# Gruissan Port, aire de camping



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

During early September we were again at the Gruissan Port aire in the south of France and we were surprised to hear that the local Mayor wants to close this aire and build a some sort of children's holiday park or similar.
Folks who have been here, will know this is a very large well situated aire, OK there is the Gruissan Plage aire just up the road, but that will not hold anywhere near the quantity of vans.
Where will the vans go with a loss of about 200 spaces.
I did confirm this report with the Ladies who control the site and they were as much in the dark as we were.
So if you intend going to Gruissan next year, I recommend you check first, and if anybody has updates, please post here.
:!:

ps
what made it more difficult for me was because I have an Exsis, which is narrower and they had only made one set before!
But the door seals are the same as all new shape Hymers, so they should have known!


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

I'm a regular user of the Gruissan Aire but found a Municipal Camping site at the far side of the town which is only a couple of euros more than the Aire. I haven't stayed there but might do so when I'm next that way. The alternative is the Aire at Narbonne Plage.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Hi Mike, we went to see the site and from memory it was a little more than a couple of Euro,s and to be honest, did not look too nice. I think it was about 14 to 17 euro
They may build another aire as there is plenty of unused ground near to the campsite.
lets hope the Mayor does not get his wish!


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi Grath,

If the rumour is true then I would think they would develop and possibly enlarge the overflow aire beside the D332 on the outskirts towards Narbonne.

43.12047 3.11408.

This aire is currently only open July and August and is bouldered off for the rest off the year, currently room for at least 150 vans.

Incidentaly we were at the Gruissan Plage aire this October, that one usually closes Mid Oct to Apr with free access outside these dates but with the borne shut down. 
Unforunately according to a local Camping Cariste (maybe another rumour :wink: ) they are now going to barrier it off so access is impossible during these dates.

Pete


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Hi peejay.
It was not a rumour, I though it may had been so I asked the full time staff who run the aire and it was confirmed and they were concerned about their jobs.
Apparently, it was in the local papers.


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## Melly (Jul 5, 2007)

We stayed at Narbonne plage for one night and got bitten to death by mozzies so give that place a wide berth now.
We normally stay at Bacarres but this year they have put a time limit of 4 hours maximum stay during the daytime and no overnight camping.The police patrol round and fine people 17euros if they catch them.They say the only places to camp now are the campsites .
They have basically said they do not want motorhomes there. Maybe this is spreading and it will end up as a second rip off britain.


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## mollmagee (Jun 15, 2006)

hope they dont close gruissan port aire,stopped there this august for a week after having to move from narbonne plage aire due to 48 hours max.stay.the port aire being adjacent to the water was great for fishing and only 5 mins walk to restaurants and shops bars etc.,10 mins walk the opposite way to the old village with a great market.


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## kenyon (Dec 23, 2007)

It is no wonder that the French are charging more for Aires or closing them down if people are treating them like camp sites and staying put for days or weeks on end


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## mollmagee (Jun 15, 2006)

kenyon said:


> It is no wonder that the French are charging more for Aires or closing them down if people are treating them like camp sites and staying put for days or weeks on end


at gruissan port you are permitted to pay and stop for thirty days.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

mollmagee said:


> kenyon said:
> 
> 
> > It is no wonder that the French are charging more for Aires or closing them down if people are treating them like camp sites and staying put for days or weeks on end
> ...


There are Aire's and Aire's, some are for short stay and some are available for long stay  
With about 200 places, although advertised as a few less, must be due to the very nice over spill end, it is not a problem and some of the French seem to have their whole holiday there


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

kenyon said:


> It is no wonder that the French are charging more for Aires or closing them down if people are treating them like camp sites and staying put for days or weeks on end


The French Motorhomers would bring back the Guillotine if they shut down all the Aire de Camping cars!!!  . The Mayor is probably a Brit. From Scarborough! :lol:

There are zillions of Aires where you are quite welcome to stay as long as you like. Its usually clearly specified.


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Grath, nothing to do with the main thread but what on earth is the p.s. referring to???

