Aires filling up

[robertandjean]

Not yet July and Aires are already getting full, so those of you lucky enough to be heading to France soon do not leave it too late in the day to arrive at popular Aires. Now at Stenay, last stop before return on Wednesday, and last three nights 40 vans but tonight 50 so only a couple of spaces left. At Pont a Mousson all 42 spaces full, by 3.00pm on the three days we were there and similar at most of Aires we have stayed on. Which made us think again about comments on a previous thread by Had Enough that sites were the first choice for motorhomes in France, a view that seemed to go against all our years of experience of motorhoming in France, and all the reports and comments in the French motorhoming press and web sites. So on way to Stenay drove past the pleasant canal side aire at Dun sur Meuse, only 2 spaces left mid afternoon then on to the camp site on the road outside the town. This site advertises overnight stays for camping cars at 10€/night. There were no motorhomes on; spoke to camp sit owner who said do get one or two,mainly British or Dutch vans each night but only French vans are two who have families with static vans on site and they join them for le weekend. Why would camping cars stay he asked when there are so many Aires around. So there you have it Frank, straight from the horse's mouth so to speak!!

0

[bazooka]

Weare on a acsi campsite at Hall close to Innsbruck 16 euro's+3e tax,the camper stop at the entrance is 15 e with h-up.At Fussen there are 3 stellplats close together we used the first one (new one)16 euro's with h-up.One at lake Garda 15 euro's just a car park no h-ups the camp sites had shade and seemed better value.

Baz

[Guest JudgeMental]

Yawn......Seems like your getting all evangelical about bloomin Aires again...... *-)

[rupert123]

Have just returned from our latest trip and would concur with your comments about aires filling up. However this becomes, all the more, a good reason for avoiding them, who wants to be in a carpark a couple of feet from your neighbour. On this trip we once again used more aires than normal, my brothers influence, but found their use is getting ever more popular, times are hard for the French. We also found the price of using them is going up, so the main reason for them, cheap, is slowly going away.

[Guest Had Enough]

It's a great mystery to me how a man who never stays on sites claims to know how many motorhomers use them! I on the other hand stay on aires and sites and many years of experience tells me that aire users are in a minority.

 

Let's give some example of places I've stayed in the last year:

 

Annecy has two aires and the one I looked at on a bike ride is a car park that slopes and the 'vans are a few feet apart. It holds about a dozen motorhomes. I'm not sure how many the second aire holds but it's not a huge one.

 

There must be at least ten sites down the western side of the lake. Every time I've used one of them there have been dozens of motorhomes on them.

 

So my question is, considering that Annecy is one of the most popular destinations, if motorhomers aren't choosing sites, where are they staying? There's no room on the aires for the vast number of 'vans that descend on the town.

 

This applies in St. Jean de Luz where we stayed last year. The three sites had largish numbers of motorhomers on them whilst the dreadful aire holds a relatively tiny number of 'vans. And if anything sums up the mentality of many aire users it's St. Jean De Luz. I wouldn't stay on it if I was paid. It is awful but it's always full of the type of people who'll suffer second or third best rather than spend a few bob.

 

I've just returned from the Dordogne. La Roque Gageac aire had five 'vans on one night and ten a couple of days later. The campsite 500 metres west of the town had about 24 motorhomes on it and mine at Castelnaud had over a dozen, and there are many other sites in the location.

 

Earlier at Limeuil there were no 'vans on the free air most nights and the largest number I saw was three. On my site there must have two dozen motorhomes at least.

 

The last five weeks we've stayed on private and municipal sites at Ile de Noirmoutier, Ile de Re, Limeuil and Castelnaud. Every site had large numbers of motorhomes, French, German, Dutch and British.

 

France has one million pitches over nearly 10,000 campsites. Go to any of the popular ones and in the off season you'll see more motorhomes than caravans!

 

I attach a picture of our pitch at Limeuil. If you look carefully you can just see two other motorhomes to the right of mine. All over this site there were motorhomes with their sun shades rolled out, their reclining chairs to hand and many of the had a couple of bikes outside.

