or village with all its associated risk. I use campsites mostly because my aire experience is nearly all bad and worse not all that cheap. For example my wife and I like walking so if we find a place we like will park up for a few days and use our scooter to explore a small area around a site. We have never felt able to do this on an aire, in fact the people who use them seem to move every day. Now if your idea of a relaxing holiday is to constantly drive from aire to aire it certainly is not mine. However everyone to their own but you will never convince me that the one and only reason people use aires is because they cost less, although from our experience this year the cost differance on a lot is so small why bother. Thanks for the offer about some recommendations though.

[robertandjean]

Hi Rupert

No we certainly do not drive from one aire to another everyday. This October, for example, we stayed for seven nights on the aire at Narbonne (not Narbonne Plage) and felt very happy to take the free bus into town from outside the aire as most vans were longstayers. (This is true on many of the southern coastal aires). Including hook-up this year it was free, but will return to 7€/night next year. No site in area is so close into historic Narbonne. We also stayed 5 nights on aire at Peyriac de Mer, which interestingly acts also as municipal camp site in July/August, 5€ night in season. From here we were able to go on excellant walks over the old salt lakes, again leaving van with no worries. Regarding dangers in staying on village aires overnight then if staying on aires at Sadroc (19), St Point Lac (25), St Clar (32) etc is thought to be dagerous then the whole western world is due to collapse. If you want a really secure aire, not too far south, then try Broglie (27). Parkland setting, large well spaced pitches, warden lives end of aire and locks gate at night! Better than most sites we have ever been on. All the best

[Brian Kirby]

It's off topic, of course, but we are now, so what the hell! :-)

What I really, really, don't understand is why this business of "aires" versus sites is such a bone of contention?  Why, oh why, do we end up in squabbles over other people's preferences?  Are we all so insecure in our own choices that we must have 100% vicarious support?  Does others saying they prefer the opposite, so rock our own decisions that we must retaliate - often implying the "other camp" is rather strange, eccentric, or straight up barking?

We have a smallish van.  We like to roll out our awning, and sit, and eat, beneath it - whenever weather and surroundings make that enjoyable.  My (limited) experiences of aires, to date, is that this kind of activity is not often possible, if at all.  On sites, however, it is, in my (consequently extensive) experience, almost always possible.  The upshot is that I don't waste time looking for aires where we are unlikely to be able to suit our preference, but focus on sites, where this is almost guaranteed.

We do not use our on-board facilities (much), preferring to use site facilities.  Few aires provide facilities.  All sites do.

The sites we use are not in the middle of nowhere, I select them to be within walking/cycling/public transport access of a town or village, or to provide comfortable overnight stopping places en route.

Very few sites raise security concerns: I would suggest that rather more aires do.  However, if the aire is a proper, designated, aire, I do not think there is a serious difference on this score vis-a-vis sites.

We prefer using a hook-up to running everything on battery/gas.  That way the mains operated bits all work without needing inverters etc, and we use less gas.

For all these advantages, we inevitably pay more; but we save on gas, solar panels/generators, water use, cleaning time, inverters, additional batteries.  I can't say where the balance lies economically, but I suspect we still pay more than we should if we used aires and had all the extras installed.  However, as has been said it is not really a financial calculation, it is a matter of personal preferences.

Unlike on aires, I am restricted to coming and going at reasonable times (but I have never had a problem with coming and going - where did that myth come from?), but that suits me because I am intensely annoyed by those who wish to come and go at unreasonable times, which many on aires seem to do.

In short, I'm quite happy with my choice, and am most grateful to those who use aires for ensuring I can get onto the site of my choice without needing to book.  Those who prefer aires will feel likewise, so why quarrel about it?  Life, as ever, is way toooooooooo short!  :-)

[rupert123]

robertandjean - 2009-11-27 11:25 AM

 

Hi Rupert

No we certainly do not drive from one aire to another everyday. This October, for example, we stayed for seven nights on the aire at Narbonne (not Narbonne Plage) and felt very happy to take the free bus into town from outside the aire as most vans were longstayers. (This is true on many of the southern coastal aires). Including hook-up this year it was free, but will return to 7€/night next year. No site in area is so close into historic Narbonne. We also stayed 5 nights on aire at Peyriac de Mer, which interestingly acts also as municipal camp site in July/August, 5€ night in season. From here we were able to go on excellant walks over the old salt lakes, again leaving van with no worries. Regarding dangers in staying on village aires overnight then if staying on aires at Sadroc (19), St Point Lac (25), St Clar (32) etc is thought to be dagerous then the whole western world is due to collapse. If you want a really secure aire, not too far south, then try Broglie (27). Parkland setting, large well spaced pitches, warden lives end of aire and locks gate at night! Better than most sites we have ever been on. All the best

 

I have to admit these aires sound good and I would use but most are not at all like this. I guess you have to spend a lot of time looking and at the moment I cannot be bothered. have however noted these for future referance.

