Planning to go to France with a motorhome or campervan? Want to remain in free or low-cost in a single day stopovers as an alternative of high-priced campsites? Then Aires could be for you! If you’re questioning what’s a French Aire, right here’s all the things you have to learn about find out how to discover low-cost or free in a single day stopovers as you journey– with out reserving something upfront.
Don’t overlook to seize your FREE France journey guidelines under to assist hold you organised.
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Explore France by motorhome utilizing French Aires
We love touring France in our motorhome. It’s a lovely 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 hardly ever 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 provides us the pliability to cease in an space for some time or drive someplace totally different if it takes our fancy.
But HOW will we do that? How will we journey to a different nation with out reserving any in a single day motorhome parking stopovers upfront? Answer- we use a beautiful system known as French Aires.
Confused already? No thought 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! In this submit, I’m going to share all about find out how to discover, use and revel in French aires along with your motorhome or campervan- and open up an entire new world of freedom for you.
NOTE: this can be a massive, in-depth information. If you wish to obtain it for FREE, click on right here
What is an aire in France?
There are literally a number of varieties of ‘aire’ in France.
Aire de service that means
An ‘aire de service’ is an ‘area of service’ or a service space, usually discovered on French motorways and sometimes have waste amenities and accepted parking bays for motorhomes.
They are the identical as a service station within the UK and supply gasoline, bathrooms, eating places, a store and so forth and so forth. You can usually purchase refillable fuel from an aire de service too, though not all the time. There will usually be a merchandising machine for warm drinks and generally a microwave for public use too.
In an aire de service, you’ll usually discover motorhome disposal factors, the place you possibly can 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 ingesting or not; if unsure, don’t put it in your contemporary water tank or use chemical substances like this to make it protected for ingesting.
Overnight Camping Car parking French motorway
Can you keep in a single day in an ‘aire de service’ on a French motorway? Yes, usually it’s allowed. They usually have particular motorhome parking areas and there will likely be an allowed time you might be allowed to remain for. This will likely be displayed clearly on an indication someplace close by. If unsure, ask.
Just 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 once we’re determined.
To confuse you even additional, different varieties of aire (that are those you’re in all probability searching for) are additionally sometimes called ‘aires de service’… so while 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 accepted relaxation stops. You’ll usually discover campers and lorries parked up in these however there are hardly ever any amenities, apart from a few picnic tables.
Again, you possibly can 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 night time and also you’re fairly uncovered. We’ve stayed in these a few occasions when actually drained, but it surely’s positively not our most well-liked choice.
There are additionally aires de jeu (playgrounds), aire de loisirs (rec space) and several other others. We know, it will get complicated. We attempt to discover the aires BEFORE worrying in regards to the signs- extra on how to do this under!
French aires- Camping automobile park in France
These are the kind of aire in France you’re in all probability searching for. These are accepted motorhome (or tenting automobile) parking areas that are offered ALL OVER France, usually very near villages and cities.
They are 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!
Often, these are run by the native council and are designed to encourage individuals to go to the world. They are practically all the time effectively stored and welcoming, with indicators in French and sometimes English. If the indicators aren’t in English, the information will likely be displayed in a manner that’s pretty straightforward to grasp.
Most aires in France can have a store/ bar/ cafe inside straightforward strolling distance. Walking to get contemporary French bread within the morning is certainly one of our favorite issues about motorhoming round France.
What amenities do aires in France have?
They usually (however not all the time!) have amenities comparable to:
- emptying waste water (usually a drive-over grill)- can usually be used free of charge
- Empty rest room
- refill with contemporary water. Drinking water is ‘eau potable’ in French
Often this comes at a further cost and you will have change to make use of these facilities- we stock a pot within the motorhome and put all our spare Euros in there for moments identical to this!
Some aires have restrictions on what you possibly can empty into them, particularly in the event that they’re on the fosse system. This means you need to watch out which chemical you utilize in your rest room and gray waste. We use a product known as Solbio natural rest room fluid, which is pure and doesn’t comprise dangerous chemical substances. It’s additionally protected to be disposed of in septic tanks or fosse, that means we have now extra choices to get rid of our rest room responsibly.
Water is generally 1€ for 50 litres or one thing comparable.
Do aires in France have loos or bathrooms?
Occasionally you’ll discover an aire in France with bathrooms, however not usually. Most aires count on you to be self-contained. Of course, there will likely be bathrooms within the close by village or city, however hardly ever on the aire itself.
