Planning to go to France with a motorhome or campervan? Need to keep in free or low cost in a single day stopovers as an alternative of pricy campsites? Then Aires is perhaps for you! In the event you’re questioning what’s a French Aire, right here’s all the things it’s essential find out about find out how to discover low cost or free in a single day stopovers as you journey– with out reserving something prematurely.
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Discover France by motorhome utilizing French Aires
We love touring France in our motorhome. It’s a fantastic nation and having the ability to discover in our personal automobile permits us to discover as many chateaux, vineyards and seashores as we like!
We not often have a route or itinerary deliberate out other than the tunnel or ferry, so having the ability to discover French aires as we go is ideal for us- it offers us the pliability to cease in an space for some time or drive someplace totally different if it takes our fancy.
However HOW will we do that? How will we journey to a different nation with out reserving any in a single day motorhome parking stopovers prematurely? Reply- we use an exquisite system known as French Aires.
Confused already? No concept what I’m speaking about? Don’t worry- we didn’t know aires existed till we purchased our first camper, so that you’re not alone! On this publish, I’m going to share all about find out how to discover, use and revel in French aires together with your motorhome or campervan- and open up a complete new world of freedom for you.
NOTE: it is a massive, in-depth information. If you wish to obtain it for FREE, click on right here
What’s an aire in France?
There are literally a number of forms of ‘aire’ in France.
Aire de service which means
An ‘aire de service’ is an ‘space of service’ or a service space, usually discovered on French motorways and infrequently have waste amenities and accredited parking bays for motorhomes.
They’re the identical as a service station within the UK and supply gas, bathrooms, eating places, a store and so forth and so forth. You’ll be able to usually purchase refillable gasoline from an aire de service too, though not all the time. There’ll usually be a merchandising machine for decent drinks and generally a microwave for public use too.
In an aire de service, you’ll usually discover motorhome disposal factors, the place you may pay a few euro to empty your waste tank and bathroom, and refill with contemporary water. It’s not all the time clear if the water is appropriate for consuming or not; if unsure, don’t put it in your contemporary water tank or use chemical compounds like this to make it secure for consuming.
In a single day Tenting Automotive parking French motorway
Are you able to keep in a single day in an ‘aire de service’ on a French motorway? Sure, usually it’s allowed. They usually have particular motorhome parking areas and there shall be an allowed time you might be allowed to remain for. This shall be displayed clearly on an indication someplace close by. If unsure, ask.
Simply bear in mind, it’s a motorway service station, so it’s not the nicest of locations to cease. Lorries will come and go in any respect hours too, so we solely use these after we’re determined.
To confuse you even additional, different forms of aire (that are those you’re in all probability searching for) are additionally also known as ‘aires de service’… so if you’re searching for good locations to cease, search for any which aren’t proper on a motorway- extra on this later!
Aire de repos
‘Aire de repos’ are additionally discovered on the sides of roads, and once more are accredited relaxation stops. You’ll usually discover campers and lorries parked up in these however there are not often any amenities, aside from a few picnic tables.
Once more, you may keep in these aires in a single day, usually as much as 24 hours if you want, however once more, lorries will make noise all evening and also you’re fairly uncovered. We’ve stayed in these a few instances when actually drained, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly not our most popular choice.
There are additionally aires de jeu (playgrounds), aire de loisirs (rec space) and several other others. We all know, it will get complicated. We attempt to discover the aires BEFORE worrying concerning the signs- extra on how to try this beneath!
French aires- Tenting automotive park in France
These are the kind of aire in France you’re in all probability searching for. These are accredited motorhome (or tenting automotive) parking areas that are supplied ALL OVER France, usually very near villages and cities.
They’re usually a carpark or massive gravel space, the place motorhomes are allowed to park in a single day, and even for a number of nights. Some are correctly marked out into bays, others are a free-for-all and you’ll park wherever and nonetheless you want!
Usually, these are run by the native council and are designed to encourage folks to go to the realm. They’re practically all the time nicely stored and welcoming, with indicators in French and infrequently English. If the indicators aren’t in English, the data shall be displayed in a approach that’s pretty straightforward to know.
