French Aire night fright

[Jenmelmar]

There is an Aire in Carcassonne that is within easy walking distance of the city walls. Search in Campercontact for its number 50225. We stayed there for a couple of nights.

Also another vote for the Aire de Quatre Vents in Gruissan. Views over the lagoon and easy walk into new Marina and old town.

Wow-this is so amazing to have so much help-thanks so much. I have made a note of that and we will go there for sure

 

[Jenmelmar]

Wow-this is so amazing to have so much help-thanks so much. I have made a note of that and we will go there for sure

Would I have to book these do you think, or do we just arrive?

 

[peterc10]

Would I have to book these do you think, or do we just arrive?

You can't book most Aires. Just arrive. As long as you are before 4pm you will normally get a place this time of year. The Aire in Carcassone is next to a camp site. It is more expensive but can be used if the Aire is full (which I doubt very much). The Aire in Gruissan is huge and on a Friday night in September people were still coming in and finding a space at 10pm. But that is the French for you!

 

[Jenmelmar]

You can't book most Aires. Just arrive. As long as you are before 4pm you will normally get a place this time of year. The Aire in Carcassone is next to a camp site. It is more expensive but can be used if the Aire is full (which I doubt very much). The Aire in Gruissan is huge and on a Friday night in September people were still coming in and finding a space at 10pm. But that is the French for you!

Ha ha-brilliant-thanks so much-we will try both of those!

 

[olley]

I wouldn't worry about LPG or GPL as the Europeans generally call it, its widely available in Europe apart from Denmark and Austria and Finland has none at all, get yourself an lpg app on your phone.
France is very expensive for fuel, I believe we paid over €0.80 for LPG on our way back in late May.

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[Jenmelmar]

I wouldn't worry about LPG or GPL as the Europeans generally call it, its widely available in Europe apart from Denmark and Austria and Finland has none at all, get yourself an lpg app on your phone.
France is very expensive for fuel, I believe we paid over €0.80 for LPG on our way back in late May.

Thanks, we have paid 90 euros in some places on our way through France-it is very expensive, but at least our RV only uses petrol to start before switching over to LPG

 

[Jenmelmar]

Must have been very scary, so pleased nobody was hurt!

Would having a dog help? Not for attack but for listening? We love dogs and have one, she barks with anything suspicious.... and she has spectacular hearing...

We love dogs but we also do pet/house sitting and most of those people do not want you to bring your own pet-which is perfectly understandable

 

[Jenmelmar]

Sorry to hear of your scary misfortune. We wild camp most of the time or stay on aires and on motorway service areas. Pleased to say we haven't had a problem yet but I'm sure by the law of averages it will happen sooner or later.
Two fairly inexpensive measures we take might help deter break ins. On the hab door we have a dead bolt. and see the pic's below.
View attachment 336320View attachment 336322

Thanks-looks interesting-I like the ratchet strap idea. We have several new things fitted now so hope we will be ok

 

[EuroTrotters]

These problems are rife everywhere. From my own front door here in the UK to French Aires, supermarket car parks, here in the UK and abroad.

The way to minimise it is to stay away from motorway aires. Having said that, I was talking to a Spanish cop recently and now the 8astards are targeting other Aires.

 

[maz]

maz - interesting option - have you fitted these? Do you have to remove all the internal door cards to get to the bar of door handles?

Apologies for not replying to your question Ernesto - I’ve been in hospital for a minor op. But thanks to Jake Royd for answering for me.

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[Richard n Ann]

Thanks-looks interesting-I like the ratchet strap idea. We have several new things fitted now so hope we will be ok

I noticed Aldi have got the ratchet straps on special buys again yesterday. £9.99 for a 4 pack, 4m long each. They're good quality, bought some a few weeks ago for the scooter.

