Aires Info - help sought

[snobbyafghan]

This relates to a caravan so I apologise for posting here but I think motorhomers probably have more knowledge and experience of Aires than tuggers.

 

I'm about to collect a Carousel folding caravan - quite a small thing; maybe Eriba size when unfolded and a trailer, the same width as the car, when folded.

 

Previously, I've had a motorhome and whilst in France, made plenty of use of Aires. What I'm wondering now is whether I'll be able to use them with the Carousel? Are there national rules about what can use Aires, for example?

 

Anyone have an insight on this?

 

Doug

[mad mac]

Apparantly, French law prevents caravans and tents from using aires. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, :'(

[Way2Go]

Well Doug, you can stay on any Aire you like as long as I don't want to stay there with my motorhome 8-)

Seriously though, I think you 'may' be OK in some larger Stellplaz in Germany but not in France it would seem.

According to the 'All The Aires' book it says that "French law forbids caravans and tents from using these Aires, they are just for motorhomes." 

W2G

[snobbyafghan]

Thanks for the input, chaps - confirms what I suspected. A pity but we gain in other ways.

Way2Go - 2010-04-22 3:02 PM

Well Doug, you can stay on any Aire you like as long as I don't want to stay there with my motorhome 8-)

:D :D :D Doug

[PJay]

snobbyafghan - 2010-04-23 9:39 AMThanks for the input, chaps - confirms what I suspected. A pity but we gain in other ways.

Way2Go - 2010-04-22 3:02 PM

Well Doug, you can stay on any Aire you like as long as I don't want to stay there with my motorhome 8-)

:D :D :D Doug

Doug, what do you think the gains are? I think we may have to go down that route eventually, due to mobility problems. Will need transport more (ie Car) to old for bikes!!I don,t see the point of towing a car behind a MH, cheaper option is a caravan and use exsiting carPauline

[snobbyafghan]

Pauline

 

The main reason we decided to go from mh to caravan was the fact that we just don't use the mh enough. Consequently, you've got £35,000+ worth of vehicle quietly deteriorating for most of the year.

 

As we've rather enjoyed the camping experience, we looked for alternatives. After looking at going back to tents, we thought caravans. Not for the first time, I've embraced something I swore I'd never do...! However, I just couldn't fancy a standard caravan. Too much like hard work tugging all that bulk around. So, having got used to a small mh, we looked at what was available in small caravans. We considered Eribas, Teardrops and other exotica but finally plumped for a folding caravan. On the road, it's a trailer. On site, it's a fully-fitted caravan - small but no less space than our mh. More expensive than standard caravans (for what we paid for this, secondhand, we could have got a wheeled palace if we'd gone for a standard caravan secondhand) but much easier to tow and store.

 

The advantages over a mh? Well, the cost as mentioned above, particularly when you're not using it. Ease of maintenance and hardly any depreciation. These are made now by only one manufacturer and he can't get enough of his own product to refurbish and resell so there's a ready market if it has to be sold. Having a car available once you are on-site. As you say, towing a car behind a mh seems to be somewhat perverse. More space for your money.

 

That's what occurs to me of the top of my head. There are advantages with mh's of course - it would be silly to pretend otherwise (aires for one thing..!) but I think all motorised camping involves compromises and, at the moment, this seems to be the best for us. We are due to collect the caravan in Norfolk next week then spend 5 days there getting the hang of it. So long as I don't forget to get out of it before folding it away, it should be OK.... (lol)

 

Here's hoping.....

 

Doug

[ChasB]

snobbyafghan - 2010-04-23 2:20 PM

 

............................................................................As you say, towing a car behind a mh seems to be somewhat perverse. ..........................................

 

Doug

 

Doug

What’s perverse about towing a small car behind a motorhome; either on a trailer or an A-frame?

I have been towing a small car for the last seven years, I would be lost without it when we have been to Cornwall and similar locations where by the size of the motorhome we would be not be able to park. I admit that we do not tow the car when in the wilds of Scotland or on the continent it would be a hindrance to the distance we travel and the very nature of touring in a motorhome.

But please do not call it perverse for there are many motorhomers that would take exception to the inference that they are perverts in not wanting a car and caravan.

We are all different in the way we enjoy our leisure time and thats a good thing!

 

[snobbyafghan]

I wasn't using perverse in a derogatory way - at least that wasn't the intention. I hope my concluding remarks show that I'm not proselytizing for one form of camping over another. Let each do what they think is best for them so long as it doesn't affect others. I'm interested in what others do but I don't care one way or the other.

 

By perverse, I meant that it seems on the face of it to be negating the unique value of a mh to make it a part of a towing rig but honestly, whatever works for you is your business; good luck to you…!

