Aires - can someone please explain why they think they are a good Ida?

[scotjimland]

or perfect peace in under a tree

 

[scotjimland]

or by the beach

 

[scotjimland]

or by a river..

 

[scousebird]

or a stop for lunch by a park

 

[scotjimland]

yes aires are really crap places.. full of gypos and washing hanging out everywhere ..

who would want to camp in these places..

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[thehutchies]

Or enjoy a late-night glass among the picnic tables and apple trees at Brezolles, listening to the church bells while all the kids sleep.

 

[Wildge]

Or view the Pyrenees by the side of a river.

 

[Wildge]

Or spend an afternoon fishing

 

[laneside]

There again you could follow the sheep and try Crotoy ----friendly enough but too crowded for us

 

[scotjimland]

I think the OP was on a trip

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[laneside]

or do a bit of homework and finish up amongst the grape vines at Sauternes

 

[Zoppydog]

How about Dinan?

 

[scotjimland]

How about Dinan?

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[FIDGET]

Photo won't upload sorry

Cleres aire

 

[Zoppydog]

Now where did that picture go ?? Thanks ScotJimland best I go read "how to insert picture" again

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[Reallyretired]

We use aires and a variety of sites, municipal or private. A few aires we have moved on as we didn't like them, but we have also done this with private sites, some of them are quite dreadful and also expensive.
The big plus of aires is that they are usually sited close to the town or village we want to visit, whereas sites tend to be miles from anywhere as in the UK.
Aires are not always free but usually excellent value.

 

[FIDGET]

St Nicolas de Bliquetuit on the Seine

 

[FIDGET]

Campeneac aire nice lake & parkside free aire

 

[FIDGET]

Piriac sur mer (brambels aire) just over road from beach

 

[DP+JAY]

One step up from aires is the municipal camp site, often by a municipal pool. You pay a little bit and get a lot.

Yes, we use some of these too.

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[FIDGET]

Turquant aire Loire

 

[Lenny HB]

There again you could follow the sheep and try Crotoy ----friendly enough but too crowded for us

The one at the North end of town by the sand dunes is OK but ½mile walk to town.

 

[bungy]

on your own by a river...at Pont d'ouilly

 

[FIDGET]

Catillon sur Sambre, where we met by chance Heyupluv another funster, who by pure chance had recommended this aire some months earlier, he's on left mine's 3rd one in & 4th one is fellow camper from the Isle of Wight tracvelling with us. Lovely canalside aire

 

[FIDGET]

Sully sur Loire aire 200 yards from the Chateau,

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[Frentchy]

or do a bit of homework and finish up amongst the grape vines at Sauternes

That's about 6km from our Campsite at Villandraut!!

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

I think the OP was on a trip

Not at all Jim. I am struggling to understand what the benefits of Aires are. Perhaps our style of motohoming just isn't compatible with Aires. Like many of you the only thing we book is the ferry. But probably that's where the similarity ends. We take a motorbike and use sites which act as a base from which to explore up to an approximate 50 mile radius over a period of 2 or 3 days. After a ride out we will return, usually mid-afternoon and chill out for the rest of the day. If the area or site are particularly good we may stay longer. We will then drive 2 or 300 miles to the next base. We don't want to drive the motorhome every day. We do use municipal sites because we can stay longer and feel safe leaving the motorhome and trailer while we are off on the bike. I'm trying to convince myself that not taking the bike could be an option by parking up and exploring the local town/village but I don't think that we would see as many of the places we get to. Going by the photos, there are Aires in some beautiful places but I'm sorry to say there are also others which wouldn't suit me.

 

[lorger]

This is one we have used a couple of times, right next to a river and 100yards from town lovely little place at €4 a night. Think it was a campsite in a past life just the way it's set out.


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[scotjimland]

Going by the photos, there are Aires in some beautiful places but I'm sorry to say there are also others which wouldn't suit me.

there are aires to suite every taste.. and pocket..

yes, there are many aires that are little more than a place to park for the night.. basic car parks with water and dumping.. ideal en route..

others, as you can see from the photos, you will want to stay longer.. and when it's out of season you can stay as long as you like, .. I've never been told to move on.. just go and try a few..

 

[Deleted member 29692]

When we are only staying somewhere for one, two or maybe three nights we don't want, don't need and don't use the "features" of a full site i.e. toilet and shower block, laundry, even EHU etc and definitely not ever a clubhouse, bar or pool so don't see the point in paying for them.

The aires we have stayed on have given us all the facilities we need and have been in great locations.

Although not as picturesque as some of the others posted here are a couple of favourites of ours, both on beaches:

The Juno Beach aire/parking place at Courseulles-sur-Mer. You can't overnight on this one between April and I think the end of August.

And Saint Valery-en-Caux

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