Millau aire.

[rupert123]

Just departed this aire and am now even more convinced not to bother with them. You need a degree in map reading to find it and then a degree in computer science to get in, the entrance was like a united nations convention all trying to work it out. So much for aires being free and easy with the ability to come and go as you please, not the Millau one. Even when you finally get in it is a dusty carpark and they have charged you 9.6 euro to stay the night. Now on a site in the Tarn gorge, with electric 12.30 a night, no contest.

 

 

 

[John 47]

There are good aires and bad aires, just as there are good sites and bad ones. If you are in the Tarn Gorge, you could try the aire at Ispagnac - pretty little village, pleasant aire - and free. On the other hand, if you avoid them then there is more room for the rest of us!

[Caddies104]

Hi

Got to agree, when you can go on a nice site for 12 Euro, with EHU, showers, pool, Bar and other amenities, it's a no brainer!?,!

 

 

[Tracker]

Just back from two weeks in the French Alpes and Verdon Gorge and I do have to agree that some so called Aires that we used were nothing more than car parks and some were very tightly packed especially in National Park areas where wild camping is forbidden.

According to a Dutch couple we met, in this context wild camping means parking a camping car anywhere other than an officially designated area which explains why the designated car park aires were so full I suppose.

Not our idea of fun either if staying for any longer than a 6 pm to 9 am overnight stopover but there were plenty of superb wild and scenic locations along the Route des Grandes Alpes although some of 'em are quite high up and a bit chilly at night. Then again where else can you sit and watch eagles from the warmth of your own lounge!

A good aires book with photos is a real help as you can more easily sift out those likely to be unacceptable to your own particular tastes - and some folk do seem to enjoy being parked up 4' from the next van, but at least they generally get a good view out of the windscreen or rear window!

Mind you, whilst I accept that many sites are probably very good, we also passed so many campsites where vans, tents and caravans were jammed in pretty tight with no view out in any direction, and that too is not my idea of fun.

There are good and bad in both aires and in campsites and just as I would not abandon using campsites (not that I do) based on one or two bad experiences, so I would not abandon the use of aires based on one or two bad experiences either.

[Derek Uzzell]

The ‘aire’ at Millau is not typical.

 

Until this year it was municipally-owned and free. Now it’s privately-owned (part of the CAMPING-CAR PARK network) and the charge is €12 in July/August or €9.60 in other months.

 

http://www.millau-campingcarpark.com/

 

There are campsites nearby, including this one:

 

http://www.camping-des-deux-rivieres.fr/FR/Tarifs.php

 

Millau is a tourist hot-spot and it would be unrealistic to expect campsite tarifs to be rock-bottom. At this campsite a motorhome with 2 people + electricity would cost €16 per night, but it should be noted that a minimum 2-nights stay is specified and the campsite is closed from November through March.

 

This alternative is a little further away

 

http://www.camping-du-viaduc.com/camping-aveyron-emplacements.html#

 

It’s open from late-April through mid-September (so too late for rupert123) and a low-season night for a motorhome, 2 people, electricity and ‘servicing’ would cost €20.

 

While rupert123’s visit to Millau may have (further) convinced him that aires are not for him, it’s perverse to suggest that, merely because the Millau aire is unattractive and not free, all aires are rubbish (which is how I understand the thrust of his reasoning).

 

The advantages of the Millau aire for a motorcaravanner staying briefly at the town should be plain - it’s open when the campsites are closed and costs less. If you insist on visiting Millau in a motorhome and on overnighting there, the CAMPING-CAR PARK installation will be the cheapest ‘official’ overnight parking option and – outside the tourist season - may be your sole choice. Comparing the Millau aire with an inexpensive Tarn Gorge campsite is pointless – there are no similar campsites at Millau.

 

There are plenty of motorhome parking possibilities in the Aveyron region

 

http://www.tourisme-aveyron.com/fr/dormir/camping-car.php

 

including this free-parking, open-all-year aire

 

http://www.broquies.fr/public/?code=page202

 

It could be maintained that, as the aire at Broquies is free, rupert123’s Tarn Gorge campsite at €12.30 a night must be a rip-off, but that would be a weird logic.

 

Campsites and aires come in many different flavours, some very enjoyable and some far less so. Surely that simple fact can’t be so difficult to understand? Is it necessary to evangelise repeatedly that campsites as a species are superior to aires, or vice versa?

[david lloyd]

Tracker - 2013-09-24 10:16 PM

 

- and some folk do seem to enjoy being parked up 4' from the next van, but at least they generally get a good view out of the windscreen or rear window!

.

 

4' eh, tracker - that's luxury! Some aires we have stayed on you can't open a coach built door between two vans! Good job we have a sliding door but even then I opened the oven door one day and found our neighbour dipping his bread In our gravy!!!!

 

Just kidding. And I agree there are good and bad aires but we always use a mix of aires and campsites - especially the French municipals which are often good value for money.