 

Many motorhomers do not enjoy staying on car parks with their neighbour four feet away. They enjoy spacious pitches and good facilities and will still for several days whilst they relax and explore on foot or on bikes or even by taking their 'van out for the day.

 

People who only use aires are in a minority, common sense must tell you that there aren't enough spaces on aires in the most popular places. For every aire in a place like Annecy there are six campsites, all of which will have many motorhomers on them, and I know this from my experience as do many members of this forum! But even if there were enough spaces on aires at places such as Annecy, the majority of motorhomers wouldn't use them as they do not like being crammed in like sardines and having no facilities whatsoever.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest JudgeMental]

above picture a typical example of what its all about..Al fresco living, spread out in the sunshine, relaxing, cooking on a BBQ, whatever...That some people actually prefer being bottled up in a car park, stuck in a camper is frankly astonishing!lol The price difference between municipal/aires now very narrow indeed unless your a total tightwads that is, a good few of them around particularly among the French :D

[Guest Had Enough]

rupert123 - 2014-06-24 10:20 AM

 

Have just returned from our latest trip and would concur with your comments about aires filling up. However this becomes, all the more, a good reason for avoiding them, who wants to be in a carpark a couple of feet from your neighbour. On this trip we once again used more aires than normal, my brothers influence, but found their use is getting ever more popular, times are hard for the French. We also found the price of using them is going up, so the main reason for them, cheap, is slowly going away.

 

Let's demolish one myth to start with. Aires are campsites. They're just very primitive ones. But they are sites!

 

Having just returned from a typical site in the Dordogne I thought I'd do a comparison between the aire at La Roque Gageac and my site at Castelnaud a ten minute bike ride away. But this comparison also holds good for the campsite at La Roque for those who will say that it's convenience that matters, The site (at La Roque) is on the river 500 metres west of the village.

 

Anyway, my site at Castelnaud was absolutely beautiful. In the valley of the River Ceou just a short walk from the village.

 

The aire at La Roque gives you a parking space on a car park with 'vans four feet on either side. It costs seven euros. Water is another two euros but you can't just top up as and when you want to as it's a metered supply so once you've paid you've got to keep filling. If therefore you're staying a couple of days you need to move your 'van to the borne to fill up.

 

I've used aires overnight and given up on the bornes as I've not wanted to wait an hour whilst the six 'vans in front of me empty waste, fill up with water and empty the loo. Total pain!

 

My site was 16 euro. I had a very spacious pitch with hedges at the side for privacy. A water tap was fifteen feet away and I filled up every day using my watering can and emptied every day by draining to a collapsible bucket that I have. No need to move the van at all.

 

I had superb showers with lots of hot water. EHU was included in the 16 euro ACSI fee and we had free wi-fi. And please, no rubbish about the risk of using showers and catching horrible diseases. Wear flip flops for God's sake if you're nervous!

 

A superb swimming pool was fifty yards away as was a lovely little cafe if we fancied a meal.

 

We were able to wind out the sun blind, which was essential as the weather was glorious. We took out the recliners and spent six days relaxing in between cycle rides to Daglan, Milandes, Vitrac, Domme and of course La Roque. It was heaven as the site is in a stunning location.

 

Yes, I could have saved seven euros a night and stayed on a car park with another motorhome a few feet on either side of me. But I'm not so tight that I'll suffer second best for such a trivial sum.

 

So, to make it clear again. I use aires occasionally but only for overnight stops and only if they're decent aires. I've driven into many aires and driven out immediately and used a local campsite.

 

People who only ever use aires and never use sites do it for one reason only - money. That of course is their privilege and if they're on a tight budget or just tight who can argue, good luck to them.

 

But please, I just wish they'd stop waxing lyrical about what are very often just second class campsites with no facilities and no space.

