Paid Aires killing the old road

[keithchesterfield2]

Last night's 'free' Aire cost us €42 for a very good meal at a local restaurant, €15 for provisions in a local shop and 90 cents for a baguette this morning.

That's us - freeloaders..

 

[Bobby dazzler]

Last night's 'free' Aire cost us €42 for a very good meal at a local restaurant, €15 for provisions in a local shop and 90 cents for a baguette this morning.

That's us - freeloaders..

Yeah that's great mate take my hat of to you but theres a all full lot out there that shop at supermarkets and don't spend a penny in the local area

 

[Allanm]

Sare

We were there around February, the aire was free. Nice little town with lots of good restaurants and an artisan in his workshop making wooden walking sticks.
You’re not far from Col d’Ibardin. Free aire next to a small ‘mountain resort’ type village consisting mainly of shops and restaurants. Lots of cheap booze and an interesting drive up to the aire.

 

[Bobby dazzler]

Well, yes that's true (and I assume the LOL means you are being a little tongue in cheek)

We were always happy with just a safe space to sleep overnight and park during the day. We didn't need leccy or any fancy facilities and because the aires were free we felt more inclined to visit an area and spend our money on whatever else we wanted to spend it on. This is surely good for the local economy and tourism.

Also I would add that if you are touring for say 3 or 4 months then the cost of paid aires and campsites can add up to a lot of money! It's enough paying for the van and diesel

Yes true if you have to pay for aires and campsites for 3 to 4 months it makes your holiday quite expensive

 

[scousebird]

We're at Honfleur atm. €11 incl. hook up, water & emptying. Always paid here as long as we've been coming.

As far as I know the Camping Car Patks give a percentage back to the town/village.

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[chaser]

We were there around February, the aire was free. Nice little town with lots of good restaurants and an artisan in his workshop making wooden walking sticks.
You’re not far from Col d’Ibardin. Free aire next to a small ‘mountain resort’ type village consisting mainly of shops and restaurants. Lots of cheap booze and an interesting drive up to the aire.

That's where we are heading, go every year, and not complaining about this place and we always have a meal where we stop, but can't here now all restaurants are closed on a Saturday night so had to have a drink in the bar and a pizza.

 

[emjaiuk]

I really don't understand the attitude of people bitching about paying €9/€12 for a usually well maintained site that includes water/waste/EHC and WiFi. Have people forgotten how many municipal sites were closing at one time, and aires starting to close? How often have you been on an aire and there's been a problem with the borne? Why on earth should a village with a minimal commercial tax base provide free facilities for yoy. Do you really think a loaf of bread and croissants is going to provide them with a fair return on investment? I think Camping Car Parks is doing us all a favour in rescuing these sites/aires and preserving them for future use.

 

[Gaston aires]

Over the last 5 years, 2 years in particular, France has virtually doubled in price. Aires, diesel, food, and in our case the Euro exchange rate.
That is why the French have been demonstrating recently against many price hikes.
Phil

 

[chaser]

Although it wasn't for our benefit and can't really complain, which I wasn't just stateing a fact.
The thing that gets the French is in the beginning Aires were a national thing set up for the benefit of travelers, that there would be a place in every village above a certain size where travelers could park up free, and if they didn't you could park at the Marie.
But now all this has been eroded along with loads of freedoms that they used to have, and private companies making money out of what shouid be their right.
Enter the yellow coats.

 

[Allanm]

Over the last 5 years, 2 years in particular, France has virtually doubled in price. Aires, diesel, food, and in our case the Euro exchange rate.
That is why the French have been demonstrating recently against many price hikes.
Phil

The poor exchange rate has made things in France more expensive for UK holidaymakers. We live here and don’t find it expensive at all, in fact we are in the UK now and are shocked at the high cost of everything, and that’s with us getting a decent Euro to £ exchange.

Of course, if you just want cheap, you should go to Spain or Eastern Europe.

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[chaser]

Further to this I don't think anyone objects to paying for electric or water, just the parking.

 

[Gaston aires]

The poor exchange rate has made things in France more expensive for UK holidaymakers. We live here and don’t find it expensive at all, in fact we are in the UK now and are shocked at the high cost of everything, and that’s with us getting a decent Euro to £ exchange.

Of course, if you just want cheap, you should go to Spain or Eastern Europe.

I find quite the opposite, must be local knowledge.
Also I don’t just want cheap, in fact I am against FLT attitudes.
My findings are based on many years travelling France.

