Paying to use French Aires

It's not clear to me how the CCP model that charges MHers for overnight stops complies with the overriding legal right under French law to stop for the night in some place within a commune:

" ... le droit à une halte nocturne en quelque endroit de la commune."

Which seems to imply that the right to an overnight stop should be free of charge. It is a right for everyone not just the camping-cariste. If a designated aire d’étape hasn't been provided, I understand that you have a basic right to stop overnight somewhere, including in a town or village, even by the roadside. Deep joy for FLTs!

Although as far as I know the right is not unqualified, and is subject to the Code de la Route which prohibits nuisance parking, obstruction and long stays on public roads. The Mayors can impose local restrictions as long as they are justified by (say) environmental protection, but they must apply equally to all vehicles in a weight class and must not discriminate against MHs. The French MH associations have won many cases, overturning discriminatory restrictions or prohibitions, on this point.

A separate law applies specifically to the gens de voyage (Travellers and gypsies). Doesn't apply to us.

PS this is a simplistic overview and I am happy to be corrected if I am wrong.
 
Clarky said:
Yes, twice!

Being an honest sort of chap if the machine works I will use it.
How can you begrudge the locals €3 for a smashing view. (y) :D2

Richard
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totally agree with you Clarky.. The freeloaders will eventually be the cause of the village free aires either being closed or becoming campingcarparks so that some much needed money flows into the village/commune.
 
The French are in the process of leasing Aires to private companies so hefty charges are on the way. Very much like our rip off culture with the top site operators.
 
Clarky said:
Yes, twice!

Being an honest sort of chap if the machine works I will use it.
How can you begrudge the locals €3 for a smashing view. (y) :D2

Richard
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Don't begrudge them anything, all I meant was everytime we have been and we have been going every year since before the machine was put in it hasn't been working, and besides which you can park at the chateau behind the castle for free.

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SpeedyDux said:
It's not clear to me how the CCP model that charges MHers for overnight stops complies with the overriding legal right under French law to stop for the night in some place within a commune:

" ... le droit à une halte nocturne en quelque endroit de la commune."

Which seems to imply that the right to an overnight stop should be free of charge. It is a right for everyone not just the camping-cariste. If a designated aire d’étape hasn't been provided, I understand that you have a basic right to stop overnight somewhere, including in a town or village, even by the roadside. Deep joy for FLTs!

Although as far as I know the right is not unqualified, and is subject to the Code de la Route which prohibits nuisance parking, obstruction and long stays on public roads. The Mayors can impose local restrictions as long as they are justified by (say) environmental protection, but they must apply equally to all vehicles in a weight class and must not discriminate against MHs. The French MH associations have won many cases, overturning discriminatory restrictions or prohibitions, on this point.

A separate law applies specifically to the gens de voyage (Travellers and gypsies). Doesn't apply to us.

PS this is a simplistic overview and I am happy to be corrected if I am wrong.
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Provision of water, waste, wifi, security, etc will be their "added value" to account for the charge, maybe?
 
Clarky said:
Yes, twice!

Being an honest sort of chap if the machine works I will use it.
How can you begrudge the locals €3 for a smashing view. (y) :D2

Richard
Click to expand...
Agreed. Earlier this year I was on the aire near Santander port, having arrived late in the evening and left abt 7.30 the following morning. I made sure I left the money with people next door, who we knew, so they could pay the guy in the morning. They said he was pleasantly surprised. Given this aire has leccie hook up, it wouldnt take much for abusers to get that taken away or the place closed.
 
SpeedyDux said:
It's not clear to me how the CCP model that charges MHers for overnight stops complies with the overriding legal right under French law to stop for the night in some place within a commune:

" ... le droit à une halte nocturne en quelque endroit de la commune."

Which seems to imply that the right to an overnight stop should be free of charge. It is a right for everyone not just the camping-cariste. If a designated aire d’étape hasn't been provided, I understand that you have a basic right to stop overnight somewhere, including in a town or village, even by the roadside. Deep joy for FLTs!