 

Doug

[Brian Kirby]

I'm not sure the average caravan would be all that satisfactory on the average aire in any case.  Besides which, you haven't bought an average caravan.  What you have bought is far better suited to use on a site, where the site facilities can be used to the full.  Caravans, especially folders, aren't constructed with the same levels of built in autonomy as motorhomes.  Think especially water and waste, but also that many lack as standard leisure batteries, and most have smaller gas cylinder capacity.  They are better suited to being taken to a location, set up, used as a base, and the sightseeing travel being undertaken by car.  Motorhomes are, IMO, at their best when the sightseeing is done en-route, and the stopovers are only a few days duration.  So with one you park in the area you wish to explore, and make "daisy petal" journeys from it, while with the other, you zig-zag around stopping here and there to explore and rest as you go.  Similar result, different method.

Without wishing to add provocation, I have to say that towing a car with a motorhome has always struck me as mildly perverse.  Sort of cart before horse perverse, not in the sense of being a perversion.  Why?  Because of the difference between the two modes of travel as I see them and explained them above. 

If a motorhome is driven to a place, parked for an extended period, and a towed car used for touring around, it is, in effect, IMO, being used as a caravan.  It is, in any case, a motor caravan, and to all intents and purposes once inside, there is little difference between the two.  It is where you live while you are away.  So, if what one habitually does is to park the van for extended periods, to me, there is greater benefit in parking a trailer caravan and using its towcar to tour around, than in parking a motorhome and using a towed car to tour around. 

Reason?  First the motorhome, being a motor vehicle, must be taxed, insured and serviced, and needs to be driven to remain in good mechanical condition, whereas a trailer caravan is, basically, designed and equipped to be used while static, and needs no tax, no road insurance, and minimal mechanical servicing.  So, that towed car needs taxing, insuring, and servicing in addition to the motorhome, while the trailer caravan is less demanding in these ways. 

Second, if one has a trailer caravan and towcar, one has a more capable touring car to travel around and, in most cases, a cheaper "outfit" to into the bargain.  Next, the caravan is built as a trailer, and the car is not, and must either be towed on, and hence loaded onto and unloaded from, a trailer, or be adapted to tow with an A frame which then presents further difficulties. 

Finally, a large trailer with a small tow vehicle is far more manoeuvrable, especially in reverse, than a small trailer towed by a large tow vehicle. 

Cherry on the cake?  Get the caravan fitted with a motor mover, and it more or less parks itself.  Levelling can take a while until the knack is learnt, but so can it with motorhomes. 

So, in the face of all that, towing a car with a caravan, in lieu of vice versa, does seem to me perverse, but I can't see why that observation should annoy anyone who choses to do so.  Doubtless they will consider my reasoning perverse, so be it!  Live and let live?  :-D

[tonyg3nwl]

Hi, There is just one small point, which is that there are some sites which charge extra for the second car , for those who tow with a motorhome, whereas a car/caravan combination get away with it . They only pay for pitch fees

 

I never understand the logic of this, but be aware, it might happen.

 

tonyg3nwl

 

[John.N]

Yet again, I am most impressed by Brian's long but very informative posts - full of common sense and reasonable opinions with none of the backbiting which occasionally creeps into some other members contributions.

 

You are a real asset to the forum Brian. Long may you continue.

[Tony Jones]

One other point to add to Brian's post:

Fuel consumption increases dramatically with the weight you're moving around.

With a MH/car outfit, you're shifting two great big lumps of metal around the countryside instead of one - namely the engines of the two vehicles. MH on its own, or car/caravan, only involves one!

[Brian Kirby]

John.N - 2010-04-25 7:17 AM Yet again, I am most impressed by Brian's long but very informative posts - full of common sense and reasonable opinions with none of the backbiting which occasionally creeps into some other members contributions. You are a real asset to the forum Brian. Long may you continue.

You are toooooooooo kind John: no, really!  (Cheque in post ;-))  :-D

[Basil]

I totaly agree with Brians post and also believe it 'perverse', I have never yet seen a good justification for Motorhome/car against car/ caravan.

Having done both over many years each has its merits but hooking a car onto a motorhome virtually negates all the benefits of having a motorhome, but as has already been said each to their own.

 

Bas

[Mel B]

A car with a caravan on the rear is less stable than a motorhome with a small car on the rear IMV.

 

Other than that, I can't understand it either unless the car is a 'special one', ie a classic etc, but if it's just a runabout so you don't have to take your motorhome out, then a car caravan seems to make more sense ... but then when did our hobby ever make sense! :D