Aire of the Year 2013

[robertandjean]

Every year the readers of Camping-car magazine in France select an aire of the Year. This year the honour goes to La Tremblade in the Charente-Maritime. This is a fairly new aire, opened only this year, so we have yet to visit, but the photographs and descriptions suggest it is worth going to. It is in line with many new/redeveloped Aires of a good standard with marked pitches and all services including electric hook-ups. Also in line with modern trends it is charged, this one at 10€/night. This genre of aire are a long way removed from the 'rough parking' in a car park some still think is synonymous with the Aires concept. We most say that it is the purpose built 'full' facility aire we now tend to aim for and are pleased more are coming forward. (At present on another such one albeit in Luxembourg at the marina in Schwebsange)

It is also interesting to note that this aire cost 160 000€ to construct. Can anyone see any council in the U.K. making such an investment?

[Guest JudgeMental]

Still...for a very few euro more you can stay on a very nice Municipal campsite...large grass pitch, spread out, awning up, bbq etc..plus all the usual site facilities...to me its a no brainer I'm afraid :-D

 

Sorry to pee on your parade..but I find it very difficult to become emotionally involved with heading for a van car park no matter what the facilities..I use them, for sure, but only for convenience on route. as I happen to love camping! :-D

[bolero boy]

R and J, what documentation do you use (software, POI etc, all the aires...) to give you info on aires, ostensibly, what is your 'aires bible' as it were,

We have pois and a French version of all the aires, do we need more?

[Brian Kirby]

bolero boy - 2013-09-17 5:48 PM

 

R and J, what documentation do you use (software, POI etc, all the aires...) to give you info on aires, ostensibly, what is your 'aires bible' as it were,

We have pois and a French version of all the aires, do we need more?

The thing about aires is that they come and go, even during a single "season". There is a gradual increase in number, year on year, as new ones open, but others close - either for refurbishment or permanently. So, you need constantly updated information.

 

Either of the main French mags, Le Monde du Camping Car, or Camping Car Magazine, has aires updates in every edition, and both publish annual aires guides listing all known at the date of publication. AFAIK, neither includes GPS co-ords for aires as a matter of course. If you want GPS info that is generally up to date, you need to use the French "Camping Car Infos" website. I believe it is possible to get a flash memory stick from them with all the aires, and their GPS co-ords, pre-loaded. There are other websites, but I think CCI is generally regarded as the most comprehensive. The total number of aires is, from memory, somewhere north of 3,000, and keeping a constantly updated database is a big undertaking, so smaller sites or publications, with limited resources, can at best only be expected to publish a selection.

 

The above really applies only to France. The situation in Italy and Germany is similar, but as with many things the Italians, bless them, make trying to get accurate, reliable, information rather less that straightforward. There are one or two Italian websites that look comprehensive, and one in particular has an excellent auto-translate link so that the users' comments are more readily understood. If interested try a "Google" search using "aree di sosta" followed by the name of the town you are want to visit.

 

Other web resources include Archies, from which a number of aires etc POIs can be downloaded, and it should be possible to get the "Bord Atlas" listings from the web also as POI files.

[malc d]

I've always regarded aires as basic camp sites anyway - but it seems the the better ones will get even more like them.

They are all just places to stay the night, except that on sites you can spread out a bit.

 

I stayed the other day on a small ( ex-municipal ) camp site in Chateaulin in Brittany which was only 10.90 euros per night, and that included free wi-fi.

 

 

If motorhomes, caravans and tents can stay - it's a campsite.

 

If only motorhomes can stay - it's an aire.

 

;-)

[robertandjean]

Brian Kirby - 2013-09-17 9:49 PM

 

bolero boy - 2013-09-17 5:48 PM

 

R and J, what documentation do you use (software, POI etc, all the aires...) to give you info on aires, ostensibly, what is your 'aires bible' as it were,

We have pois and a French version of all the aires, do we need more?

The thing about aires is that they come and go, even during a single "season". There is a gradual increase in number, year on year, as new ones open, but others close - either for refurbishment or permanently. So, you need constantly updated information.

