French Aires and blue badges.

[Snowbird]

I would like to pass on some
information which may be
useful for Blue Badge holders
travelling in France.
Recently in Honfl eur, I
was sitting in my wheelchair
beside the ’van when a
parking attendant advised
me that, since May 2015, les
handicapes have not had to
pay to park their ’vans in
aires, as long as they display
their Blue Badge.
She went on to say that,
if you go to an aire with a
barrier, then ‘pfff’ (a French
shrug), ‘too bad’.
e next morning we
spoke to a municipal police
offi cer who was patrolling
the aire and she confi rmed
that this was the case
throughout France.
So it appears that if you
park in an open pay-anddisplay
zone, there is no
need to buy a ticket, which
can save you €3-€15 for 24
hours’ parking. If you select
an aire that happens to be
one with barrier or bollard
control, there is no way to
apply the concession. Still,
the individual will have to
decide whether the location
is worth the fee.

 

[sedge]

Well - that's good to know Snowbird - even cheaper holidays for you then! About time you got an advantage over the able bodies I'd say.

 

[Snowbird]

Well - that's good to know Snowbird - even cheaper holidays for you then! About time you got an advantage over the able bodies I'd say.

I found it on facebook actually Jenny. It wont affect me much as I rarely use Aires nowadays. Aires are generally to far away from restaurants for me so I find it easier to park on there carparks.

 

[Portland]

Brexit will soon stop that Dave tough luck!!

 

[Snowbird]

Brexit will soon stop that Dave tough luck!!

Cant see it, blue is blue anywhere.

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[davanne]

Same thing happened to us last year....the lady who sold the bread knocked on our door and told us we shouldn't have paid as we had a blue badge. She said it applies to the whole of France.

 

[Snowbird]

If you add the concessions that France gives on the autoroute to this, then its obvious that France is doing its best to help the less able amongst us. I often wonder why these things are not widely advertised.

 

[sedge]

Maybe it won't benefit you directly - neither will it me (at the mo) - I'm just pleased for those it does !

 

[Snowbird]

Maybe it won't benefit you directly - neither will it me (at the mo) - I'm just pleased for those it does !

Am pleased it benefits anyone Jenny. We all need as much help as we can get.

 

[OG1]

If you are a blue badge holder and a on holiday and hire a car. Take your badge with you even if you are not the driver.

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[Mr Ed]

Never thought to apply for a blue badge although people keep telling me I might be eligible but I'm now thinking it may be an idea.

 

[Theonlysue]

@Mr Ed
You should as you would be able to park closer to where you want to be

 

[teensvan99]

We did not know of the blue badge concession on aires. Does anyone know if this concession also applies on German Stellplatz.

Steve & Ann. .......... teensvan.

 

[tonka]

I know someone with a blue badge. !!!!!

BUT I aint taking my mother on holiday just to save a few Euro.. Brexit or not.....
She can stop at home and MOAN... MOAN . MOAN..

 

[gwyntaxi]

JUST TO UPDATE SOME OF YOU REGARDING THIS WELCOME CONCESSION IN FRANCE AS IT IS NOT QUITE AS IT FIRST SEEMS.
IAM A DISABLED BADGE HOLDER AND HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS FOR SOME TWO YEARS OR SO NOW,AND KNOW THE HELPFULL LITTLE LADY YOU SPEAK OF AT HONFLUER,AND YES SHE IS CORRECT IN WHAT SHE SAYS,ACTUALLY IF YOU ASK HER SHE WILL GIVE YOU A PHOTOCOPY OF THE DIRECTIVE THAT WAS PASSED.
HOWEVER, NOT EVERY DEPARTMENT/REGION WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO CALL IT HAS CHOSEN TO ACCEPT THIS RULING,I TRAVELLED FAIRLY EXTENSIVELY AROUND BRITTANY THIS SUMMER AND FOUND THIS TO BE THE CASE. FIRST OFF, LE CROTOY, REFUSE TO ACCEPT IT POINT BLANK,AND INSIST YOU MUST BUY A TICKET,SO I DECIDED TO TAKE THIS UP AT THE HOTEL DE VILLE,THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE RULING EVEN WHEN I SHOWED THEM A PHOTOCOPY OF IT,THAT WAS THE POLICE, THE AVSP,THE TOURIST AUTHORITY AND ALL STAFF AT THE HOTEL DE VILLE.SO I RELUCTANTLY GIVE IN AND PURCHASED A TICKET FROM THE MACHINE,OTHERWISE THERE WERE TWO "BULLYBOY" AVSP WARDENS WHO WERE STANDING ALONGSIDE MY VAN MACHINES AT THE READY ITCHING TO PRINT ME A FINE. NEXT UP WAS ST.GEORGES de DIDONNE THEY PUT A NOTICE ON MY VAN AND MY MATES' TO THE EFFECT THAT OUR BLUE BADGES DID NOT ENTITLE US TO ANY EXEMPTION AND NORMAL CHARGES APPLY AND THIS "AIRE" WAS A SANDY/GRASS VERGE ALONGSIDE THE MAIN ROAD!! THIS WAS REPEATED AT A NUMBER OF TOWNS ETC,HOWEVER THERE WERE SOME THAT CLEARLY RESPECTED IT AND HAPPILY ALLOWED THE CONCESSION.ONE THAT SPRINGS TO MIND IS LE TREPORT, BUT ONLY THE FUNICULAR I KNOW THE MAIN AIRE DOWN NEAR THE TOWN HAS A BARRIER SO YOU'D HAVE TO PAY THE FUNICULAR,WHICH I THINK IS A FAR BETTER SPOT HAS A TICKET MACHINE SO YOU DON'T PAY, THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY THE TWO VISITING POLICE OFFICERS WHO WERE CHECKING ALL CARS/CAMPERS FOR TICKETS AT THE FUNICULAR."AIRES" ON MARINAS ALSO INSISTED ON PAYMENT I THINK THAT THIS WAS BECAUSE THEY WER SUPERVISED/RUN BY THE LE CAPITINERE RATHER THAN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.SO THERE YOU HAVE IT.JUST SO YOU DON'T DO AS I DID AND PARK UP CLEARLY DISPLAYING YOUR BADGE AND THE COPY OF THE RULING THAT WAS PASSED ALONGSIDE IT.I FOUND IT BETTER TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ONE OF THE AVSP WARDENS THAT ARE ALWAYS ABOUT CHECKING,OR EVEN CHECK IF THE FRENCH VANS DISPLAYING BLUE BADGES ARE DISPLAYING TICKETS TO PARK AS WELL.HOPE THIS HELPS YOU ALL OTHERWISE YOU COULD RETURN TO YOUR VAN TO FIND A JOBSWORTH HAS STUCK A FINE ON IT.

