# French Aires question



## stevegos (Jun 23, 2013)

Hi

Our first trip abroad in the MH takes us to France for a week. A quick question about French Aires:

Can you wind out your awning, put out some seats and have a BBQ?

All the photos I ever see the MH's are packing in like sardines so perhaps it depends on the space available.

All help and advice greatly appreciated.

Steven


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## TheNomad (Aug 12, 2013)

We tour around France very often, for extended periods of 2 or 3 months at a time, and almost always use aires rather than campsites.

To answer your question: my understanding is officially no; they are just for parking/sleeping in.

But in reality, I would suggest you use your judgement and look at what other people are doing.
We've had the awning/chairs/table/bbq out loads and loads of times, but always when the aire is quiet/countryside, and when it "feels" OK to do so, when there's plenty of space, and when you are not at risk of upsetting neighbours.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

yes, what the Nomad said! I wouldn't expect to be able to wind out the awning fully on most aires, but there is often room to wind out - although many people tend to sit out at the front / back. - all depends on the set up.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Officially probably not on most aires but if not full probably you would be OK nudr beware you might need to take all in rapidly if it gets busy.

Some are tighter than others and some are deserted so no problems - play it by ear but I would not go out and leave all out.

Dave


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

We were in France during June/July and used an Aire every night.

Most have enough room for the awning and tables and chairs and we sat and eat out regularly.

If there's enough space on the pitch then make use of it.

You can see in the clips here - www.youtube.com/user/keithchesterfield - that space is ample on most Aires - even Honfleur!

The BBQ may be a problem if MH's are close but as long as you use common sense and don't irritate the 'neighbours' you should be ok.

:wav: :wav: :wav:


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

As has been said discretion is the order of the day. There is almost as great a variety in aires as there are in cheeses. Enjoy both, sometimes inside and sometimes out side of the van  

Dick


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

It depends on the aire

If you say go to Equien Plage aire down the coast from Calias and manage to get the sea facing pitches then you can have the awning and chairs and BBQ out as the pitch is actually the cliff top.

As long as theres plent of room its usually ok but dont do as some of them do and put the awning, chairs or tables out to stop people parking too close when pitches are few. This is done by all nationalities (especially the brits at calias). I have asked them to move on more than one occasion.

Instinct will tell you if it would be OK or not.

Phill


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## Gary1944 (Feb 21, 2009)

I managed to upset a Frenchman on a lovely very quiet Aire in rural S France. Only one other on overnight and he left so pulled on to borne to fill and empty. It had been very wet so thought I could wash off the worst and windows when along comes irate said Frenchman giving me a right telling off!

Needless to say I moved off rapidly, I was after all in the wrong. So yes they do care about the rules.

Gary.


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## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

Hi Steven

Until recently i had been asking myself the same question prior to our trip to France and Spain, having just returned i agree with the posts above; just play it by ear when you arrive at the aire.

what i found was that a vast majority of the aires we visited had ample space and i was/would have been very comfortable opening the awning etc if i wanted, often on these aires people already were, i did probably around 50% of the time.

2 aires we visited were rather packed, one chock a block with vans right next to each other, the other very similar although maybe two vans had space and did have awnings out, on both occasions we simply moved a couple of miles down the coast to an aire with far more space, i wouldn't have a problem asking them to make space except that it still would have been too busy for our liking anyway so we moved on.

one aire was very quiet with only one other van on it, however the actual area where the vans park was a bit like a car park (the aire itself was beautiful don't get me wrong), here it just felt inappropriate, it would have been like camping in a car park, so i didn't.

one thing i would say is to check for any signage at the aire, one we stayed on in Spain was huge with only half a dozen vans there and space for around another 30, about half had awnings out etc. however there was a sign that very clearly stated, in several languages, that it was an aire and not a campsite and that campsites must be licensed as such, therefore it was forbidden to open awnings, take out tables and chairs, etc, etc. as i appreciate the aire system which is fantastic, i thought the least i could do is as they've asked (i usually give the kids a couple of euros for picking up litter before we leave as well).

i was surprised to find that only two we visited charged for staying there, also that a couple had totally free un-metered electricity.

hope you enjoy the trip
Lee


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## stevegos (Jun 23, 2013)

Excellent detailed advice as usual.

Thank you to all who posted. We greatly appreciate all your help.

Steven


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

Just imagine pitching up on an empty Aire at 10am; you put out your awning and chairs and come 4PM the Aire fills up and your gear will deny others a pitch except the French will soon tell you to put your equipment away and you could find yourself in the middle of an international incident.

In general Aires are for overnight stops and are not campsites.


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I assume that you have the book on "All the Aires in ...." from Vicarious Books. It explains fairly well the expectations of people using Aires, with photographs of the Aires included in their excellent book. You can see clearly who puts out what and where it may be more acceptable.

Alan


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

As already stated it depends on the Aire. I think I have only ever seen one (Brantome and we didnt stay) where it stated no chairs or awnings. Just pick carefully. Any aire thats in a tourist hot spot in July and August is going to be packed but there is bound to be one just a few miles away thats less popular and has plenty of space.

Tip of the day as well. If you use the superb www.campingcar-infos.com (way better than the All the Aires book) as well as Aires it has thousands of wild camping spots or places you can overnight that are not official Aires. These are not as well known and we have been using mainly these while up in the mountains of Jura and now the French Alps. Up here they are often Ski places or grassy car parks and there has been virtually nobody on them and even in July and August we have often been on our own or just a few vans.

I dont really like busy Aires and certainly not the ones where you cant even open your door let alone put a chair out. Easily avoided with a bit of planning.


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## fionn (Nov 29, 2011)

Is there an English version of that website?


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

fionn said:


> Is there an English version of that website?


Sadly not. Normally if you download the google toolbar you can set it to Translate automatically. There has been a thread though recently about trouble with translating it.

Normally when you click on the country you want to look at say FRANCE if you right click and open it in a new window the translate works but lately it hasnt been.

I have been using Firefox browser and just translating the text (comments).

It takes a bit of getting used to but its well worth the effort. You can purchase an offline version (which doesnt translate) for use when you dont have the internet. I think its about €8 but you can download the entire database of over 16000 stopovers for free for the sat nav.

I tend to primaraly use the cc infos both online and offline for all of Europe. I have also found the odd local motorhome Forum such as one I used for Austria last year that can be useful.


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## dalspa (Jul 1, 2008)

Sat here at the aire at Commercy - didn't expect to get internet but got brilliant wifi off halte fluvial adjacent. Only four spaces at aire and all four taken when we arrived, so parked at end. Went out for a walk and when we came back the nearest slot had become empty so thought about taking it but to do so would have meant that our hab door would have been facing next van and they had got their awning out, table and chairs + trailer and quad bike. They are French. Decided to stay put. Just as well as they have since got their bbq out - stands waist high and they have put the most enormous pile of logs on top, got blowtorch to start fire. Moved it away from where they are sitting cos of the smoke - fortunately wind blowing away from us. Judging by the size of the blokes (and the funeral pyre) I expect that they will be having a hog roast. As I type a van has just slotted into the vacant pitch- hope they don't reverse over the bbq.
As previously said - wait to see what the French do. Sometimes means anything goes :lol: 

DavidL


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