Camping-Car parks

[MichaelT]

It's a case of where you are & what's available.

But a lot 9f your stops are on car park type places?

 

[Lenny HB]

But a lot 9f your stops are on car park type places?

Just like CCP then.
Difference is they don't fleece me, I would be tempted with CCP if they reduced prices and put metered electric in, I hate paying for things I don't need or want.

 

[Russell's Dad]

But you get services 365 days of the year (practically) guaranteed wheras the free ones likely don't and travelling in winter that's a bonus as well as saving gas if you hook up.

We use them where they are somewhere we want to be and it's convenient. Seen some like car parks but a lot more other aires like one especially in mountains but I guess when it's full of snow it doesn't matter, others like everyone says laid out pitches with room to sit out and a bit of grass. We have been disappointed by some not having grass cut but I believe they have taken this on board but also I think this would be a local contract so reliant on pierre and his lawnmower.

Like all Aires or sites you have a choice, mostly we only stay 1 night (did have 3 on Normoutier which was excellent) so it's somewhere to sleep whilst visiting or passing through.

We use the CCP sites quite a lot, and have done for a while. We have had some great stays on them, especially some of the old municipal campsite ones. I'm just concerned that they become something of a monopoly.

 

[MichaelT]

Just like CCP then.
Difference is they don't fleece me, I would be tempted with CCP if they reduced prices and put metered electric in, I hate paying for things I don't need or want.

But you need that leccy to use your 120a charger or was that something you wanted but didn't need

 

[chaser]

We are using them on this trip, but I really hate the paying part, not the money it's just the principle of it and the thought that they are getting rid of the old Aires.
We are now sitting in the old Aire at blaye which was one of our favourites right in the town easy walk to the bars and stuff but what have they done stopped you staying the night and have moved 2 miles out of town one of these ccp type things although to be fair it isn't actually ccp but similar thing, and now bu....... Me if they haven't done the same thing at another of our favourites up the road at montendre.
No nothing but the beginning of the end.

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[Lenny HB]

We are now sitting in the old Aire at blaye which was one of our favourites right in the town easy walk to the bars and stuff but what have they done stopped you staying the night and have moved 2 miles out of town

It's only just over 3/4 of mile.

 

[chaser]

Too far for me to walk

 

[Orion]

Saumur is a good introduction to CCP sites, good facilities and easy walk into town.

We looked at the Saumur CCP earlier this year but with the low season ACSI discount staying at the adjacent Flower Camping Ile d’Offard with full facilities, swimming pool, etc. made it a no brainer.

 

[chaser]

We looked at the Saumur CCP earlier this year but with the low season ACSI discount staying at the adjacent Flower Camping Ile d’Offard with full facilities, swimming pool, etc. made it a no brainer.

That's going to be the problem they are just going to keep going up till they are the same price as campsites.

 

[Orion]

That's going to be the problem they are just going to keep going up till they are the same price as campsites.

Not sure that would be the case everywhere. In that location, and given the close proximity of the two options, it could more than likely be the Flower Campsite offering reduced pricing to be competitive with the CCP site - at least in the low season. The CCP in Saumur was on a par with their other similar locations, it was the campsite that was very keenly priced at the time.

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[Tigertom]

We use CCP some of the time and most of their Aires are ok and the pricing is pretty well spot on, not everyone wants to go down the full (expensive) lithium battery route so the ehu is good. Don’t knock them, there are still plenty of free aires and 30€ + campsites with all bells and whistles if that’s what you want !

 

[Tigertom]

That's going to be the problem they are just going to keep going up till they are the same price as campsites.

Highly unlikely, they have a very good business model.

 

[TerryL]

Currently on a tiny free aire, all facilities, near Yvetot at start of our Normandy trip. Got card when they first came out but never used it and of course can't find it now. But APP works okay so will likely give it a go, maybe have to call them.

 

[denisejoe]

Is that Parking Bobby TerryL? If it is there's a good market on a Saturday. We were there a couple of years ago.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Especially useful in Winter, campsites closed, Aires with water turned off.
Worth at least once a week for water, cassette - and a fan heater to save a bit of gas.....

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[Barriesimpson]

I joined up and will have a card on my first visit. So no experience so far but it did seem a good idea, so went for it. Next year we will be travelling up through France, so will probably use one or two.