Although as far as I know the right is not unqualified, and is subject to the Code de la Route which prohibits nuisance parking, obstruction and long stays on public roads. The Mayors can impose local restrictions as long as they are justified by (say) environmental protection, but they must apply equally to all vehicles in a weight class and must not discriminate against MHs. The French MH associations have won many cases, overturning discriminatory restrictions or prohibitions, on this point.

A separate law applies specifically to the gens de voyage (Travellers and gypsies). Doesn't apply to us.

PS this is a simplistic overview and I am happy to be corrected if I am wrong.
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According to this there should still be a free Aire even if this firm have set up in a village, they are a private company just like a campsite, which in time they will become and the 12 euros that they charge now will be a distant memory, the French are only following their law as they see it and standing up for their rights, whereas people from here are just willing to let anything go.
 
wiljoy said:
The French are in the process of leasing Aires to private companies so hefty charges are on the way. Very much like our rip off culture with the top site operators.
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I really can't see the comparison to rip off in the UK . They are providing the basic necessities for motorhomes such as water ,emptying , black and grey electric and often wifi for a very cheap price. And the ability should you wish to sit out with awning etc. To suggest the price is a rip off is in my opinion a bit unfair. If you can point me to similar choices such as this in the UK and in the same quantity I will agree with you
 
spitfire said:
I really can't see the comparison to rip off in the UK . They are providing the basic necessities for motorhomes such as water ,emptying , black and grey electric and often wifi for a very cheap price. And the ability should you wish to sit out with awning etc. To suggest the price is a rip off is in my opinion a bit unfair. If you can point me to similar choices such as this in the UK and in the same quantity I will agree with you
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As I said in my last post , the 12 euros is only the start, wait till they have everyone stitched up, then the prices will soon rise, and anyone who doesn't need any of the things you quote will end up paying the same, because you can gaurantee once these places have the upper hand you will start getting car park fees or even motorhome bans in villages to push you into them.

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We like the CCP aires as they provide everything we need and we don't have to pay for things like toilets and showers which we don't need. The facilities are in good order which we can't say is the case on some free aires, and many are ex municipal sites with large pitches.
EHU is a bonus, saves a bit of gas. Have never used their free WiFi but must be useful to some.
 
Reallyretired said:
We like the CCP aires as they provide everything we need and we don't have to pay for things like toilets and showers which we don't need. The facilities are in good order which we can't say is the case on some free aires, and many are ex municipal sites with large pitches.
EHU is a bonus, saves a bit of gas. Have never used their free WiFi but must be useful to some.
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Ditto.
 
Tanya_and_Mick said:
It will be our first time overseas with the Motorhome next March and we see CCP as a great network for cutting our teeth on touring.....
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If you don't want to dive straight into free Aires have a look at France passion you pay a fee upfront about 25 quid I think then you can stay at thousands of free places and get to know the real France, staying on farms, vineyard, and all manner of different places .
 
My point of view is .
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chaser said:
As I said in my last post , the 12 euros is only the start, wait till they have everyone stitched up, then the prices will soon rise, and anyone who doesn't need any of the things you quote will end up paying the same, because you can gaurantee once these places have the upper hand you will start getting car park fees or even motorhome bans in villages to push you into them.
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i think it will depend on the French motorhome te to decide by staying away if that is how they feel .But given the serious bashing France has be getting on Various topics it won’t affect any Brits as they won’t be coming
 
Just arrived back from France yesterday after a month away and when using the van (we were in an Airbnb for a week with our kids who flew out to meet us) we stopped exclusively on Aires found on Camper Contact and Park4Night.

We're happy to be surrounded by the French, that's what we go to France for after all!
Of the 24 nights on Aires we paid 5 times. The other nights were all free, and not one bad location. Some stunning and beautiful stopovers by rivers, lakes, the sea and in the countryside. Absolutely no problem emptying / filling etc. And on several occasions we chatted to local people who were very happy to have us there.

Average cost per night for the 24 days = 1.30 Euros.
Leaves us plenty of cash to spend on diesel and to shop in the local communities!!
As always, it's horses for courses!
Vive La France! (and their Aires)

You can see photos of some of the lovely places we stayed on our blog www.wheretwo.co.uk or on Instagram @wheretwo_ontheroad
 
Charging for aires isn't restricted to the CCP ones, though, is it? We've had to pay to use quite a number of aires in villages in France, where we have had to pay the charge to an official representive of the local community.

