# Max length of vehicles on Aire's



## biggirafe (Oct 29, 2009)

Hi
Whilst out on the weekend a chap I met in a new Kontiki asked if I had ever had trouble in France with the length of my 95 Kontiki (24 foot). I explained I had not been to France in it but that I was not aware of any length restrictions he says he had a conversation with someone who thought there were. 

This conversation has worried me as we have bought the Kontiki with the express purpose of touring europe, are there any length restrictions on Aires in Europe?


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## The Grand Wanderer (Oct 29, 2009)

*Size is everything*

Hi Biggirafe,
Size is everything to us wilderers as the bigger the better when using for prolonged periods comfort wise.
We have spent many months (seven in fact) in France Spain and Portugal and have never had a problem using aires or any other stopping places with our 24 footer.
Enjoy the dream.
Regards,
Wanderer


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## Last of the Mohicans (Oct 29, 2009)

Hi 
 We have been over to france and germany in our Auto-Trail Mohican with a back box its 27ft and we havn,t had any trouble parking on any Aires or Stellplatz and that was this year


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## biggirafe (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks Guys
I figured this was the case, just needed a sense check. I hate having conversations like that. I knew in my heart he was wrong but it always leaves you wondering 

Thanks again


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## runnach (Oct 29, 2009)

I have never seen a length restriction on an aire.

The only problem with bigger vans towing trailers etc is if the aire is filling,sometimes difficult to find a space that a smaller van will squeeze into.

Channa


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## maingate (Oct 29, 2009)

There is a new law on vehicle length. I read it on MHF if you want to trawl through their postings, it was fairly recent.

Don`t panic as it only affects large motorhomes towing large trailers apparently.


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## ubuntu1 (Oct 30, 2009)

*length*

It probably comes from the Caravan Club who say that you may have trouble if your van is over 6m in length because mos French vans are under 6m. I think the statement is very out of date and I have never had a problem.


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## John H (Nov 15, 2009)

23 foot long van - regularly use French Aires and never had a problem - nor have we ever seen any indication of maximum length on any notice anywhere. Ignore the moans of the Caravan Club - they are a bunch of killjoys (about almost everything, including wildcamping).


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## vindiboy (Nov 15, 2009)

Some Aires have a weight limit of 3.5 tonnes,or at least the approach roads do, my van is 27 ft and some Aires are a bit tight to get on particularly if they are road side as parking bays, but I have never had a real problem.


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## runnach (Nov 15, 2009)

John H said:


> . Ignore the moans of the Caravan Club - they are a bunch of killjoys (about almost everything, including wildcamping).[/QUOT
> 
> I take it you wont be renewing a membership then ???!!!
> Channa


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## John H (Nov 15, 2009)

channa said:


> I take it you wont be renewing a membership then ???!!!
> Channa



I'm nothing if not pragmatic - if I continue to get discounts on ferries and access to value CLs then I will continue to be a member of the CC. However, that still doesn't mean I approve of their negative attitude to wildcamping (and I would assume that the same would apply to most subscribers to a wildcamping website) nor of their extortionate campsite fees compared to nearby commercial sites in almost every case.


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## maingate (Nov 15, 2009)

Hi JohnH,

I am a bit puzzled by your reference to CC sites being more expensive. I am a member of both big clubs and I get an age concession. I think it is from both but my cards are in the van in storage. I have found the opposite to you in practice.

Like you, I am no big fan of either clubs, especially the C & CC. Twice I have contacted them with a valid complaint and never been acknowledged so I only use them when it suits me.


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## John H (Nov 15, 2009)

maingate said:


> Hi JohnH,
> 
> I am a bit puzzled by your reference to CC sites being more expensive. I am a member of both big clubs and I get an age concession. I think it is from both but my cards are in the van in storage. I have found the opposite to you in practice.
> 
> Like you, I am no big fan of either clubs, especially the C & CC. Twice I have contacted them with a valid complaint and never been acknowledged so I only use them when it suits me.



C&CC gives an age concession; CC doesn't. But even so, if you nominate a site I will find you a nearby commercial one that is a lot cheaper. We have spent the last six weeks in Cornwall and have used three commercial sites at a cost of £5 per night, £8 per night and £7 per night - the only two CC sites in Cornwall that are currently open in November charge £14 and £18 per night and offer no greater facilities than any of the three we have used. Pick your county and I will do a similar analysis for you. I have many times challenged the so-called non-profit-making club about its pricing policy and of course have got nowhere. When I stop using CLs (not all of which are good value) and stop getting discounts on ferries (which we use extensively) then I will gladly drop out of the club.


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## vwalan (Nov 15, 2009)

camping sites what are those? oh yes i may have seen them .you park that close you walk out through 4 vans bit like a boat marina. no barbiques or open fires. pay a months food for 1 night. you cant make a noise but they might have a club house making loads. seen pictures of them. no commercial looking campers , no m,bikes, book ahead . think i,ll leave them alone.


