Aires warning?

[MHVirgins]

What a shame that kind of response isn't available here in Royaume Uni. That's the kind of response that teaches youngsters how to behave, here they are just allowed to run riot.
Wyn

Wyn, you beat me to the same response Sadly things have got so bad in the UK that if you haul a youngster up for bad behaviour you're likely to to the one who ends up in trouble:Sad: We look at some of the parents and think, crikey, is it any wonder the kids are the way they are with parents like that. Then the parents give us a mouthful for daring to complain about their kids.

Margaret

 

[Steve101uk]

We stayed mostly on aires when we went to Normandy in July. I felt safe on all of them. There were plenty of other motorhomes of several nationalities. Everyone was friendly and nodded, said bonjour etc. When we had difficulty paying with the cards on one of them a friendly Frenchman gave me a hand.

Night times struck me as at around 10.30pm they was all, without exception, very quiet. They were all located very close to the towns which made eating out etc very easy.
They were all very cheap and some were free.

In some ways it was easier to get into conversations with people than it is on a campsite as the aires are more 'cosy'

We used the 'all the aire's France' book

The French really have it sussed when it comes to Motorhomes.

Cheers Steve

 

[Heyupluv]

We've stayed on Aires in villages and campsites in France. Only problem we've come across was on a campsite where a British neighbour 3 pitches away had his quarter light removed and glovebox rifled. We had no problems because we had external screens on or they thought we were French as we had a Chausson!!! Always look at situation and move on if you do not feel happy. The campsite was in Chalons en Champagne and not cheap just wanted to stay there.

"they thought we were French as we had a Chausson!!! "oh: I don't think so....
The first thing a French person will do from the age of 4 to 98..is look at your number plate ...as this will tell them from what region in France you are from...

Number plate reading seems to be favorite pass time of all french people....they will walk along a line of motorhomes (and cars) checking number plates

The Chausson is sold in Belgium, Germany, UK, and other countries....oh:

 

[MHVirgins]

We've stayed on Aires in villages and campsites in France. Only problem we've come across was on a campsite where a British neighbour 3 pitches away had his quarter light removed and glovebox rifled. We had no problems because we had external screens on or they thought we were French as we had a Chausson!!! Always look at situation and move on if you do not feel happy. The campsite was in Chalons en Champagne and not cheap just wanted to stay there.

But surely you've got GB plates on itoh:

 

[Allegro83]

Sorry I was being a tad sarcastic. I'm sure the reason our quarter light wasn't tampered with was the fact we had external screens on.
The point is the only time we've come across any theft was on a campsite not on any Aire.
It's not only the French who spot departments on plates we've done that for many years.

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[dickieo]

driving to the UK tomorrow , any advice on campsites etc , in case we get gassed or broken into while we are in the UK .

 

[s7ev0]

driving to the UK tomorrow , any advice on campsites etc , in case we get gassed or broken into while we are in the UK .

Steve

 

[dickieo]

Steve

 

[JJ]

Thank goodness so many motorhomers believe that overnighting on motorways along with all those lorries is dangerous...

It leaves more spaces for me...

Been sleeping on motorway "aires" for decades... never had trouble yet and have never actually met anyone who has.

Always read about the "danger" on forums though.

Each to their own...

JJ :Cool:

PS. Hope you have all got your raffle tickets...

 

[chaser]

Thank goodness so many motorhomers believe that overnighting on motorways along with all those lorries is dangerous...

It leaves more spaces for me...

Been sleeping on motorway "aires" for decades... never had trouble yet and have never actually met anyone who has.

Always read about the "danger" on forums though.

Each to their own...

JJ :Cool:

PS. Hope you have all got your raffle tickets...

