Ridgewoodwoody Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 Hi. New to all this motorhome malarky but really looking forward, come the day, when we can freely travel around Europe again. To that end I would be grateful for suggestions about the best guide(s) to get to motorhome-friendly sites across Europe. Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 There are broadly two kind of sites. Campsites, and motorhome specific stopping places (usually without facilities other than waste disposal, fresh water and electricity) that are sometimes, but not always, free. The latter are often referred to (somewhat misleadingly) by the French word "aires". They are widespread in France, Germany, and most of Italy, but are less widespread, or not available, elsewhere. It would help to know whether you generally prefer to use your on-board facilities (toilet, shower and wash basin, plus food preparation and washing up provision), or whether you would be more inclined to use the facilities available on camp sites, as this will influence the sort of "sites" that will suit your preferences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamRienza Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 I carry a copy of all the aires (France) which pinpoints and describes several thousand of the basic parking with water and waste locations. For sites I use the ACSI discount card scheme for low and mid seasons. Both these and many others can be seen and purchased from vicariousbooks https://www.vicarious-shop.com/ I also make extensive use of searchforsites.co.uk with their website or app. Huge selection of all types of stopover in many countries including the Uk. I would say that it is my first stop when researching, although you will find many others such as parkfornight, campercontact etc Davy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 We carry several campsite/aires guides, as some where brought over several years they often double up. All the aires France. Bord Atlas. Camping Card ACSI. Michelin Guide (nowadays just a shadow of it's earlier self). C&CC sites guide for UK. Probably got more in the van which I've forgotten about, and have loads of old ones in a filing cabinet. On the sat nav I've got Archies POI's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirou Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 Plenty of phone apps/websites have eliminated the need for paper. Although we still might have acsi books in the van I don't remember using more than once or twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel wood Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 You have had some good suggestions already but one series of books that hasn't been mentioned are the guides to campsites produced by the Caravan and Motorhome Club (formerly known as The Caravan Club). They contain entries recommended by members . They are "Touring France", "Spain and Portugal" and "Touring Europe". (The last one covers countries not in the other two.) They are available for non-members to buy at a slightly higher price than for non-members. You'll find details at www.caravanclub.co.uk/overseas-holidays/holiday-ideas/brochures-and-guides/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 We toured a lot of Europe very happily for over 10 years without ever using a site. The Vicarious Books guides are very good, if a bit pricey, are all in English and the Sat Nav lat and long coordinates are usually spot on. They call them 'All the Aires' but they do exclude many of the less savoury ones and afew that have been missed! Spain and Portugal also have a reasonable selection of 'Aires' Another good book is Camperstop Europe https://www.vicarious-shop.com/collections/motorhome-aires-stopovers PS I am not being paid by Vicarious - we just like their products!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 In the early-2000s, when I was a member of the Caravan Club (now the Caravan and Motorhome Club ) their overseas touring guides were substantial booklets with a lot of entries. From around 2014 the guides’ format changed and, nowadays, there are three publications - Touring France, Touring Spain and Portugal, Touring Europe (which covers Central and South East Europe, Scandinavia & Benelux) - and, for a C&MC non-member, the cost of all three publications would be £27.50 A major snag with the earlier guides was that many of the entries were untrustworthy due to their age. (I remember travelling to one of the campsites mentioned only to find it had been closed for several years.) No hardcopy campsite guide can be 100% up-to-date and I’m pretty sure the C&MC guides are published biennially. It was also the case (understandably) that the reviews were much more relevant to caravans than to motorhomes. In France nowadays I use the ACSI booklet for campsites. I still carry an elderly copy of the "Le Guide officiel Aires de service camping-car” (2020 issue shown here) https://www.vicarious-shop.com/collections/motorhome-aires-stopovers/products/le-guide-officiel-aires-de-services-camping-car-2020 but this is readily available in France and cheaper to buy there. (As the French ‘aires’ network doesn’t change much, a used 2018 copy of this guide for about £5 from ebay should be adequate.) Otherwise (like spirou) I use motorhome-specific websites (examples here) https://www.campercontact.com/en http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index.php I’m also a member of the Camping-Car Park scheme https://campingcarpark.com/en/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewoodwoody Posted August 27, 2020 Author Share Posted August 27, 2020 Lots of thanks for all your responses. Very useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rael Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 I really only use these 2 websites now, no books/guides. https://www.campercontact.com/en https://www.searchforsites.co.uk/ Its possible to download most of the information, using the apps for both sites on a phone, if you are out of range of a decent signal or wi-fi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brugge Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 I use the ACSI guidebooks all the time, 16€ for the two books covering all of europe , good prices on most campsites and the offer on many for 14 nights pay for 11. Very easy to get the cost of the card/guides back. They also do a larger guide aimed manly for camping cars but not sure if its available in the uk. The caravan club guides l find are out dated and over priced. Last years France guide was £10.99 the Spain & Portugal guide £8.50 there is around 10 pages on Portugal and about 30 pages on Spain in the guide, not value for money to me. Nothing like the old caravan europe guides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 There are 'motorhome-related' English-language guides available through the ACSI webshop https://webshop.acsi.eu/en/guides-to-motorhome-pitches.html but these are not ACSI publications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewoodwoody Posted August 31, 2020 Author Share Posted August 31, 2020 Thank so much everyone for these really useful replies. Much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brugge Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 For the ACSI guidebook that is for mainly for camping cars is available on their website 24.95€ for both books with the app and card plus postage. They have over 12,000 sites sites / aires listed in them. They are only available in Dutch, Germain and French. Now is probably not the best time to buy them as there is only 4 months left to the end of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 Thanks - I eventually found the French advert. https://webshop.acsi.eu/fr/acsi-guides-des-aires-camping-cars/acsi-campingcard-airescampingcars-2020.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpstart Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 Derek what is the advantage of ACSI over all the apps showing sites and aires? Is it that they have a larger number in the books? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 For me, motorcaravanning in France outside the summer high season and (nowadays) tending not to stay on 'aires', ACSI campsite discounts make it. financially worthwhile for me to be a member of the ACSI scheme - it's as simple as that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brugge Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 Totaly agree with Derek, the reason l use it. Wouldn't be without it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 Ridgewoodwoody - 2020-08-26 6:06 PM Hi. I would be grateful for suggestions about the best guide(s) to get to motorhome-friendly sites across Europe. Many thanks Theres also https://motorhomeinsider.com/france-passion-for-motorhomes/ and also UK and Switzerland German an Italian equivalents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 witzend - 2020-09-06 10:36 PM Theres also https://motorhomeinsider.com/france-passion-for-motorhomes/ and also UK and Switzerland German an Italian equivalents And France Passion apparently now has its own app... https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/news/france-passion-app-launched-for-motorhomers it was mentioned in Witzends link but only as a passing comment. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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