# Misconceptions about Aires



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

In the February C&CC magazine, there is a letter from a tugger (page 7) in which they say "we could not believe how many motorhomers spent the night at roadside Aires and town centre parking areas. We often read stories in motorhome magazines and other publications of gassing and subsequent robbery...........staying and taking risks in the aforementioned places, maybe to save a few pounds, and being parked 5 feet apart, seems like false economy when motorhomes cost tens of thousands of pounds"

It seems a common misconception amongst the caravanning community that all Aires de service / stationnement are the same as the autoroute aires that have been the locations for robberies (and alleged gas attacks) [PLEASE DON'T START DISCUSSIONS ON THIS THREAD ABOUT GAS ATTACKS!!!] I have a tugger friend and he has travelled extensively, and he keeps going on about the risks motorhomers take in stopping overnight on Aires. Good grief, if they were so unsafe, why do so many camping-caristes (love that word, much nicer than motorhomers) stop at them? 
Perhaps the misconception is because the French don't have a separate word for Aires to distinguish them from Motorway service area parking?

As fro the 5 feet apart thing, well he may have a point, and I would not want to spend too long in such a situation, but if it's between spending a night on a village aire when stopping off overnight, and spending €25 on a site on which I wouldn't use any of the facilities, I know which I'd do. And how far from the next pitch on campsites are these huge double axle caravans, with awning attached, and 4x4 parked olongside?


Comments please? :wink:


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## b6x (Feb 26, 2007)

We have never stayed overnight on an Aire (motorway or town centre) and never intend to following our recent experience...

Whilst travelling around the South of France and based out of a site in Narbonne, we stumbled across a lovely aire on the coast. We decided to park up, stick the kettle on and relax in the sun. There was four other vans parked up there with us. Within 10 minutes of being there, whilst I was relaxing on the rear bed I heard one of the cab doors being opened. Initially assuming it was the wife (as she was sitting outside in the sun) I thought nothing of it. I just had a weird feeling something was not right so I got up, just to see some thieving b*stard going through the wifes handbag that he'd dragged from the passenger side footwell to where he was stood at the driver side. He saw me and obviously bolted, leaving the bag there for some reason. I chased him over the cobble car park in bare feet (that hurt alot but didn't think about it at the time as I was fuming) until he got to his running car and sped off. The small child in the back of the car staring at me whilst I memorised the number plate.

A few quid a night for the improved security of camp site is well worth it in my opinion. The cost/hassle of replacing the stuff in the wifes bag would have been a far bigger amount than the total we spent on sites in three weeks. Not for me I'm afraid.


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## Burneyinn (Oct 27, 2006)

I also groaned when I read the article. I am sure there are more interesting and original letters that could be published instead of this again. There will always be people who will use aires and people who would never dream of it. We love using aires. You just have to use your common sense and make your own judgment about each place at the time of your visit. It's not about the cost, it's about doing your own thing. We find campsites claustrophobic.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

OK Mike - comments it is.

I can't understand why some people seem to spend their lives being concerned with what others do. I'm sure they would be a lot more content (and would write fewer boring letters to the magazines) if they just got on and did their own thing.

On the Aires question I would think a bit of common sense and an alarm is all that's necessary, but some incidents are so blatant and daring they just cannot be anticipated. b6x was very unlucky, but these things happen - and not only on Aires. If he doesn't want to use them any more then that really doesn't bother me overmuch. It's up to him, and none of my business.

If he asked for comments or opinions that's another matter of course, and loads of people would offer help and advice. Some of it might even be sensible - but don't hold your breath. You did mention the 'G' word.

Cheers


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## 101405 (Oct 15, 2006)

*Aire de service*

Aire de service's are called Camping car stops - or Stationment pour le camping car. have used over 70 of them , great Idea BUT now to many camping cars, was in france from may -sept last year, what drove me barmy ! besides crap weather , was motorhomes on Aires , in-and out night and day , the french dont like to pay for anything if they can avoid paying they will. water costs about 2€ on an Aire to fill up with water potable will they pay! like heck. off they go to find free water kms away.
now just to many M/Hs mostly coastly wise . this year we will stay inland up through cataluna/langudoc / Italy.


