# There's something in the Aire.



## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

Forges les Eaux

It's not fair to call it 'the Aire from Hell when it's such a good one, the town is nice too and the people are your typical friendly French. We planned to stay for the weekend and then head for Calais but personal circumstances and bad weather meant we went there for a week. 

Saturday 6th August
I said that if I ever had an issue with a potential intruder in the middle of the night I wouldn't sit in my 'van and do nothing. Everyone's circumstances and opinions are different I suppose and mine is that the 'wait it out' and 'drive off' approach are back-firing and making Motorhomers easy targets.

Around 00:15 I heard footsteps outside and assumed it was another Motorhomer walking about so didn't look. Ten minutes later and a few minutes in to Father Ted Kicking Bishop Brennan up the Arse the van rocked violently but neither of us had moved. I got up, looked out the windows, dressed, grabbed a torch and chunky steering wheel crook-lock (a metal cylinder, 4cm diameter and 45cm long) and went out for a look making my wife lock the door behind me, I think that was the first time she's ever done as I've asked.

I looked around but nothing, at the back but there was no signs of damage or hand prints on the grubby rear, around the offside I was drawn to the 'vans opposite and standing in between two was a wee fat bloke. Was he from a van? Did he shake ours? The Aire is lit but the vans cause shadows so it was hard for my eyes to focus. I switched the torch on and pointed it at him he ran behind a van and as I approached he reappeared and ran along the back the vans. The high thick hedge around the Aire meant he had to run to the junction to get out. I followed but had no intention of catching him. Was he alone? If he had left a mate behind and I'd fell pray to a scam I'd have left my wife behind alone. I'd interrupted him and gave him a fright, that was enough. I waited outside for a while to see if anything else happened. Inside we sat up for a while to see if he came back but he didn't. We went back to bed around 03:00 but it was after 04:00 when we finally got to sleep. 

What was he doing? There was no vandalism and presumably no theft as he left empty handed. Do people go shaking 'vans at night trying to scare people? Things could only get better.

Sunday 7th August
An uneventful day but we were expecting another visit from the wee fat bloke so I slept with shorts on and with my eyes open. I made the wife a flask of hot coffee and she sat up all night holding on to my crook-lock. Nothing happened Things could only get better. 

Monday 8th August. 
A very smart Rapido Motorhome had parked next to us and the couple seemed friendly enough. Then the banging started, it sounded like they dropped everything they picked up. This went on for hours before we realised what they were doing, the smell of cleaning products wafting out the windows gave it away. They eventually stopped cleaning and banging about 21:30. Peace at last. Later, around 00:05 I was having my last smoke of the day when I heard a strange thudding noise. I looked down the road between the vans and there emerging from between two was a old man with a walking stick. He walked over to one of the vans opposite and stared through gaps in the screen. He looked familiar, he was short and fat. Suddenly there was a loud bang, the cleaners next door had dropped something, the old man heard it and turned to see me and then he slowly walked off. 

Was he same wee fat bloke from Saturday night? He looked older though. Had I, a crook-lock brandishing verbally abusive maniac, chased an old man, a pensioner 50 meters out the Aire? He didn't have a walking stick on Saturday, had he fallen and injured himself as he ran out the Aire? Can fat old men really run fast? Things could only get better. 

Tuesday 9th August. 
The weather was improving and at least there was a break in the clouds. The cleaners were in the services to giving their van another clean before they left. Within 10 minutes their space was taken by another van and in it was the nosiest woman in the world who stared at us the whole day. So we had to close the blinds. Things could only get better. 

Wednesday 10th 
It was a beautiful day but we stayed in bed until the nosey bint next door had left. It was only 10 minutes after they'd gone when the space was taken by a nice Belgian couple, a nice, quite, considerate couple. We sat out to enjoy the weather. A loud roar from the main road made everyone look. It was a Motorhome, a coach-built on a Mercedes 308 probably 9 meters long, 3.5 high and 2.5 wide from Belgium, it was colossal. It pulled in and park on the other side of us even though 44 of the 50 spaces were available. The door opened and a family of 9 yes NINE got out followed by a chocolate lab. They turned the Aire into a playground and a junk yard with stuff lying everywhere. The day saw umpteen vans park next to them then move because of the noise, we moved too. We hoped they'd leave the next day. I hope there is a wee fat man walking about shaking vans tonight. Things could only get better. 

Thursday 11th 
A bloke with a bad arm and a hump in white t-shirt sprinted through Aire around midnight. Things could only get better.

