Overnight tent pitch French aires.

[fifthwheel]

As per title, I am planning a French/Spanish jolly this year on my motorcycle. If I find myself struggling to find a campsite on my way to Spain would I be ok on an aire just for one night or would I get moved on?
Has anybody seen a tent pitched on an aire.

 

[Lenny HB]

Probably get away with it as no need to take up Motorhome pitch, I've seen it occasionally. Just make sure where you plan to stop has a decent grass area a lot of Aires are just tarmac.

 

[mitzimad]

we had a family of french stick two blowup tents between our vans in france one night youll probably have no problems

 

[Just smiffy]

I did three weeks in my car with a little pop up tent and stayed on a lot of Aires, I made sure that there was plenty of grass around and I didn’t park in any motorhome space… it was fairly easy as the countryside Aires and village ones where the best and also along side canals… once I was in an area I wanted to stay in it was simple to just look on Google maps (satellite view) to look for greener park ups, I like to be near rivers, lakes canals so usually plenty of greenery around most if not all had water on tap so it was a doddle for washing and so on….

No one batted an eyelid…

I had a porta potti in the back of the car but never used it as public toilets were plentiful…

 

[LesW]

Camping-Car Park have some sites that allow tents (during summer season) with decent facilities too.

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[jumar]

What's you toilet facilities likely to be as many Aires have none, we often ask the same about some small panel van overnighters who are often seen taking their imaginary dog for it's morning walk....

 

[Spriddler]

I've never camped on an aire but I've toured France and Spain with my 70 yr old motorbike with a tent many times in the past 20 years and never had difficulty finding a site.
I've wild camped in the Pyrenees a few times and on one occasion was warned by a passing gendarme motorcyclist to be aware that there were bad tempered bears due to the shepherds putting poisoned food out believing that they kill their lambs, but I didn't see any. On another occasion, camping in the grounds of a deserted chapel, I had my tent shredded, I think by the many feral cats that I'd seen when pitching it.

 

[jumar]

I've never camped on an aire but I've toured France and Spain with my 70 yr old motorbike with a tent many times in the past 20 years and never had difficulty finding a site.
I've wild camped in the Pyrenees a few times and on one occasion was warned by a passing gendarme motorcyclist to be aware that there were bad tempered bears due to the shepherds putting poisoned food out believing that they kill their lambs, but I didn't see any. On another occasion, camping in the grounds of a deserted chapel, I had my tent shredded, I think by the many feral cats that I'd seen when pitching it.

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WOW a real motorbike...and I'm old enough to remember them.... memories..

 

[fifthwheel]

Thanks for the replies everybody.