CCP planning up to 1,000 aires

[Kups]

Information from "Motorhoming France" today:

CAMPINCARPARK CHANGE

A new CEO has been appointed at the French aires company CampingCarPark, who has stated that it is her ambition to ‘establish 1,000 Camping-Car Park areas in 6 to 8 European countries and to bring together an active community involved in sustainable tourism.’ It is also hoped that the current CCP policy of trying to persuade town councils to ban motorhome parking in areas other than a CCP aire will be discontinued.

Maybe we'll get some of their product in the UK soon?

 

[seasideBill]

Information from "Motorhoming France" today:

CAMPINCARPARK CHANGE

A new CEO has been appointed at the French aires company CampingCarPark, who has stated that it is her ambition to ‘establish 1,000 Camping-Car Park areas in 6 to 8 European countries and to bring together an active community involved in sustainable tourism.’ It is also hoped that the current CCP policy of trying to persuade town councils to ban motorhome parking in areas other than a CCP aire will be discontinued.

Maybe we'll get some of their product in the UK soon?

Unlikely, CCP strategy seems to be to buy up municipal sites - no equivalent in the UK. I’m not sure what I think about them. Maybe the only salvation for many municipals, but they don’t seem to invest much in acquired sites other than install pay machines and barriers. That said I’ve stayed in plenty and they can offer great value.

 

[Figaro]

They invest in working services which is all most of us need.
If there is something of interest on the site I think they do try to make a feature of it. I stayed on one with a 16 century carved stone water fall / fountain and water rills that had been refurbished.

If they spent money on pools and kiddies playgrounds we'd all be complaining about the cost and not needing it.

 

[Gaston aires]

We use CCP. Pretty good value I say. Some spectacular some not so.. All in all worth having in France alone.
Phil

 

[dunnah01]

We use CCP in winter months and they are great for what they are. The British version would be way more expensive, be miles from anything and the services would have been vandalised so we'd probably stick to sites.

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[autorouter]

There's pros and cons for CCP sites, but mostly pros in my opinion. We use them a lot. There's a 'borne' post for fresh water, and black waste, and a drive-over grey waste dump. And most have a 6A hookup on every pitch.

Entry is by card to raise the barrier. Cards are available from a card dispensing machine. You can add credit to the card. The charge for the stay is deducted as you leave. There is no-one from CCP actually at the CCP aire, but on the two occasions I have called the helpline (lost card, power failure at the aire) it was sorted out very efficiently, in English.

I think more of these in the UK would be a very good thing.

 

[Scotch mist]

It is also hoped that the current CCP policy of trying to persuade town councils to ban motorhome parking in areas other than a CCP aire will be discontinued.

That statement in itself worries me , trying to force people into there business

I will not support them if at all possible

 

[seasideBill]

That statement in itself worries me , trying to force people into there business

I will not support them if at all possible

Instinctively that sounds bad, but is it? If they’re in the business of acquiring municipal sites by purchase or lease they’ll expect a return on investment, not competition from local partners.

 

[Kups]

We use CCP in winter months and they are great for what they are. The British version would be way more expensive, be miles from anything and the services would have been vandalised so we'd probably stick to sites.

I don't agree. This company is highly experienced and would not take any commercial risks. They tend to choose existing sites and upgrade them to their standards. So any move into the UK scene would be carefully chosen and have to work commercially. They would need to set up a UK based maintenance team and management team to work here. I think it will be a while before this happens. Unlike France, Germany, Portugal etc we have very few council owned overnight stops that would be attractive to them. Possibly Canterbury P&R or St Annes on Sea but no doubt they have their scouts out looking at options. They may of course write off the UK as there are plenty of under maintained aires on mainland Europe with Maries and Rathauses keen to offload them.

 

[jumar]

I like the. When in France...however I don't imagine they would be allowed in the UK. Too much opposition from the BIG Clubs....
And they would not help the overcrowding situation in Spain...

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[Kups]

I like the. When in France...however I don't imagine they would be allowed in the UK. Too much opposition from the BIG Clubs....
And they would not help the overcrowding situation in Spain...

