Camping Car park access card charge

[barryd]

Just on our first ever one. I downloaded the app before we left, set up my payment method etc. It was my understanding that they no longer issue a physical card and its all done via the app. However I have come to deposit some money on my account (Which for some reason you have to do) and its forced me into paying for an access card. Why? They don't issue them anymore as far as I am aware. Its only a one off €5 charge but just wondered what they were playing at.

 

[Stanski]

Hi BarryD,
From our experience with Camping-car in Italy in May this year, the €5 was for a card you got from the site machine to allow you to access the computer system at the site, for extra days, electric and water.
It was then refunded when you left the site.

Another site (not camping car) in Belgium, just took payment via the website, using the registration to acknowledge your parking.

Another time at a camping-car site in France we remember €5 was taken on initial registration, then an additional payment to allow booking of the site you were at.
I recall you can change this deposit to a different value to your needs.

Unable to be precise but hope it helps a little.

 

[TeamRienza]

We have had a card for many years now. I had to pay €5 for it. I always assumed it was like a one-off membership fee.
Earlier in the year we used one site and accessed by using our card, so not had experience of using a code to enter or leave. I believe this system only started this year.
Just make sure when you top up your account that you add only the amount you want. The default is €80, but I enter the amount of our stay to the nearest euro, so only ever have a few cents credit in hand.

Davy

Just read stanskis post. Campingcarpark operate almost exclusively in France, but intend to expand into other countries. CCP do not in my experience have sites with anpr nor do they give refunds unless you cancel the membership, so I suspect his first two experiences were not CCP.

Davy

 

[bartman]

We had to buy a card when we used their places a couple of years ago, but I don't know whether they've subsequently changed the system. I can say that last year we used a couple of sites run be a different company called AirePark I think. They just had number plate recognition at the barrier and payment by card, no other company card required. I wondered whether it was that outfit you were thinking of

 

[Stanski]

We have had a card for many years now. I had to pay €5 for it. I always assumed it was like a one-off membership fee.
Earlier in the year we used one site and accessed by using our card, so not had experience of using a code to enter or leave. I believe this system only started this year.
Just make sure when you top up your account that you add only the amount you want. The default is €80, but I enter the amount of our stay to the nearest euro, so only ever have a few cents credit in hand.

Davy

Just read stanskis post. Campingcarpark operate almost exclusively in France, but intend to expand into other countries. CCP do not in my experience have sites with anpr nor do they give refunds unless you cancel the membership, so I suspect his first two experiences were not CCP.

Davy

Hi Davy,
Quite agree with your observations.

Many years ago got involved with Camping-Car (or CampingCar-Park) in France, got a blue access card, paid €5. Still have it.

In Italy, the first experience I now recall is CampingSosta xxx and they then make the full name CSxxx, where xxx represents the city.
Used them in La Spezia and Florence.

In South East France this year used another aire where you pay at an entrance booth, using a debit card. An older access system it seemed.

The online experience was in Belgium.

 

[5andy]

I think that you get a virtual a card on the app. now Barry, not that you can actually use it, you still need to key in the number they allocate, if you don’t have an actual card. For people who have the actual card, I hope people are keeping up at this point, it’s for life. Whoooooo! There whole system crashed the other day and in some aires people couldn’t get out or in. People were unbolting the barrier poles just to get out. We found this out when we arrived at the aire atVilleneuve les Beziers. The pole was lying on the ground with three large bolts neatly on top of the entry machine.

 

[RSD7a]

Off to Brittany next month. All this card business is new to me. Are they needed in advance of travel?
I'm still in the mindset of old fashioned Aires, the occasional campsite and our very own POIs.

 

[bartman]

Off to Brittany next month. All this card business is new to me. Are they needed in advance of travel?
I'm still in the mindset of old fashioned Aires, the occasional campsite and our very own POIs.

We were in Brittany last year. You'll find that in that area of France at least there are still plenty of traditional aires, we even found a couple with free electricity. At others you may need to pay a couple of euros for services, especially water. Most can be found on the WC location app, and other apps are available.

 

[runnach]

The pole was lying on the ground with three large bolts neatly on top of the entry machine.

That’s my entry/exit card, Sandy. 16mm socket and my Dewalt battery drill.

 

[TeamRienza]

Off to Brittany next month. All this card business is new to me. Are they needed in advance of travel?
I'm still in the mindset of old fashioned Aires, the occasional campsite and our very own POIs.

As said, still loads of free or cheap aires all over France.
However, Campingcarpark and rivals aireparkreservations are increasing the number of sites that they manage on behalf of communes and towns.
We work on the principle that if a place that we wish to visit is served by one of these organisations, then we simply use it.
Aireparkreservations is simply turn up and pay by debit or credit card. Possibly display a ticket or have a qr code to operate the barrier.
Campingcarpark needs to register which can be done whilst sitting outside their sites. Once registered (for life) you get a unique code (used to be a swipe card) to enter and leave. You need to credit your account with sufficient funds to cover your stay, deducted when you leave.
Don't purchase the privilege pack unless you use them a lot or wish to pre-book a pitch. Their app is useful as it gives real-time information on the number of available pitches. Handy for planning.

Davy

 

[barryd]

Thanks for the replies. So really now its just a membership fee. No cards involved. I think the code I have now is probably going to be the same each time. So far so good. Lets see if I get out ok tomorrow morning.

Love the story about them dismantling the barrier.

I doubt we will use many of them but they do seem to have appeared in a couple of places where there wasn't really a decent alternative before.

 

[Bigshug]

I used to use CCP SITES quite frequently, but find now that their prices are close to ACSI camp site prices!! So now if there is a choice between ACSI or CCP site I would choose ACSI.

 

[yeoblade]

We have just used 4 of their sites, we as in my wife downloaded the app and now thinks we should plan our routes so we can stay on their sites .some are very good with full washroom/shower facilities. I have the card from a few yrs back but see the code now does the same thing. Had to phone recently to get out as the barrier failed to open but checking the app I had already left the site! Did look at the bolts but decided to phone them to sort it out.

 

[barryd]

Jury is out for me as this one in Aix les Bains is my first one. Its ok. I can't say I'm very keen. Not sure why. I suspect its because we just spent 9 night up on our own in the Alps above Beaufort and coming down to being surrounded by 70 vans in a busy city by a busy lake is a bit of a shocker. I came here as I thought I would be able to Kayak from the Aire (Well not literally) but its not been possible. Moving tomorrow.