There will not be all the time a spot to enter the woods and ‘relieve yourself’ either- many aires are like massive automobile parks, so when you want bathrooms, choose your aires rigorously!
Electric connectors
Some aires in France have electrical factors you possibly can connect with, others don’t and you have to be self-sufficient during your keep. Most of the aires we’ve utilized in France use the identical electrical connectors as we use within the UK.
Some aires require tokens in an effort to use the electrical. Often, these must be bought from an accepted location (just like the native bar!), which is ok… except you arrive when that location is closed.
There’s no manner round it- if it’s shut, you’re not getting electrical that night time. If 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 find out how to arrange your motorhome for off-grid parking (wild tenting) right here.
How lengthy are you able to keep at a French Aire?
That relies on the Aire and is set by the native council. Many are 24 hours max, however some help you keep for 3/4 days if you want. All the information will likely be on the signal within the aire.
Camping Car park France
You will sometimes see an Aire known as a ‘camping car park’. This doesn’t imply you may get out the pup tent- tenting automobile is the French phrase(s) for motorhome/ RV. A tenting automobile park is just about the identical as an aire, though sometimes there are higher amenities and generally even a restaurant/ meals automobile.
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How do you discover French Aires?
Ah- right here’s the magic of travelling and not using a plan. There are a few methods to seek 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.
Can you e-book Aires upfront?
No- or at the least very very hardly ever. (Occasionally, it’s doable to e-book on-line, particularly within the mountains in winter when you’re going motorhome snowboarding.) The complete level of aires is flexibility and freedom.
The excellent news is that its first come, first served. The dangerous information is that in style locations turn out to be full VERY rapidly. So don’t wait too late to start out discovering someplace to cease, in case your first selection is full and you have to discover elsewhere to go.
NOTE: There is a new France winter tyre law- learn extra right here
Map of Aires in France & PDF obtain
Looking for a map of French aires or a PDF to obtain? Grab our wild tenting database, which incorporates 250+ in a single day stopovers across the UK and Europe (together with LOTS in France) the place we’ve stayed in our motorhome. Includes wild tenting spots and aires in France and round Europe. Grab it right here.
Watch the video explaining about French Aires
Prefer listening/ watching video? I share our ideas, plus some pictures/ movies of aires in France we’ve stayed in with our motorhome.
We hope you discovered the video helpful. If you probably did, we’d like it if you adopted us on Youtube. New movies with ideas for motorhoming and campervanning within the UK and Europe are launched weekly.
Aires tenting automobile France apps
We usually use the app park4night.com to seek out aires or accepted in a single day motorhome locations. We determine whether or not we wish to wild camp for the night time 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 are able to journey our bikes, we head for a French Aire.
Then, we glance on the app for aires with pictures (so we are able to see the size of the areas and see if our motorhome and trailer will match!) and we take a look at the critiques. If there are many unfavorable critiques, we hold searching for one other place.
Eventually, we discover someplace we just like the look/ really feel of. I usually attempt to have a backup choice too, in case our first selection is full once we arrive.
Then, we pop the co-ordinates into the GPS and head in direction of our chosen spot!
Other apps/ web sites we use to seek out aires in France are:
- Campercontact (web site only- you have to pay for the app, though the app does work offline, so it’s helpful!)
All the Aires guidebook
There are execs and cons of the ‘All the aires’ guidebook. The greatest professional is that you just don’t want entry to the web in an effort to discover someplace to remain. This is VERY helpful while you’re within the Alps and may’t get a sign.
The con is that the information 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.
If you’re planning on doing a variety of motor homing in France, the All the Aires guidebook positively definitely worth the funding/ area within the camper.
Don’t fear if a e-book is a yr or two outdated. Most of the aires don’t change fairly often. Having stated that, we all the time want to seek out French Aires on-line in order that we are able to learn latest critiques and study any updates (comparable to closing for upkeep or shutting down.)
Are aires in France open all yr?
Some are. Some aren’t. You have to verify rigorously while 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
Sometimes discovering the aire is usually a problem. You have to search for an indication of a motorhome over a waste disposal point- usually in black or blue.
- When you arrive, drive slowly and get your bearings. Some aires have signed entrances/ exits, others don’t.
- Before you flip in, see when you can see an area to 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.
- Expect everybody to cease and watch. Motorhomers are nosy/ individuals. Don’t be intimidated.
- Pick 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. Find out how lengthy you possibly can keep and what the foundations are. Check this in opposition to the information from park4night or a book- guidelines change and the foundations on the signal are probably the most up-to-date.
When is the most effective time to reach at an aire?