 

David

 

[Alan D]

If this is the Aire in the centre of town close by the police station, yes it can be hard to find. We have used it on numerous occasions as you can avoid the bridge toll and pick up some shopping and cheap fuel at Super U. Not been lately so we were unaware that there is now a charge. We have seen several outfits ( our own included) come to grief on the log fencing that separates the pitches.It always was a busy Aire, so I suppose it should be no surprise that revenue could be extracted although just about all the campers walked into town to spend. I suppose that if you deduct the bridge toll it could still make sense but it never was a great spot being near the busy adjacent main road. I would hope that now there is a charge someone clears up the dog poo on the site .The town is full of it despite a chap on a motor scooter with a hoover on that back cleaning it up.

Alan.

[sambukashot]

Here is a photo of the aire at Millau

[Tracker]

At least with marked bays you shouldn't get inconsiderate users taking up too much space with car trailers, awnings, picnic tables and generally parking just far enough apart to prevent full use of the available space.

[Guest JudgeMental]

david lloyd - 2013-09-25 10:06 AM

 

Tracker - 2013-09-24 10:16 PM

 

- and some folk do seem to enjoy being parked up 4' from the next van, but at least they generally get a good view out of the windscreen or rear window!

.

 

4' eh, tracker - that's luxury! Some aires we have stayed on you can't open a coach built door between two vans! Good job we have a sliding door but even then I opened the oven door one day and found our neighbour dipping his bread In our gravy!!!!

 

Just kidding. And I agree there are good and bad aires but we always use a mix of aires and campsites - especially the French municipals which are often good value for money.

 

David

 

You may be David..I'm not :-D You need to get over yourself H. The only man in christendom who cant manage or appreciate benefits of a large sliding door..that brings the outside inside. Could have bought a proper van from Germany with electric closing, they even have a new cheap version. that just pulls it in gently at closing stage..You see H, the germans know how to look after the like of you. H! you OK! get..up! ..for "expletives" sake GET UP! :D

[bigal55]

why would you park in Millau if you didn,t want to visit the town. 2 aires. that come to mind, either side the bridge . le maizieu ville & la couvertoirade, the last 1 is a templer fotified village

[rupert123]

Just visited Fontaine de Vacluse, last time here aire was 3.5 euro now old aire a carpark and new one is smaller and guess what 9.6 euro and the same daft system as the one at Millau, again much confusion at the entrance, we gave it a miss. It would seem to me that this may be the way the aires system is going, a lot of money has obviously been put into this system and more villages will certainly install it. Could this be the beginning of the end of the aires system of old as the villages realise that they gain very little from the M/H community and will put an end to the cheap system of staying the night.

[rupert123]

JudgeMental - 2013-09-25 3:16 PM

 

david lloyd - 2013-09-25 10:06 AM

 

Tracker - 2013-09-24 10:16 PM

 

- and some folk do seem to enjoy being parked up 4' from the next van, but at least they generally get a good view out of the windscreen or rear window!

.

 

4' eh, tracker - that's luxury! Some aires we have stayed on you can't open a coach built door between two vans! Good job we have a sliding door but even then I opened the oven door one day and found our neighbour dipping his bread In our gravy!!!!

 

Just kidding. And I agree there are good and bad aires but we always use a mix of aires and campsites - especially the French municipals which are often good value for money.

 

David

 

You may be David..I'm not :-D You need to get over yourself H. The only man in christendom who cant manage or appreciate benefits of a large sliding door..that brings the outside inside. Could have bought a proper van from Germany with electric closing, they even have a new cheap version. that just pulls it in gently at closing stage..You see H, the germans know how to look after the like of you. H! you OK! get..up! ..for "expletives" sake GET UP! :D

Eddie, what the hell are you on about, bringing the outside inside who the hell wants to do that. I was under the impression this thread was about the Millau aire not sliding doors on white vans pretending to be motorhomes.

[Guest JudgeMental]

Because H you are always carping on about the sliding door at every opportunity.....

[Derek Uzzell]

rupert123 - 2013-09-26 7:25 PM

 

Just visited Fontaine de Vacluse, last time here aire was 3.5 euro now old aire a carpark and new one is smaller and guess what 9.6 euro and the same daft system as the one at Millau...

 

This is another CAMPING-CAR PARK installation.

 

http://www.fontainedevaucluse-campingcarpark.com/

 

Sites in the network are listed here

 

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

 

Suggest you take a copy of the list. Then you'll be able to avoid C-CP sites and won't need to complain about them.

 

As the number of motorhomes in use continues to rise year on year and French communities become fed up with motorhomes squatting on public car-parks (as apparently was happening at Fontaine de Vaucluse), it's not difficult to see why a community might find the C-CP concept attractive. How big the C-CP network will become is anybody's guess, but it should be anticipated that French communities will increasingly protect themselves against 'stop where you like' motorhome overnight parking and that a significant fee for overnight parking will be imposed where it's practicable.

[Derek Uzzell]

JudgeMental - 2013-09-25 3:16 PM

 

...The only man in christendom who cant manage or appreciate benefits of a large sliding door..that brings the outside inside...

 

Not so - given the choice of a PVC with a side sliding-door or one with a conventional hinged door in the side I'd opt for the latter.