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## coolasluck (Nov 16, 2009)

vwalan said:


> camping sites what are those? oh yes i may have seen them .you park that close you walk out through 4 vans bit like a boat marina. no barbiques or open fires. pay a months food for 1 night. you cant make a noise but they might have a club house making loads. seen pictures of them. no commercial looking campers , no m,bikes, book ahead . think i,ll leave them alone.







Like your style


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## vwalan (Nov 16, 2009)

as for aires in france have used loads .first with a t2 v w now with the artic ,also with a tear drop caravan .never been asked to move or been told not to be there. have also put up a small tent by the side of some .encouraged by the french when on m,bike camping in the summer. alot of sites dont acept m,bikes. so find an aire with a bit of grass ,ideal. even left the tent watched by french camper vans while going into town to party. seen loads french caravans on aires ,


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## John H (Nov 16, 2009)

vwalan said:


> as for aires in france have used loads .first with a t2 v w now with the artic ,also with a tear drop caravan .never been asked to move or been told not to be there. have also put up a small tent by the side of some .encouraged by the french when on m,bike camping in the summer. alot of sites dont acept m,bikes. so find an aire with a bit of grass ,ideal. even left the tent watched by french camper vans while going into town to party. seen loads french caravans on aires ,



Have also seen tents and caravans on aires but also seen caravans turned off by the police - once in France and once in Spain. The Spanish incident (at Caceres) was slightly embarrassing because the caravan was local and we Brits in our motorhomes were using the free aire (complete with free electricity) on their taxes! I think that if caravans do get turned off it is probably because once the van is detached from the car it isn't insured to be on the road - and aires count as the highway. For the same reason, people shouldn't park unhitched caravans outside their homes (but many do).


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## barryd (Nov 16, 2009)

vwalan said:


> camping sites what are those? oh yes i may have seen them .you park that close you walk out through 4 vans bit like a boat marina. no barbiques or open fires. pay a months food for 1 night. you cant make a noise but they might have a club house making loads. seen pictures of them. no commercial looking campers , no m,bikes, book ahead . think i,ll leave them alone.



Nice one Alan, totally agree.  Had no issues in France or any other country for that matter with our Konitki this year.  The Aires book often warns about certain Aires not suitable for vans over 6.5 metres.  I think this could be aimed at the RV crowd as we still got in no problem.


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## justpugs206 (Nov 18, 2009)

biggirafe said:


> Hi
> Whilst out on the weekend a chap I met in a new Kontiki asked if I had ever had trouble in France with the length of my 95 Kontiki (24 foot). I explained I had not been to France in it but that I was not aware of any length restrictions he says he had a conversation with someone who thought there were.
> 
> This conversation has worried me as we have bought the Kontiki with the express purpose of touring europe, are there any length restrictions on Aires in Europe?



hi mate i have done france loads of times my van is the same size has yours never had a problem dont worry just do it and have some times see ya just pugs .


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## maingate (Nov 18, 2009)

What may be confusing the issue here is that I believe new rules have taken effect in Europe about overall length of vehicles on the road. It might be just in one country. This will not affect any motorhomes I believe unless they are towing trailers. I have tried to find where I read this but must be having a senior moment and cannot.

Maybe somebody knows.


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## fred ee (Nov 19, 2009)

This kind of posting freaks me out. Statements like "I believe...etc" are totally meaningless. Come up with facts and figures, without which, it's a waste of everyone's time!


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## maingate (Nov 19, 2009)

You seem to be easily freaked out! 

Must be a suvverner.


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## barryd (Nov 19, 2009)

maingate said:


> You seem to be easily freaked out!
> 
> Must be a suvverner.



Drinks Shandy!


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## maingate (Nov 19, 2009)

Thanks for that comment Fred ee.

Now I will not waste my time looking for the info. 

Although on the other hand if I do come across it I will announce the fact and members can pm me. 

I know that my 8.2 metres is legal in the UK. 

eeee Fred you are a bit testy. I have just seen your posting on generators. 

Outer Mongolia is nice this time of year and nobody minds gennies up there.


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## vwalan (Nov 19, 2009)

hi maingate . 8.2 is legal in uk as 12mtr is themax for rigids. and can be upto 16.5 for artics all depends on turning circles etc. havnt heard of length restrictions in europe but if its legal here it is there.


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## John H (Nov 19, 2009)

maingate said:


> Outer Mongolia is nice this time of year and nobody minds gennies up there.



But only if you get the permission of Gennie-gis Khan first - and I hear he hates having his sleep disturbed!


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## vwalan (Nov 19, 2009)

i hear you get strapped to aframe and gassed .its ok if you are tooled up andnot speeding along .


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## John H (Nov 19, 2009)

vwalan said:


> i hear you get strapped to aframe and gassed .its ok if you are tooled up andnot speeding along .