If you wish to go to a selected location, comparable 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 if you’re travelling throughout July/ August (peak summer time months in France). Many in style aires get loopy busy and by 2pm they are often utterly 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 thus far. We are inclined to keep away from cities, however I consider aires near in style places value extra and are way more crowded.
How to make use of French Aires- what are the foundations?
- Aires are first come, first served. They can’t be booked or reserved upfront.
- There will likely be a time restrict you might be allowed to remain for, significantly if the aire is free. This will likely be clearly signposted on the aire and other people DO check- don’t overstay your welcome.
- Some aires have areas subsequent to them to help you put out an awning and outdoors chairs. If the signal says it’s allowed and if different persons are doing it, then go forward. However, if there isn’t an area, assume that exterior seating/ awnings are prohibited. Aires aren’t campsites- they’re in a single day stopovers.
- Don’t take up one other motorhome parking place along with your gear- that’s not allowed.
- If you might have a trailer, be very cautious which aires you choose. We look rigorously at pictures and critiques to seek out areas both lengthy sufficient for our motorhome, or the place there may be area 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 individuals to take pleasure in their travels.
- No tents. Ever.
- Don’t park within the servicing space any longer than you need to. Definitely don’t go away your camper unattended right here and block the companies for different individuals while you go to the bar!
- Don’t go away any garbage or litter. If there aren’t any bins, take it with you!
Can campervans use aires in France
Absolutely. Campervans and even transformed vehicles 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 we have now seen them being requested to maneuver on.
Travelling France in a campervan? Here’s all the things you have to learn about vanlife in Europe
Can caravans use aires in France?
No. Most aires don’t enable caravans. The solely locations I do know for caravans to park in a single day are both wild tenting or precise campsites. You would possibly have the ability to use aires de repos- I doubt anybody would verify. This is without doubt one of the greatest execs 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 inclined to look out for one another. We’ve had full strangers shout at native children who’ve come over to have a look at our motorbikes- warning the children to remain away and never contact. We have by no means had a disturbed nights sleep in an aire… apart from with the pet wanting to sit down on my head! ????
Are aires in France protected?
As all the time, there are not any absolutes with security. We have 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 we have now an amazing feeling about and fortunately go away our motorhome for a couple of hours whereas we go and journey our motorbikes. These are the aires the place we spend a day or two to unwind and loosen up between driving (if it’s allowed).
Others, we don’t go away the van unattended in any respect and transfer on the following morning till we discover someplace higher. You HAVE to belief your gut- when you’re undecided, transfer on.
Camping automobile data in English at French Aires
Most aires in France have data for tenting vehicles (Motorhomes) in French and English. If not, there will likely be indicators making it straightforward to grasp what you have to know.
How do you pay for aires in France?
The hardest half is commonly determining find out how to pay to your keep at a French Aire. Some have parking meters (which frequently solely settle for change- one more reason for the change tub!) however some require you to go to the native bar/ cafe/ store in an effort to pay.
This is usually a bit daunting- particularly if it’s stuffed 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 and not using a clue what’s being happening round us.
Try and converse just a little French while you enter- it would heat the locals to you. Say one thing like “J’ai un camping car dans l’aire. Est-ce que je paie ici?”
Expect 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 canines allowed on French Aires?
Of course! France loves canines and also you’ll see them all over the place. There are not any restrictions in having them on an aire, however, after all, they must be stored on a lead always.
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Other Motorhome websites France
There are plenty of locations for motorhomes throughout France. If you don’t want to use an aire, there are campsites far and wide, with amenities comparable to swimming swimming pools (bliss in the summertime!), outlets, bars or seashores.
There’s additionally a scheme known as France Passion, which is a group 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.
You can print ALL this data. If you wish to obtain it for FREE, click on right here
Motorhome wild tenting in France – is it authorized?
Absolutely- so long as you observe the foundations. Find out extra about wild tenting with a motorhome in France (and find out how to discover locations to cease.)
Best aires in France
There are too many aires to make that choice- and we haven’t stayed at all of them! However, our favorite aires are those with unbelievable views- like this one within the French Alps or those close to well-known historic locations in France– makes sightseeing even simpler!
Seriously- you’d pay a fortune for a lodge room with a view like that!
We additionally just like the aires the place you possibly can keep for a few nights- it’s good to have a break from driving and perhaps get the motorbikes out to discover the world higher. This e-book has some lovely aires to encourage your subsequent journey!!
So, I hope you are actually 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. Feel free so as to add them onto my Facebook web page or be part of our Motorhome Facebook group right here.