The "big clubs" don't seem to be opposing the CAMpRA supported Aires that have been built in the last couple of years. There's plenty of opposition to the NC500 £40 special offer but that's different.

 

[DBK]

CCP are expanding, they have 3 sites in Portugal now and a few in Spain and Germany. I guess if they continue to be successful they will continue to expand. It's inevitable.

I suspect if they can make it work in the UK they will but I wouldn't think its a priority for them. Sites in southern Europe have a much longer season.

 

[nicholsong]

I think there are some limitations on what site CCP can or ar willing to take on, these include:-

1. Some Aires/Municipals would be too small to accommodate enough units to be commercially viable

Does anyone know how many units the smallest existing CCP can hold?

2. Some Aires that we have been on, while attractive, have only ever had one other MH parked when we have been there in June and September. Again not viable for CCP.

3 Some Aires are shared parking or locals and either would not be separable, because e.g. only one entrance, or would meet local resistance.

There may be other factors but there are limits to where CCP may/can expand.


As for the suggestion that Canterbury P+R cold be a CCP target, I think not. Canterbury City Council have a competent Manager and staff for all the CPs in the City, including the MH facility in the P+R, which already works very well and does not need outside help from a money-making company.

 

[DBK]

Some Aires/Municipals would be too small to accommodate enough units to be commercially viable

A quick look down the first part of their list found a couple with 10 places, then 9, an 8 and then one with only 6.

My understanding is they manage these sites on behalf of the municipality. I don't know the business terms but these small aires must work for both sides.

 

[buckeroo]

Can you just rock up to these sites and buy a card to access or do you have to organise before you leave the UK. We haven't been to France since before Covid and always used aires and Acsi sites. Do you think it would be useful to get a card before we go. We are travelling Poole Cherbour g 18th September for 5 weeks probably looking around Brittany and the Charente maritime

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[Dolmen]

Can you just rock up to these sites and buy a card to access or do you have to organise before you leave the UK. We haven't been to France since before Covid and always used aires and Acsi sites. Do you think it would be useful to get a card before we go. We are travelling Poole Cherbour g 18th September for 5 weeks probably looking around Brittany and the Charente maritime

Personally, I would get it before you go, saves gaffing at the entrance especially if access tight to main road or others trying to get in

 

[maison]

Personally, I would get it before you go, saves gaffing at the entrance especially if access tight to main road or others trying to get in

You can obtain a card at the barrier but, as a frequent user of CCPs, I would advise as per Dolmen.

Get the card sent to you home address, check the website for how to use it and pre-load the card before travelling.

 

[Lenny HB]

Unless they are really where we want to be we don't use them. We usally find the grotty ones so not been impressed. Also don't like paying for EHU I don't want or need. They would be more attractive without EHU or with metered electric.

 

[buckeroo]

Cheers everyone thanks for the advice.

 

[Laughing Gravy]

You can obtain a card at the barrier but, as a frequent user of CCPs, I would advise as per Dolmen.

Get the card sent to you home address, check the website for how to use it and pre-load the card before travelling.

Not sure if anybody else has said this but CCP don’t send to your home address anymore, as advised to me just last week. Have to collect at an Aire

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[julianbryant]

I got one as a backup and reassurance - because you can see how many free pitches there are, if ones chosen campsite is full, then it’s a useful alternative. Not yet stayed on one: I must try one out next visit.

 

[Compusol]

We have used CCP sites frequently during the last four months away, only 89 days in the Schengen Zone before anyone comments!
We never choose sites until the evening before as we never know how long we are going to stay in one place, or what the weather is going to do.
Every site, bar one, was clean and tidy, all facilities worked, and their description on the app was accurate.
Twice our card didn't work but all it took was a quick phone call and the barrier was raised. Once it was our card that failed, and a replacement popped out of the machine. The second time it was an issue with the barrier and a guy turned up in a van a couple of hours later and fixed it.
The smallest site had 8 pitches, the largest 180, but it was huge and didn't feel crowded.
Most of the locations are near towns or villages, always an easy walk or bike ride away.
Some are just fantastic, like the one that is literally on the banks of the Loire, or the one on the foothills of the Pyrenees with stunning views.
Some of their sites, called 'Camping du mon Village' have toilets and showers for a lot of the year. These were always clean with plenty of hot water.
And at an average price of around 15 euros for 24 hours they are great value.
We will be using them again the next time we are in France, highly recommended.

