Etiquette in aires

[LesW]

Not quite an aire.. we are parked up in a permitted camper stop in Giverny.

This is our first venture into France, and free parking... can't help but notice that all the other moho's are lined /parked up alongside one another, about three feet apart. The place is less than a third full... Loads of places.

We've parked away from them so we have a nice view across the countryside... Is this breaking some unwritten rule?

 

[filopastry]

Is it not "fair" to say that aires are aires and not camp sites. Surely it's not too much to ask during busy periods to take only the space required for the MH keeping sufficient free space to open the door. These are free places and it saddens me that knowing full well the facilities available and the charges incurred when parking on a motorway services in the UK that many choose not to respect the rights of others to use "reasonably" the free and excellent services here in France. I am sorry but the "I'm here first and will put out my awning, table, chairs and begger the rest" is not cricket and gives a very poor impression. Please also remember that these aires are a much needed resource for the trucking community who sometimes do not have the choice of trying the next aire as their permitted driving hours are finished. Review your parking and consider "If I arrived at this aire and there were no other parking areas available and I saw mr&mrs with their equipment taking up one and a half times the width of their MH, would I be happy" Probably not a popular view with many but hey ho.

 

[2657]

The basic problem seems to me that many think of aires as an alternative to sites which most are not, they are essentially parking spaces for motorhomes, some with facilities and intended for short stays.

I am aware that some aires are old sites and have hedged emplacements similar to sites which are suitable for 'camping'.

 

[Zigisla]

If you check out an Aire on CamperContact, it often states - "No Camping activity allowed" I take this as chairs, awning etc out or cooking outside. During our Easter trip; first trip away, this was well respected by many and it was only a very few that had chairs out "in bays". The rest, if out, were behind / in front of their units and not in anyone's way. I did see on one site and MH arrive late and a couple waved them in and moved their chairs out of the way for them. Respect other, or as the saying goes - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". In Portiragnes Plage in the South of France, we arrived and there wasn't any space. Why - because there was a MH and a 1/2 in between units and not parked very well or straight. We were directed to another space on the edge, but if they had been parked closer or Better, we could have parked easily. So there is some logic to the close parking.

 

[Madeinengland]

Maybe the French are very needy

Hence why the don't want to leave the EU

Sorry couldn't resist

OI!!

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[reckless]

Please also remember that these aires are a much needed resource for the trucking community

Serious question, is that official? Didn't know that although we have occasionally seen a truck in some of the larger aires.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Please also remember that these aires are a much needed resource for the trucking community

Serious question, is that official? Didn't know that although we have occasionally seen a truck in some of the larger aires.

Aires on motorways and Aires de Camping Car in towns and villages are completely different things.

In the case of motorway aires then Jetlag is correct.

In the case of Aires de Camping Car then only motorhomes are permitted to use them. Trucks are specifically prohibited.

 

[KeithChesterfield]

Aires, the ones in books like All the Aires, are designated Motorhome stopovers and should not be used by any other type of vehicle.

Aires on Motorways can be used by anyone and that is where you will see trucks.

If lorries park in designated MH Aires the Municipal Police can, and will, move them on.

 

[reckless]

Never use motorway aires, we've seen trucks overnight in Aires de Camping Car eg Le Crotoy. Not a problem, plenty of space and tucked himself away in a corner.

 

[yodeli]

Park wherever you want, but don't be surprised if a French van comes and parks three feet away from you...

It seems to be the way they do things.


JJ

Well..... not ALL of them, if you see who I'm pointing out!

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[yodeli]

Not quite an aire.. we are parked up in a permitted camper stop in Giverny.

This is our first venture into France, and free parking... can't help but notice that all the other moho's are lined /parked up alongside one another, about three feet apart. The place is less than a third full... Loads of places.

We've parked away from them so we have a nice view across the countryside... Is this breaking some unwritten rule?

Only tip I can give you is try to get there early, and assuming the Aire has 4 angles, park with one side in an angle. At least you'll be on your own on one side of the van.
Otherwise.... if you can manage a bit of French you can always try something like:
Vous savez, j'écoute la radio fort toute la nuit OR
Je ronfle tellement fort que vos fenêtres vont trembler! OR
Mon rotweiller aboie beaucoup la nuit!

OR... just move....

Amicalement

Frankie

 

[yodeli]

It was the onion's and garlic hanging from their mirror's

Probably to accomodate the snails they'll be picking up along their way

 

[gus-lopez]

Aires on motorways and Aires de Camping Car in towns and villages are completely different things.

In the case of motorway aires then Jetlag is correct.

In the case of Aires de Camping Car then only motorhomes are permitted to use them. Trucks are specifically prohibited.

there are also aires along all major roads with normally toilets & picnic areas able to be used by all vehicles.

 

[Paddyfrog]

Gosh, I'm a bit surprised at some of these exchanges. Call me sensitive!
Surely 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do' etc. The fun of travel is precisely taking in all the differences that culture provides. I'm going to dig out my Aires book, in French, and see what their rules are regarding parking. Based on my experience here, French people are exquisitely polite, so if they were rude, some serious infringement took place, or so they perceived it.

 

[KeithChesterfield]

Here's a French Motorhome holiday maker who probably isn't going to get anyone parking close to his vehicle -

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[The Wino]

The French get very annoyed (understandably) when someone selfishly takes up more than the room it takes to park up stopping them using the aire this applies equally to frnch English dutch whatever motorhomes. Just think yourself lucky enough to have aires at all wish we did here.

 

[Teuchter]

I

Based on my experience here, French people are exquisitely polite, so if they were rude, some serious infringement took place, or so they perceived it.