Friday 12th 
Hopefully our new position further down the Aire would make for a quieter night. Entertainment came from an older French van that drove by the Aire screeched to a halt on the main road, reversed very quickly and came in, then we could see the couple in it arguing. He parked the van erratically in three different spaces while they argued and then wheel spinned out the Aire. I thought they'd come back though and they did about half an hour later. They parked twice this time and stayed. Later a Belgian 'van with a female driver with a cowboy in the passenger seat came in and parked next to us. He stood and smoked which she levelled and hooked up. As he wandered about is was clear he had had some kind of accident in his shorts. Inside they were very noisy in the van but it settled down a bit. About two in the morning they were up shouting, slamming and banging. A few men from their vans were out seeing what was going on. They had woken everybody up. Things could only get better.

Saturday 13th 
Moved the van again. We got a good nights sleep. Things were getting better. 

Sunday 14th 
The Aire was emptying and things were quieter, This would be our last night. It was a quiet night and we even got it free. 

Monday. 15th 
We were leaving and as we drove out the Aire we noticed the Belgian cowboy was still wearing the same shorts. We were glad to be leaving. 
It was without a doubt the most eventful Aire we'd ever stayed on.

Keith.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

I'd have been moving elsewhere by day 2.

An enjoyable read though, thanks.

Pete


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We were there in early March ! When we arrived the aire was empty. It was cold but dry weather but there was a huge puddle in the middle with a large, empty polythene jerry can in the centre. Being tidy souls we put it in the skip.

The water etc was off and we desperately needed drinking water so walked down to the Ed in town for 6 bottles. There was a French van there and we discussed asking him to carry our bottles back to the aire, reckoning that was where he was going. We didn't however.

In the Ed they had mountains of the same jerrycans full of paraffin.

Shortly after we got back the van we'd seem earlier arrived and the old man and his dog set up home again right beside us ( and it's a big aire!) . He was clearly living there and not bothering with niceties like a waste tank.

Just as it started to get dark- early as it was March- he started fiddling around in the hedge and we twigged that he was getting a generator out. I asked if he was doing this and he said yes, but he'd only run it until 11pm !

We moved right over the other side of the aire but, the generator being an industrial type one and with no sound insulation, you could hear it all over the village and, after a while, smell it as well.

He did turn it off at 11pm promptly but we are left wondering why the people with houses round the aire don't complain- or shoot him ! I guess he moves on to the campsite opposite when it opens or stays there and uses the EHU in season.

Was he there when you were there Keith ? He certainly struck us as a little odd !

G


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

A very good read! I thought we had met some mutters on aires, stellplatz and sostas this trip but yours sounds worse.

I think however the holiday period lot are on the move. We have been on the aire at florac near the tarn gorges for three days and it's been busy. Today however everyone left apart from us and it filled up again late. A quick google suggests many are heading home this weekend.

Not us though!


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

The old chap with the dog and generator has been on that aire for over a year now. He sometimes leaves with someone else in a car and comes back hours later, usually leaving his dog in the van.

He seems to run his generator every night, presumably so that he can watch his television, it is always turned off by 11pm.

We are usually there in late November when the water is turned off but he clearly gets his supply from somewhere locally.

As the lady who collects the fees knows he is there permanently he must have some dispensation to allow him to stay.

Apparently that excellent aire is going to be moved, together with the campsite opposite to another location so that houses can be built there.

In common with us, the money is not yet available for the building works so it could still be there for years to come.

We have used it on at least 8 occasions and never had any disturbances.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Thanks..I do like to have loose ends tied up !



javea said:


> ....... but he clearly gets his supply from somewhere locally.


The Ed I'd guess thinking about what he was doing there. I hope it wasn't his water container we threw away but he should have hidden it if he wanted to re-use it.



> As the lady who collects the fees


We missed this...I assume fees are only collected in season ?

I wonder if they are going to move it closer to the spa side of town ? We didn't walk across there though we'd have liked to have seen it but it was getting dark by the time we got our water and had a look round town.

G


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## CliffyP (Dec 19, 2008)

We were there in June for two nights, no problems at all. Town was ok but very busy roads and noisy.


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

> As the lady who collects the fees


We missed this...I assume fees are only collected in season ?

G[/quote]

The season seems to run from late March to early September, must admit we have been there on occasions 'in season' and no one has appeared to collect the fees.


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

Thanks for the replies. 