Most aires in France could have a store/ bar/ cafe inside straightforward strolling distance. Strolling to get contemporary French bread within the morning is one among our favorite issues about motorhoming round France.
What amenities do aires in France have?
They usually (however not all the time!) have amenities equivalent to:
- emptying waste water (usually a drive-over grill)- can usually be used without cost
- Empty rest room
- refill with contemporary water. Consuming water is ‘eau potable’ in French
Usually this comes at a further cost and you’ll need change to make use of these facilities- we supply a pot within the motorhome and put all our spare Euros in there for moments similar to this!
Some aires have restrictions on what you may empty into them, particularly in the event that they’re on the fosse system. This implies you need to watch out which chemical you employ in your rest room and gray waste. We use a product known as Solbio natural rest room fluid, which is pure and doesn’t include dangerous chemical compounds. It’s additionally secure to be disposed of in septic tanks or fosse, which means now we have extra choices to get rid of our rest room responsibly.
Water is often 1€ for 50 litres or one thing comparable.
Do aires in France have loos or bathrooms?
Often you’ll discover an aire in France with bathrooms, however not usually. Most aires anticipate you to be self-contained. In fact, there shall be bathrooms within the close by village or city, however not often on the aire itself.
There may be not all the time a spot to enter the woods and ‘relieve your self’ either- many aires are like huge automotive parks, so when you want bathrooms, decide your aires rigorously!
Electrical connectors
Some aires in France have electrical factors you may hook up with, others don’t and it’s essential be self-sufficient in the course of your keep. A lot of the aires we’ve utilized in France use the identical electrical connectors as we use within the UK.
Some aires require tokens with the intention to use the electrical. Usually, these have to be bought from an accredited location (just like the native bar!), which is ok… except you arrive when that location is closed.
There’s no approach round it- if it’s shut, you’re not getting electrical that evening. In the event you’re determined, search for an aire which doesn’t want tokens, however ideally you’ll need your motorhome to have the ability to survive an evening (or two!) with out the necessity for electrical.
Learn to arrange your motorhome for off-grid parking (wild tenting) right here.
How lengthy are you able to keep at a French Aire?
That will depend on the Aire and is set by the native council. Many are 24 hours max, however some mean you can keep for 3/4 days if you want. All the data shall be on the signal within the aire.
Tenting Automotive park France
You’ll sometimes see an Aire known as a ‘tenting automotive park’. This doesn’t imply you will get out the pup tent- tenting automotive is the French phrase(s) for motorhome/ RV.
Tenting automotive park is a community of privately owned aires (most was once council run) which have now been taken over. The most effective factor about Tenting carparks is you may usually guide an area in advance- which makes utilizing aires a lot much less daunting!
Heading to France? You is perhaps concerned about these associated posts:
How do you discover French Aires?
Ah- right here’s the magic of travelling with out a plan. There are a few methods to search out aires in France, particularly as you’re travelling. We by no means have them deliberate in advance- we all the time discover them en-route.
Are you able to guide Aires prematurely?
No- or at the very least very very not often. (Often, it’s doable to guide on-line, particularly within the mountains in winter when you’re going motorhome snowboarding.) The entire level of aires is flexibility and freedom.
The excellent news is that its first come, first served. The unhealthy information is that standard locations develop into full VERY shortly. So don’t wait too late to begin discovering someplace to cease, in case your first selection is full and it’s essential discover some place else to go.
NOTE: There’s a new France winter tyre law- learn extra right here
Watch the video explaining about French Aires
Want listening/ watching video? I share our suggestions, plus some pictures/ movies of aires in France we’ve stayed in with our motorhome.
We hope you discovered the video helpful. In the event you did, we’d adore it if you adopted us on Youtube. New movies with suggestions for motorhoming and campervanning within the UK and Europe are launched weekly.
Aires tenting automotive France apps
We typically use the app park4night.com to search out aires or accredited in a single day motorhome locations. We resolve whether or not we wish to wild camp for the evening or whether or not we want amenities/ wish to cost motorhome batteries and so forth.
If we wish to cost/ empty bathrooms or discover someplace to park for a couple of days so we will trip our bikes, we head for a French Aire.