I have to agree with this I have (with one very notable exception at a campsite in Fuseta Portugal) always found the French "tres agreeable" whenever I have met them

Germans IMO tend to be a bit territorial (and sometimes gruff with it) and Spanish campers are a very happy but exceedingly noisy lot

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I always wonder when this question comes up how much it is down to so many British people being brainwashed by the Caravan Company so that they're convinced it's impossible to park up for the night unless they have 9 metres of space all to themselves.

When they get to another country and find out that this is actually nonsense they can't process it. How many British people arriving on an aire for the first time spend the first half an hour looking for Norman to complain?

 

[KeithChesterfield]

Nick - I presume you mean the Caravan Club (now C&MC) who witter on about space around your vehicle.

Probable because of the risk of fire and Caravans - which can take up to four hours to get in position, erect awning and generally prat about and a similar amount of time to take down and move.

The fire will have burnt itself out by that time but a Motorhome takes less than a minute to move in an emergency and that's why on Foreign turf nobody gives a monkey how far or how close everyone is to each other.

 

[Alistair33]

................... which can take up to four hours to get in position, erect awning and generally prat about and a similar amount of time to take down and move.

Thats got to involve some entertaining arguments !

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[KeithChesterfield]

Alistair - we arrived at a Campsite in Skegness a few years ago at the same time as a Caravan, car, owner and his wife who parked up opposite us.

We parked up, had a brew, went for a long walk with the dog, sat in the sun and had a beer, had a nap, went for another walk, got a cooked meal ready for tea and he finally finished erecting his awning and sat down for a rest about four hours after they'd arrived.

I rest my case.

 

[filopastry]

Probably not fair really cos I'm a HGV driver so can reverse a bendy thingy, but, the hours of absolute fun and joy some folks with a trailer/caravan have given me. Oh how I have tittered

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Probably not fair really cos I'm a HGV driver so can reverse a bendy thingy, but, the hours of absolute fun and joy some folks with a trailer/caravan have given me. Oh how I have tittered

When I had my boat used to love sitting on the wall of the Ferry Boat Inn Hayling Island when on shore and watch the the people try to reverse cars and put boats on and off trailers, some people have you in stitches especially the ones who have people who haven't a clue directing them....
see a chap who just bought a boat put in the water put in reverse and the engine jumped up and fell off the back, another chap for some reason decided to cut the engine as he came in then jump off the front to hold the boat before realising it was still 7ft deep, the boat then ran him over

 

[Alistair33]

Probably not fair really cos I'm a HGV driver so can reverse a bendy thingy, but, the hours of absolute fun and joy some folks with a trailer/caravan have given me. Oh how I have tittered

Always wondered, when reversing a bendy bus, do you treat it as a trailer, and turn the 'wrong' way or just as for a lorry

 

[2657]

Always wondered, when reversing a bendy bus, do you treat it as a trailer, and turn the 'wrong' way or just as for a lorry

A bendy bus is a bus with a trailer, the articulated bit is covered with a plate and the gap is closed with bellows so is reversed like a trailer.

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[Cleve]

Probably not fair really cos I'm a HGV driver so can reverse a bendy thingy, but, the hours of absolute fun and joy some folks with a trailer/caravan have given me. Oh how I have tittered

Yes hours of amusement at the expense of others, played with artics and much more fun draw bars with a swivel front (or dolly if you like) not a simple rigid. Was I happy once I got my act together with those, they are fun, paticularly if you have been stuffed with a long reverse and parking where the rules apply to everyone else. That was 40 years ago and a skill I am happy to forget.

I remember fondly joining an organisation and being sent on a driving course, one of those crush you first then rebuild you jobs, initial type B. I did not win many friends with the "instructors" who as usual had not read my history, so having had the laugh of watching my two course companions reversing the artic trailer into a narrow parking area - neither of them had reversed a trailer of any kind before and were given no guidance just sent out to fail (part of that knock 'm down routine) so I just popped it in, in one. That was lucky the "instructor" said, "No it wasn't I said, I've got an HGV 1 and I have been doing that a long time" (when I learn to be a creep I will know how to say "oh yes, wasn't I") NO CHANCE. Later in the week (a 4 week course - which I did find beneficial) I introduced them to checking fluid levels in automatics, another thing the knew nothing about, after the obligatory stand off and me being proven correct I spent the whole day sat in the back, no drive for me because I knew about automatics and they were just waiting for the poor sods to stand on the non existent clutch and very existent brake at the same time making the poor thing stand on end.

Sorry rambling, yes I am amused at the antics of these poor Devils who reverse a trailer once in a blue moon but often I am smiling in reflection as I remember some of my adventures when first doing it - I was lucky, it was intensive and sink or swim.

Poor sods, I love Helen. I arrive park decide which side my head is going to be so it is above my feet when I sleep and ensure I can get enough in the glass with no risk of spillage.

Now I am off with the fairies ....

Clive

 

[LesW]

Thanks for all the replies.. It struck me as strange that the site could have accommodated maybe fifty or so cans, but most (about nine) were parked in line leaving everywhere else empty.

Yes we were at Monet's Garden, it's a wife thing... but a nice peaceful place to park.

 

[Mike800966]

Chairs at the side = camping ! . I found the Italians are the closest for parking and then they all get up early and have a big row/family conference outside!
Dont push your luck just wish there were more village aires in UK
Mike & Ann

 

[Richard n Ann]

I was told they park close to get some shade, but as mentioned above its probably because the Aire was packed full last night and half have gone.