Many thanks

[Colin Leake]

Tracker - 2009-11-25 7:19 PM

 

The sad and painful truthful reality is that neither club much like motor caravans!

 

The clue is in their names which you may note does not include the word 'motor' anywhere!

 

They and their wardens don't like the way we often churn up the ground with our tail heavy front wheel drive vehicles and don't like the fact that when staying a week we come and go making an even bigger mess when it is wet and yet there seems to be a reluctance to provide enough hard standing.

 

The wardens particularly don't seem to like those amongst us that only stay for one night and insist on emptying our loo and refilling our water tanks - which I thought was on of the raison d'etres of a caravan site?

 

And as for those fully paid up members of many years standing with the temerity to turn up unannounced without booking and expect to simply be able to stay for just one night while passing through - well who can blame them for not wanting to be inconvenienced by a mere member!

 

So we don't use them any more - not even to stay on one of the grass pitches that has been ruined by a tent or caravan awning being on it for a fortnight - but that's okay because they don't have that awful word 'motor' in their names - their loss not ours.

 

Not our experience at all with the caravan club. We have always been made welcome with our motorhome. Indeed an ever increasing number of wardens seem to have motorhomes. Yes naturally boggy grass pitches can be a problem and for that reason we have on some occassions been asked to pitch only on hardstandings. The wardens do know how many motorhomes are due to arrive on any given day and even what size. Often if conditions are bad they will reserve enough hardstandings for said motorhomes much to the anoyance of caravaners!

 

Even if we are only passing hrough we normally stay two nights to enableus to sus out the site and area for future reference.

[Colin Leake]

Nearly all the wardens we have encountered on caravan club sites have been great. The most noticable exception was a little Hitler on a small site we stayed on up north. His behaviour was so excessive it resembled Faulty Towers. We had a great time, as did most other campers, at his expense. Morning greating to other campers usualy went "Morning" "What have you been up to to upset Hitler this morning"? Even your visitors driving round the wrong way would get you into trouble.

[rupert123]

Brian just because I, or anyone else, disagree's about something it is not usually because we want all others to agree. From my own point of view I am interested in why somebody should do something that I feel does not make much sense. Now to me aires do not make much sense because, apart from anything else, most of the better ones now seem to charge around 7 Euro's. This year I spent a total of 12 weeks in France in my van and averaged just under 12 euro per night staying at campsites on all but four nights. Now the small price differance, for what you get, does not make sense. I agree completely with the rest of your post and your reasons given for staying on sites are entirely in line with mine. This year for example my wife and I spent about ten days in the Tarn and Jonte gorges, I did not see one aire I would have stayed on but perhaps someone can put me right here. RobertandJean over to you.

[Tomo3090]

Aires, sites, C&CC, CC, Motorcaravaners Club even Freecamping! ! don't care where I stay. As long as I'm away in the van with my Wife & dog I'm a "Happy Camper" :-D

 

I like to think that's what we would all agree on.

[Guest Tracker]

I am so p*ssed off with Henry's continual assertions that his way is the only right way that I am not going to answer him further on this subject except to say that it has been many years since we stopped on an Aire that required payment - there are plenty of free ones especially away from the coast!

 

For crying out load Henry get a life and stop criticising everyone who prefers a different style of camping to your own!

[robertandjean]

Brian, agree that everyone should do what they feel happy with and we are not seeking to condem anyone who prefers sites, just pointing out that the French aires provide, in our view, a great way to enjoy motorhoming. But as you point out it depends on your van, what you feel safe with etc. All we seek to do is point out that the aires are worth a try.

Rupert, thanks your responses it is good to see others points of view and we can all learn from each other. This year we have, due to hospitalisation, spent 4 rather than our usual six months in France; of these 6 nights were on sites, 4 on France Passion and rest aires. Over all this period, including July/August, we average out at under 3 €/night so to be fair cheaper than 12€/night. (Many "good" aires are still free, and some still provide free hook-ups!). Regarding Gorges de Tarn, then not an area we have visted for a couple of years but we enjoyed staying on aire at Florac (48) at entrance to Gorge. Nice setting with lovely old town to wander round. We toured gorge from here as a base. Further in gorge is aire at Ispagnac (48). This is a very nice village on Tarn but spaces are very tight and agree would not be to everyones taste.

Appreciate not everyone has time, or inclination to check out loads of aires, but we have stayed on hundreds, and are more than willing to share our experiences; just PM us with areas or particular aires of interest and will do our best to help.