 

And yes, I've stayed on a few aires that were quiet and free or inexpensive, but the ones with space were without exception in relatively unpopular rural locations. Go to any hotspot such as Annecy or St. Jean de Luz and it's a very different and very cramped story!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[arthur49]

Well I like your posts about Aires robertandjean. :-D

 

We use Aires and Sites ...

[sshortcircuit]

Had Enough - 2014-06-24 1:01 PM

 

rupert123 - 2014-06-24 10:20 AM

 

Have just returned from our latest trip and would concur with your comments about aires filling up. However this becomes, all the more, a good reason for avoiding them, who wants to be in a carpark a couple of feet from your neighbour. On this trip we once again used more aires than normal, my brothers influence, but found their use is getting ever more popular, times are hard for the French. We also found the price of using them is going up, so the main reason for them, cheap, is slowly going away.

 

Let's demolish one myth to start with. Aires are campsites. They're just very primitive ones. But they are sites!

 

Having just returned from a typical site in the Dordogne I thought I'd do a comparison between the aire at La Roque Gageac and my site at Castelnaud a ten minute bike ride away. But this comparison also holds good for the campsite at La Roque for those who will say that it's convenience that matters, The site (at La Roque) is on the river 500 metres west of the village.

 

Anyway, my site at Castelnaud was absolutely beautiful. In the valley of the River Ceou just a short walk from the village.

 

The aire at La Roque gives you a parking space on a car park with 'vans four feet on either side. It costs seven euros. Water is another two euros but you can't just top up as and when you want to as it's a metered supply so once you've paid you've got to keep filling. If therefore you're staying a couple of days you need to move your 'van to the borne to fill up.

 

I've used aires overnight and given up on the bornes as I've not wanted to wait an hour whilst the six 'vans in front of me empty waste, fill up with water and empty the loo. Total pain!

 

My site was 16 euro. I had a very spacious pitch with hedges at the side for privacy. A water tap was fifteen feet away and I filled up every day using my watering can and emptied every day by draining to a collapsible bucket that I have. No need to move the van at all.

 

I had superb showers with lots of hot water. EHU was included in the 16 euro ACSI fee and we had free wi-fi. And please, no rubbish about the risk of using showers and catching horrible diseases. Wear flip flops for God's sake if you're nervous!

 

A superb swimming pool was fifty yards away as was a lovely little cafe if we fancied a meal.

 

We were able to wind out the sun blind, which was essential as the weather was glorious. We took out the recliners and spent six days relaxing in between cycle rides to Daglan, Milandes, Vitrac, Domme and of course La Roque. It was heaven as the site is in a stunning location.

 

Yes, I could have saved seven euros a night and stayed on a car park with another motorhome a few feet on either side of me. But I'm not so tight that I'll suffer second best for such a trivial sum.

 

So, to make it clear again. I use aires occasionally but only for overnight stops and only if they're decent aires. I've driven into many aires and driven out immediately and used a local campsite.

 

People who only ever use aires and never use sites do it for one reason only - money. That of course is their privilege and if they're on a tight budget or just tight who can argue, good luck to them.

 

But please, I just wish they'd stop waxing lyrical about what are very often just second class campsites with no facilities and no space.

 

And yes, I've stayed on a few aires that were quiet and free or inexpensive, but the ones with space were without exception in relatively unpopular rural locations. Go to any hotspot such as Annecy or St. Jean de Luz and it's a very different and very cramped story!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a silly post. I am sure we could find an aires that is to the same standard as your camp site and others that are not. We could also find camp sites that are worse than some aires so no real point and we would just go round in circles. Its where the individual is happy at parking and thankfully we are all different.

 

With reference to St. Jean de Luz, the only point it has going for it is its location which could not be more central other than that it not for me. Found a lovely ACSI camp site just along the road.

[Guest Had Enough]

sshortcircuit - 2014-06-24 3:25 PM

 

What a silly post. I am sure we could find an aires that is to the same standard as your camp site and others that are not. We could also find camp sites that are worse than some aires so no real point and we would just go round in circles. Its where the individual is happy at parking and thankfully we are all different.

