Caravans in aires (1 Viewer)

[Chuns]

Just back from a trip to Munich, crossing France both ways. There seemed to be an unusual number or caravanners, all Dutch, who seemed to have no concerns about using aires, both free and paid for. This irritates me quite a bit as I can foresee a time, when the jungle drums have beat enough, that it will be common; so a 12 place aire could have only six car/caravan combos in it, but be full.

I approached one to find out if he knew the conventions and indeed the rules in this particular place. Yes, he did, couldn’t give a s**t, would do what he wanted, and nobody was going to stop him.

Depressing.

 

[Madcaravanner]

Just back from a trip to Munich, crossing France both ways. There seemed to be an unusual number or caravanners, all Dutch, who seemed to have no concerns about using aires, both free and paid for. This irritates me quite a bit as I can foresee a time, when the jungle drums have beat enough, that it will be common; so a 12 place aire could have only six car/caravan combos in it, but be full.

I approached one to find out if he knew the conventions and indeed the rules in this particular place. Yes, he did, couldn’t give a s**t, would do what he wanted, and nobody was going to stop him.

Depressing.

I am not surprised
The locals seem not to bother even though a lot of Dutch and Germans carry so much food and beer they don't tend to use local shops and bars

 

[dunnah01]

Just back from a trip to Munich, crossing France both ways. There seemed to be an unusual number or caravanners, all Dutch, who seemed to have no concerns about using aires, both free and paid for. This irritates me quite a bit as I can foresee a time, when the jungle drums have beat enough, that it will be common; so a 12 place aire could have only six car/caravan combos in it, but be full.

I approached one to find out if he knew the conventions and indeed the rules in this particular place. Yes, he did, couldn’t give a s**t, would do what he wanted, and nobody was going to stop him.

Depressing.

Fit a towbar to your Moho and move them on..

 

[MisterB]

I understand your frustration but my view is that I am a guest in someone elses country, it's their rules, if they choose not to invoke them then it's their decision and I will just try to enjoy what I can while I can.

 

[TinaLes]

I feel the same way about MH's with Trailers or A Frames, on small Aires especially. If they cant park without taking up two spaces, then either don't use the Aire, or park the trailer or toad outside in another car park.
LES

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[Bluemooner]

Must admit when we had a small fifth wheel we used aires only took one space might have have stuck out a bit

 

[BikerGraham]

Frustrating to some but if the locals don’t mind then just chill, relax and enjoy life

 

[Bertilak]

all Dutch

Hilarious! We did a 2 week tour of Holland last year, where there are practically no aires and wilding is banned officially. We wilded about 9 nights, and it was noticable that most of the wildampers were German, with barely any any Dutch, and certainly no caravans.
However they are used to very good value basic farm campsites though, eg €17 (legal max), and usually with impeccable toilet blocks; so may be making a protest that way.

 

[Lenny HB]

A lot of Stellaplatz in Germany allow caravans but they are not permitted on Aires in France.

 

[jumar]

I could write a small book on what we see during our travels...
However it's quite the Norm now not to give a hoot how people behave...how selfish and inconsiderate people can be.... it's down to those who control Aires to do just that...but we know they don't..
Caravans, sleeping in cars either inside or in the roof tent...all more common.
Only yesterday as the barrier went up to allow access to the paying (7€) motorhome, the one behind followed them in...leaving is automatic drive up and the exit barrier opens, even if you didn't pay to enter...witnessed this a couple of times as our pitch views the entrance.

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[WESTY66]

I could write a small book on what we see during our travels...
However it's quite the Norm now not to give a hoot how people behave...how selfish and inconsiderate people can be.... it's down to those who control Aires to do just that...but we know they don't..
Caravans, sleeping in cars either inside or in the roof tent...all more common.
Only yesterday as the barrier went up to allow access to the paying (7€) motorhome, the one behind followed them in...leaving is automatic drive up and the exit barrier opens, even if you didn't pay to enter...witnessed this a couple of times as our pitch views the entrance.