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

*Misconceptions about aires...*



I too groaned when I read this article! :roll:

I guarantee that Auntie Sandra and I will be searching out aires for our holiday in France.

BUT I ALSO GUARANTEE THAT THE AIRES WILL NOT BE ON MOTORWAY SERVICE STATIONS! How unglamorous is that? 8O

We shall be seeking the safety and companionship found in the PROPER aires, made especially for camping-carists. (I too like that word as it also suggests someone who cares - a carist!)

We shall be seeking a place where we can carry out the three part service our MH needs, without having to pay for a whole range of amenities that we do not need and will not use.

And whilst we are enjoying ourselves, we shall take all reasonable precautions to protect ourselves and our belongings. If that involves locking cab doors whilst in the MH, then so be it.

It's strange though, how we can go out on our bikes for the day and, on our return, find that the BBQ, its table and the sun-loungers are still parked next to the MH, where they were left! I'd like to think that camping-carists are folk who will be there when needed. They will keep an eye on MHs while the owners are away. I don't see this as any different to the 'tuggers' who take down awnings for absentee caravanners when the wind threatens to put poles through caravan sides or through the awning fabric.

In a nutshell, we are looking for some solitude, some companionship, but above all else, safety in numbers. By using PROPER aires for motorhomers, we can enjoy all of these things. Rather like being on a rally or a meet! I don't recall anyone doubting the safety factor of those events!


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## DJP (May 9, 2005)

My first experience of Aires was a couple of years ago when we were new to motorhoming. We stayed on a motorway Aires near Clermont Ferrand. While we were asleep in bed someone attempted to break in, snapping a scredriver in the driver door lock and waking us up. Off he ran.
Never again we will use Aies we said.
THEN, over the following year we spoke to lots of well travelled people who pointed out our error of staying on a motorway Aire and persuaded us that Aires in village or towns were generally really safe.
last year we plucked up the courage to try Aires again on a 3 week visit to France. the 1st night was fairly sleepless, listening for every sound outside. The second night was better and so on.
NOW, I would not hesitate to stop overnight or for a couple of nights on a town or village Aires. NEVER again on a motorway Aire.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Mikes right, there has always been confusion about Aires mainly because the word can refer to so many things in France other than Motorhome stoppovers.

Just to clarify, there are 4 types of aires for Camping-cars...

Aires De Service Publique/Privee
These are the one that most regard as a 'proper' aire. Usually provided by the local town or private organisation, normally with a motorhome service point and overnight parking. These are the most common

Aires De Service Sur Camping....
These are either within the confines of a campsite or sometimes just outside.

Aires De Service Sur Autoroute....
These are the ones that tend to get the bad press. A service point is usually provided and somewhere to stay overnight. Some do stay overnight with no problems but I wouldn't recommend it, especially in the south.

Aires De Stationement...
This is a designated place where you can park overnight with your van but with no Servicing facilities provided.

Most aires are unsupervised so none could be classed as 100% safe, you just have to take reasonable security precautions, practice a bit of common sense and you should be fine. Its the best way to tour France imo but its not everyones cup of tea.

There is a >Guide To Aires< that you might find helpful on here, it is a little out of date but has all the basic info there.

pete


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Airing Views*

Hello all,

Well I have stayed at both Motorway and Town Camping Car Aires. I have to agree, it is all about using ones common sense and your own gut feeling. We obviously prefer Camping Car Aires, though as I said I have used Autoroute ones, without incident.

Motorway Aires

We only use these in an emergency, for example when we are very tired, it is late and when we are unable to find a place in a local village. If we see all the wagons parked at the entrance and exit of an empty Aire, then obviously we give it a miss. We always try to use Peage Autoroutes for these stops as there is a lesser chance of incident.