 

With reference to St. Jean de Luz, the only point it has going for it is its location which could not be more central other than that it not for me. Found a lovely ACSI camp site just along the road.

 

And what a rude response! I was comparing two different alternatives in the same location and the aire at La Roque Gageac is actually considered a very good one because of its location.

 

But I have never found any aire that compares with a good campsite and it's for all the obvious reasons stated - no facilities whatsoever!

 

Aires are fine for overnighting but to compare them with a decent site where you can spread out and have all the facilities that I mentioned is equally silly!

 

I would also remind you that I didn't start this discussion. It was R&J's post which was actually addressed to me. He is the one doing his usual trick of trying to convince us that the majority of motorhomers choose aires over sites. He seems determined to convince himself that what he does is the route most others choose.

 

And your point about St. Jean de Luz is true of many aires. Convenient but cramped and noisy!

 

So you really prove my point. You chose a campsite because the aire is terrible!

 

 

[sean.clarke]

JudgeMental - 2014-06-24 12:52 PM

 

above picture a typical example of what its all about..Al fresco living, spread out in the sunshine, relaxing, cooking on a BBQ, whatever...

 

Noooooooooo don't start me off - was only back a few days and started planning my next big escape.....

 

Back to the grind stone.... >:-(

[sshortcircuit]

In this particular instance I chose a camp site as the Aires was not to my liking. I have parked on an Aires at Rotheneuf which has huge pitches, last time 4 RVs parked up, so its what suits me. Also been on the Aires at Bayeux which is a car park in the middle of town. One side of street closed off, band stand erected and local pub had a jazz night, brilliant. Its what your comfortable with and we are all different

[rupert123]

Had Enough - 2014-06-24 1:01 PM

 

rupert123 - 2014-06-24 10:20 AM

 

Have just returned from our latest trip and would concur with your comments about aires filling up. However this becomes, all the more, a good reason for avoiding them, who wants to be in a carpark a couple of feet from your neighbour. On this trip we once again used more aires than normal, my brothers influence, but found their use is getting ever more popular, times are hard for the French. We also found the price of using them is going up, so the main reason for them, cheap, is slowly going away.

 

Let's demolish one myth to start with. Aires are campsites. They're just very primitive ones. But they are sites!

 

Having just returned from a typical site in the Dordogne I thought I'd do a comparison between the aire at La Roque Gageac and my site at Castelnaud a ten minute bike ride away. But this comparison also holds good for the campsite at La Roque for those who will say that it's convenience that matters, The site (at La Roque) is on the river 500 metres west of the village.

 

Anyway, my site at Castelnaud was absolutely beautiful. In the valley of the River Ceou just a short walk from the village.

 

The aire at La Roque gives you a parking space on a car park with 'vans four feet on either side. It costs seven euros. Water is another two euros but you can't just top up as and when you want to as it's a metered supply so once you've paid you've got to keep filling. If therefore you're staying a couple of days you need to move your 'van to the borne to fill up.

 

I've used aires overnight and given up on the bornes as I've not wanted to wait an hour whilst the six 'vans in front of me empty waste, fill up with water and empty the loo. Total pain!

 

My site was 16 euro. I had a very spacious pitch with hedges at the side for privacy. A water tap was fifteen feet away and I filled up every day using my watering can and emptied every day by draining to a collapsible bucket that I have. No need to move the van at all.

 

I had superb showers with lots of hot water. EHU was included in the 16 euro ACSI fee and we had free wi-fi. And please, no rubbish about the risk of using showers and catching horrible diseases. Wear flip flops for God's sake if you're nervous!

 

A superb swimming pool was fifty yards away as was a lovely little cafe if we fancied a meal.

 

We were able to wind out the sun blind, which was essential as the weather was glorious. We took out the recliners and spent six days relaxing in between cycle rides to Daglan, Milandes, Vitrac, Domme and of course La Roque. It was heaven as the site is in a stunning location.