 

[Jenmelmar]

I wouldn't worry about LPG or GPL as the Europeans generally call it, its widely available in Europe apart from Denmark and Austria and Finland has none at all, get yourself an lpg app on your phone.
France is very expensive for fuel, I believe we paid over €0.80 for LPG on our way back in late May.

Olly, is there an app that will tell you what size spaces are in Aires? Several I have looked at which is on our chosen route through France into Spain, I have been told our RV would not get in there. The whole planning is getting very stressful so I just wonder if there is a way to be sure we can get in and park without too much hassle?

 

[mitzimad]

Olly, is there an app that will tell you what size spaces are in Aires? Several I have looked at which is on our chosen route through France into Spain, I have been told our RV would not get in there. The whole planning is getting very stressful so I just wonder if there is a way to be sure we can get in and park without too much hassle?

I think camper contact app has sizes and photos of the aire also you can read reviews the pro version is worth paying the few pounds for .Also once you have the co ords you can google earth to inspect the area and approach roads

 

[olley]

Searchforsites.co.uk shows an indication of small medium or large, but best is google Street View.
All the Aires books by vicarious books also gives sizes, but no app as far as I am aware.
Scotjimland an old memember toured for 3 years continuesly in a 36' Georgie Boy using Aires most of the time.
Their are thousands of Aires if you can't get on one go to another.
Rvoc.com Jim's RV site has a small list of sites that take rv's.

 

[Wildbill]

It a very rare occasion that this happen's there are thousand's of vans on the road aiars with service are ok as long as you take the necessary steps to protect your van don't park in the darkes corner of the place park as near as possibil to the fuel booth if possibil a well lit aria not next to trees out in the open
bill

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[Jenmelmar]

It a very rare occasion that this happen's there are thousand's of vans on the road aiars with service are ok as long as you take the necessary steps to protect your van don't park in the darkes corner of the place park as near as possibil to the fuel booth if possibil a well lit aria not next to trees out in the open
bill

Thannks, we are being positive and carrying on with our planning for the next 2 years

 

[Jenmelmar]

I think camper contact app has sizes and photos of the aire also you can read reviews the pro version is worth paying the few pounds for .Also once you have the co ords you can google earth to inspect the area and approach roads

Yes. thanks -that is a great idea-I will do that. I am sure it will become easier after a few years

 

[Jenmelmar]

Searchforsites.co.uk shows an indication of small medium or large, but best is google Street View.
All the Aires books by vicarious books also gives sizes, but no app as far as I am aware.
Scotjimland an old memember toured for 3 years continuesly in a 36' Georgie Boy using Aires most of the time.
Their are thousands of Aires if you can't get on one go to another.
Rvoc.com Jim's RV site has a small list of sites that take rv's.

Thanks Olly, I will check out that site today and do more planning!
I put Rvoc.com in the search bar but it came up with this is not a safe site so I couldn't check it out although it sounds a good site to check. Nice to hear Scotjimland toured for 3 year is a 36' RV-this was out plan-I hope we can do it

 

[olley]

Sorry rvoc.co.uk it's owned by Jim who owns fun.

 

[Jenmelmar]

Sorry rvoc.co.uk it's owned by Jim who owns fun.

Ah ok - thanks . I will check it out ?

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[Rapido925M]

Thannks, we are being positive and carrying on with our planning for the next 2 years

I hope your planning involves possible repercussions of B*****!

For example, you may only be allowed in the Schengen Area for a total of 90 days in any 180 days (unless you are an EU citizen). IF you book "house-sitting" jobs without allowing yourself time to return to UK (assuming you ARE UK resident) and clear your 180day limit, you might find yourself letting clients down (possibly with financial implications?).

ALSO, at the moment you can WORK in EU without a visa: what happens IF we leave? [Does house-sitting count as work? Do you have to pay tax/declare earnings (including "in kind")? Who to?]

Enjoy - Gordon

 

[Jenmelmar]

I hope your planning involves possible repercussions of B*****!

