# Spanish 'Aires' and 'France Passion type' stopovers



## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

See these sites http://www.espana-discovery.com/ and http://www.asandac.org/ The first seem to be a clone of the France Passion system. The second site has info which seems to indicate that in November 2007 the Spanish Authorities brought new regulations into force and began getting involved in setting up French style Aire facilities. There is a document which seems to be directing the police an how to apply the new regulations and what 'Autocaravanistas' should expect.
My Spanish is almost non existent and the google page translator leaves a lot to be desired. Perhaps those of you out there with better linguistic abiliies than myself and google might have a look and report back.
Colin


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## C7KEN (May 27, 2005)

I recently spent some hours in the company of members of the Alicante Caravan Club. They told me that Lapaca which they are all members of had employed lawyers to fight for some rights for them. They had obtained a letter from the ministry of the interior giving them rights to park on car parks such a that at El Campello. They could not treat them like a campsite IE no tables or chairs out. The police were not always aware of this letter so they were having to show it sometimes to stop being moved on. I am hoping to get a copy. Interestingly there is a sign saying no motorhomes at Mojacar right at the end of the beach overlooked by the large brown motel so it will be interesting to see what would happen if we stayed there if the garda came along and we produced the letter. This area is not dissimilar to El Campello There are quite a few aires now around and I am trying to visit them so I can report back, recent visits have been to Jalance and Ibi aires. I intend to give locations that I consider safe all down the east coast and Almeria but it takes time


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

Hi C7Ken. We are planning to head down to Spain/Portugal in early October and possibly stay over Christmas until Feb/March. Its two years since we have been in that direction and things seem to be changing for the better. Other members of MHF should surely be able to add to your excellent info regarding the changes taking place to give an up to date picture.


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Parking and camping*

 Ciao Ken & Jean Luc,
this sounds very much like the letter that has been issued in the past by both French and Italian ministries.
It is the usual story of the difference between 'parking' and 'camping'.
You are parking, and within your rights, as long as you don't have any compass windows open (that's why many European vans have a sliding kithchen/rear window), and are not discharging any effluents apart from normally acceptable engine drips - which you wouldn't want anyway. In other words if you don't change in any way the normal running dimesions of your van. As soon as you open windows, put a chair or a generator out, hang out your socks to dry, or whatever, you are 'camping' and can be moved on if camping is prohibited.
These letters usually also warn local authorities to be very careful, if they discriminate in any way against motorhome/camper vans no bigger than 3500 Kgs. They may be breaking the law themselves if they do so without just cause - just cause of course being open to vey wide interpretations.

The Andalucian association is in effect urging all motorhomers to respect wild camping bans where they are in effect, especially in natural park/protected area environments. At the same time they are lobbying for improved recognition of motorhomers rights/contributions to rural economy, and therefore more 'areas' at a reasonable low charge.
They also support the bans -albeit with a few reservations - on wild camping that are becoming more frequent on the overcrowded 'costas'.
saluti,
eddied


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

Very interesting.
We'll be on our 1st Spain/Portugal trip in Dec/Jan - and we'd expect a lot of sites to be closed then.... 
If there is a copy of this letter floating around... 
Hope we can get away more as we don't always look like a motorhome...


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*French letter*

 Ciao again,
I have a copy of the French Interior Ministry document. It is a 1. something PDF file. probably too big to attach here. I'll try anyway. If not then try looking for October 2004 Camping-Car magazine. It may be in their archives. Can't remember where I put/keep the Italian letter. Probably down at the garden in the motrohome. Will have a look when I'm next down watering the melons.
saluti,
eddied


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*French letter*

 good grief - can't believe that worked!
saluti,
eddied


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

There was also a post regarding the new venture a couple of days ago:
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-49314-espanadiscovery.html


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

The argument between parking and camping has been ongoing for many years, I hope it gets sorted to everybody's satisfaction.

We started free over night parking in Germany in the early 80's along the Rhine, Mosel and Neckar valley. There were very few motorhomes about in those days, many were self contained so it was not a problem. 

We don't venture abroad in July and August but I can imagine that the aires, stellplatz and sostas are being overwhelmed.

Don


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## C7KEN (May 27, 2005)

I understand that the Spanish pay 50€ per year towards Lapaca and this allowed the employing of the lawyers. Regarding not putting anything out. They park sideways to the fence dividing the beach from the car park, roll their awning out so its mainly over the beach side and I noted that the police and garda who both came round said nothing so I guess it was interpreted as not rolled out in the car park but rolled out on the beach. I recently parked at La Azohia on the beach with the awning out and got only smiles from the garda. Could having a Spanish reg van be paying off? I have never used French Passion but think I may join the Spanish scheme. The only worry is feeling pressure to spend at each location. There is a limit to how much wine I can consume.
Don 
I can see clearly that it is much quieter this year, mainly French down here with fewer Brits, Belgians, Germans and Dutch. The fuel costs must be having an effect on the distance people are prepared to go.


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

I pay a similar amount to The Caravan Club but somehow I can't see them rolling out the lawyers on behalf of us 'motor caravan' using members.


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

Paid my €15 to Nico on 01/09/08 and received my booklet, window sticker and membership card this morning. 
There are eight sites in the Utiel-Requena region, four in the Valencia region and eight in the Alicante region. Reasonably convenient when travelling south along the eastern coastal area. All have rubbish disposal facilities and water available and some have toilets and shade and speak English.
It would be great if the project got sufficient support to encourage its spread throughout Spain and a spin-off in Portugal.


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Jean-Luc said:


> Paid my €15 to Nico on 01/09/08 and received my booklet, window sticker and membership card this morning.
> There are eight sites in the Utiel-Requena region, four in the Valencia region and eight in the Alicante region. Reasonably convenient when travelling south along the eastern coastal area. All have rubbish disposal facilities and water available and some have toilets and shade and speak English.
> It would be great if the project got sufficient support to encourage its spread throughout Spain and a spin-off in Portugal.


Hi Jean-Luc,

Do you have a link to there website please. 

Don


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

Jean-Luc said:


> http://www.espana-discovery.com/ .


Colin


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