 

Yes, I could have saved seven euros a night and stayed on a car park with another motorhome a few feet on either side of me. But I'm not so tight that I'll suffer second best for such a trivial sum.

 

So, to make it clear again. I use aires occasionally but only for overnight stops and only if they're decent aires. I've driven into many aires and driven out immediately and used a local campsite.

 

People who only ever use aires and never use sites do it for one reason only - money. That of course is their privilege and if they're on a tight budget or just tight who can argue, good luck to them.

 

But please, I just wish they'd stop waxing lyrical about what are very often just second class campsites with no facilities and no space.

 

And yes, I've stayed on a few aires that were quiet and free or inexpensive, but the ones with space were without exception in relatively unpopular rural locations. Go to any hotspot such as Annecy or St. Jean de Luz and it's a very different and very cramped story!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure why you are quoting me here as I, sort off, agree with you, have I missed something. Incidentally although I do not agree with all their aires stuff Robert&jean are very helpful people despite their aires fixation.

[PJay]

For once I have to agree with Hadenough, and I don't think it was a silly post, or offensive. he was just stating his (and quiet a few others) views.

Agree with Rupert also, R & J are obsessive about aires.We don't like staying on car parks, so rarely use aires, only if with friend who lives in France, and will only stay on aires (like the French), though he did come to one site a municipal, 8 euros, and he did make the most of the facilities!!

Horse's for Course's I woud say

PJay

[starvin marvin]

Here we go again....boring.

[LordThornber]

With an eye on future plans, I recently purchased the All the Aires book.

 

It's certainly an eye opener when you can actually see some of them, admittedly some do look quite easy on the eye but of course the pics are taken with only a handful of vans present.

 

Some of them I wouldn't stay if I was paid to.

 

Overnight in some of them, yes I can see the appeal, (that's why I bought the book), but a Super U car park, with all the comings and goings of deliveries etc, err no thanks.

 

Each to their own as ever, but please don't try to tell me it's the way to go.

 

Frank makes all the right noises of a holiday (for us), in a motorhome, lounging, bbq, water and drainage handy, awning, pool etc.

 

A van 4 foot away in a car park?

 

Martyn

[Guest JudgeMental]

I can assure you out of season Aires are fine, but in season, and hot weather if your unfortunate to get on one a nightmare.....Most more like a refugee camp then a holiday! :-D

[Guest Had Enough]

JudgeMental - 2014-06-25 8:30 AM

 

I can assure you out of season Aires are fine, but in season, and hot weather if your unfortunate to get on one a nightmare.....Most more like a refugee camp then a holiday! :-D

 

Shame on us for continuing this thread when Startin Fartin has decreed that it's boring! ;-) Anyway, at the risk of incurring his wrath I shall plod on!

 

Yes, I agree, when it's quiet some aires are fine for an overnight stop and there's the odd one where we've even stayed a couple of days.

 

However, I've found them to be useless in winter as the water and waste facilities are turned off to avoid freezing.

 

OK, if you're happy not to shower for days then you might get away without filling up your water tank, but that's not for me I'm afraid.

 

We're happy to use toll motorways and very often we have found that water is available on the motorway picnic aires and we now overnight on one of these when travelling south. There's usually a tap outside the toilet block where we can fill up using our watering can.

 

 

[sshortcircuit]

LordThornber - 2014-06-25 8:22 AM

 

With an eye on future plans, I recently purchased the All the Aires book.

 

It's certainly an eye opener when you can actually see some of them, admittedly some do look quite easy on the eye but of course the pics are taken with only a handful of vans present.

 

Some of them I wouldn't stay if I was paid to.

 

Overnight in some of them, yes I can see the appeal, (that's why I bought the book), but a Super U car park, with all the comings and goings of deliveries etc, err no thanks.

 

Each to their own as ever, but please don't try to tell me it's the way to go.