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[chaser]

We toured Brittany a couple of months ago and although nothing to do with blue badges found it expensive and very regulated and not really worth the effort, we won't be going again.

 

[SuperMike]

@gwyntaxi would you please be so kind as not to type everything in capitals. Apart from it being considered as shouting, it makes your contribution very hard to read.

Kisses.

 

[Mousy]

If you add the concessions that France gives on the autoroute to this, then its obvious that France is doing its best to help the less able amongst us. I often wonder why these things are not widely advertised.

What concessions do you mean please?

 

[kip]

What concessions do you mean please?

I believe You go down a class IE: motorhome charged car price.

 

[Just smiffy]

I believe You go down a class IE: motorhome charged car price.

Not on all toll companies though, some do some don't......

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[sueandjohn]

I understand blue badge concessions in car parks and shopping centres so you can park near to the action, as it were, but on aires surely you are on holiday like everyone, and a small contribution to the village or town that provides the facility is worthwhile

 

[Just smiffy]

Let's all face it, if someone said you don't have to pay today, would you still pay...?

We ALL like something for free...

 

[sueandjohn]

I understand blue badge concessions in car parks and shopping centres so you can park near to the action, as it were, but on aires surely you are on holiday like everyone, and a small contribution to the village or town that provides the facility is worthwhile

Just adding to this. Great if the scheme works. Disabled people get few benefits. What I meant was done get het up about being charged as the charges help support the superb facilities

 

[Rob and Val]

If you add the concessions that France gives on the autoroute to this, then its obvious that France is doing its best to help the less able amongst us. I often wonder why these things are not widely advertised.

What concessions do you mean please?

I believe You go down a class IE: motorhome charged car price.

Not on all toll companies though, some do some don't......

Just checked this out and it seems that Category 2 vehicles adapted for disabled people are priced as Category 1.
If this is the case you can: -
(a) Request Category 1 price from personnel at attended tollgate lanes (show your Blue Badge) or
(b) At automatic tollgates, call assistance using their intercom.

 

[Allanm]

I understand blue badge concessions in car parks and shopping centres so you can park near to the action, as it were, but on aires surely you are on holiday like everyone, and a small contribution to the village or town that provides the facility is worthwhile

I know less able people sometimes have a hard time getting about and wholeheartedly agree with concessions, up to a point.
While I can see the benefit of providing disabled spaces close to aire entrances if there is a bus stop of shopping centre close by, I don't agree that aires should provide free parking for blue badge holders per se. Surely it's a choice to stop on an aire not a need.
Likewise, I don't see the logic of providing concessions at toll booths unless your only vehicle is larger than a class 1 vehicle, purely because of the adaptions that have been done to enable you to travel.
Having said that, if you are offered concessions, then you would be silly to refuse them!

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[Madcaravanner]

As an addendum
Saint Georges de Didonne - 2018 not started charging for cars yet and we were amongst 27 vans of which three of us displayed blue badges no one checked even with the Brocante on the other side of the road this morning
In Fouras now same again 10 camping cars and three blu badges

 

[pappajohn]

@gwyntaxi would you please be so kind as not to type everything in capitals. Apart from it being considered as shouting, it makes your contribution very hard to read.

Kisses.

I thought that was what you did in France if you can't speak the lingo.......talk louder.

 

[SuperMike]

I thought that was what you did in France if you can't speak the lingo.......talk louder.

That was 20mths ago Uncle PPJ, what suddenly got you out of your pram.

 

[busby]

I don't understand it..Same in UK with free parking for disabled..How does having a blue badge make you poor? You see plenty of 50k plus cars displaying them and let's face it if you can run a motorhome your not exactly destitute..Busby..