 

Either of the main French mags, Le Monde du Camping Car, or Camping Car Magazine, has aires updates in every edition, and both publish annual aires guides listing all known at the date of publication. AFAIK, neither includes GPS co-ords for aires as a matter of course. If you want GPS info that is generally up to date, you need to use the French "Camping Car Infos" website. I believe it is possible to get a flash memory stick from them with all the aires, and their GPS co-ords, pre-loaded. There are other websites, but I think CCI is generally regarded as the most comprehensive. The total number of aires is, from memory, somewhere north of 3,000, and keeping a constantly updated database is a big undertaking, so smaller sites or publications, with limited resources, can at best only be expected to publish a selection.

 

The above really applies only to France. The situation in Italy and Germany is similar, but as with many things the Italians, bless them, make trying to get accurate, reliable, information rather less that straightforward. There are one or two Italian websites that look comprehensive, and one in particular has an excellent auto-translate link so that the users' comments are more readily understood. If interested try a "Google" search using "aree di sosta" followed by the name of the town you are want to visit.

 

Other web resources include Archies, from which a number of aires etc POIs can be downloaded, and it should be possible to get the "Bord Atlas" listings from the web also as POI files.

 

Our main book based resource is the one published by Le Monde du Camping car, Le Guide National de Aires de Service des Camping-car. This does now give GPS co-ordinates for every aire listed, and has for last two years. As Brain correctly states the two French mags are good for updates through the Year. Web wise we use camping-car infos.com and i-camping-car.fr. Both give GPS and from both can download much of the info from the site.

[pepe63xnotuse]

robertandjean - 2013-09-17 4:18 PM

 

 

It is also interesting to note that this aire cost 160 000€ to construct. Can anyone see any council in the U.K. making such an investment?

 

Maybe try asking your local council or better still the bulk of council tax payers,to see what they say?.

..who knows, maybe they'll opt for shutting down the odd OAP day centre or disband a mother and toddler group to help fund it ...?

(..those that haven't already been closed due to lack of funding, of cause..)

[robertandjean]

JudgeMental - 2013-09-17 4:31 PM

 

Still...for a very few euro more you can stay on a very nice Municipal campsite...large grass pitch, spread out, awning up, bbq etc..plus all the usual site facilities...to me its a no brainer I'm afraid :-D

 

Sorry to pee on your parade..but I find it very difficult to become emotionally involved with heading for a van car park no matter what the facilities..I use them, for sure, but only for convenience on route. as I happen to love camping! :-D

 

Eddie, Much of what you say is correct if your main love is camping. For us our main interest involves being able to wander round villages, towns etc having meals in local restaurants, exploring local museums, galleries and so on.We find Aires enable us to do this more easily, on the whole than campsites. We also find that Aires are often better situated than sites. For example, the aire where we are now in Luxembourg has a campsite just other side of marinia but unlike aire no views of boats or river. Also site is on grass, not great after the overnight rain and is under trees so no satellite tv. So for us it's a no brainer! Cost not an issue, would be happy to pay more for aire than site.

But would not do for us all to like same and as the newer Aires become nearer in many ways to campsites then maybe soon this debate will be irrelevant.

[Guest JudgeMental]

R&J.....Different strokes for different folks!

 

I think the trend of higher price aires unwelcome as they have always been free or cheap. At near municipal prices most would choose site in good weather. our Alsace trip this summer all municipals had an aire within a few hundred yards, but when its 35 deg C a car park not that attractive!lol. I take your point re location, as aires can be closer to the action sometimes. Site to aire conversion a worrying trend particularly for French staff put out of work....... Barriers a good idea though to stop the disgraceful drive away early brigade! you know who you are.......

 

I just use a set of Europe wide POI, plus the Camperstop book and their POI as well on my garmin sat nag. .

So...moi drives - decide to stop - find - arrive - eat - sleep . And if I don't like look of a place normally an alternative nearby.....But then I am not in search of car park nirvana so not as discerning as some..I value peace and quiet though and a good nights sleep......some of the popular aires don't offer this.

[Derek Uzzell]

The new installation at La Tremblade is pictured here

 

http://www.la-tremblade.com/fr/aire-de-services-camping-cars

 

While it's often possible to pay very little to overnight on an attractive French municipal campsite, if you visit the French sea-coast in the tourist high season you'll pay a lot for a campsite and, if you visit the French sea-coast in the tourist low season, few campsites will be open. The new aire at La Tremblade offers motorcaravanners a shortish stay (3 consecutive nights maximum) right on the coast and all-year-round. A €10 tarif for a 24-hour stop including water replenishment, waste-emptying and a 16A mains-power supply at a coastal resort has got to be a reasonable charge.

