No Whaire like this in UK

[John52]

Tracker - 2020-08-28 10:40 AM

 

 

But in today's social climate in the UK where perpetrators are seen as victims who deserve sympathy and victims seen as whingers who deserve no sympathy from the do gooders and the media

 

 

.... Ian Huntley gets his own jacuzzi and a gym in jail....

(lol)

[Nicepix]

robertandjean - 2020-08-28 5:52 PM

 

We seem to have gone a bit of track here, not sure that possibility of travelllers taking over Aires is why no Aires in UK , think might be more to do with vested interests of campsites and clubs. But back to Aires in France that we are staying on and would recommend. Last couple of nights we were at Broglie; this Aire charges just under 7€/night, for very well spaced out and set out pitches in a nice parkland setting a short walk from a nice town with an interesting aquatic garden. The fee includes water and dump plus 2 electric hook up points, also free, not time limited and 16amp, so arrive in good time for one of these (we arrived mid afternoon and were first van that day so had hook up for all our stay). Now at Rugles, an Aire again on edge of an interesting town with usual facilities; this is a free Aire in two parts. The original section consists of 3 marked spaces in part of a car park. The new section takes 6 vans in an area just for motorhome with nice view over parkland and free electric hook up included!

To link to other comments there are a small group of travelers in the vicinity, but not on the Aire but on some land further down road so no problem.

 

The comments about travellers ruining aires is valid as regards UK locations where it is more likely to happen and therefore deters communities from opening such amenities. Another reason is the difference in social behaviour of the public. You will have noticed that in France there are many aires, picnic spots and amenities that are not vandalised or blighted with graffiti and litter. Hire craft can be safely left out over the closed season and remain untouched. Picnic tables are not seen as a challenge for destruction as they are in the UK. Except in the larger towns and cities you don't get off-road motorbikes tearing up the footpaths and chemins. The whole mentality is different.

 

There will never be aires in the UK as there are in other parts of Europe simply because the society is different and is still heading in the wrong direction.

[robertandjean]

Another gem, This time Harcourt west of Evreux, again a motorhome only area, an old tennis court, certainly not a car park! All services and staying for night are free including electric hook up, although only one point, shared yesterday on own at moment. Easy walk to lovely old town and chateau.

Regarding travellers at Rugles then left without leaving any sign had ever been.

Decided best not to worry about trying for Aires in U.K., will just continue coming France, as have done for many years, where we Motorhomers are made welcome.

[Nicepix]

I would guess that you are not finding these aires by accident so well done on your research.

[Guest rael]

If anyone is going to Italy then there are some free places scattered around. We found this one on our way to Ancona last year.

 

www.campercontact.com/en/italy/marche-an-ap-mc-pu/corinaldo/29886/coricamper

 

 

[Bulletguy]

robertandjean - 2020-08-28 4:52 PM

 

We seem to have gone a bit of track here, not sure that possibility of travelllers taking over Aires is why no Aires in UK , think might be more to do with vested interests of campsites and clubs.

Spot on. Some years ago i stopped off at Flamborough Head on the way up to visit friends in Scotland. There was a huge vast car park and Cafe opposite where i had a few coffees and a bite. As the Cafe was open in the morning i thought about staying on the car park overnight, then having breakfast at the cafe before leaving. No chance. The cafe told me the car park barrier got locked after a certain time and any vehicles left on there subjected to clamping and fine. It turned out the owner of a nearby campsite was also on the council.. Doesn't take much to figure what had gone on there.

 

I often wonder what sort of impression motorhome/caravan tourists visiting UK for the first time leave with. I suspect it's not very good as i see very few foreign registered mh's here.

[spirou]

Bulletguy - 2020-09-01 4:44 PM

 

I often wonder what sort of impression motorhome/caravan tourists visiting UK for the first time leave with. I suspect it's not very good as i see very few foreign registered mh's here.