I may have mentioned this before but if we all worried so much about being gassed (by the leaking Leaking LPG or batteries of course), the life threatening Ticks, the Highway robberies, risk of blowouts, fire risk, forest fire risk, electrocution, hypothermia, heart attacks in remote areas and so on and so on, then none of us would leave the house!.

Safety in numbers, one reason the streets are so unsafe to walk these days is beacuse we all in vehicles. The more of us that make use of Aires the better.

Trev.


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## putties (May 18, 2005)

Over tha last few years we have stayed on aires as in Camping car infos and on car parks listed in Camping car liberte and have to applaud the french for their hospitality. as mentioned you have to use your commonsense. We have a volumetric alarm which we can hapily set while being in the vehicle. This is agreat comfort when stayng in a car park, but in the high season you are not alone for long. Vive les aires

Putties


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

On our first trip through france on our way down to spain we stayed on 14 Aires in one month and found them all to be very safe even the supermarket ones. 

We enjoyed this type of traveling so much we intend to do a 4 month trip around brittany later this summer only using aires.

steve & ann. ------ teensvan


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## RAH (Apr 22, 2007)

Unfortunately, Aires De Service Sur Autoroute and Aires De Stationement areas are about all we can "camp" at when transversing France. We have never had a problem, but there is always a first time.

Even in the UK we overnight mainly in the coach parking slots of Motorway Service Areas and when we do find a campground that will allow us access we are overjoyed, to say the least!

The only problems we have encountered was in Nurenburg in a large parking area next to a stadium that suddenly filled with 100's of riot police and well behaved football fans during an Everton and Nurenburg match. Come to think of it, we were stuck in the same circumstances across from a stadium in Prague, but with visiting well behaved Swiss fans. And then there were the boisterous Germans around midnight in Heidelberg, but they too were well behaved.

Hopefully, our luck will hold!


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## panagah (Jan 4, 2006)

We have done over 100 nights away in europe. We have wild camped in belgium, luxembourg stayed at aires in France and Germany. As someone else has said people should do as they please. We have stayed at Motorway service areas where the only problem is the noise. susspect the writer of the letter just does not get what motorhoming is about.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

b6x was unlucky but one does need to take extra care in the south of France. Having said that we stayed at a few Aires on the South of France and had no problems. But then we would make sure the cab doors were locked and in fact if resting on the bed the habitation door locked as well.

And campsites are not always safe either, there are thefts from these as well.


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## 105062 (Jun 10, 2007)

Hi,
As we all know people get mugged and burgled in their own homes so no where is 100% safe but going around in a nice clean modern MH does advertise the fact that there are some rich pickings to be had!! 

After a lot of touring around europe and staying on many sites, common sense prevails as been said many times. Sites can be dodgy as well and you will not get much help from some of the French especially in the south. I can still see the proprietor of a site in Antibes, every time a British MH left the site he would smile as he took their money and said his good-byes then spit on the rear of their van as they drove off !!! 

Paul


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## 107493 (Oct 7, 2007)

does this mean if i have a crappy dirty old motorhome I'm less likely to be targetted? 

Sweet I know my new security system - don't clean the van


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## 105062 (Jun 10, 2007)

Quote :"Sweet I know my new security system - don't clean the van "
Hi Rightz:
Actually, yep thats right, we tour a lot on our Harleys and when they get dirty we leave them like that if in the south and have put black tape over the chrome shinny bits when in southern spain where there are a lot of undesireables from across the water. They then do not attract the wrong type off attention but it all depends on how much attention the vehicle attracts **** & span, some more than others!:wink:


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## 107493 (Oct 7, 2007)

wow i always thought the newer looking, the more security on it. 

I've got an advnatage with the dirty old looking van then theory then


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## RAH (Apr 22, 2007)

Those criminal types should be glad they are in Europe...
... since many USA motorhome owners have the "Smith & Wesson" proactive security system onboard


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