 

(It's worth noting that, of the €160k cost of the La Tremblade installation, €40k came from Departmental parking-fines revenue and €40k from funds relating to protection of the waters where oysters are raised. On that basis, if a similar project were to be considered for the UK, there's plenty of parking-fines money about and, if the 'aire' were to be at Falmouth (where there's the Duchy of Cornwall Oyster Farm) perhaps the Prince of Wales could be persuaded to contribute.)

 

Parking at the vast majority of French aires de service involves a free public car-park near to the service point. But how long this long-standing arrangement will survive is anybody's guess as motorhome numbers inexorably rise.

 

We used to overnight regularly at the aire at Herouvillette after coming off the evening ferry at Ouistreham and before leaving on the early morning boat. Now we don't as the parking there has become so congested. Details are here:

 

http://www.aire-service-camping-car-panoramique.mobi/panoramique/calvados/14-herouvillette/

 

There are 4 assigned motorcaravan spaces, but motorhomes have always overspilled on to the car-park areas. We passed through Herouvillette in the late-evening a fortnight ago and the only parking-space left was the disabled one. There were (literally) no cars on the car-park, just motorhomes jammed in like sardines.

 

The attraction of Herouvillette is, course, that it's handy for the coast, the services (and parking) at the aire are free and (assuming you can grab a parking space) you can stay there pretty much as long as you want. Whether the locals for whom the car-park is intended will tolerate the present overcrowding indefinitely remains to be seen. It's regularly claimed that 'aires' are profitable for local communities, but I've never believed that Herouvillette village profits from motorhome visitors and it must certainly cost money to provide them with free fresh water.

 

Nowadays we still overnight on a car-park after coming off the late-evening Ouistreham ferry (just not the one at Herouvillette) and overnight at the Oustreham campsite (€11-ish) prior to returning to the UK.

[Retread24800]

Just come back from the Charente coast and the ile de Ré and ile d'Oleron  Tried Camp sites because I've just bought my ASCI card and can now say that the room available on these coastal sites is only marginally better than the space available on the new breed of Municipal Aire d’accueil du Camping Cars which are springing up all over, these are usually where the Old 'Muni' was but now have barrier entry and Charge Circa 9€ for Toilets, showers washing up and laundry sinks, one even had a washing machine and dryer! and Hook up but not at 16A :-( The usual sanistation goes without saying.

GPS passion a forum for Sat Nag devotees offers a free POI down load tailored to most marques at http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=30654&whichpage=1

 

 

[Derek Uzzell]

The French "Camping-Car Park" network has probably been mentioned on this forum before, but it may be worth advertising its existence again...

 

http://www.prefailles-campingcarpark.com/le-réseau/

[Retread24800]

Derek Uzzell - 2013-09-18 3:13 PMThe French "Camping-Car Park" network has probably been mentioned on this forum before, but it may be worth advertising its existence again...http://www.prefailles-campingcarpark.com/le-réseau/

OK they are there to use but they are as expensive as a Camp site, 5€ for a fill up and C12€for a nights parking. reading the French Fora and bits in the Magazines then their introduction is less than welcomed.

 

[bolero boy]

robertandjean - 2013-09-18 9:08 AM

 

Brian Kirby - 2013-09-17 9:49 PM

 

bolero boy - 2013-09-17 5:48 PM

 

R and J, what documentation do you use (software, POI etc, all the aires...) to give you info on aires, ostensibly, what is your 'aires bible' as it were,

We have pois and a French version of all the aires, do we need more?

The thing about aires is that they come and go, even during a single "season". There is a gradual increase in number, year on year, as new ones open, but others close - either for refurbishment or permanently. So, you need constantly updated information.