 

[Lenny HB]

In a lot of the smaller villages shops & restaurants have closed down and only the boulangerie left, 10 Motorhomes spending €5 a day can make the difference between them staying open or closing down. Charge for the Aire & you will only get a couple of Motorhomes who then won't bother spending anything.

 

[LesW]

Bottom line is.. It's still so much better than trying to tour in the UK, and though maybe not 'cheap' is still excellent value for money.

 

[Ivory55]

In a lot of the smaller villages shops & restaurants have closed down and only the boulangerie left, 10 Motorhomes spending €5 a day can make the difference between them staying open or closing down. Charge for the Aire & you will only get a couple of Motorhomes who then won't bother spending anything.
[/QUOT
The profit on 50 euros of sales is going to save a village. That sounds like something Mrs Abbott would come up with. Haha

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[spitfire]

Further to this I don't think anyone objects to paying for electric or water, just the parking.

Parking charges in the U.K. are outrageous and that is just for your car ! Campsites are equally outrageous so more than happy to pay for sites here at home . A percentage does go to the commune if Park company takes it over .
I think that many French also don’t mind paying if facilities match price . Maybe you meet the moaning oldies and they exist here too !

 

[spitfire]

Yes true if you have to pay for aires and campsites for 3 to 4 months it makes your holiday quite expensive

It surely sensé says if you can no longer afford something then you cut your cloth to suit and not expect someone else to subsidise .

 

[chaser]

Parking charges in the U.K. are outrageous and that is just for your car ! Campsites are equally outrageous so more than happy to pay for sites here at home . A percentage does go to the commune if Park company takes it over .
I think that many French also don’t mind paying if facilities match price . Maybe you meet the moaning oldies and they exist here too !

Didn't I say that in an earlier post, the young will take it as they don't know any different, when us oldies have long gone.

 

[spitfire]

Actually in some rural areas that amount can make a big difference so please don’t mock

 

[Paddywack]

Call us old fashioned ...................... but we always liked to travel around France and stay on Aires for free.................... it was a great incentive to travel

We don't have a van now but if we did ................ we might not rush back to France

But how are you finding those mooring fees!

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[Allanm]

I find quite the opposite, must be local knowledge.
Also I don’t just want cheap, in fact I am against FLT attitudes.
My findings are based on many years travelling France.

It depends where you travel, where and what you buy, but I find it hard to believe anything has doubled in price or got anywhere near close to that. I’ve spoken to a few Brits travelling around France, some of who say France seems dearer than the UK but mostly they say it’s because if the poor exchange rate.
it’s true, things have gone up more, like fuel, but generally prices on everyday goods and food are still low.
My Sister lived in the South if France for about 20 years and found it more expensive than where we live in Brittany but still cheaper than the UK
If you are trying to buy specific UK goods in France, they will be dearer.

Of course, peoples experiences will be different, looks like you’ve been unlucky where you shop!

 

[Khizzie]

Is this just fear of using the Aire de Camping-Car parc network?
Pay 4€ for your card online - a one-off payment for life - recharge online, present at the borne when you enter the aire and you have an assured place for 24 hrs. In the most popular locations tarifs are 9 - 12€, I'm a fan as you may have guessed. Oh and you can check availability at their aires and 'Campings Mon Village' on line.

And me been using them for three years now. Marked up spaces, many with toilets or showers, all with water electricity and dump facilities and mot with reasonable Wi-Fi. All much better than having a big hairy French man parked within a foot of you that snores etc. On a bit of manky gravel. Hey but each to their own..

 

[Khizzie]

It depends where you travel, where and what you buy, but I find it hard to believe anything has doubled in price or got anywhere near close to that. I’ve spoken to a few Brits travelling around France, some of who say France seems dearer than the UK but mostly they say it’s because if the poor exchange rate.
it’s true, things have gone up more, like fuel, but generally prices on everyday goods and food are still low.
My Sister lived in the South if France for about 20 years and found it more expensive than where we live in Brittany but still cheaper than the UK
If you are trying to buy specific UK goods in France, they will be dearer.

Of course, peoples experiences will be different, looks like you’ve been unlucky where you shop!

I spend three months each year in the south west of France, and I can assure you it costs me more for basic food than it does in England, and to quite honest most of British food tbar veg is of a better quality, well in my opinion and experience.

 

[Ivory55]

Actually in some rural areas that amount can make a big difference so please don’t mock

If a buisness is dependent on the the profit on a 50 euro sale to stay in business or not, then I am afraid that they would be better off going bust. Working for below the minimum wage just fuels the problem for others.