Grizzly, 
The old boy with the dog ... Is he in a previous model Transit based 'vasn I think a Challenger? Always parked at the far end? If that was him there was no generator on. He'd go out all day and come back early evening. Sometimes left his EHU cable on a short stool to keep his space.

We liked the Aire a lot and despite what happened there I'd go back. We moaned about the noisey visitors but there wasn't a dull moment there. Good with the bad I suppose. 

The woman who collect the money is usually there about 20:00 maybe those who haven't paid timed it right. We got our last night free but don't know why. €6.12 a night is an odd price though.


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## jumar (Dec 30, 2010)

Thanks for the entertaining post, we will be marking this as a MUST VISIT AIRE, just for the experience.

jumar


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## jumar (Dec 30, 2010)

Thanks for the entertaining post, we will be marking this as a MUST VISIT AIRE, just for the experience.

jumar


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## johnthompson (Jul 29, 2010)

kc10 said:


> The woman who collect the money is usually there about 20:00 maybe those who haven't paid timed it right. We got our last night free but don't know why. €6.12 a night is an odd price though.


The fee will be 6€ and the other will be a visitor tax.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

kc10 said:


> . Sometimes left his EHU cable on a short stool to keep his space.
> 
> The woman who collect the money is usually there about 20:00 maybe those who haven't paid timed it right. .


I can't remember what kind of van he was in but we were there in early March so no EHU and I guess his only alternative was the generator. Judging by the puddle and the evidence of puddles past he moved round the site and, when he came back, he parked about half way down with his back end into the hedge opposite the campsite.

No-one collecting money either and there were no other vans on the aire. We only used it to overnight. If it was on our beaten track we'd go there again but it was a bit off the road for us en route to Dunkirk. We'd been at Marboue aire the night before and no water or electricity there either ( or open shops !)

G


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

kc10 said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> 
> Grizzly,
> The old boy with the dog ... Is he in a previous model Transit based 'vasn I think a Challenger? Always parked at the far end? If that was him there was no generator on. He'd go out all day and come back early evening. Sometimes left his EHU cable on a short stool to keep his space.


That's the one kc10. He only uses the generator 'out of season' as in the summer months he has the luxury of electric and water. A bit of a change for him in the winter months!

Mike


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Those who have visited this aire, don't be forgetting to add a review when you get time :roll: :wink:

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Campsites&op=display_results&csid=729

Pete


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

peejay said:


> Those who have visited this aire, don't be forgetting to add a review when you get time :roll: :wink:
> 
> http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Campsites&op=display_results&csid=729
> 
> Pete


I did- when we got back !



G


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## kaacee (Nov 29, 2008)

Now I know why we don't use Aires 8O 8O 8O 

Keith


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Grizzly said:


> peejay said:
> 
> 
> > Those who have visited this aire, don't be forgetting to add a review when you get time :roll: :wink:
> ...


Thanks G, I saw yours,

Just trying to drum up a bit of business :wink:

Pete


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

[/quote]

That's the one kc10. He only uses the generator 'out of season' as in the summer months he has the luxury of electric and water. A bit of a change for him in the winter months!

Mike[/quote]

Good. No he wasn't there ! :lol:

With all the goings on there he didn't seem odd to us we liked him better than the Belgian Waltons and the Cowboy. He spoke to us several times just a 'bonjour' in the passing but he was OK.

Kaacee, we've been in and out of France 7 different times over the last three years and this is the first time I have had a problem. It's your choice not to use Aires but I will continue to use them. To put this into perspective the worst experience I've had was on a camp-site in Scotland. I got into a huge argument with a boy who was the most foul-mouthed person I've come across. I was called an f'ing C amongst many other things and it almost resulted in a fight. The Police ended up involved. Would you be surprised to know he was the site owner? And no PeeJay I didn't do a review of the Camp Site.

Keith.

PS. Could someone tell me how to do the multiple quote to reply to three notes at once please?


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

jumar said:


> Thanks for the entertaining post, we will be marking this as a MUST VISIT AIRE, just for the experience.
> 
> jumar


Good for you that's the attitude. The place will be mobbed with Brits looking for an eventful weekend.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

This is what you require.
Info suplied by member lesanne France

Availability from camping catalogue

dave p


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> This is what you require.


I can see that going down well with the Caravan Club wardens....

"Sorry; that man over there parked 5mm into my space so what alternative did I have - ?"

G


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## 5bells (Feb 4, 2009)

Keith

Any chance of naming the foul mouthed owners site in scotland, so we know which one to avoid.
Thanks

Ray


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

5bells said:


> Keith
> 
> Any chance of naming the foul mouthed owners site in scotland, so we know which one to avoid.
> Thanks
> ...


