Camping Car Park Aires - Why we use them.

Transiting through France to Spain whilst taking the shortest route in time and distance requires careful consideration of where to overnight stop. Long driving days and avoiding the prospect of arriving at a full aire needs careful choices to avoid those tired , late in the day occurrences and hunting around for an Aire to stay at , an experience most of us have endured at some stage but wish never to repeat.

With this in mind our Aires of choice when fast transiting France are not selected via the apps we use generally, Camper Contact, Search for Sites or Park 4 Night , but we use private aires operated by a company called Camping Car Parks. They are a national French network, operated via a web and app based system which can be booked in advance should you wish. The app also informs the user whether there is space at the site, thereby avoiding unnecessary miles only to find a full Aire.

There is a charge of course , a 5 hour charge and a 24 hour charge , the latter ranging between €10 - €20 , although the average we have paid is about €12 per night. There are differing levels of facilities of course and some aires are always going to be better than others , but we have identified some regulars , strategically located for transiting through France in the winter. These are generally located just off the main route and have facilities including barrier control , CCTV , wifi in the main, fresh water and grey and black emptying.

So why do we pay when there are free municipal sites on the apps. The answers are as follows , baring in mind that their usage is specially relevant to transiting through France this winter.

1. Cost are not excessive

2. They are clean and well equipped generally

3. EHU is provided , generally with no reverse polarity issues and ranges between 6 - 10 amps

4. Given the price and of gas and the location of LPG refills , it prevents the draining of gas for heating on the journey

5. Facilities are guaranteed - water etc

6. Barriers and Security are provided

7. The app informs us of space availability ahead of leaving the main route and therefore prevents time wastage

8. They can be booked should you wish - we don’t as we like to be flexible

To use it you join on line pay the life time membership fee and a card is then dispatched to your home address guaranteed 48 hour delivery. You can alternatively buy a card at any site . All that is left to do is to download the app to your smart phone or Ipad and off you go.

First Stop CAMPING-CAR PARK area of Incheville - W3W reference ///harsh.sunbeams.storeroom . Map below.

 

Stop 2 . CAMPING-CAR PARK area of Saint-Genis-de-Saintonge w3w ref ///minstrel.survivors.tinkers map below

 

Stop three CAMPING-CAR PARK area of Labenne, Océan w3w ref ///topple.couriers.thumbnail map below.

 

Hope you find this useful , using camping car parks has meant that we have been able travel through France comfortably in three days and by the end of the third night we were a short distance from the Spanish Border.