Another point about many of the CCP aires is that they are replacing a defunct facility (e.g. an ex-municipal campsite closed down some time ago) with a working facility. Given the choice of having to pay to stay overnight at a recognised facility, or having no recognised facility at all, my vote goes to the former.

I know it may look like I am showing some kind of preference for the CCP aires in defending their existence, but I do also like the small, informal, free aires that exist in small French towns, and I hope they stay in existence for a long time to come. What we need to do is use them, spend some money in the local community while we are there, and contact the Mairie and thank them very much for providing the aire. Perhaps mentioning that you spent some money in their town while you were there :)

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so many now aires are no camping behavour to pay for a couple of nights so you can relax on a chair put the awning out and have a drink seems ok to me ...anyway its far better than paying £25 night here
 
TheTwoOfUs said:
To those who say that the aires should always be free, who do you think pays for the upkeep of them? Why should the locals have to pay to maintain them for you to have free use?
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Because the cost has already come out of their taxes and the people using them will use the bars and stuff in the village, and the upkeep can't come to a lot to maintain a chatter car park.
 
I and I'm sure most are not against a small charge that goes direct to the village , rather the higher amounts going to private firms to park on a regimented glorified campsite.
 
i know i am taking about spain here and not france but every single aire i went on was no camping beheviour and this became tedious so a small charge so i can "camp" suits me

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chaser said:
Because the cost has already come out of their taxes and the people using them will use the bars and stuff in the village, and the upkeep can't come to a lot to maintain a chatter car park.
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Jeez thanks for allowing me to pay my taxes so you can park free. I am so happy to subsidise 100litres of water per van and emptying of septic tank.
Many small villages have an aire in a scenic place but no commerces so how then do you contribute to the commune ?
We stayed over on an aide which was free but services required a jeton from the pizza place nearby. One very unhappy Brit was complaining bitterly about having to pay for water . I asked who he thought paid the water bill !!!
What is wrong with a section of the UK population that expect everything for nothing even in a country that is not their own !!
 
spitfire said:
Jeez thanks for allowing me to pay my taxes so you can park free. I am so happy to subsidise 100litres of water per van and emptying of septic tank.
Many small villages have an aire in a scenic place but no commerces so how then do you contribute to the commune ?
We stayed over on an aide which was free but services required a jeton from the pizza place nearby. One very unhappy Brit was complaining bitterly about having to pay for water . I asked who he thought paid the water bill !!!
What is wrong with a section of the UK population that expect everything for nothing even in a country that is not their own !!
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Nowhere have I mentioned not paying for water or electric which is fine if you need it, but you don't need it every night but on these campsite Aires they take it whether you use it or not.
 
chaser said:
Nowhere have I mentioned not paying for water or electric which is fine if you need it, but you don't need it every night but on these campsite Aires they take it whether you use it or not.
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You know i am stopping commenting on this now . You do not have the free or small fee facilities in the UK as we have here in France so in my opinion be grateful to have them at all and in such numbers and as I said in a previous post to the general group and not you in particular. If France cost of living is too high, aires too expensive and the gendarmes are out to get you then stay away. We really don't need winging pommel here !
 
spitfire said:
You know i am stopping commenting on this now . You do not have the free or small fee facilities in the UK as we have here in France so in my opinion be grateful to have them at all and in such numbers and as I said in a previous post to the general group and not you in particular. If France cost of living is too high, aires too expensive and the gendarmes are out to get you then stay away. We really don't need winging pommel here !
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I am not whinging about France and very grateful for the Aires as is everyone else what I am on about is big business mucleing in and has been stated your own countrymen are the biggest complainers about them
 
Well I had to laugh this morning , there were about 14 vans in overnight of which 8 were French .
Anyway a French Motorhome turned up and realising he had to pay proceeded to try and stretch his hose from the kerbside over the barriers that surround the aire to the freshwater tap and fill his tank anyway another Frenchman who had paid told him under no uncertain terms to sling his hook and if he wanted to top up his water or empty his loo he should pay like everyone else
At least that was how my limited French interpreted it

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