 

[vzac]

I don't agree. This company is highly experienced and would not take any commercial risks. They tend to choose existing sites and upgrade them to their standards. So any move into the UK scene would be carefully chosen and have to work commercially. They would need to set up a UK based maintenance team and management team to work here. I think it will be a while before this happens. Unlike France, Germany, Portugal etc we have very few council owned overnight stops that would be attractive to them. Possibly Canterbury P&R or St Annes on Sea but no doubt they have their scouts out looking at options. They may of course write off the UK as there are plenty of under maintained aires on mainland Europe with Maries and Rathauses keen to offload them.

They were recruiting for german staff last yr and then you notice a few starting to appear on in or around german speaking areas. For the Uk i think there is massive scope. throught he cl and cs networks. Many of them are farms and landowners, who might like some easier money (especially farmers) who are busy with there main business. It would also lend it self to charities such as national trust etc as they are not necessarily have expertise in motorhoming needs so might be better of out sourcing it.

 

[Dolmen]

Not sure if anybody else has said this but CCP don’t send to your home address anymore, as advised to me just last week. Have to collect at an Aire

I am not saying you are wrong , however, the T&C's (valid from July 2024) are

The access card is distributed to the Customer via the payment terminal. After validating the order through their personal account, the Customer receives a unique and personal retrieval code allowing them to collect the card on their own. The access card may also be sent by postal mail within ten days, subject to handling and shipping fees (see Annexes). The access card will be sent by CCP to the address provided by the Client when placing the order.

 

[chrometeeth]

Returned from a month in Brittany, a couple of weeks ago. We used a few Aires and probably 6 CCPs. All worked fine and great value. Usually in good locations and we'll maintained. Wish we could have the same near towns in this country.

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[DerryW]

Returned from a month in Brittany, a couple of weeks ago. We used a few Aires and probably 6 CCPs. All worked fine and great value. Usually in good locations and we'll maintained. Wish we could have the same near towns in this country.

Wouldn’t that be great. In our case it would mean the MH spending more time out on the road than sat in the drive.

 

[elwyn horton]

Sounds good, we are fast loosing patience with the Caravan and Motorhome Club, £40 a night at Bourton on the Water, no facilities.
Looking at the conditions for the Camping de mon Village, the CCP website says facilities only in high season, no dates mentioned. What in France would be classed as high season, just July and August?

 

[LesW]

Sounds good, we are fast loosing patience with the Caravan and Motorhome Club, £40 a night at Bourton on the Water, no facilities.
Looking at the conditions for the Camping de mon Village, the CCP website says facilities only in high season, no dates mentioned. What in France would be classed as high season, just July and August?

If you look at each site it gives you the relevant dates..

 

[maison]

Sounds good, we are fast loosing patience with the Caravan and Motorhome Club, £40 a night at Bourton on the Water, no facilities.
Looking at the conditions for the Camping de mon Village, the CCP website says facilities only in high season, no dates mentioned. What in France would be classed as high season, just July and August?

Just to clarify, the “facilities” refer to showers and toilets as I presume you know? High season normally July and August, but can vary with the exact dates on each Aire entry on the App.

EHU, fresh water and grey and black waste are normally available year round.

EHU is only 6amp but, even in winter we find that we can manage well. On arrival we tend to use the EHU to heat water then turn the water heater off. That allows us to run a 1kw portable electric heater near our feet, keeping us warm, plus the fridge. It is also enough to run the microwave and fridge together if the water heater/heating is turned off.

We use a low wattage camping kettle which takes ages to boil compared to a domestic one but takes very little amps in use.

 

[stevewagner]

CCP did try to break the UK market a few years back and were advertising for a general manager. I don’t think they had any success so never pursued it.

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