Then, we glance on the app for aires with pictures (so we will see the size of the areas and see if our motorhome and trailer will match!) and we have a look at the evaluations. If there are many unfavorable evaluations, we hold searching for one other place.
Finally, we discover someplace we just like the look/ really feel of. I typically attempt to have a backup choice too, in case our first selection is full after we arrive.
Then, we pop the co-ordinates into the GPS and head in direction of our chosen spot!
Different apps/ web sites we use to search out aires in France are:
- Campercontact (web site only- it’s essential pay for the app, though the app does work offline, so it’s helpful!)
All of the Aires guidebook
There are professionals and cons of the ‘All of the aires’ guidebook. The most important professional is that you simply don’t want entry to the web with the intention to discover someplace to remain. That is VERY helpful if you’re within the Alps and might’t get a sign.
The con is that the data goes outdated and it’s doable to show up at an aire which has been shut. Having stated that, it’s doable for this to occur utilizing Park4night too.
In the event you’re planning on doing quite a lot of motor homing in France, the All of the Aires guidebook undoubtedly well worth the funding/ house within the camper.
Don’t fear if a guide is a yr or two outdated. A lot of the aires don’t change fairly often. Having stated that, we all the time choose to search out French Aires on-line in order that we will learn latest evaluations and study any updates (equivalent to closing for upkeep or shutting down.)
Are aires in France open all yr?
Some are. Some aren’t. It is advisable to verify rigorously if you’re searching for an aire to remain at. Many aires within the Alps solely open April-November ish as a result of snow closing roads.
What to do on arrival at an aire in France
Typically discovering the aire is usually a problem. It is advisable to search for an indication of a motorhome over a waste disposal point- usually in black or blue.
- Whenever you arrive, drive slowly and get your bearings. Some aires have signed entrances/ exits, others don’t.
- Earlier than you flip in, see when you can see an area in your camper. These locations are sometimes very troublesome to show round in. If unsure and also you’re travelling with another person, allow them to out to go take a look earlier than you commit.
- Count on everybody to cease and watch. Motorhomers are nosy/ folks. Don’t be intimidated.
- Choose your spot and park up.
- The very first thing to do, earlier than you place the kettle on, is to go learn the indicators and pay something due. Learn the way lengthy you may keep and what the principles are. Examine this in opposition to the data from park4night or a book- guidelines change and the principles on the signal are essentially the most up-to-date.
When is the most effective time to reach at an aire?
If you wish to go to a particular location, equivalent to a city/ metropolis (try these prime 10 cities to go to in France), then I like to recommend arriving by lunchtime, earlier than everybody else turns up- particularly in case you are travelling throughout July/ August (peak summer time months in France). Many standard aires get loopy busy and by 2pm they are often fully full.
Free in a single day parking for motorhomes? What do Aires value?
Some are completely free, except you make use of the amenities. Some value a few Euros and others value as a lot as 15€, which I believe is the utmost we’ve paid to this point. We are likely to keep away from cities, however I imagine aires near standard places value extra and are way more crowded.
Find out how to use French Aires- what are the principles?
- Aires are first come, first served. They can’t be booked or reserved prematurely.
- There shall be a time restrict you might be allowed to remain for, significantly if the aire is free. This shall be clearly signposted on the aire and other people DO check- don’t overstay your welcome.
- Some aires have areas subsequent to them to mean you can put out an awning and outdoors chairs. If the signal says it’s allowed and if different persons are doing it, then go forward. Nonetheless, if there isn’t an area, assume that outdoors seating/ awnings are prohibited. Aires aren’t campsites- they’re in a single day stopovers.
- Don’t take up one other motorhome parking place together with your gear- that’s not allowed.
- When you’ve got a trailer, be very cautious which aires you decide. We glance rigorously at pictures and evaluations to search out areas both lengthy sufficient for our motorhome, or the place there may be house for us to take our trailer off and have it subsequent to the van. Many aires are for campers as much as max 7m lengthy and a few areas are VERY tight- particularly in well-known or constructed up areas.
- Don’t play loud music or be too rowdy- these are quiet locations for folks to take pleasure in their travels.
- No tents. Ever.
