Wilding in France
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n brown
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i work on the theory that the french really don't care if you stop for the night just about anywhere reasonable,but if i found somewhere i wanted to park longer,i go and ask at the mayors office[mairie].always found them helpful,often suggesting better places i'd never have found.once the mayor knows there's a camper staying by the river,everybody including the gendarmes knows and noone bothers you.they just like to know what's going on and be shown a bit of respect.in case you don't speak french,as you're being polite they can usually find somebody to translate.
fairytooth
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Don't know of any specific websites for wilding in France but have just got back from a long trip and found the same as *****. Not unusual to get charged 7 euros or more sometimes for very little facilities, especially in coastal areas.
Couldn't get on the free aire with electric at Rugles (only 3 spaces provided!) so went round the corner into a disused private car park by the old mill and didn't get any attention. But 3 french MHs parked in a public layby adjacent had their numbers taken by a little official man in a hatchback. Maybe doing some research to expand the facilities on the Aire ? (unlikely!).
No 1st night free at Forges las Eaux anymore. But still a very good Aire with numerous electricity points.
Found a few other random locations for wilding, no adverse experiences to report. Only at Calais on the 'new' MH park by the canal & marina (7 euros for no facilities!) where 2 likely lads from Belgium next to us got drunk and talked very loudly til 3am.
I think ***** maybe right about more towns charging to get some revenue in.
Couldn't get on the free aire with electric at Rugles (only 3 spaces provided!) so went round the corner into a disused private car park by the old mill and didn't get any attention. But 3 french MHs parked in a public layby adjacent had their numbers taken by a little official man in a hatchback. Maybe doing some research to expand the facilities on the Aire ? (unlikely!).
No 1st night free at Forges las Eaux anymore. But still a very good Aire with numerous electricity points.
Found a few other random locations for wilding, no adverse experiences to report. Only at Calais on the 'new' MH park by the canal & marina (7 euros for no facilities!) where 2 likely lads from Belgium next to us got drunk and talked very loudly til 3am.
I think ***** maybe right about more towns charging to get some revenue in.
MichaelU
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Aires today...
Lots of free aires as previous postings offer and the Aires de services database is extensive. The book (Aires de Services Camping Car) is quite useful to have too as a map is included. We often park up in an unmarked lay by or a beach car park for the night; never been bothered and had some really pleasant days tucked in to the dunes on the west coast. Quite free and easy in most parts and even town centres tolerate overnight parking for Motorhomes if you enjoy the late night revelry.
"France Passion" - vineyards and farms, can be worth the membership, we kept it up for 3 years BUT like some of the Aires, they can expect you to pay i.e. buy their wine or whatever produce they want to sell off. If you're not confident they can try one on and sell you more than you ever would have paid on a 5* camp site.
The "Camping Municipal" is always a useful reserve and they can cost very little (£6 to 11) for a night of electricity and showers, a google maps listing is linked below:
Camping Municipal - Google Maps
Lots of free aires as previous postings offer and the Aires de services database is extensive. The book (Aires de Services Camping Car) is quite useful to have too as a map is included. We often park up in an unmarked lay by or a beach car park for the night; never been bothered and had some really pleasant days tucked in to the dunes on the west coast. Quite free and easy in most parts and even town centres tolerate overnight parking for Motorhomes if you enjoy the late night revelry.
"France Passion" - vineyards and farms, can be worth the membership, we kept it up for 3 years BUT like some of the Aires, they can expect you to pay i.e. buy their wine or whatever produce they want to sell off. If you're not confident they can try one on and sell you more than you ever would have paid on a 5* camp site.
The "Camping Municipal" is always a useful reserve and they can cost very little (£6 to 11) for a night of electricity and showers, a google maps listing is linked below:
Camping Municipal - Google Maps
Neckender
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Just got back from 3 weeks holiday in France, used aires for 20 nights, total cost 75 Euro's, thought that it was quite cheap really, some free up to 11 Euro's paid. Used 22 litres of Autogas for cooking and heating, we also took our Jack Russell Dog for first time, We Had a brilliant 3 weeks didn't want to come back home.
John.
John.
Neckender
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Calais, Somme, St Jean de mont, La Rochelle, Mimizan, Contis Plage, Biarritz, Hendaye, Honfluerre, Forges Les Eaux, Abbeyville Calais, and home 2300 miles, Had a bloody great holiday, when we got home our little Jack Russell didn't want to leave our motorhome, On Sunday she got back inside whilst I was tidying and cleaning the van (millions of dead flies) she sat in the passenger seat nearly all day and refused to come out.
John.
John.
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Dont know of a French wildcamping site but you can stay almost anywhere so long as you are not actually camping (awning ,tables etc out).
Just returned from a 12 day hop down the Normandy coast with Polly and Izzey in tow (she had not been to France on her own).We used aires all the time , Gravelines (free) called at Le Crotey for lunch but found the aire a bit grotty and 5euro,Saint Valery sur Somme, 8 euro barriered and a 10 min stroll into village,Le Treport ,stopped for lunch but didnt use the aire,St Valery en Caux,5 euros with sea view.Fe'port nice spot facing marina and free(Benedictine distillery for the drinkers),Honfluer 9 euro's with leccy if you can get it (we did)stopped here 2 nights ,Arromanches free in central village, Deauville/Trouville free aire 5 mins to seaside Rouen ,still possible to park on banks of Seine overlooking town on Quai Jean Moulin only stopped for the day as have overnighted before and its quite noisy traffic wise,The aire at Rouen is at Oissel to the south another free aire and they have doubled the camping car spaces to 4 but beware if you are over 6m the guy facing the aire will be out complaining you are not within the parking lines,and finally Fort-Mahon-Plage amongst the sand dunes 2 mins to the beach but now 8euro a night. We spent 50 euro on aires and could have used different aires that were free but as had no itinery we just stopped in the places that we like the look of.
Just returned from a 12 day hop down the Normandy coast with Polly and Izzey in tow (she had not been to France on her own).We used aires all the time , Gravelines (free) called at Le Crotey for lunch but found the aire a bit grotty and 5euro,Saint Valery sur Somme, 8 euro barriered and a 10 min stroll into village,Le Treport ,stopped for lunch but didnt use the aire,St Valery en Caux,5 euros with sea view.Fe'port nice spot facing marina and free(Benedictine distillery for the drinkers),Honfluer 9 euro's with leccy if you can get it (we did)stopped here 2 nights ,Arromanches free in central village, Deauville/Trouville free aire 5 mins to seaside Rouen ,still possible to park on banks of Seine overlooking town on Quai Jean Moulin only stopped for the day as have overnighted before and its quite noisy traffic wise,The aire at Rouen is at Oissel to the south another free aire and they have doubled the camping car spaces to 4 but beware if you are over 6m the guy facing the aire will be out complaining you are not within the parking lines,and finally Fort-Mahon-Plage amongst the sand dunes 2 mins to the beach but now 8euro a night. We spent 50 euro on aires and could have used different aires that were free but as had no itinery we just stopped in the places that we like the look of.
Channa
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12 nights with the exchange rate give or take and 4 quid a night ..........Not a bad deal and has you suggest the cost could be reduced further.
For me although it has never happened always mindful of trouble or plod knocking at the door ....Neve rhad it in France
Channa