What's an Aire

[Don Madge]

Many motorhome owners who have been to mainland Europe will have come across, and maybe used, the excellent network of 'aires' set aside for motorhomes. Those who know about this will not need an explanation, but for those unfamiliar with the setup, here is a brief description of how it works in France, there are similar setups in Germany (Stellplatz) and Italy (Sostas).

Basically, an 'aire' in this context is a place set up, usually by a local community, where there is a facility for motorhomes to replenish fresh water and empty grey and black water, sometimes there is an electric hook-up available. Sometimes the facilities are provided free of charge, sometimes there is a fee of a few Euros. In addition there are sometimes overnight parking places provided - again sometimes free and sometimes a small fee is charged.

The network is well used by motorhome owners across Europe and brings benefits to the communities that set them up, since it brings in visitors to spend money with the local traders. Indeed at some of the more popular locations there is a delivery of fresh croissants and baguettes for breakfast every morning!

Most 'aires' are listed in annual publications, Vicarious Books http://www.vicariousbooks.co.uk./ stocks most of the guides for Europe and have also published an English language guide to the French aires.

Also http://www.eurocampingcar.com/index2.php3?lg=uk&cat_id=0
http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm These sites contain a wealth of info on stop overs in Europe.

Safe travelling

Don

 

[Guest]

Aire's

Hi Don.
We use the Aire network every time we go to mainland Europe and it is a credit to the Countries that have set them up!
Well done guys!
Edit.
We have the proper French guide and the Vicarious guides and we use them both.
However, we have found some really nice ones by accident and they are not always in the guides!

 

[swingsandroundabouts]

And in France they are easy to find.Just look out for the road sign that looks like a motorhome having a pee! That is how I see it anyway

 

[loubylou]

Thanks a million

This is really, really interesting to us, because we plan to take the children over to france next summer and visit a few places in our van. We havent been over for ooo 9years and then we camped in tents, so this will be our first time in a van and I didnt even know these sites existed so many, many thanks Don!

Regards
Lou

 

[Guest]

Aires

This is really, really interesting to us, because we plan to take the children over to france next summer and visit a few places in our van. We havent been over for ooo 9years and then we camped in tents, so this will be our first time in a van and I didnt even know these sites existed so many, many thanks Don!

Regards
Lou

Our last holiday to France was for 18 nights.
12 of these were on Aires and no problems at all.
Some even had free electricity, however you must check the polarity!!
Hope this helps

 

[loubylou]

Good tip

Thanks Graham
Good point, well made.
Cheers
Lou

 

[Jackpot]

Aires in France

Yes, one of the reasons we bought a motohome instead of a carvan was the aire network in France. We have invested in both the French version and more recently "All the Aires France" from Vicarious Books. We are setting off soon for a 3 week trip though Brittany down into the Loire before heading back to the Uk. Then in Feb we are heading down through Brittany - Western France down into Spain....The guide has been a great help.....as there arnt so many capsite open at his time of the year. The guide seems to give good directions with a brief but useful write up on the site...including the facilities available.

We are planning to use several Aires during our trips plus a number of the Vineyard Aires that are also advertised......we intend to share our experiences of using the various aires and hope to give some more info on the aires we use.

Regards

Jackpot.

 

[Guest]

Reversed polarity

Thanks Graham
Good point, well made.
Cheers
Lou

Hi Lou.
Regarding the electricity polarity.
We have found on more than one occassion that one socket on a particular pole (or socket box) may be ok and another on the same pole (socket box)may be reversed.
Always check, a tester is only about £5 to £8 and well worth buying!

 

[Guest]

Yes, one of the reasons we bought a motohome instead of a carvan was the aire network in France. We have invested in both the French version and more recently "All the Aires France" from Vicarious Books. We are setting off soon for a 3 week trip though Brittany down into the Loire before heading back to the Uk. Then in Feb we are heading down through Brittany - Western France down into Spain....The guide has been a great help.....as there arnt so many capsite open at his time of the year. The guide seems to give good directions with a brief but useful write up on the site...including the facilities available.