Ray,

I have no problem naming the site but does MHF feel the same? If the Mods OK it I'll name the site. If they say no I can PM you. Don't want to get into liable problems.

Keith.


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## siansdad (Sep 13, 2010)

Hello KC10 - sorry to hear that some of your holiday is being spoiled by tossers - but this is yet another post that is convincing me that organised campsites (whether they are municipal or privately owned) have a definite advantage over the majority of aires. Yes they cost more in terms of camp site fees ( a lot more) than aires - but what is the cost of KC10 's experience - good reading though!!!!!!

A friend of ours has just returned from his hols in France and has told us of his one nasty experience - whilst parked up on a typical aire (ie vans parked shoulder to shoulder) in western Brittany they returned to their van to find the gas locker door had been forced open during daylight hours - the gas bottles were still in place - but the damage to the locker door and surrounding aluminium bodywork will probably cost £200 plus to repair!!!!


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

siansdad said:


> Hello KC10 - sorry to hear that some of your holiday is being spoiled by tossers - but this is yet another post that is convincing me that organised campsites (whether they are municipal or privately owned) have a definite advantage over the majority of aires. Yes they cost more in terms of camp site fees ( a lot more) than aires - but what is the cost of KC10 's experience - good reading though!!!!!!
> 
> A friend of ours has just returned from his hols in France and has told us of his one nasty experience - whilst parked up on a typical aire (ie vans parked shoulder to shoulder) in western Brittany they returned to their van to find the gas locker door had been forced open during daylight hours - the gas bottles were still in place - but the damage to the locker door and surrounding aluminium bodywork will probably cost £200 plus to repair!!!!


Hullo Siansdad

I totally respect your choice to stay on sites. When we tour we like to visit small towns and villages and are away from the masses of tourists and those who target them. When we want to see cities it's a site and in the country we'll wild camp. We look at each situation on it's own merit and when we have been uncomfortable with a place we've not stayed but that has only happened once or twice. Yes camp-site costs is a big issue and I couldn't afford to travel as long as we do if we were limited to them.

I don't know that our trip was spoilt by tossers we had a great time and it didn't take the shine of things. It made things interesting if a little edgy. The cost of my experience was a wee bit of a shock but it hasn't put me or more importantly my wife off Aires. We'll continue to use them, we think they are great. We regularly go on pay ones and make sure we spend money in the towns where they are free.

Shame about the damage to your friends 'van which is never good to hear of. Hope it's not too costly to repair.

Keith.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

In umpteen years of camping all over the world, in sites, aires, wild and game parks we've only once had an unpleasant experience and that was in a big, busy campsite in Slovenia. A drunken/drugged Irishman got into our quiet corner of the site, shouting and threatening us with death and destruction (!), banging on the van and trying to break in. Despite my sounding the horn and gesturing at the nearest neighbours - a German couple- to go and get help no-one came. He went away that night but came back the next day for a repeat performance when the police were called. We were not interviewed and don't know what happened to him but were told he was known in the town.

G


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

Grizzly said:


> In umpteen years of camping all over the world, in sites, aires, wild and game parks we've only once had an unpleasant experience and that was in a big, busy campsite in Slovenia. A drunken/drugged Irishman got into our quiet corner of the site, shouting and threatening us with death and destruction (!), banging on the van and trying to break in. Despite my sounding the horn and gesturing at the nearest neighbours - a German couple- to go and get help no-one came. He went away that night but came back the next day for a repeat performance when the police were called. We were not interviewed and don't know what happened to him but were told he was known in the town.
> 
> G[/quote
> 
> ...


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

kc10 said:


> I was charged with breech of the peace and released. Sorry about that it was bad weekend.
> 
> Keith.


Just PM me your address and I'll post the bill for the panel beating needed !

G


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

Grizzly said:


> kc10 said:
> 
> 
> > I was charged with breech of the peace and released. Sorry about that it was bad weekend.
> ...


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## anallew (May 1, 2007)

*We were there with you!*

Hi kc10

We were at the aire with you on Thursday 10th August - just sorry now that we didn't pop over to say hello when you were re-ramping just as we were leaving on the Friday.

Well, we were fast asleep and missed the excitement of the man with the hump and bad arm doing a sprint through the aire at midnight. I must say it's made me wonder what went on at all the other place we stayed and we were none the wiser.