 

[Northernraider]

Bottom line is.. It's still so much better than trying to tour in the UK, and though maybe not 'cheap' is still excellent value for money.

Replace UK with England

I'd much rather tour Scotland than France

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[Northernraider]

Didn't I say that in an earlier post, the young will take it as they don't know any different, when us oldies have long gone.

Nah they won't they will go all inclusive to a hotel

 

[Spriddler]

It surely sensé says if you can no longer afford something then you cut your cloth to suit and not expect someone else to subsidise .

Couldn't agree more. Spot on.
It seems to me that those penny-pinching folk who resent paying a few Euros for a safe stopping place for one or two people are just seeking cheap travels in their retirement and more than likely spending very little or nothing at all in the locality but eating and drinking at the m/h. Some even seem to take half a ton of 'cheap' food from home.
It seems odd to me why people spend tens of thousands on buying and running a m/h but can't or won't afford the cost of an Aire. Overnight costs are part and parcel of motorhoming just the same as the ferry fare and buying the diesel to get there. Could it be that many are capital rich, having drawn down a pension lump sum to buy the m/h but are income poor so have to scrimp when away?
From my browsing on here there are some folk who are habitually looking for cheap everything.
As spitfire said: If you can't afford it don't do it.

 

[Northernraider]

If a buisness is dependent on the the profit on a 50 euro sale to stay in business or not, then I am afraid that they would be better off going bust. Working for below the minimum wage just fuels the problem for others.

He did say €50 per day

 

[Northernraider]

Couldn't agree more. Spot on.
It seems to me that those penny-pinching folk who resent paying a few Euros for a safe stopping place for one or two people are just seeking cheap travels in their retirement and more than likely spending nothing at all in the locality but eating and drinking at the m/h. Some even seem to take half a ton of 'cheap' food from home.
It seems odd to me why people spend tens of thousands on buying and running a m/h but can't or won't afford the cost of an Aire. Overnight costs are part and parcel of travelling the same as the ferry fare and buying the diesel to get there. Could it be that many are capital rich, having drawn down a pension lump sum to buy the m/h but are income poor so have to scrimp when away?
From my browsing on here there are some folk who are habitually looking for cheap everything.
As spitfire said: If you can't afford don't do it.

But they can afford it

I never pay for an overnight stop , I can afford it perfectly well.

I CHOOSE not to pay to park day or night I will always park free, I simply avoid places where I can't do that

So if I can't find a free place to park and a free place to use services I simply don't visit it. There's plenty of places that are free

I also DON'T feel the need to eat out if I don't want to , as far as I'm aware there's no law says I have to.
If I can get a lovely 3 course meal for €8-.10 why would I want to pay €25-30

Folk need to stop telling other folk how to use their motorhomes.

This is the same old crap over and over

Folk spend thousands on a motorhome so they CAN use it independently as it was designed.

If others want to use paid aires , campsites etc etc that's their choice , but we are still getting this flt nonsense.


I will never use campsites.......the only time ill be staying on one is when I'm working on one telling everyone which peg to park on ?

 

[chaser]

Couldn't agree more. Spot on.
It seems to me that those penny-pinching folk who resent paying a few Euros for a safe stopping place for one or two people are just seeking cheap travels in their retirement and more than likely spending very little or nothing at all in the locality but eating and drinking at the m/h. Some even seem to take half a ton of 'cheap' food from home.
It seems odd to me why people spend tens of thousands on buying and running a m/h but can't or won't afford the cost of an Aire. Overnight costs are part and parcel of motorhoming just the same as the ferry fare and buying the diesel to get there. Could it be that many are capital rich, having drawn down a pension lump sum to buy the m/h but are income poor so have to scrimp when away?
From my browsing on here there are some folk who are habitually looking for cheap everything.
As spitfire said: If you can't afford it don't do it.

Who said anything about can't afford it , my op was just saying that the old ways are slowly dieing, and it's a crying shame.

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[Spriddler]

I never pay for an overnight stop , I can afford it perfectly well.

I CHOOSE not to pay to park day or night I will always park free, I simply avoid places where I can't do that

So if I can't find a free place to park and a free place to use services I simply don't visit it. There's plenty of places that are free

Exactly my point: If you don't like it don't go there and be happy to accept that.
We all have our preferences. I choose where to stop on the basis of going somewhere that I really want to visit, not whether there's free parking.