 

In my case its more about it being too far for any normal lenght holiday even though we have family in Scotland. Also, much more convenient to fly (at least it used to be) and rent a car. I have sometimes wondered what it would be like in a van and I've seen plenty of places to spend the night outside major cities. The reports I've read were also mostly positive.

[John52]

Bulletguy - 2020-09-01 3:44 PM

 

robertandjean - 2020-08-28 4:52 PM

 

We seem to have gone a bit of track here, not sure that possibility of travelllers taking over Aires is why no Aires in UK , think might be more to do with vested interests of campsites and clubs.

Spot on. Some years ago i stopped off at Flamborough Head on the way up to visit friends in Scotland. There was a huge vast car park and Cafe opposite where i had a few coffees and a bite. As the Cafe was open in the morning i thought about staying on the car park overnight, then having breakfast at the cafe before leaving. No chance. The cafe told me the car park barrier got locked after a certain time and any vehicles left on there subjected to clamping and fine. It turned out the owner of a nearby campsite was also on the council.. Doesn't take much to figure what had gone on there.

 

I often wonder what sort of impression motorhome/caravan tourists visiting UK for the first time leave with. I suspect it's not very good as i see very few foreign registered mh's here.

 

Yes from what I have seen of parking across the channel is its publicly owned and run as a public service.

Wheras in England even the Motorway parking is privatised and run to maximise revenue

[Bulletguy]

John52 - 2020-09-01 8:33 PM

 

Bulletguy - 2020-09-01 3:44 PM

 

robertandjean - 2020-08-28 4:52 PM

 

We seem to have gone a bit of track here, not sure that possibility of travelllers taking over Aires is why no Aires in UK , think might be more to do with vested interests of campsites and clubs.

Spot on. Some years ago i stopped off at Flamborough Head on the way up to visit friends in Scotland. There was a huge vast car park and Cafe opposite where i had a few coffees and a bite. As the Cafe was open in the morning i thought about staying on the car park overnight, then having breakfast at the cafe before leaving. No chance. The cafe told me the car park barrier got locked after a certain time and any vehicles left on there subjected to clamping and fine. It turned out the owner of a nearby campsite was also on the council.. Doesn't take much to figure what had gone on there.

 

I often wonder what sort of impression motorhome/caravan tourists visiting UK for the first time leave with. I suspect it's not very good as i see very few foreign registered mh's here.

 

Yes from what I have seen of parking across the channel is its publicly owned and run as a public service.

Wheras in England even the Motorway parking is privatised and run to maximise revenue

UK motorway service areas are prime ground for dishing out PCN's. This group advise about the legality of these tickets and how to proceed; https://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/motorway-services/

 

No comparison to service areas on the German Autobahns with free parking stay as long as you wish, many with mature trees giving lots of shaded areas, outdoor seating and tables, some even have fixed barbeque points for people to use.

[John52]

Bulletguy - 2020-09-01 9:24 PM

UK motorway service areas are prime ground for dishing out PCN's. This group advise about the legality of these tickets and how to proceed; https://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/motorway-services/

 

No comparison to service areas on the German Autobahns with free parking stay as long as you wish, many with mature trees giving lots of shaded areas, outdoor seating and tables, some even have fixed barbeque points for people to use.

 

Motorway parking used to be like that in England - to encourage tired drivers to stop and rest for safety reasons.

But the motorway service areas were sold off in the privatisation mania of the 1980's

So now its about maximising revenue rather than road safety

 

[robertandjean]

First thanks for all the responses so far to this thread, the vast majority of which have been very positive. A quick update on our recent Aires. First was Le Vaudreuil just south of the Seine and east of Rouen. This was not as good as we anticipated from on line reviews, being one of Dereks’ car park style Aires. only two marked motorhome spaces, both of which sloped, but we decided to stay. On the plus side a new service point was in evidence with free water, emptying point and four free electric hook up points. On arrival a lady came over who was either the mayor, or worked with the mayor (we found her rapid French difficult to follow) who was really proud of the new service point recently installed; we did not say that we thought the spaces to park on could have been improved, But we slept well as after 11pm, despite being on edge of a car park there was hardly any noise. However, still not keen on this genre of Aire. Our next stop was another gem, of which more later.