We only stayed one night - just stopped at Forges les Eaux so that the dog could be seen by the vet, in order to comply with the pet passport for our return journey to the UK.

Like you, we were fascinated by the huge Belgian van and huge Belgian family. I didn't find them particularly noisy but that might be because we weren't next to them and because we have children (age 10 & 7) who often need silencing! Apologies if you heard one of their infamous sibling arguments - you must have managed to avoid that because that would have definitely warranted an entry in your diary!

We were in the Hobby with the two blue kayaks on the roof. Like I say, I wish we'd popped over to say hello. Not sure we'd have stayed if you'd told of all the antics but I slept in blissful ignorance. More than that, I went away thinking it had been a lovely stop because of the local baker coming in the morning to sell fresh bread and croissants etc.

Hope you have a less eventful trip next time. The night your van moved sounds pretty scary.

All the best.
Ana


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I always think it odd that people think campsites are safer than aires or wilding. Is there some kind of invisible barrier that prevents loons from wandering onto your pitch on a site?

Certainly most of the sites I have come across in Europe this summer had no security. We have wondered round a few for a look or to access rivers or beaches and nobody aske who we are.

At least on an aire they are usually open spaces where everyone can see what's going on and anyone dodgy is easily spotted. 

I don't have any proof but I bet more stuff gets nicked and there is more bother on sites than aires, sostas or stellplatz.


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

5bells said:


> Keith
> 
> Any chance of naming the foul mouthed owners site in scotland, so we know which one to avoid.
> Thanks
> ...


Haven't had word to say I can't post this.

My worst experience was on a camp-site in Scotland.

We were visiting friends in Carnoustie and booked into Barry Downs Caravan Park on the outskirts of the town. A few days in the site was flooding due to a burst pip and it was freezing overnight. The site owner did nothing. Then they ran out of gas and there was no hot water in the toilet blocks so no hot showers. I went to the house on the site assuming the owner was in there and that he would be interested. He flew off the handle and was only interested in whether I had paid or not. Voices were getting raised and I said we would leave the site. He followed me to the van and then accused me of shouting at his son and being jealous of his Bentley (I know). He soon had the back-up of two blokes who were both much bigger than me and I wasn't going to take three on. He disconnected my EHU. The back-up gave him extra courage and that's when he called me an f'ing c. I think he was trying to get me to hit him so as he could throw me off the site. My wife was very upset and wanted to leave but I would have stayed the night but we left.

The next day I had to go back to get my deposit back for the electronic barrier key. I went into the local Police station and asked them for their direct dial number. They asked why so I explained about the heavies and that if I got into bother I'd like to phone them. 'We'll come with you' they said I said that wasn't necessary but they insisted so I had a Police escort.

Poor hygiene was a big problem on this site and obviously the owner. I reported my concerns and experience to the toothless trading standards but they did nothing. I've read reviews of the site on the net and other peoples experiences are not that different to my own.

Keith.


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## 5bells (Feb 4, 2009)

Sounds like a nightmare Keith , sites like that should be closed down.

Know what you mean about Trading Standards though, waste of rations in my opinion.

Thanks for sharing that with us, thats what I like about MHF useful info.

Thankfully most sites we have been to have been pretty good. havent tried the Aires yet though they sound like fun :lol: 

Cheers 
Ray


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

We were there in May. same old man in old van. Wife? turned up in the evening and they sat and watched TV. No generator.

It certainly is an entertaining aire - ours was provided by the Jack Russell from the cream Fleurette (next to us in this photo), which promptly grabbed one of my Crocs I'd left outside by the door and proceeded to spend the next 20 minutes shaking it to death whilst charging round the grassy area.

My wife thought it was hilarous, though I was less than impressed.

The couple from the van were really apologetic and kept trying to entice the dog back by waving packets of biscuits at it (to no avail).

Eventually they threatened it with "La Bombe" - an aerosol canister of some sort. This seemed to do the trick, and the dog came back with its tail between its legs cowering.

He didn't use "La Bombe" on it - the mere threat seemed to be enough.

Not being a dog person I asked him whether it was pepper spray or Mace? To which I got the horrified response "no it's just compressed air".

Said small dog then proceeded at various points during the (otherwise uneventful) night to have barking fits which resulted in more threats to use "la Bombe".

I can see I'm going to have to get me one of these Bombe's!

No sign of the threatened re-development when we were there.

Morph


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Morphology said:


> We were there in May. same old man in old van. Wife? turned up in the evening and they sat and watched TV. No generator.