 

This was attempted over 10 years ago with the innovative Manhattan "Tardis" design that integrated a left-side sliding door into a 'slide out' and added a GRP hinged door on the right. There are photos here http://tinyurl.com/p4p6q2w

 

A PVC is a delivery-van with furniture and there's no option but to have a sliding 'loading door' in the side. But that doesn't mean people buying PVCs would all reject a conventional door if it were a no-cost alternative.

 

[Tracker]

I have to agree that the heavy and sometimes difficult to operate (try it on a slope - up or down) sliding door is arguably the biggest drawback with a pvc and given the chance to have conventional doors I would take it - even if it cost a bit more.

 

But it's when it comes to living convenience that a coachbuilt blows a pvc out of the ball park.

 

Just as well then that a pvc has other advantages.

 

As I often say - no right or wrong - just different and individual ways so why don't we stop all this bitching about what is allegedly best and just get on with enjoying using it?

 

And when asked for advice from a newbie lets all try and give unbiased views based on reality and not try and present the variety we own as the be all and end all.

 

How hard can it be?

[Guest JudgeMental]

Derek, But I have posted info previously with photos of conversions with opening doors. There were at least two examples at Dusseldorf In 2010. Not for me I'm afraid as turns the inside claustrophobic just like many CB, I know this because I sat in them, You need go look see before championing something.....still think most like the sliding door and don't see it as a negative, far from it!

 

And as per usual a picture tells a thousand words and I don't see anything wrong with the look of the discussed Aire. Can't have it both ways, designated parking, with the ability to enter/exit CB and then carp on about fence

 

As for "a delivery van with furniture" what's a CB then, but a poorly put together' heavy (in most cases) white box on a commercial chassis.

[Tracker]

JudgeMental - 2013-09-27 10:15 AM

And as per usual a picture tells a thousand words and I don't see anything wrong with the look of the discussed Aire. Can't have it both ways, designated parking, with the ability to enter/exit CB and then carp on about fence

 

Me neither, as town aires go it is one of the better ones - but at 9.60 Euros you are getting into campsite territory.

 

We have paid that - and more - to stop where we want to be but not habitually and once seen an aire or town like that is never returned to by many which kinda defeats the point?

[Guest JudgeMental]

Just like Brugge popular centrally located aires cost more...your money your choice

[Tracker]

Exactly - and 9.6 euros is hardly likely to break the bank is it!!

[Guest JudgeMental]

here you go Derek, Rupert, found one of the two I saw...

 

http://wohnmobile-mk.de/Reisemobilbau/index.php/wohnmobil-tur-system/

[Derek Uzzell]

I'm not "championing" the narrow hinged door for every PVC or for every potential buyer - I'm just saying it would be my own preference.

 

In the latest CC magazine there's a side-on view of an Auto-Sleepers "Kingham" and more than 50% of the aperture produced when the sliding-door is fully open is obstructed by the kitchen furniture-unit and a high level locker. I'd rather have fixed bodywork that covered the kitchen furniture-unit and locker and a hinged entrance door in the space that's left. I'd also prefer to ditch the opening rear doors for a fixed panel. Essentially, I'd like a 'coachbuilt'-type motorhome with a steel body.

 

That I'll probably end up buying a Malibu 640 with 3-litre motor and the Carthago-look front end should show that I'm prepared to compromise.

[robertandjean]

Henri, sorry you have arrived at two Aires you did not like, but also a little surprised that you did not know these two are now part of this new network, as it has been reported on web sites like camping-car infos for at least a year. There is great debate amongst French vanners about the merits or otherwise of these Aires with majority against them and suggesting a boycott. Some others are however, supportive of these and other higher charging Aires thinking it means finding a space easier and appreciative of the greater facilities offered such as WiFi etc. We now tend to fall in the latter school of thinking. Regarding entry to Millau and similar Aires then if, before you leave home, you go to the companies web site you can register, and if you want prepay, then have a card sent out which makes entry very easy.

It is just not this entry system that appears to leave many floundering, but any that involves more than giving money to a collector. For example when on stelaplatz at Trier 10 days ago the system where you collected a magnetic card at barrier on entry then loaded with money at a machine inside aire caused such hold ups, with people not driving far enough forward, or walking to machine inside first instead of collecting card that despite my very poor German spent a happy hour keeping vans moving !

[rupert123]

Tracker - 2013-09-27 10:20 AM

 

JudgeMental - 2013-09-27 10:15 AM

And as per usual a picture tells a thousand words and I don't see anything wrong with the look of the discussed Aire. Can't have it both ways, designated parking, with the ability to enter/exit CB and then carp on about fence

 

Me neither, as town aires go it is one of the better ones - but at 9.60 Euros you are getting into campsite territory.

 

We have paid that - and more - to stop where we want to be but not habitually and once seen an aire or town like that is never returned to by many which kinda defeats the point?

No real moan about the aire itself Rich just the price and the daft entry system. Not just me struggled with it and while I waited my turn several vans simply cleared off. I was in Millau for a reason, would not usually go near the place so had little choice. The system is obviously an expensive one and is bound to spread.