- Don’t park within the servicing space any longer than you need to. Positively don’t depart your camper unattended right here and block the providers for different folks while you go to the bar!
- Don’t depart any garbage or litter. If there aren’t any bins, take it with you!
Can campervans use aires in France
Completely. Campervans and even transformed automobiles are welcome at aires, so long as it’s a campervan and never a piece automobile. Vans with signage on or ‘stealth campers’ are sometimes not allowed and now we have seen them being requested to maneuver on.
Can caravans use aires in France?
No. Most aires don’t permit caravans. The one locations I do know for caravans to park in a single day are both wild tenting or precise campsites. You would possibly be capable of use aires de repos- I doubt anybody would verify. This is likely one of the largest professionals when deciding between motorhomes or caravans for us.
Sleeping in French Aires
We sleep nice in French Aires. They’re usually quiet, and motorhome house owners are likely to look out for one another. We’ve had full strangers shout at native youngsters who’ve come over to take a look at our motorbikes- warning the children to remain away and never contact. We have now by no means had a disturbed nights sleep in an aire… aside from with the pet wanting to take a seat on my head! 🙁
Are aires in France secure?
As all the time, there aren’t any absolutes with security. We have now by no means had an incident at a French aire (contact wooden!) however that’s to not say nothing can occur.
Put it this manner, some aires now we have an awesome feeling about and fortunately depart our motorhome for a couple of hours whereas we go and trip our motorbikes. These are the aires the place we spend a day or two to unwind and calm down between driving (if it’s allowed).
Others, we don’t depart the van unattended in any respect and transfer on the subsequent morning till we discover someplace higher. You HAVE to belief your gut- when you’re unsure, transfer on.
Tenting automotive information in English at French Aires
Most aires in France have information for tenting automobiles (Motorhomes) in French and English. If not, there shall be indicators making it straightforward to know what it’s essential know.
How do you pay for aires in France?
The toughest half is usually determining find out how to pay in your keep at a French Aire. Some have parking meters (which regularly solely settle for change- another excuse for the change tub!) however some require you to go to the native bar/ cafe/ store with the intention to pay.
This is usually a bit daunting- particularly if it’s filled with locals who all cease to stare as you stroll in. Don’t let that put you off- we’ve had some nice nights at French bars with out a clue what’s being happening round us.
Try to communicate slightly French if you enter- it would heat the locals to you. Say one thing like “J’ai un tenting automotive dans l’aire. Est-ce que je paie ici?”
Count on the proprietor to ask questions like how many individuals (combien des personnes) and what number of nights you wish to keep for (combien des nuits?)
Are canine allowed on French Aires?
In fact! France loves canine and also you’ll see them in all places. There aren’t any restrictions in having them on an aire, however they have to be stored on a lead always.
Travelling to France with a Canine? You would possibly discover these posts helpful:
Different Motorhome websites France
There are many locations for motorhomes throughout France. In the event you don’t want to use an aire, there are campsites far and wide, with amenities equivalent to swimming swimming pools (bliss in the summertime!), outlets, bars or seashores.
There’s additionally a scheme known as France Ardour, which is a set of vineyards, farms and different locations the place they provide free or low cost in a single day motorhome parking. It’s a bit like BritStops within the UK.
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Motorhome wild tenting in France – is it authorized?
Completely- so long as you comply with the principles. Discover out extra about wild tenting with a motorhome in France (and find out how to discover locations to cease.)
Finest aires in France
There are too many aires to make that choice- and we haven’t stayed at all of them! Nonetheless, our favorite aires are those with unimaginable views- like this one within the French Alps or those close to well-known historic locations in France– makes sightseeing even simpler!
Significantly- you’d pay a fortune for a lodge room with a view like that!
We additionally just like the aires the place you may keep for a few nights- it’s good to have a break from driving and perhaps get the motorbikes out to discover the realm higher. This guide has some stunning aires to encourage your subsequent journey:
So, I hope you at the moment are enthusiastic about making an attempt out some French aires in your motorhome tour of France! Let me know the place you finish up- I’d like to see photos. Be at liberty so as to add them onto my Fb web page or be a part of our Motorhome Fb group right here.
Final replace on 2024-07-27 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photographs from Amazon Product Promoting API