 

[Jagtazman]

Been using on and off for a few years, no issues here

 

[SafetyPete]

Getting Poole ferry on Friday morning, so ferry car park tomorrow night, then thinking Mont St Michel on Friday night, I think its the car park variety so may use a site instead.

Used them last year, sites were good and easy to use - out of season is great, but busy periods can be interesting - had a French van who hadnt prebooked blocking gate whilst waiting for someone to vacate, much to the annoyance of the queue behind who had booked ahead.

Im not a fan of car parks in UK, too many scrotes looking to steal, so prefer sites, hipefully CCP will work ok.

 

[Broadway]

I think they’re great. Used them in our last trip and it was a breeze.

However I’ve just downloaded the app update, at the apps request and it no longer functions properly.

When you click on a review it closes the app. It wouldn’t let me email them from the app either, so I’ve done so on their webpage.

Anyone else having trouble with the update?

 

[chaser]

I think they’re great. Used them in our last trip and it was a breeze.

However I’ve just downloaded the app update, at the apps request and it no longer functions properly.

When you click on a review it closes the app. It wouldn’t let me email them from the app either, so I’ve done so on their webpage.

Anyone else having trouble with the update?

Yeah that's what julie did, when she went to put money on it it said it needed updating so she did and that upset it.

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[chaser]

I still wonder why so many think putting money in someone else's bank and then queuing waiting for a barrier to go up to let you park on a bit of grass is better than drawing onto a free Aire in the middle of a village for free.

 

[Hawkstone]

Getting Poole ferry on Friday morning, so ferry car park tomorrow night, then thinking Mont St Michel on Friday night, I think its the car park variety so may use a site instead.

Used them last year, sites were good and easy to use - out of season is great, but busy periods can be interesting - had a French van who hadnt prebooked blocking gate whilst waiting for someone to vacate, much to the annoyance of the queue behind who had booked ahead.

Im not a fan of car parks in UK, too many scrotes looking to steal, so prefer sites, hipefully CCP will work ok.

Some nice restaurants on Poole Quay. Da Vinci Italian, is very good.

 

[Ber090]

We have used ccp for 7 years and stayed on over 70 different sites. They have grown rapidly and are usually good. We have had the odd one with real issues. Ccp will not publish really bad reviews. We had a ccp this summer taken over by “travellers “ who were threatening and damaged much equipment. We rang them immediately but they reacted slowly and we left. Took 4 weeks to get a “partial “ refund. We still use them though. 6 amp electricity was brilliant for aircon during heatwave.

 

[varaizian]

I still wonder why so many think putting money in someone else's bank and then queuing waiting for a barrier to go up to let you park on a bit of grass is better than drawing onto a free Aire in the middle of a village for free.

Its a location thing. If you want to visit Mornac-sur- Seudre there is no free aire in the middle of the village and if there was it wouldn’t have facilities. There used to a free one here (without facilities) but it was small and inadequate for the numbers visiting. We do stay on nice little free aires but don’t expect a Beau Village adjacent. The mechanism of paying for it is another matter. I'm happy enough with their system but am not remotely surprised when it goes wrong. It is how they deal with problems that is important to me and they were very efficient. You takes your choice huh?

 

[kev54]

I put this in France touring but they do have a few sites in Netherlands and Spain and no doubt they will spread further, basically they have taken over a lot of the old municipal sites so many have electric included and some have a toilet block so then they allow vans without own facilities and tents as well.

We are on our first one tonight and it was so easy, I registered for a card before we came away and loaded a few €, I though the card would come in the post but no instead I just got a code to retrieve the card at the gate on first visit, a couple of minutes looking the screen and then I pressed the right button and out came my card waved it at the barrier card reader and we are in the cost varies but this is €15.20 per night but for €6 you can have 6 hours and use the service area and I guess electric as well.

Apart from all of the above what we really liked was that you just roll up, flash your card at the barrier and in you go, this one we are on is at Saumur and is actually just outside the gates of the campsite which had a queue of caravans waiting to check in (I hate the check in process) you can check the available spaces on the app although I am told it isn't 100% reliable but you can also book ahead.

And you are allowed to put your table and chairs out so it's really more like a campsite, but easier.

View attachment 947347
https://www.campingcarpark.com/en_GB/

After all this you will most likely all come back and say "we have been using them for years" it's just a while since have been in France so are a bit rusty.