[robertandjean]

And what a gem. Songeons is a new Aire really well set out with 6 individual hard standing pitches, separated by small hedges and grass with open outlook over a field and woods. Two things worth mentioning are where it is situated, right in the midst of a really nice private housing development. In fact our pitch was right next to the rear fence of one house! Feel sure in U.K. people would not have been best pleased, to say the least! The second is the town itself is nice enough but you are within walking distance of one of the nicest villages in France, Gerberoy. We did the walk, it takes around 30 minutes, but the path is uneven and steep in places so if to visit again would drive van as there is a large easy to access parking at base of village.(There is no charge to park on Aire, water costs 2€, no hook ups but Aire is lit all night).

[robertandjean]

Well back in U.K. now for our 14 day quarantine! But to be honest well worth having to spend a couple of weeks at home for the enjoyment we have had. A quick mention of our last couple of stops. First was Conty, an old favourite, just south of Amiens, we have visited many times. It is a large grass based Aire, in a nice setting in a small town very much involved with horses, in fact we arrived in time to watch a showjumping e ent which was a nice bonus. Aire is free to stay with 3€ charge for water. Second stop was at Cappy on the River Somme. This is an Aire in the CAMPING-CAR Park group, and costs 10€/night which includes all services, 6A hook up and free WiFi. It is an old municipal camp site, stil allows tents etc in July/August and is well set out with individual hedged pitches and pleasant walk to village with marina on canal. Weather was so nice we stayed 4 nights before finishing back at Sangatte. There was no sign of asylum seekers by the way and as always felt very safe with at least 40 other vans there!

Honestly there is no where better than France for a motorhome trip! And yes the Covid rate is really rising there but where we have been have felt very safe, everyone wares masks in shops etc and no one seemed worried. If can arrange insurance cover then would return soon as poss

[StuartO]

As the previous poster says, whether you feel safe and secure going to France (or anywhere abroad) in a motorhome depends on being able to get reliable travel insurance and feeling safe enough doing the things you want to do. Motorhoming is inately self-isolating so if you can avoid mingling with crowds you will be reducing the risks very substantially.

 

But there's always the risk that something goes wrong which throws you completely - maybe on to dependence on obtaining help either to get home or to seek complex help locally, after a breakdown, a road accident or developing a seriously disabling and/or threatening illness. We had a breakdown a couple of years ago which we were really very lucky to get prompt help to deal with. And COVID-19 is still extremely threatening to people of motorhoming age, so I for one won't be risking going abroad anytime soon; at least not until after we've had a vaccine. We suffered a sudden and spectacular episode of Norovirus illness while touring in UK a while back and that showed me that there are situations you really don't want to find yourself in because they are extremely difficult to deal with in a motorhome. If both of us had gone down with it at the same time it would have been overwhelming. Incidentally the NHS was absolutely no help at all on that occasion.

[robertandjean]

Stuart, you are right about the need to be sure that your insurances for both travel and motorhome fully cover you, which is why we rushed to cross over to France just before the government advice regarding essential travel only came into force. Once there our insurances fully covered us. To return whilst advice not to travel is still in place then would need insurance cover lthat allowed travel in such circumstances.

You are also right that norovirus is very unpleasant, as we found when Jean succumbed on a cruise holiday a couple of years ago. Neither is going into hospital abroad something to look forward to, but this happened to me in France a few years ago, suffering with heart problems. They were very good however, and I was soon sorted out.

So in conclusion yes things might happen but if we take sensible precautions feel that we must continue to attempt to continue to do what we enjoy, like when we can returning to France in our motorhome.