# Aires Advice



## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Hi All

We are going to France on December 28th until January 27th visiting my good ladies best friend who has moved to Rohan in Brittany. We are staying there for a week then mooching around Brittany, Normandy and Pays de la Loire.
Anyone know of any good aires around these areas as we think most if not all of the campsites around there will be closed.

Cheers

Dave


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## neilmac (Dec 31, 2008)

Quiberon is nice if you're going in that direction...


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

A couple of years ago we met up with some friends who were staying at a gite in Rohan. We didn't need an aire as we were parked up at their gite but I had researched it beforehand and close to the municipal campsite, which is extremely unlikely to be open, there appeared to be an aire. Check it out on Google Earth, I've just checked it again and, yes, there appears to be an aire but I couldn't see if it had facilities.


Chris


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

We parked at the riverside Aire in Rohan for lunch a few years back and cycled part of the canal. I don't recall services. Search for sites has reviews of the Aire and also shows serviced Aires within 10km which purport to have services. Wether the water is on in winter is another question. Although the Rohan Aire at least has toilets, so possibly doable.

https://www.searchforsites.co.uk/

Davy


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

One of the main issues for any Aire at that time of year is going to be whether the water supply has been turned off. I useful trick is to take a plastic watering can with you. That way you can replenish your fresh water from ANY tap. 

Useful tip No.1 
All French cemeteries have a fresh water tap!! 

Andy


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Mrplodd said:


> One of the main issues for any Aire at that time of year is going to be whether the water supply has been turned off. I useful trick is to take a plastic watering can with you. That way you can replenish your fresh water from ANY tap.
> 
> Useful tip No.1
> *All French cemeteries have a fresh water tap!! *
> ...


And they do not freeze?


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

No, it's very warm in those cemetery's.???

Ray.


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## Cherekee (May 1, 2005)

Around this area there are a few that will have water available somewhere as well as around small village centres where there maybe a hand pump from a local water source underground where the water is always the best to shower in.

As we do a lot of winter aires my Tip 2 would be ALWAYS FILL UP WHENEVER YOU COME ACROSS AN AIRE/TAP.

We have needed to conserve water on a number of occasions and it gets quite fun seaching for water. You would be surprised some of the places it can be found. Very often in the hills it is pouring out of a water course straight into your watering can.

Every one should always carry a watering can anyway.

Alan


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Services often have water! It may not be drinking quality but it can be boiled


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

patp said:


> Services often have water! It may not be drinking quality but it can be boiled


Why would you bother when it's so cheap to buy in the supermarket?


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Cos some of us use more than a couple of litres a day Viv.

Ray.


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## bc109 (Sep 17, 2016)

In France, supermarkets usually have restaurants/cafes near to their entrance. They also have all-night lit and asphalted car parks. All-night coin operated washeterias can also be found at some supermarket car parks. 

If you visit during opening hours, or stay overnight, then a cup of coffee or baguette at the cafe will allow you to ask politely for a 10 litre water can to be filled up ! We haven't been refused yet, and always for free.
Bill.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

HermanHymer said:


> Why would you bother when it's so cheap to buy in the supermarket?


As above and also plastic bottles Viv  Of course we would, and have, in an emergency. We spent 3 years full timing and wild camping for most of it but did get caught out a couple of times


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

bc109 said:


> In France, supermarkets usually have restaurants/cafes near to their entrance. They also have all-night lit and asphalted car parks. All-night coin operated washeterias can also be found at some supermarket car parks.
> 
> If you visit during opening hours, or stay overnight, then a cup of coffee or baguette at the cafe will allow you to ask politely for a 10 litre water can to be filled up ! We haven't been refused yet, and always for free.
> Bill.


Have you stayed over night Bill? I think it would be a step too far for Chris. His dad died when he was young and I think his mother went a bit overboard, if that is possible, on the "staying on the straight and narrow" lectures. He would have made a good copper


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Sad. Live a little...……….. Ray.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Yeah, I know Ray. Funny thing is that my dad was the opposite. Rules were made to be broken. It causes a little friction sometimes


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## bc109 (Sep 17, 2016)

Supermarket carparks......

Staying overnight ? Yes indeed. This turned out to be the best option going thro' France when everything was closed for the Winter. Have also done so on the odd occasion in Germany when so much of a certain town was closed for roadworks the Satnav informed us it could no longer help to find the campsite.
Bill


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Will bare it in mind, Bill. Methinks the driver might over rule me though


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

We only use the water in the tank for washing etc we have never drank it.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Good enough for tea, cooking and brushing teeth as I always cleaned the tank and pipes at least once a year. But for pure drinking water then a large refillable 8L bottle. 

Ray.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Same as Ray here. Dogs drink it straight from the tank and have always been fine.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

French schoolchildren were always told not to drink the water in UK when they did an exchange kids.

Ray.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

This was a common fallacy wasn't it? We got talking to a water engineer while abroad once. He told us that all the stories of people being made ill by drinking foreign water was due to it being "different" to the water they were used to. His advice was just to take it slowly at first until the gut had got used to the different chemicals used in different places.


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