# French Aires and caravans



## chrisndeb (Feb 7, 2007)

Hello All
Can someone please tell me, are caravans allowed to use (overnight) French Aires?
Thanks for any help
Chris


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## kezbea (Jan 5, 2008)

This is a m/h forum so you will be told no


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## 94639 (May 1, 2005)

AFAIK the Aire de Services are only for the use of camping cars.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Who is to say not ? If the aire is not packed and there is space for the car and van, either separately or together, then I really doubt you would get the municipal authorities who supervise the place moving you on.

The problem usually arises in summer when they are busier and there is not room. 

G


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## chrisndeb (Feb 7, 2007)

Hi kezbea
Get out of bed the wrong side today did we ????????? :roll:


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi.

We have seen one caravan on an aires but it was removed within 3 hours. SO NO is the answer.

steve & ann. ------- teensvan.


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## chrisndeb (Feb 7, 2007)

Thanks Grizzly & Brisey


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Virtually all the stuff I read about Aires refers to Camping-Cars; "Aires de Camping-Cars" "Camping-Cars info " etc.

I'd say the same as on the other thread re towcars & Aires. I think it was carol who said she'd be very miffed if she turned up at an aire and it was full with a car and caravan taking up the equivalent of two "spaces"

I would be too.

For the definitive answer EMail some of the "Mairies"-offices and ask them.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

I have seen the odd caravan at times and been allowed to stay overnight. As a general rule though the Aires are just for camping cars.

However at this time of the year I am sure you would get away with it.


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## chrisndeb (Feb 7, 2007)

Thanks all
looks like a "no" I think, 
I will let our friends know.
Thanks
Chris


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

chrisndeb said:


> Thanks all
> looks like a "no" I think,
> I will let our friends know.
> Thanks
> Chris


If they are going in the summer then I'd say it would be a no-no for practical reasons but, if before Easter and they have a fall-back campsite not too far away each night, then I'd give it a whirl. We've certainly seen caravans at aires and no-one stood and stared at them !

G


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## chrisndeb (Feb 7, 2007)

Hi Grizzly
They are thinking of joining us in August, so I think we will have to look for campsites for overnight stops. 
Thanks
Chris


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## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

*aires*

Hi chrisndeb, you could check out aires de camping's, usually aires that are in very close proximity to campsites, or attached to campsites, ideal for both of you.
curlyboy


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## sersol (Aug 1, 2005)

*"We've certainly seen caravans at aires and no-one stood and stared at them ! "*
If you read the "rules" (sorry I can't remember where) they are quite clear the "aires" as we know are soley for camping cars,not caravans not tents not white panel vans.
The problem I have with aires being used by "tuggers" is this
1, one bay for the "tug"
2,one bay for the "tugged"
3,spilling into the third bay with with water carrier & waste container.
So over all not very good,I have been told by the French to move before,they consider it "their" right to use aires over everyone else !
Gary


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

chrisndeb said:


> Hi Grizzly
> They are thinking of joining us in August, so I think we will have to look for campsites for overnight stops.
> Thanks
> Chris


I have had to do this when travelling with caravan owning friends. They can also slow you down a bit if you are in a hurry.

I have also seen a caravan arrive late at night on an Aire. (10pm ish) I thought he had probably left it too late to find anywhere to stay. He was gone when I got up so I don't know whether he decide not to pitch, was moved on or left early.

peedee


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## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

*Aires*

I recall last year at the aire at Nantua, where the sign clearly states "parking for Camping cars only",a young french lad pulled up in a nice BMW, asked us to keep an eye on it while he and his young lady went for a walk around town. He not been gone more than ten minutes when local policeman on his bike arrived and duly stuck a parking ticket on the windscreen, I tried to explain that the driver had asked us to keep an eye on the car, but he wouldn't have any of it, just a shrug of the shouldre in typical french fashion. When the owner returned he wasn't very impressed!
curlyboy


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

July last year, two couple both towing speedboats slept ay Gravelines aire.


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## gromett (May 9, 2005)

It is not allowed, but will you get away with it is another question?

It's similar to parking on double yellows. Do it in a small village in the middle of nowhere and you may be ok. Do it in a city or large town and the answer is no chance. On the other hand in small village you may have lots of locals keeping an eye out?

Basically it's down to your level of risk aversion with respect to the rules. The rules say no... Can you get away with it? Possibly....

Karl


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## montpinchon (Aug 13, 2009)

Aire de repos/aire de service is not the same as Aire de campingcar..... 

C'est quand meme simple. :roll:


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

In June, AuntieSandra and I stayed at an aire-de-camping-car at Anglet, near Biarritz. It's just above the Plage des Corsaires and could take 82 motorhomes per night.  

The sign at the entrance was very clear, in a few languages, motorhomes, camping-cars, autocaravanes or similar. No other vehicles. 

The municipal police visited several times a day. One day, they were clearly not amused to find two spaces occupied by CARS! The car drivers would not have been amused either when they saw the tickets on their windscreen, one got a ticket for €11 and the other got TWO tickets, one for €11 and one for €34!! OUCH! :roll:


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## camper69 (Aug 30, 2007)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> July last year, two couple both towing speedboats slept ay Gravelines aire.


Caravan and car parked at Gravelines August this year. Plenty of room so who cares.

Derek


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## tony50 (Oct 16, 2007)

kezbea said:


> This is a m/h forum so you will be told no


I think your statement is on the point of being rude !


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Caravans*

Of course they are!

Aires are French!


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## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

have seen grape pickers gypsies stopping on aires in caravan's ,felt uncomfortable so moved on this was on an aire on slip road to isle d'oronne
when we returned went on aire to dump grey etc and the aire was wrecked , a french m/h that was there said there had been a grand scene the night before with a dozen police turning of the 4 caravan's , only allowed to use aire if you can move from driving to sleeping without exiting vehicle . i also saw municipal police at biaritz who had turned a blind eye the 2 day's before ie checking payment made of a volk's van with surfers , throwing them of the aire july 1st not proper camping car!!


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Campsing Car*



rugbyken said:


> i also saw municipal police at biaritz who had turned a blind eye the 2 day's before ie checking payment made of a volk's van with surfers , throwing them of the aire july 1st not proper camping car!!


I understand that your Camping Car needs to have own Toilet/Washing facilities for most Aires. The Authorities will turn a blind eye for a short while, say overnight/24 hours. However, if you don't have the facilities for such, where are you going to do it?


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## 106573 (Aug 20, 2007)

I used to be a caravaner (hate the word tugger, sounds sexual) One day near Dijon we had had enough for the day and decided to pull onto a local Aire, the looks we got from the few vanners already on there made us turn tail and run.........  
Tinhut


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