I guess the EHUs were active then- ? They are turned off from September to mid- March. We thought the old man might move into the campsite when it opened for a little more comfort but clearly not.

Were those 5 vans the only ones there when you took the photo ? Confirms my opinion about MHs flocking together ! Vast aire but all neatly lined up together.

We'd been at the Marboue aire the night before and were the first to arrive. We got back after a look around the village to discover that the only other van to arrive had parked literally so close to us that, had we wanted to open the side window, we could not have done so !

G


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

Grizzly said:


> Were those 5 vans the only ones there when you took the photo ? Confirms my opinion about MHs flocking together ! Vast aire but all neatly lined up together.


Yup!

When we got there there were just the two other English vans - who had travelled up together from Portugal - and the old bloke in the old van who was parked to the right in this photo at the far end (and looked like he'd been there for some time). I wish I'd taken a photo of him now!

We left what we considered to be a decent space between us and the other brits so as not to encroach.

Bombe-wielding Mec Francais must have thought "Merveilleux" - saftey in numbers and shoved his elegant cream Fleurette ar$e into the gap.

The French Chausson with the Bike came later.


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## busterbears (Sep 4, 2010)

No wonder we were nervous wrecks doing aire's for the first time on our recent hols. After reading all previous stuff about aires we really went prepared for all possibilities  but it went well despite my worries although I felt we were on full alert and didn't sleep quite as soundly as we did when on the campsites.

Stayed one night at Lac Chantequoc large aire by the lake, very quiet only half full, everyone well spaced, one other british van (aire virgins like us) and we said hello and had a chat, anyone out walking round about said hello to us, all quiet at night we didn't hear the vans leaving early. Stayed one night at the Prt Fort Phillippe Aire, very busy, lots of vans parked close to each other, one side on 'saving' a space for a friend, but all quiet late at night and early morning, anyone we spoke to said hello. 

Your post made fun reading


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

5bells said:


> Sounds like a nightmare Keith , sites like that should be closed down.
> 
> Know what you mean about Trading Standards though, waste of rations in my opinion.
> 
> ...


Yes it was a nightmare. They chucked us off the site around 21:30 with no where to go. Do you want the list of problems I reported

o Toilets not cleaned.
o No door on some toilets cubicles no locks on others. 
o Urinials covered in pubic hair. 
o Toilet flooor flooded. 
o No water outside(except chem waste) people washing dishes in the gents. 
o People taking drinking water from cassetete emptying bit sand using the same pipe. 
o Site flooded. 
o No gas. No hot water. No showers.
o No hope.

I wouldn't recommend this site and you're right most sites are good.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We've been there

vans parked so close we couldn'd open our door

Never been in a situation of potential violence though

Mainly due to Shadow who although so gentle away from the van
takes it as his mission in life to protect us from friend and foe alike and turns into a whirling dervish if any one approaches the van

Wish I knew why, maybe I need La bomb

Its just since we got the new van but we do have internal wire doors on the garage so if you see us you are safe to come near--please  
Aldra


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

busterbears said:


> No wonder we were nervous wrecks doing aire's for the first time on our recent hols. After reading all previous stuff about aires we really went prepared for all possibilities  but it went well despite my worries although I felt we were on full alert and didn't sleep quite as soundly as we did when on the campsites.
> 
> Stayed one night at Lac Chantequoc large aire by the lake, very quiet only half full, everyone well spaced, one other british van (aire virgins like us) and we said hello and had a chat, anyone out walking round about said hello to us, all quiet at night we didn't hear the vans leaving early. Stayed one night at the Prt Fort Phillippe Aire, very busy, lots of vans parked close to each other, one side on 'saving' a space for a friend, but all quiet late at night and early morning, anyone we spoke to said hello.
> 
> Your post made fun reading


Our first Aire was Gravelines in October 2008. We hadn't heard any stories about them then but did over the coming years. In all we've probably spent 5 months in France over the last three years and this was the first incident. I don't think it was that serious. Aires give you complete feedom to roam all over the country and are too good to be missed in my opinion.

Keith


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## Christine600 (Jan 20, 2011)

Grizzly said:


> Were those 5 vans the only ones there when you took the photo ? Confirms my opinion about MHs flocking together ! Vast aire but all neatly lined up together.


I have often been the first to park on large lots and almost always the next MH parks next to me. I would guess they feel safer although as a single woman on disability I don't know what I could have done if something happened. :?


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Christine 

park next to me I guarantee you would be safe

especially if you'd met him earlier

He's happy to extend his protection   

Aldra


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