As someone else touched on , there's danger every where, how many people get robbed in their own home, you are probably safer on an aire with trucks than in the centre of some towns, robbers and such have actually got to set out to rob and gas you on a motorway whereas in a more populated area you can get done by opportunity thieves and gangs with nothing better to do . Don't think there is much difference wherever you are, just your luck:Sad: but no reason to put you off going where you like

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[weejohnw]

Some say:- that there are only stories of folks being robbed - as I posted earlier my brother-in-law and family were robbed twice at motorway aires - first time we had to organise getting money out to them and they had to contact British Embassy to replace 5 passports - they also "lost" 5 days out of their holiday running around to get this sorted as well as getting their motorhome door secured after the lock was broken. Second time, money and credit cards were stolen. He now only uses motorway aires on the toll roads system.
We have used aires for the five years we have been motorhoming and apart from one experience/exception listed in the earlier post, they are great.
This is a facility to allow us motorhomers to travel and enjoy the French countryside. Get the "All the Aires" book - which isn't them all! and go and enjoy the facilities set up for your use. Many are free to use and many supermarkets have fresh water/grey water dump areas. French towns and villages are welcoming to tourists in motorhomes.
While stopped overnight in Doullens last year, we went for a wee dander around the village the next morning - a wee man who was cleaning the street noticed our cameras and came out of his way to us to point us to some of the attractions around the village.
I would put the gassing nonesense on the same plain as science fiction.
Go - use and enjoy the French Aires.:thumb:

 

[spitfire]

Some say:- that there are only stories of folks being robbed - as I posted earlier my brother-in-law and family were robbed twice at motorway aires - first time we had to organise getting money out to them and they had to contact British Embassy to replace 5 passports - they also "lost" 5 days out of their holiday running around to get this sorted as well as getting their motorhome door secured after the lock was broken. Second time, money and credit cards were stolen. He now only uses motorway aires on the toll roads system.
We have used aires for the five years we have been motorhoming and apart from one experience/exception listed in the earlier post, they are great.
This is a facility to allow us motorhomers to travel and enjoy the French countryside. Get the "All the Aires" book - which isn't them all! and go and enjoy the facilities set up for your use. Many are free to use and many supermarkets have fresh water/grey water dump areas. French towns and villages are welcoming to tourists in motorhomes.
While stopped overnight in Doullens last year, we went for a wee dander around the village the next morning - a wee man who was cleaning the street noticed our cameras and came out of his way to us to point us to some of the attractions around the village.
I would put the gassing nonesense on the same plain as science fiction.
Go - use and enjoy the French Aires.:thumb:

That is very sad and you you say rare but upsetting just the same . Not sure where they were robbed as you say was on a motorway aire then go on to say they only use toll road aires? All motorways are tolls. The other roads are N roads and don't normally have aires ? I would not choose to stay on a peage aire although had to once near Nice getting off ferry from Genoa in an evening .

I hope it has not put them off France

 

[weejohnw]

as we live in the countryside with "lanes", anything bigger than a b road is a motorway!, the aires he was robbed at were actually service stations - sorry for not clarifying that. - while we only use the town/village aires - he likes to stay on main routes. We like a slightly slower pace, while he had a band of three asking "are we there yet?"

 

[spitfire]

Ok I understand now we lived in Cornwall for 12 years !!! So lanes with walls and hedges !!

If they like main routes then just check map and find a village aire just off the peage and hop back on to the peage in the morning . Simples and usually safe also villages without aires often don't mind you stopping overnight if there is a suitable parking area perhaps by the stade or the Marie but always nicer to ask at the Marie or a local shop or bar if it is ok. Of course no emptying or water but for one night should be no problem and you can find emptying on many aires on the peage.

Happy traveling

 

[Hawkstone]

We have just returned from our Trip to Belgium and France so apologies for not commenting and thanking you all for your comments. On the way out we tried Calais 1 as it was very late..no chance so moved onto Gravelines which was also heaving. We noticed that the carpark on the left had around 6 Motorhomes already parked up so we joined them. Fabulous night sleep. The next day we travelled to a little aire in Louhans, right by the river. Beautiful aire, toilets, showers and happily for my son....Wifi. Total cost 5 Euros and 80 cents. On our return we stayed at another lovely site called Mareuil Sur Ay by a river, couldn't get on the actual aire but the road as a dead end so parked up with some other vans, freebie. Our last port if call was Calais 1, arriving at 3 pm so it was relatively easy to park.....just wish I drunk plenty of alcohol to drown out the blooming ferry noises, I know, I was warned it was noisy so it was my own fault. In the middle of all these we stayed at a motocross GP in Bastogne, very basic facilities so we made use of our own shower more. We then moved on to Camping Les Marmottes in Morzine and what a fabulous site it was. Beautiful facilities, amazing views, a vey helpful owner and a love,y fresh bread van in the mornings. All in all a brilliant holiday, can't wait to plan the next one.

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