Do you have an a frame fetish? - that's at least three times you've mentioned them. If so, I hear there are magazines for people like you!


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## vwalan (Nov 19, 2009)

aframes get debated at frquent intervals just like gas .gennies etc and exploding toilets in the mountains.


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## John H (Nov 19, 2009)

Clearly there's a lot more interesting stuff on this site that I haven't found yet - must look up those exploding toilets. Happy travels.


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## fred ee (Nov 19, 2009)

If I need FACTUAL information I would certainly not expect to get it from a forum. 

Maingate opens gob with an unsubstantiated statement about vehicle length and, thus, starts another myth.

Others claim to have been 'gassed' in their van. Only in their imagination!

Others are adamant that A frames are illegal. They're not!

Reverse-polarity in Europe will kill you - no it won't!

Police impersonators shooting out your tyres in Spain - Never happened!

The myths go on and on.

No wonder a new motorhomer can get paranoid reading all this verbiage (or did I mean crap!) and, possibly, be put off before he/she gets started.


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## John H (Nov 19, 2009)

Fred - most of the points you make are valid but why do you make them in such a way as to ensure that you put everybody else's backs up? Could it be that you are going for the title of "most annoying poster on the site"? If so, I gladly admit defeat.


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## maingate (Nov 19, 2009)

Well Fred.

I have looked at your earlier postings from when you joined and you certainly have never put in anything factual or useful.

It is all self opiniated claptrap.

Why do you bother with us "weekenders" when you are a macho, roughy toughy full timer, taking up the brave fight in a motorhome in Europe.

I wish I could be as brave as you.


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## fred ee (Nov 19, 2009)

Speak as I find.

Us "Southerners" call a spade a spade.


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## vwalan (Nov 19, 2009)

i was born in doncaster ,now live in cornwall .sometimes i call a spade ,,,sir. he could be very big and strong so its yes sir no problem. ha ha 


john , havent you ever driven up a mountain or hill here gone for a pee in a thetford toilet forgot to slightly open the slider . ?
when you do it goes woooooosh pee every where . if you are sitting on it its better washes your bum. 
my mate did it at burgos in spain ,got absolutly plasterd . we still laugh about it . good campfire taslk.


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## l77 tuf (Nov 19, 2009)

i look in the aires book for the max length of van allowed i know the book dont have every aire in it but  its a good guide


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## vwalan (Nov 19, 2009)

my aires book is 1999 so doesnt say anything about lengths . its france who cares . when driving trucks over there we just pulled on nobody cares . i now use a mini artic never been told to move. some in uk say mines a car n caravan . it is when it suits me other times its a fifth wheel motor home. could be a truck if it suits me .not them.


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## John H (Nov 19, 2009)

vwalan said:


> john , havent you ever driven up a mountain or hill here gone for a pee in a thetford toilet forgot to slightly open the slider . ?
> when you do it goes woooooosh pee every where . if you are sitting on it its better washes your bum.
> my mate did it at burgos in spain ,got absolutly plasterd . we still laugh about it . good campfire taslk.



I guess my life just isn't as full as yours....................................


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## barryd (Nov 20, 2009)

The handbags are out again!


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## biggirafe (Nov 20, 2009)

barryd said:


> The handbags are out again!



LOL, Nice Barry like it.

Guys as I started this thread can I say thanks to all for the info, In short there are no restrictions on vehicles lengths that anyone is aware of that will affect me in my Kontiki

Thanks all now I'm off to buy a diesel Genny and fit a home made gaslow system made from an old fish tank and a pair of vals old knickers, I'm then going to sit at my dinnettte table with the stereo at full volume and let me dog run off and crap on the neighbours path.

Wheres the japanese whisky Nic?


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## John H (Nov 20, 2009)

biggirafe said:


> Thanks all now I'm off to buy a diesel Genny and fit a home made gaslow system made from an old fish tank and a pair of vals old knickers, I'm then going to sit at my dinnettte table with the stereo at full volume and let me dog run off and crap on the neighbours path.



I think its about time we directed this thread to the topic of old knickers........dinette tables are so last week.


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## ajs (Nov 20, 2009)

.

just found this fred... pithe meself....

... thanks fellas 


reet... colostomy bag changed...


OI...stigmetaff...if you put an on board diesel jenny in that little van of yours yer must bring it round here

...
 i wana film the fekker shakin/rattlin and a rollin 




... and i want some of that wiksey...



regards 
aj



_sadbin... sadbin... delete the fekkers  

_


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## John H (Nov 20, 2009)

***** said:


> We don't all change our motorhomes as often as our knickers (or pants)
> and we don't try to keep up with the Jones' or the latest must have's



Totally agree..........apart from the pants bit (I think mine may be older than my 5 year old van).


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## pam (Nov 21, 2009)

We have a 24 foot Kontiki with a bike rack and have never had trouble getting on aires.


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