Have stayed at the Gruissan aire many times and would be sad to see it go but as others say there are many more in the area, although as melly pointed out, in the surrounding areas they are imposing stricter controls. 
We have been visiting this general area (mainly Leucate and La Franqui) for the last 24 years and it is no wonder the locals get peed off, the amount of van owners that take the p**s has increased year on year, whilst some are French the majority are our teutonic brothers who often stay for weeks on end, no problem with that if they pay their way but a fair amount of them don't, simply effectively stealing water and dumping where they can, little wonder the locals want it sorted it's them that are paying for the facility day to day.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

eurajohn said:


> Grath, nothing to do with the main thread but what on earth is the p.s. referring to???
> 
> Have stayed at the Gruissan aire many times and would be sad to see it go but as others say there are many more in the area, although as melly pointed out, in the surrounding areas they are imposing stricter controls.
> We have been visiting this general area (mainly Leucate and La Franqui) for the last 24 years and it is no wonder the locals get peed off, the amount of van owners that take the p**s has increased year on year, whilst some are French the majority are our teutonic brothers who often stay for weeks on end, no problem with that if they pay their way but a fair amount of them don't, simply effectively stealing water and dumping where they can, little wonder the locals want it sorted it's them that are paying for the facility day to day.


Well spotted John  the p.s. part should have been in another thread about external screens  lol.
Regarding taking the p**s. This year we have seen more French than any and at Leucate (the one by the lake where they windsurf) there were three big Frankias each with trailers and each taking up three marked bays and each bay is enough for van and full awning. They tried to get us to take up similar but we did not!
Think they were making a point about the markings, but other vans came on and had to park in rubbish places due to these prats..
Anyway well spotted about the p.s.  :lol:


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## eurajohn (May 9, 2005)

Hi Grath, well that's cleared up then.  


The reason I've been going to Leucate for so long is that I am a windsurfer. Originally (around 1988 on) the "spot" , was Le Goulet very good till early / mid 2000's but eventually became known as Little Germany or Little Berlin, so most other nations windsurfing motorhomers moved on to La Mine, bit difficult access but wicked free camping and sailing area, however that also became overrun,until last year they (the local authorities) put a ban on overnighting there as well. They have made a very respectable pay aire at Le Goulet, unfortunately for windsurfers it is less than ideal as the distance to water is just a bit too far for an old git carring a load of gear.
As with most things in life when it's obvious that the few are spoiling it for the majority, someone will act to gain control.

Luckily the area has many reasonably priced stop over areas, sadly the era of free camping next to windsurfing water has gone, probably never to return, I'll likely try to find something similar or maybe just give up and do something else.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Hi John. the Guys that I was talking about also had it sorted so that they did not have to pay at the pay machine  
But as you say, there are lots of other suitable places to overnight, not quite so easy if you are into water sports and want to be near to the water.
We much prefer Gruissan  lets hope we manage to keep the place as an aire.


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## Landyman (Apr 3, 2010)

Spent three nights at Gruissan Port in October and loved it. Will be very sad if it closes.

Landyman.


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## Landyman (Apr 3, 2010)

> Incidentaly we were at the Gruissan Plage aire this October, that one usually closes Mid Oct to Apr with free access outside these dates but with the borne shut down.
> Unforunately according to a local Camping Cariste (maybe another rumour ) they are now going to barrier it off so access is impossible during these dates.


We tried to get on the Gruissan Plage aire on the 8th October and the barriers were shut. Turned round and went to the port instead.

Landyman.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Landyman said:


> We tried to get on the Gruissan Plage aire on the 8th October and the barriers were shut. Turned round and went to the port instead.


Thanks landy, that confirms that one then. 

We visited on the 3rd and it was mentioned it would probably close on the Sunday (7th) so looks like it had only just closed.

Pete


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Purely, out of curiosity, does anybody know if Gruissan PORT aire, did reopen for this season?


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## Glen432 (May 9, 2005)

Grath said:


> Purely, out of curiosity, does anybody know if Gruissan PORT aire, did reopen for this season?


We were there in March (15/16th) and it was very much open then and doesn't look like closing they have had new signs put up.

Phil


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Glen432 said:


> Grath said:
> 
> 
> > Purely, out of curiosity, does anybody know if Gruissan PORT aire, did reopen for this season?
> ...


Thanks Phil, it sounds like the Mayor didn't get his way  
I bet the girls were happy


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