What are French aires in France? Find the best, sleep safely overnight, how much, how long
What are French Aires? Why can motorhomes & campervans stop overnight at free Aires in France? Best Aires France.
Aires provide motorhome travellers with the freedom to come and go as they please. Open access Aires do not have a reception, so you cannot reserve a space and there is no booking in. Most Aires should be considered a convenient en-route stopover rather than a holiday destination. This does not mean to say that you cannot have a motorhome holiday when stopping at Aires, just that you should be motorhoming from place to place.
What are Aires and what does Aire mean? The English translation of ‘Aire’ is ‘area’, and many French facilities have ‘Aire’ in their name. The full title for French motorhome Aires is ‘Aire de service/stationnement pour Camping Car’, which translates to ‘Service area/parking for motorhomes’ and are referred to as Aires in All the Aires books. Aires are frequently signed with the motorhome service point symbol, and it is common for these signs to also refer to parking. A maximum of 48 hours parking is the national standard at Aires and should be assumed unless local signs or the articles in Mairie regulations state otherwise. Facilities differ significantly, but normally include a Service Point for water collection and disposal of waste fluids.
Is it safe to stay overnight and sleep at French motorway Aires service stations and rest areas?
Simple answer no, and there is no need to because there are so many safe motorhome aires in France just off the toll motorway. All the Aires France map clearly shows the peage (motorway) exits and all the nearby Aires. For completeness, a list of motorway services with Service Points has been provided at the back of All the Aires France.
French motorway services are also named “Aire ‘something or other’”. Motorhomes, HGVs and cars are broken into at motorway rest areas. Often the occupants of motorhomes are asleep during the burglary; surely a situation you would not want to be in.
Why can motorhomes and campervan use French Aires, but not caravans?
French traffic law forbids caravans and tents from using the majority of Aires in France. Traffic law permits motorhome users to park and to cook, eat and sleep within the confines of their vehicle unless local restrictions apply. This law enabled Aires to develop in the first place. French law does not permit camping activities at Aires, such as winding out awnings or putting out tables and chairs. We see countless examples of the rules being broken and often by French nationals, many of whom seem completely unaware of the written rules and unwritten etiquette. Thus, following their example may be unwise. Camping is permitted at thousands of French campsites and some campsites turned Aires. See, Barrier Entry Systems Commercial Aires below.
The best Aires in France vs the most popular?
Motorhoming in France is so popular that motorhomes make up 1 percent of road traffic in France and 95 percent of them are French camping-cars. We have observed that, like birds of a feather, motorhomers flock together. For example, French motorhomers rarely venture off the main trunking routes. Consequently, overcrowding can occur at any Aire which is a short distance from a main road and is likely at Aires that are also in a quiet or pleasant location. In All the Aires France the best Aires are coloured orange. These are chosen due to their location and facilities offered.
Are the most popular French aires the best?
Motorhomers from all nations appear compelled to drive to the coast and the sheer number of motorhomes has forced coastal authorities to put measures in place to manage parking. Motorhome parking is often controlled at well-known tourist attractions, lakes, rivers and canals. With control comes cost, so expect to pay if you want to stopover in popular areas. Experience freedom by visiting Aires off the beaten track. Phone signal may be poor so advance research and an Aires guide is recommended in order to make the most of your visits to the lesser-known tourist attractions and villages.
Offsite parking referred to as wild camping France
All the Aires France details 390 Service Points only without any official or obvious parking. These "vidange camping car" services are provided so that motorhomers can discharge wastewater and sewage responsibly. Potable water is normally available. As explained above, French law permits offsite overnight parking and a lot of Aires are opened to take control of the situation. We choose not to publish undesignated parking areas because of the unpredictable changes in local attitude. We believe that you should enjoy offsite parking away from the popular motorhome destinations.
Why does everybody park so close together at French Aires?
Open access Aires operate on a first come, first served basis. Generally they are unsupervised, thus it is not possible to reserve a space. The available parking may be impractical for many reasons and parking your motorhome may make the situation worse, so always consider others first. Use bays when provided. In unmarked parking areas it is normal to park close to your neighbour when necessary, so try to leave enough space for another motorhome to slot in if the need arises. Everybody enjoys a view, so share them as much as possible. Never park overnight on the Service Point or obstruct roadways.
Vicarious Media champions responsible tourism
Motorhoming is booming in France and new Aires open every month. Some act as control measures, but many more were paid for by the local community in the hope that extra tourism would help to keep the local shops, restaurants or fuel stations open. Motorhomes, like cars, have become much bigger, typically occupying 50 percent more space. Bear this in mind when you park during siesta in a sleepy town square or in an empty Aire, because you are unlikely to remain alone. When parking somewhere for free you should at least try to spend what you are saving in camping fees. Remember you are only legally allowed to park, winding out awnings and sitting outside on chairs is deemed Camping. We would all like to see the Aires community network continue to grow and this will happen if motorhomers are perceived as valuable visitors.
We can all be valued visitors if we are RESPONSIBLE and:
R espect the environment
E lect to use un-crowded Aires
S pend locally
P ark sensibly
O rganise your recycling
N o camping
S ave water
I mpeccable behaviour
B e quiet
L eave before you outstay your welcome
E valuate your impact
Finding Aires
All the Aires France lists over 4000 Aires in France. Aire vary widely so forward planning is advised to ensure you visit the correct Aire for you. Ideally select an area where there are two or more Aires nearby because Aires can be full, occupied by the funfair, closed for maintenance and in winter (or heatwaves) water may be turned off or restricted.
Signs: When provided, it is advisable to follow the motorhome symbols to the Aire. Signs and symbols differ widely, so you will need to look carefully. Unfortunately, campsites have taken to displaying motorhome Aire symbols on their direction and advertising signs. Often there is no indication that the signs are referring to campsite facilities. It is safe to assume that all campsites have sanitary facilities and this deception is unwelcome. Please do not submit campsite details to us unless the Service Point is in an accessible location outside of the campsite.
There are numerous signs which apply to motorhomes and should be adhered to.
Large motorhomes (RVs) >7.5m
Many Aires have been designed to accommodate motorhomes up to 7m long. The highlighted coach symbols identify Aires where the inspectors believe it should be possible for motorhomes over 7.5m to access the parking. In many cases, parking large motorhomes is only possible when there are few or no other motorhomes. Remember to put your responsible tourist hat on when you are making parking decisions. During busy periods Service Point access may not be possible. There are very few Service Points suitable for emptying fixed tank toilet systems. We strongly recommend you have a macerator fitted and travel with a long length of pipe.
Time limits: Known time restrictions are provided in the listings. Many Aires restrict use to 48hrs, which is logical because it should be enough time to visit the local attractions. Aires not displaying time limits should be assumed to be 48hrs.
Who turned out the lights?
The illumination symbol is highlighted when the inspectors have seen light fittings. There is no guarantee that lights work and it has become common practice to turn the lights off during the middle of the night to save electricity.
Disclaimer!
Vicarious Media is not responsible for any Aires. Books are a guide only and are correct at the time of going to press. Should you have any complaints about an Aire or wish to know why an Aire has closed, please speak to the local Marie and remember to let us know about any changes.