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Motor Home and Campervan Travel in France

France is one of the most campervan friendly destinations in Europe. It is more common that not in French towns to find an area set-aside for motor homes to spend at least a night and often longer.

It offers many alternatives to travelers wishing to get away from the traditional campsite option and, because so many of these options cost only a few Euros or are even free, it is an extremely cheap choice for a holiday.

What are ‘Aires’?

The word ‘aire’ in French simply means area or place. In connection with motor homes it is used to indicate a place that allows overnight stops. There are many different types offering everything from just a place to park the van to fully serviced facilities.

The system is so vast that it is extremely advisable to buy a book before you go that details what they are, where they are and the facilities they offer. There are many to choose from but one of the most comprehensive is  ‘Aires de Services – Camping Cars’ by Martine Duparc and Collectif.

It is possible to stumble across aires as you go but often the best ones are tucked away and you are not likely to find them without prior knowledge.

Some of the aires are in stunning settings whilst, at the other end of the scale, others are situated on auto routes.

Different kinds of aires

Many towns, as previously mentioned, have an area specifically for motor homes. These are more often than not free and the reasoning behind them is one of sound economic principles-if tourists come into the town tourists will spend money.  This is of course highly likely whether it is only to buy an early morning croissant or to buy a newspaper.

Categories of aires are often given in terms  of where they are situated-on auto routes, on campsites, on farms etc and a good aire guide will also show the types of facilities that each offer.

Aires on auto routes are quite common but are not a good idea for an overnight stop for reasons of security. Campervans have been the target of opportunistic theft and break-ins and also, although very uncommon, more sinister variations of this. Many people often feel safer in populated places rather than somewhere more isolated but statistics show that higher incidences of crime against tourists occur where the targets are more easily accessible.

Types of facilities

The most basic of aires offer nothing more than somewhere to park but others offer one or more of the following: fresh water supplies, electrical hook-up, waste water emptying site, chemical toilet disposal point and even shower facilities.

Some of the aires charge a small fee for their use and this can often be paid at a machine on the site itself that takes coin payment. Some of the aires are actually free just to park and only charge if you wish to use the extra facilities like electrical hook-up for example. Others still, require the purchase of a ticket from the local town council or tourist office.

It is very helpful to have an English-French dictionary with you to translate signs and instructions that may be unfamiliar to you. In most cases any signage takes the form of small pictures or symbols that are universal in meaning and leave no room for confusion.  Aire guides usually have comprehensive translations included too.

Wild camping

This is the term used for overnight parking in an unofficial place. Wild camping in France is a bit of a grey area where illegality is concerned but many people do wild camp and generally you will find a high tolerance to it amongst locals.  A few guidelines to follow if you wish to do so are: be highly respectful of where you are-no fires, no litter and no noise and are all musts; observe any signage that expressly forbids overnight stops; do not camp in environmentally sensitive areas protecting certain species; remember you are a guest in this country and act accordingly; be respectful towards private property and the local community if there is one. Lastly, bear in mind that France as a country has gone out of its way to provide cheap, safe and comprehensive options for people in campervans to make use of. Consider this before deciding to wild camp anywhere.

Roads In France

France has an extremely efficient road system. Brits in particular, used to poor road surfaces and endless traffic jams, will find it particularly appealing. The express routes or auto-routes are mostly toll roads which can add considerably to holiday costs if you are planning to travel much of the country. There are always non-toll alternatives and in some cases follow almost the exact same route as the toll road. In addition they are often far more pleasant and take you through some beautiful scenery. Unless you are in a great hurry then these are a good alternative.

Many people are nervous about venturing onto the continent in this way but once the plunge is taken almost always find themselves thinking-why on earth didn’t I do this before! France is a beautiful country with much to offer particularly for the campervan or motor homer.

About the author: The article ‘Motor Home and Campervan Travel in France’ has been written by Outofstress.com Expert Author ‘Deneice Arthurton’. All rights reserved. If you want to reproduce this article in your ezine or website, please send a request to ‘reprints@outofstress.com’