Hit the brakes as soon as you clear the barrier if there’s someone trying to do that, that should prise the €7 out their pockets

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

We were on a aire in France which was full behind a police station there were 2 caravans in taking 4 spaces a French motorhomer just fetched the police and they moved the caravans on no argument at all.

 

[TDub49]

Every day is a school day. So aires are exclusively for motorhomes then?

 

[WESTY66]

Every day is a school day. So aires are exclusively for motorhomes then?

Officially, yes

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Every day is a school day. So aires are exclusively for motorhomes then?

Yes if requested the police will move them on as said.

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[Korova]

Just back from a trip to Spain and was amazed at the number of caravans going down the toll roads, definitely an increase on previous years and it was all nationalities. Maybe a sign of a lack of funds to run/maintain motorhomes as the cost of living increases everywhere?

 

[Neilfg]

Only time we have seen this was at Warren, France caravan pulled in. Gendarmes were there within 10 mins and moving them on elsewhere. Depends upon the locals caring and reporting etc...

 

[Solwaybuggier]

Every day is a school day. So aires are exclusively for motorhomes then?

Aires may be - but our Bord Atlas (German guide to Stellplatze) has a symbol on the map for Stellplatze that accept caravans, so presumably slightly different in Germany? It's only a small proportion though.

 

[nicholsong]

Only time we have seen this was at Warren, France caravan pulled in. Gendarmes were there within 10 mins and moving them on elsewhere. Depends upon the locals caring and reporting etc...

They should have let them spend 1/2 hour setting up and then told them to move

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

Let them kick up their disel generators up LOL

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[SwissBob]

Every day is a school day. So aires are exclusively for motorhomes then?

Interesting fact here in France due to a change in the law in 2022. Unless there is a sign stating that parking is reserved for camping-cars then the rules of a normal car park apply. The majority of communes have now erected signs but some have not. The commune law is on top of the national law. However, in several instances in our region, the police have moved on folk in standard vans, cars, and caravans even where there is no sign.

English translation of the national law:

"In some communes, zones and areas are specially dedicated to parking motorhomes. The motorhome area does not have its own legal status. The area is thus considered as a simple car park, meeting the regulations on parking on public roads (in particular the ban on parking for more than 7 days without moving, and the ban on camping on public roads but with the authorization of sleeping in a vehicle)."

 

[Joethejoiner]

Motorhomes which are the size of single decker buses are also a pita
They often tow cars too .
Big is bad

 

[DucatoMan2]

Must admit when we had a small fifth wheel we used aires only took one space might have have stuck out a bit

Similarly here. With trailer I'm at 9.5m, so if the aire allows large vans then I figure I can squeeze in.
Worked in all but a couple of occasions, but helps I'm not there during peak periods. I guess leaving the trailer outside would be more liable to irritate locals, but if the aire was full and spaces small then it's an option.

 

[tacr2man]

Maybe they ought to ban converted vans as well ?

 

[nicholsong]

Maybe they ought to ban converted vans as well ?

Converted by whom? Would you include Possl, IH and numerous other manufacturers? And then there are small outfits that convert to a customers order, right down to Joe Blogs doing it himself in his back garden.

Very difficult to differentiate.

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[busby]

Officially, yes

Aire de camping Car.. BUSBY

 

[HKF]

Recently, at a CCP aire in France, a large Class A with a trailer had parked with the trailer attached, taking up two linear spaces. The following day, they were made to move to another space where they had to detached the trailer and park it at the side of the MH. It was nice to see the rules being upheld because, otherwise, the CCP app would've shown a space available when it wasn't.

PS We had nothing to do with the intervention!

 

[Just smiffy]

Every day is a school day. So aires are exclusively for motorhomes then?

Only if they are called Aire de camping car….

 

[Just smiffy]

Maybe they ought to ban converted vans as well ?

Aren’t all motorhomes converted vans…

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

Or lorries

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