 

Either of the main French mags, Le Monde du Camping Car, or Camping Car Magazine, has aires updates in every edition, and both publish annual aires guides listing all known at the date of publication. AFAIK, neither includes GPS co-ords for aires as a matter of course. If you want GPS info that is generally up to date, you need to use the French "Camping Car Infos" website. I believe it is possible to get a flash memory stick from them with all the aires, and their GPS co-ords, pre-loaded. There are other websites, but I think CCI is generally regarded as the most comprehensive. The total number of aires is, from memory, somewhere north of 3,000, and keeping a constantly updated database is a big undertaking, so smaller sites or publications, with limited resources, can at best only be expected to publish a selection.

 

The above really applies only to France. The situation in Italy and Germany is similar, but as with many things the Italians, bless them, make trying to get accurate, reliable, information rather less that straightforward. There are one or two Italian websites that look comprehensive, and one in particular has an excellent auto-translate link so that the users' comments are more readily understood. If interested try a "Google" search using "aree di sosta" followed by the name of the town you are want to visit.

 

Other web resources include Archies, from which a number of aires etc POIs can be downloaded, and it should be possible to get the "Bord Atlas" listings from the web also as POI files.

 

Our main book based resource is the one published by Le Monde du Camping car, Le Guide National de Aires de Service des Camping-car. This does now give GPS co-ordinates for every aire listed, and has for last two years. As Brain correctly states the two French mags are good for updates through the Year. Web wise we use camping-car infos.com and i-camping-car.fr. Both give GPS and from both can download much of the info from the site.

OK, thanks, all. Looks like we have the basics right, I get my POIs from camping car Infos and we will get a new Guide National for our next trip.

Thanks.

[Retread24800]

pepe63 - 2013-09-18 10:20 AM

robertandjean - 2013-09-17 4:18 PMIt is also interesting to note that this aire cost 160 000€ to construct. Can anyone see any council in the U.K. making such an investment?

Maybe try asking your local council or better still the bulk of council tax payers,to see what they say?...who knows, maybe they'll opt for shutting down the odd OAP day centre or disband a mother and toddler group to help fund it ...? (..those that haven't already been closed due to lack of funding, of cause..)

 

Spent a couple of days on the île d'Oleron last week and stayed at two Aires Municipal One at Le Chateau and the other at Les Huttes, each was controlled by a barrier allowing free exit and entry by means of a code. and each cost about 9.00€ per night including water, 5A hook up, showers and toilets, play area etc. these aires had a capacity of 170 or so Motor homes and are full during the high (School Holiday) season. when I visited off season they held about 70%. the point is that 70% of 170 places at 9.00€ per night is 390,915€ pa, must pay a few bills somewhere. Certainly the local traders seemed to welcome us and typically the Boulanger visited in the morning with lovely crusty baguettes, yum.

 

[Brian Kirby]

robertandjean - 2013-09-18 9:08 AM....................Our main book based resource is the one published by Le Monde du Camping car, Le Guide National de Aires de Service des Camping-car. This does now give GPS co-ordinates for every aire listed, and has for last two years. .............

Thanks for this info. I'll have to get a more up-to-date copy! :$

[Guest JudgeMental]

Sounds all a bit Frenchey to me......Dam! your eyes SIR!! *-)

[Derek Uzzell]

Other aires-related stuff is advertised via the oddly-named "Trailer's Park" website

 

http://trailers-park.fr/index.php

[crinklystarfish]

robertandjean - 2013-09-17 4:18 PM

 

...Can anyone see any council in the U.K. making such an investment?

 

Not without a true demand, no - and a true demand is arguably stifled by the prevalence of so many formal sites and the 5-van exempted sites facilitated by the two big clubs.

 

The political, cultural, economic, environmental, and geographical contexts are all very different in the UK and trying to transpose the French arrangement into a different country is, in the kindest possible terms, perhaps a bit simplistic.

 

I know there are some absolutely stunning aires, I've stayed on some. Just curious to know how many R&J would consider top-drawer as a proportion of all that are actually out there. Here's a few genuinely posed questions for R&J that I hope they will answer as honestly as possible:

 

Of the aires you consider visiting, what proportion do you write off as unsuitable at the research stage

Of the ones you visit, what proportion do you consider unsuitable when you actually see them

What proportion would you like to stay at but are already too heavily occupied

 

Similarly, of every one you've ever visited, what proportion have all of the following qualities:

Quiet both day and night

Spacious

Pleasant view / pretty surroundings

No irritating fellow 'campers' (dogs / telly / radio / late night chatter / etc)

 

It's obvious why R&J find them so attractive as they are arguably the very best solution for facilitating their kind of preferred activities.