We are planning to use several Aires during our trips plus a number of the Vineyard Aires that are also advertised......we intend to share our experiences of using the various aires and hope to give some more info on the aires we use.

Regards

Jackpot.

Hi Jackpot.
You will be falling over the Aires as they are everywhere!
We ususlly go further south to the river Lot or the Tarn.
Both are a little south of the Dordogne with lots of aires.
We also like the river Vienne.
You might like La Fleche which is very nice with an Aire right by the river/lake and 100 yds from the town. However no facilities but very nice!

 

[Deleted member 2636]

Many motorhome owners who have been to mainland Europe will have come across, and maybe used, the excellent network of 'aires' set aside for motorhomes.
Vicarious Books http://www.vicariousbooks.co.uk./ stocks most of the guides for Europe and have also published an English language guide to the French aires.
Also http://www.eurocampingcar.com/index2.php3?lg=uk&cat_id=0
http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm These sites contain a wealth of info on stop overs in Europe.
Don

The new CD from http://www.campingcar-infos.com/CD.htm is available from mid-November

Un nouveau CD est édité tous les deux mois.
La version actuelle est celle de Septembre 2007.
Le prochain sera disponible dès les premiers jours de Novembre 2007.
Le prix est toujours le même, vous pouvez le commander ici : http://www.campingcar-infos.com/CD.htm
Merci d'avance.
A bientôt.
Amicalement.
Bruno (Campingcar-Infos)
contact@campingcar-infos.com

I was not very impressed with the Vicarious book for France. I was in one place where they said there was 1 Aire, and that was pretty grim, and there 4 others that were much better.
They are on the new Campingcar Infos CD. The best thing is to download them to a GPS or a laptop with an external GPS.

 

[loubylou]

English version

Hi baloothebear
my french isnt what it should be, is there an english version for france?

 

[Jackpot]

Aires on the west coast

Thanks *****. Yes, we know the one in La Fleche....weve not used it but know the town well.
Do you know any good aires on the west coast heading down towards La Rochelle from Noirmoutier and then onto Bordeaux?
We are then making our way across following the Dordogne beyond Bergerac before heading south again towards montauban.

Any aires you could recommend would be good.

Regards

Jackpot

 

[Deleted member 2636]

Hi baloothebear
my french isnt what it should be, is there an english version for france?

I wish that there was but apparently not. It is the best that I've seen by a long way.

 

[Guest]

Thanks *****. Yes, we know the one in La Fleche....weve not used it but know the town well.
Do you know any good aires on the west coast heading down towards La Rochelle from Noirmoutier and then onto Bordeaux?
We are then making our way across following the Dordogne beyond Bergerac before heading south again towards montauban.

Any aires you could recommend would be good.

Regards

Jackpot

Hi Jackpot.
We don't usually go to the coast as we find during the summer it can be difficult to find suitable overnight parking areas, however I believe that Blaye has an Aire or if not, you can park there.

We have overnighted in an unofficial aire at Pauillac which is on the opposite side of the Gironde to Blaye.

You could try these on your way down,

Beaugency on the Loire west of Orleans (Aire by the river)

Uzerche just off the was N20 between Limoges & Brive (free elec and by river)

Perigueux (car park & aire by river and in the town centre)

Confolens , north west of Limoges on d951 ( aire not nice but municipal camp site very nice and when closed you can park outside)

Chabanas on N 141 west of Limoges. (aire by river with super view and free elec, however a little road noise)

St Sylvestrie west of Fumel and east of Villeneuve on the river Lot. ( aire is outside the campsite by the river and supermache there. Very nice location by the river.
Too many to mention but if you go along the rivers you will fall over them
We have used all of these and most more than once, the road numbers are the old numbers but I am sure you can work that out.
Hope this helps
EDIT
To be quite honest, at this time if the year I think you could stop anywhere as when we go in the summer if we cant find anywhere suitable, we just overnight in the vilage square!!!!
never had a problem!!