 

Frank makes all the right noises of a holiday (for us), in a motorhome, lounging, bbq, water and drainage handy, awning, pool etc.

 

A van 4 foot away in a car park?

 

Martyn

 

Unless you have had actual experienced it I have stayed on two different Super U car parks and have been totally unaware of any deliveries being made. Helps to provide actual experience to a posting.??

[Mad Mitch]

I agree with Judgemental that in the quiet seasons aires can assume a different character. It also depends on location. If you only want to venture a few km's off the motorway then you may well only find "commercial aires - both in location and cost. If you head into more rural areas you may find some lovely aires, free and immaculate. We were struck by the apparent competitiveness between small towns and villages in the countryside, all of which were trying to outdo each other in cleanliness and facilities. Some of the custom-built services are clever and practical.

 

It's all about selection and preference.

 

Mad Mitch.

[Guest Had Enough]

sshortcircuit - 2014-06-25 9:30 AM

 

Unless you have had actual experienced it I have stayed on two different Super U car parks and have been totally unaware of any deliveries being made. Helps to provide actual experience to a posting.??

 

You may have been lucky but it is axiomatic that supermarkets have deliveries and those deliveries can be at any time of the day and very often early in the morning.

 

Commonsense tells me that there is bound to be a risk of noise if using a supermarket car park. If for instance there is a campsite or an aire that's adjacent to a busy road I don't need to experience staying there to deduce that there's a very good chance of lots of road noise.

 

 

 

[sshortcircuit]

Had Enough - 2014-06-25 10:54 AM

 

sshortcircuit - 2014-06-25 9:30 AM

 

Unless you have had actual experienced it I have stayed on two different Super U car parks and have been totally unaware of any deliveries being made. Helps to provide actual experience to a posting.??

 

You may have been lucky but it is axiomatic that supermarkets have deliveries and those deliveries can be at any time of the day and very often early in the morning.

 

Commonsense tells me that there is bound to be a risk of noise if using a supermarket car park. If for instance there is a campsite or an aire that's adjacent to a busy road I don't need to experience staying there to deduce that there's a very good chance of lots of road noise.

 

 

 

Totally agree with you as in both instances the supermarkets goods in was opposite side of building about 200m away from aire so no problems

 

With respect to an aires beside a main road we stopped at Brezolles which according to All the Aires was "Edge of village with shops. View of church. Beautiful gardens, small trees and shrubs. Picnic area." Sounds idyllic however it was adjacent to a bridge which had a bump at one end and the road was used by commercials all night long with the bump causing the trailers to rattle about with continuous noise. Never again.

 

You always have a choice and I was caught out with this one.

[LordThornber]

Short circuit, well it's so long ago I cannot even remember where it was, but in fairness to ourselves we were quite 'green'.

 

Never gave it a thought about deliveries, probably because we were dog tired and just wanted to sleep.

 

Which of course we didn't 8-)

 

I fully expect us to embrace use of Aires in the future, but certainly not to save €5, or worse, to be within 1.5 meters of another van.

 

Martyn

[Guest pelmetman]

Booked on a free pub site for tomorrow night apparently just of the M3 :D...................but in return we'll have a meal in the restaurant ;-)...................Its Pie night B-).................

 

Skinflints Rock ;-).............

 

 

[sshortcircuit]

Well Martyn, on the way back from Spain earlier this year we stayed on three aires, only one of which we paid for, €7, the rest were free. Only on one were we about 2m away from another MH and as it was an overnight not a problem all the others we were well spaced. All other stops for the 2 months were ACSI sites as although many say Spain is great for wild camping its not what we wanted

 

As far as being within 1.5m of another van to put in a bit of perspective. I stayed in a hotel in Spain and could hear the gent in the next room snoring as the bedheads were on the party wall.,6" of plasterboard wall. No chance of moving to find another room. At least with 1.5m it would need to be an extremely loud snorer and I would still have the option to move.

 

Aires are not everybodys choice and like camp sites you get the good and the bad.