A good option. The card lasts ‘forever’. Sometimes it’s the best/cleanest location. Can’t be bothered paying for the pre-book facility. Need to check site reviews elsewhere for noise, shade etc. I have always found the emergency response number to be working ( within stated hours) and helpful. Only once did the barrier stay down when we wanted to exit, but we were preceded by a Frenchman who gave up calling and pulled out a monkey wrench and took the bar off. We left a message…

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[Compusol]

We have used around twelve of their sites in the past few months, all good, some better than others, some in really beautiful locations.
Always felt secure, my wife really gets a little worried when we stop in other aires, so that is why we use CCP.
The cost is far more acceptable than most sites in the UK which is a bonus.

 

[andymun]

I had signed up with CCP and not used them for a year. We arrived at Saumur and called the number on the machine near the entrance. The card was delivered as we waited. Easy to top up, I usually make sure there is about €25 on the card.

We use them a lot now, they all seem to have hard standing, water, waste disposal and electric. The app shows how busy they are and how many free spaces.

Thoroughly recommended, but each to their own. We are in a campervan so we use ASCI sites every so often for the showers.

Photo is of the Saumur site.

 

[kev54]

I had signed up with CCP and not used them for a year. We arrived at Saumur and called the number on the machine near the entrance. The card was delivered as we waited. Easy to top up, I usually make sure there is about €25 on the card.

We use them a lot now, they all seem to have hard standing, water, waste disposal and electric. The app shows how busy they are and how many free spaces.

Thoroughly recommended, but each to their own. We are in a campervan so we use ASCI sites every so often for the showers.

Photo is of the Saumur site.



View attachment 947891

I have 0.20€ on the card and just topup whatever they want for the night/2 when we want to stay.

 

[Graham n Karen]

I put this in France touring but they do have a few sites in Netherlands and Spain and no doubt they will spread further, basically they have taken over a lot of the old municipal sites so many have electric included and some have a toilet block so then they allow vans without own facilities and tents as well.

We are on our first one tonight and it was so easy, I registered for a card before we came away and loaded a few €, I though the card would come in the post but no instead I just got a code to retrieve the card at the gate on first visit, a couple of minutes looking the screen and then I pressed the right button and out came my card waved it at the barrier card reader and we are in the cost varies but this is €15.20 per night but for €6 you can have 6 hours and use the service area and I guess electric as well.

Apart from all of the above what we really liked was that you just roll up, flash your card at the barrier and in you go, this one we are on is at Saumur and is actually just outside the gates of the campsite which had a queue of caravans waiting to check in (I hate the check in process) you can check the available spaces on the app although I am told it isn't 100% reliable but you can also book ahead.

And you are allowed to put your table and chairs out so it's really more like a campsite, but easier.

View attachment 947347
https://www.campingcarpark.com/en_GB/

After all this you will most likely all come back and say "we have been using them for years" it's just a while since have been in France so are a bit rusty.

Been using them for 3 years now. Also like the coordinates on the app that you can send to your sat nav or Google maps. Some are very basic but, on the whole good, safe stopovers. Have used 3 this trip. Spain tomorrow

 

[Davecrawf]

I put this in France touring but they do have a few sites in Netherlands and Spain and no doubt they will spread further, basically they have taken over a lot of the old municipal sites so many have electric included and some have a toilet block so then they allow vans without own facilities and tents as well.

We are on our first one tonight and it was so easy, I registered for a card before we came away and loaded a few €, I though the card would come in the post but no instead I just got a code to retrieve the card at the gate on first visit, a couple of minutes looking the screen and then I pressed the right button and out came my card waved it at the barrier card reader and we are in the cost varies but this is €15.20 per night but for €6 you can have 6 hours and use the service area and I guess electric as well.

Apart from all of the above what we really liked was that you just roll up, flash your card at the barrier and in you go, this one we are on is at Saumur and is actually just outside the gates of the campsite which had a queue of caravans waiting to check in (I hate the check in process) you can check the available spaces on the app although I am told it isn't 100% reliable but you can also book ahead.

And you are allowed to put your table and chairs out so it's really more like a campsite, but easier.

View attachment 947347
https://www.campingcarpark.com/en_GB/

After all this you will most likely all come back and say "we have been using them for years" it's just a while since have been in France so are a bit rusty.

Totally agree with everything you say. Started using camping car park about 3/4trips ago, and have no complaints. Excellent for one-nighters

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