 

It's a strikingly obvious thing to say, but seemingly lost on many: not everyone prefers those activities.

[Guest JudgeMental]

Readers please note: There are other dryer countries available to visit...

[Retread24800]

JudgeMental - 2013-09-19 10:52 AMReaders please note: There are other dryer countries available to visit...

 

ATM you can say that again :-(.

 

Poor old Crinkley, has yet to discover that the destination is the area he is visiting, the place where his M/H is parked overnight is just that a parking space. Always think that  should I  ever spend Lunch in the same spot where I had breakfast then I would become a caravanner.

 

[crinklystarfish]

Retread24800 - 2013-09-19 10:27 AM

 

Poor old Crinkley, has yet to discover that the destination is the area he is visiting, the place where his M/H is parked overnight is just that a parking space. Always think that  should I  ever spend Lunch in the same spot where I had breakfast then I would become a caravanner.

 

 

Sorry fella, you lost me. I haven't a clue what you are trying to say. I suspect I am not alone.

[robertandjean]

crinklystarfish - 2013-09-19 9:50 AM

 

robertandjean - 2013-09-17 4:18 PM

 

...Can anyone see any council in the U.K. making such an investment?

 

Not without a true demand, no - and a true demand is arguably stifled by the prevalence of so many formal sites and the 5-van exempted sites facilitated by the two big clubs.

 

The political, cultural, economic, environmental, and geographical contexts are all very different in the UK and trying to transpose the French arrangement into a different country is, in the kindest possible terms, perhaps a bit simplistic.

 

I know there are some absolutely stunning aires, I've stayed on some. Just curious to know how many R&J would consider top-drawer as a proportion of all that are actually out there. Here's a few genuinely posed questions for R&J that I hope they will answer as honestly as possible:

 

Of the aires you consider visiting, what proportion do you write off as unsuitable at the research stage

Of the ones you visit, what proportion do you consider unsuitable when you actually see them

What proportion would you like to stay at but are already too heavily occupied

 

Similarly, of every one you've ever visited, what proportion have all of the following qualities:

Quiet both day and night

Spacious

Pleasant view / pretty surroundings

No irritating fellow 'campers' (dogs / telly / radio / late night chatter / etc)

 

It's obvious why R&J find them so attractive as they are arguably the very best solution for facilitating their kind of preferred activities.

 

It's a strikingly obvious thing to say, but seemingly lost on many: not everyone prefers those activities.

 

Good questions Crinkly. Quick answers for now as have poor internet connection, but will come back to later. Ones we reject prior to visit are those that seem a long way out from anywhere, eg by a remote lake, or those in supermarket car parks. Not many rejected on arrival, main reason if after all are very isolated or close to say a disco or similar. We are not worried about parking close so very rarely do not stay even if aire appears full, as are good at finding a space. Clearly finding Aires that fit all the final four criteria you suggest is not easy, but there are a reasonable number, eg Mouzon we visited earlier this trip. We rarely have problems with noisy neighbours etc more often found on campsites.

Eddie yes there are drier countries but Luxembourg and Germany, where we are now, are not amongst them!!

[pepe63xnotuse]

Retread24800 - 2013-09-19 10:27 AM

 

Always think that  should I  ever spend Lunch in the same spot where I had breakfast then I would become a caravanner..

 

So...are you honestly telling us that you've never had those two meals, whilst "pitched" at the same location..? 8-) ...if so, you must be really lousy at making decisions when it come to choosing somewhere to pitch up.. :D

 

(...you must also spend a shed load on diesel... ;-) )

[crinklystarfish]

Pepe,

 

Not long since back from 4 week tour that took in Ukraine. Can honestly say that every single breakfast and lunch was in a different location. Stayed in mostly cracking spots, most well and.truly out amongst nature and away from people. None of them were on any kind of formal site. Went to 2 stellplatz whilst traversing Germany but they both sucked so found better informal overnighting spots nearby.

 

Not saying this style of travel is better or worse than any other but we wouldn't have it any other way. Even when we've parked up for the night we will often keep exploring by pushbike / running / walking.

 

Lots to see, not much time to see it...