# French Aires with full hook up



## shingi (Apr 18, 2008)

Hi folks,
We visit France a lot and I wondered how I can find out which of those French Aires have full hook up facilities as opposed to those that give you 2 hours for 5 euros etc. I have the 2007 Guide to French Aires but it does not give that info. Could we, I wonder perhaps start a list of such places. Indeed they may already be one on this website although I can't find it.
I could start the list off my naming the following aire.

FORGES-LES-EAUX (north-east of Rouen) which is about 120 miles from Calais and makes a great first/last night stop. 16amp hook up (or so I was informed by a regular British user of the place.) A really nice site sandwiched between a municipal campsite (no hook-up) and a field. Very quiet. Lovely town. A lady comes around at about 7pm each night to collect 5.60 euros. It has full waste/water facilities. Room for about 20 vehicles. Max stay 48 hours.

Anybody know of any others please?


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## Imbiber (May 11, 2007)

Le Treport - Normandy


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## 108883 (Dec 27, 2007)

Honfleur.


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## Waleem (Nov 1, 2006)

Mimizan Plage.


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## geordie01 (Apr 20, 2006)

last time we were in honfleur we plugged into the post and got 16amp leccy. about 2hrs later a belgian turns up and unplugs us puts in a twoway splitter and reconnects us and him. 30 mins later along comes a french guy unplugs the splitter plugs in his own splitter and recconects us and the belgian van. then another guy turns up with his two way connector and tries but by this time the total length of the connectors is now trailing on the grass and he walked away muttering some thing.so be prepared to share your leccy.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

geordie01 said:


> last time we were in honfleur we plugged into the post and got 16amp leccy. about 2hrs later a belgian turns up and unplugs us puts in a twoway splitter and reconnects us and him. 30 mins later along comes a french guy unplugs the splitter plugs in his own splitter and recconects us and the belgian van. then another guy turns up with his two way connector and tries but by this time the total length of the connectors is now trailing on the grass and he walked away muttering some thing.so be prepared to share your leccy.


Great! A new gadget to make and take with us, along with all the other clutter that gets used once in a blue moon.

Sounds like it could be useful though when all the leccy points are in use by the time you arrive.


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## lucy2 (Jun 27, 2007)

Le Touqeot by Equestion centre ( next to air strip off Hotel not the aire by the marina


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Charleville-mezieres [not that far from Luxembourg border


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## SilverFox13 (Nov 20, 2007)

Cadillac ... and its free too!


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## shingi (Apr 18, 2008)

Forges-les-Eaux was free apparently but they started charging this year.
Thanks to everyone so far.


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## krull (Jul 22, 2006)

What is the point of having an EHU if you can only stop 48hrs?

The whole point of Aires is to keep it simple. Sounds like you would be more suited to finding a site.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

krull said:


> What is the point of having an EHU if you can only stop 48hrs?
> 
> The whole point of Aires is to keep it simple. Sounds like you would be more suited to finding a site.


 Personally I can't see a problem with that, if thats what you are looking for, isn't that what MHF is all about finding info on what you personally are looking for ?


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

shingi said:


> Hi folks,
> We visit France a lot and I wondered how I can find out which of those French Aires have full hook up facilities as opposed to those that give you 2 hours for 5 euros etc. I have the 2007 Guide to French Aires but it does not give that info. Could we, I wonder perhaps start a list of such places. Indeed they may already be one on this website although I can't find it.
> I could start the list off my naming the following aire.
> 
> ...


 Can also recommend this one at Forges and a great place to stay if you have to take your pet for the passport etc the vet there is excellent, we will def be using this one next time we go..............we used the Vet there and had a look at the aires, the distance to Calais is just about right for the passport requirements (24-48 hours).


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## shingi (Apr 18, 2008)

krull said:


> What is the point of having an EHU if you can only stop 48hrs?
> 
> The whole point of Aires is to keep it simple. Sounds like you would be more suited to finding a site.


For us the ONLY thing we need is electricity and waste facilities. We always use our own toilet/shower etc. We tend to go to France when the busy seasons are over which is when the mornings start to get a bit chilly when you wake up. I'm a wimp and I'm a girl so I like to have some instant heat to hand and to use my hairdryer. It also cuts down the cost of the holiday somewhat by not having to pay for all the things we don't need like shower blocks and swimming pools. We like touring rather than being static so 48 hours in each place suits us fine which is why I started this thread to begin with. 
I received my updated French Aris book this morning and notice that there are a few sites where that info is now given. 
Thanks to everyone so far.


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## ianhibs (May 1, 2005)

Biarritz - it costs 10 euros per night for everything.

Ian


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## ianhibs (May 1, 2005)

Soubise for another. Total cost was 7 euros if I remember correctly.

Ian


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## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

geordie01 said:


> last time we were in honfleur we plugged into the post and got 16amp leccy. about 2hrs later a belgian turns up and unplugs us puts in a twoway splitter and reconnects us and him. 30 mins later along comes a french guy unplugs the splitter plugs in his own splitter and recconects us and the belgian van. then another guy turns up with his two way connector and tries but by this time the total length of the connectors is now trailing on the grass and he walked away muttering some thing.so be prepared to share your leccy.


Sounds horrendously dangerous to me - I would not like to trust my life to a bunch of people who obviously will stop at nothing to get what they want (providing of course it is free!)