For example, you may only be allowed in the Schengen Area for a total of 90 days in any 180 days (unless you are an EU citizen). IF you book "house-sitting" jobs without allowing yourself time to return to UK (assuming you ARE UK resident) and clear your 180day limit, you might find yourself letting clients down (possibly with financial implications?).

ALSO, at the moment you can WORK in EU without a visa: what happens IF we leave? [Does house-sitting count as work? Do you have to pay tax/declare earnings (including "in kind")? Who to?]

Enjoy - Gordon

Thanks Gordon,
I don't think house sitting counts as work as one is not paid for it at all, you supply your own food and often pay towards utilities if it is a long sit-so you do the garden/care for the house/pets for free-but stay in the property.
I can't think any more about B*******

 

[Jay Butts]

Thanks Gordon,
I don't think house sitting counts as work as one is not paid for it at all, you supply your own food and often pay towards utilities if it is a long sit-so you do the garden/care for the house/pets for free-but stay in the property.
I can't think any more about B*******

Hey, you enjoy yourself. Life is far too short to worry about little s**ts spoiling your time there.
Your house sitting sounds great, a little like a gite but for free.....ENJOY!

 

[Jenmelmar]

Hey, you enjoy yourself. Life is far too short to worry about little s**ts spoiling your time there.
Your house sitting sounds great, a little like a gite but for free.....ENJOY!

Thanks , we are hoping we will really enjoy it

 

[Jenmelmar]

Ha ha-brilliant-thanks so much-we will try both of those!

I have checked out the camp site here, which closed on 1st October, and the Aire is quoted as 8 metre length-our RV is 9.3m so am not sure if it is possible to use that. A real pity as it is right close to the city and we could walk there from the aire. Have you been to this aire and are they accurate with sizing? Jennifer

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[olley]

Think you said yours was 33' that's just over 10metres, yanks are bad with sizes mines a 30W but its 31' not 30' so you might find you are nearer 34'.

 

[olley]

If that's the aire at camping La cite a report on Searchforsite says that they got on easy in an 8.5m. I would go and have a look, some people have no ldea what size can get on a site.

 

[peterc10]

Olly, is there an app that will tell you what size spaces are in Aires? Several I have looked at which is on our chosen route through France into Spain, I have been told our RV would not get in there. The whole planning is getting very stressful so I just wonder if there is a way to be sure we can get in and park without too much hassle?

I think you are overthinking things. The whole point of using Aires is that they enable you NOT to plan much in advance. Many of them have no markings at all and you just park where you want. Outside of July and August you will be able to park somewhere.

 

[Jenmelmar]

Ok many thanks. I am quite disappointed this is all proving very difficult. I was prepared to pay and go in the camp
Site but that is now closed ? my husband will not be amused if we do a 50 mile detour to get to Carcassonne and then find we can’t park anywhere ??

I think you are overthinking things. The whole point of using Aires is that they enable you NOT to plan much in advance. Many of them have no markings at all and you just park where you want. Outside of July and August you will be able to park somewhere.

Thanks very much-we will try that approach

 

[gwyntaxi]

I am a newbie. We have bought an RV and traveled from UK to France. 5 days at a nice campsite then I night parked at a fuel station and last night we parked at Aire Phillipe Rossi off the A19. I awoke at 2am to see a man in the van, who luckily ran when I shouted and woke my husband. Needless to say, we got no more sleep! Does anyone have advice on how to choose the right Aires and how else to prevent more break ins? RV was double locked with a bike across the door inside. Now feeling sad and a bit ?

DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES stay overnight on autoroute/motorway "aires" in France, it's asking for trouble, get off the motorway and use the proper little wires in the villages and small towns, hopefully you're not in a hurry so enjoy the quiet D & N roads and the pretty towns and villages, use the available Apps, e.g. park4night , searchforsites, there are others but those two alone will probably be all you need. Don't be put off by making a newbie mistake, you'll soon get your confidence back, safe travels. Gwyntaxi

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