When I use electricity I like to think that the campsite and alone are responsible for my connection.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

oldun said:


> geordie01 said:
> 
> 
> > last time we were in honfleur we plugged into the post and got 16amp leccy. about 2hrs later a belgian turns up and unplugs us puts in a twoway splitter and reconnects us and him. 30 mins later along comes a french guy unplugs the splitter plugs in his own splitter and recconects us and the belgian van. then another guy turns up with his two way connector and tries but by this time the total length of the connectors is now trailing on the grass and he walked away muttering some thing.so be prepared to share your leccy.
> ...


Sharing a leccy point on an aire/stellplatz is a fairly common occurence Oldun, especially when there aren't many available. 
Also, unlike campsites most are unmanned or unsupervised so the onus is on the individual for safety. 
The problem comes though, when you have to explain to the 6'6" continental guy built like an outhouse that you won't share your electric with him :lol: :roll:

pete


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## krull (Jul 22, 2006)

Sorry to keep banging on about this Shingi and Briarose, but Aires are not campsites. They are simple overnight parking/short stay. 

If you need heat, that is what the gas bottle is for. If my wife needs to dry her (long) hair, she brushes it in front of the gas heater or one of the blown air outlets. 

My fear is aires will become like CL.s. Due to people demanding EHU's and all the other home from home baggage you now struggle to find a cl for under £8-10.

Motorhomes are not caravans. They are designed to be self contained and not reliant on the umbilical cord.


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Must admit to liking leccy in this Country but when recently in France touring we never used EHU on any aires we did on sites if we stayed for a couple of days. But aires were just over night stops and could rely on leisure battery completely. That included showers and lighting and heating if we needed any.

In this Country think we need electric cos of all blinking gadgets like TV we take with us.

Am quite the believer in moving on every nite but hey am a novice we only been once and can't wait to go again.

Greenie


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

krull said:


> Sorry to keep banging on about this Shingi and Briarose, but Aires are not campsites. They are simple overnight parking/short stay.
> 
> If you need heat, that is what the gas bottle is for. If my wife needs to dry her (long) hair, she brushes it in front of the gas heater or one of the blown air outlets.
> 
> ...


 I wish I had long hair that could be dried in front of a heater or blown hair outlet, but unfortunately mine needs a good old brush and blow dry every morning..................otherwise I would scare the living daylights out of fellow campers with my messy mop :wink: :lol:


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## Diver (May 15, 2005)

Saint-Cyprien, Dordogne

Château-Larcher, south of Poitiers

And yes, Forges-les-Eaux is a great spot. Don’t forget it is the start of the Greenway walking/cycle route to Dieppe. Also, about 20 miles south east of Forges is Gerberoy, one of the loveliest villages in France.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

geordie01 said:


> last time we were in honfleur we plugged into the post and got 16amp leccy. about 2hrs later a belgian turns up and unplugs us puts in a twoway splitter and reconnects us and him. 30 mins later along comes a french guy unplugs the splitter plugs in his own splitter and recconects us and the belgian van. then another guy turns up with his two way connector and tries but by this time the total length of the connectors is now trailing on the grass and he walked away muttering some thing.so be prepared to share your leccy.


We had a similar experience further south in France.
We hooked up, went for a walk and lunch.
When we returned we found a splitter in our supply, therefor, I did a polarity check and found it all wrong with the earth showing live :x 
Luckily, no damage, so I removed his splitter and hooked him in elsewhere :roll:


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Grath said:


> geordie01 said:
> 
> 
> > last time we were in honfleur we plugged into the post and got 16amp leccy. about 2hrs later a belgian turns up and unplugs us puts in a twoway splitter and reconnects us and him. 30 mins later along comes a french guy unplugs the splitter plugs in his own splitter and recconects us and the belgian van. then another guy turns up with his two way connector and tries but by this time the total length of the connectors is now trailing on the grass and he walked away muttering some thing.so be prepared to share your leccy.
> ...


I thought I would add that it clearly shows the importance of polarity checking and we have even found opposite polarity on different sockets that were fitted to the same electricity box.


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## ruthiebabe (Aug 16, 2005)

Vaujany near Alpe d'Huez and Puy St Vincent. May need to sahre (ie splitters) at Puy.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Grath said:


> Grath said:
> 
> 
> > geordie01 said:
> ...


I would also like to say, that if in doubt Dont use the electricity as we are motorhomers and not caravaners and we should and can well manage without electricity.
Obviously there are times that electricity can be nicer and more convinient, but we can manage


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## shingi (Apr 18, 2008)

Briarose said:


> krull said:
> 
> 
> > Sorry to keep banging on about this Shingi and Briarose, but Aires are not campsites. They are simple overnight parking/short stay.
> ...


Briarose.....You sound like my type of gal!!!!... in a purely heterosexual way, of course. My hair is very short but, if not forced into place by a hairdryer I look as if I have a finger stuck in a power socket. What girlies we are eh?

Krull...... I DO take your point. When we have our long (summer) French holiday we do stay in proper campsites and just use aires for the outward/inward journies. However, out of season when it is flipping cold in the morning I simply cannot, indeed, will not wait 20 mins for the 'van' to warm up using gas. I want it, and I want it NOW. That's me, I'm afraid. I wouldn't intend to spend an entire holiday using aires but could definetly plan last-minute short-ish trips and make use of them.

Cheers everyone.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Our main holiday this year was taken in France for 18 nights and almost exclusively using Aire's without electricity.
But it was summertime


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi again yes we are the same as we go in winter too, we just don't have the time in summer due to our business, must admit last year we worried ref what gas we would have and would it be enough to last us the trip.

Having said that we didn't really use aires as such (might be different next time) but I guess what I was trying to say is IF someone does want a list of aires with leccy I can't really see anything wrong in that.


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## Diver (May 15, 2005)

Castelsarrasin (Free)


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