Any recommendations on finding stopover sites

[andyp1]

We have travelled to the south of france and spain for a number of years without any issues.

Recently however i have become concerned over the reports on caravans being broken into or forced to stop or gassed etc at service areas.

We have always stopped in service areas on the autoroutes and as mentioned without any problems up to now.

Next year i would like to stop over night at a proper site but do not want to drift to far off route and may need to stop late at night etc.

Does anyone have any advice on the way they travel?

Thanks in advance

Andy

 

[ValA.]

We've overnighted at service areas for many years with no problems, but only on our first night when we arrive too late to get into any sites. We generally stay at Aire de la Baie de Somme, or Aire des Deux Caps, both in northern France - and both patrolled regularly by Gendarmes and with dedicated caravan stop-over areas.

However, further south we always find an overnight site. We use the Caravan Europe book, but have our own preferred sites which we tend to use on the way south. There is a good website which gives all stop-over sites within 15km of the major routes through France - http://users.telenet.be/leo.huybrechts/camp1.htm

However, not many sites will accept late-night arrivals so perhaps you'll have to start looking earlier in the evening if you don't want to stay on an Aire. I think many sites, even those accepting stop-overs, often close their gates at around 8.00 pm.

I suppose any recommendations of actual sites would depend on your chosen route. Where are you heading for? What time of year?

 

[emmerson2]

This old chestnut again! I've never had a problem.

 

[Jim_374334401]

Similar to the previous posts we also used to stay on well patrolled service areas until about 4 years ago. We had taken an early evening crossing and subsequently travelled about 100 miles in the direction of Rennes. We parked up at about 10pm in a well populated part of a busy service station sharing the area with a number of other Caravans. My wife, never a heavy sleeper on these stopovers was disturbed at about 3.30am by the sound of the door lock being picked, the closed door flyscreen was cut with a knife and onlymy wifes startled scream scared the intruder away. Needless to say we were very shaken and immediately set on our way, forgoing the following nights service area stoppover in favour of a non stop drive to our ultimate destination some 600miles later. It was only when we pitched up at our destination did we realised the mains electric cable and bag had been stolen in the break in. Thankfully we managed to have a replacement delivered via redpennant insurance.

Needless to say we no longer stop over at service stations and plan overnight stops at regular sites, always managing to find somehing suitable on route. We had often read the stories but never expected it to happen to us.

My advice to anyone travelling abroad would be to NEVER stay over at service areas. Break ins are common and sooner or later it will happen to you.

Happy caravanning!

 

[James3]

My advice would be to always stay on sites for an overnight. Just as Val A has done we have stayed on many service stations and had no trouble however 2 years ago we decided to travel back from the S of France leaving the site at about 8.30 p.m on a Friday evening rather than travel on the busy Saturday. The idea being to stay on a service station at around 12.00 that night however we eventually managed to find a service station that was not full at around 2.30 in the morning. As we pulled into a slot we noticed several odd looking people wondering around looking in cars and caravans. As we were tired we stayed but did not sleep much. Set off in the morning but found out that several vans had been broken into etc. We now always start early but find a site around 5.0 pm and then we can unwind and have a restful evening and good nights sleep before setting off in the morning. We use the Caravan Clubs European sites books to find sites just off our route.

 

[andyp1]

My advice would be to always stay on sites for an overnight. Just as Val A has done we have stayed on many service stations and had no trouble however 2 years ago we decided to travel back from the S of France leaving the site at about 8.30 p.m on a Friday evening rather than travel on the busy Saturday. The idea being to stay on a service station at around 12.00 that night however we eventually managed to find a service station that was not full at around 2.30 in the morning. As we pulled into a slot we noticed several odd looking people wondering around looking in cars and caravans. As we were tired we stayed but did not sleep much. Set off in the morning but found out that several vans had been broken into etc. We now always start early but find a site around 5.0 pm and then we can unwind and have a restful evening and good nights sleep before setting off in the morning. We use the Caravan Clubs European sites books to find sites just off our route.

Thanks for your advice , as i say i have never had a problem but you just don't know how widespread the problem is.

Andy

 

[Wayne_5133334]

Hi Andy,

Agree with what has been said, it will happen sooner or later!!!

Try the Camping and Caravan Club Carefree service. As members of both clubs its far supierior to the Caravan Club and will offer and book one night stop overs near your route. The Caravan Club expect you to arrange these yourself.

Wayne

 

[Wayne_5133334]

Similar to the previous posts we also used to stay on well patrolled service areas until about 4 years ago. We had taken an early evening crossing and subsequently travelled about 100 miles in the direction of Rennes. We parked up at about 10pm in a well populated part of a busy service station sharing the area with a number of other Caravans. My wife, never a heavy sleeper on these stopovers was disturbed at about 3.30am by the sound of the door lock being picked, the closed door flyscreen was cut with a knife and onlymy wifes startled scream scared the intruder away. Needless to say we were very shaken and immediately set on our way, forgoing the following nights service area stoppover in favour of a non stop drive to our ultimate destination some 600miles later. It was only when we pitched up at our destination did we realised the mains electric cable and bag had been stolen in the break in. Thankfully we managed to have a replacement delivered via redpennant insurance.

Needless to say we no longer stop over at service stations and plan overnight stops at regular sites, always managing to find somehing suitable on route. We had often read the stories but never expected it to happen to us.

My advice to anyone travelling abroad would be to NEVER stay over at service areas. Break ins are common and sooner or later it will happen to you.

Happy caravanning!

Shame on you to admit such a long and isky journey, its about better planning

 

[MikeA]

A couple of years ago the friends we were holidaying with stopped overnight on an aire - I think it was Reims Nord - and had their van broken into whilst they were asleep. They lost a pair of trousers that had been folded up on one of the front seats, unfortunately it also had a wallet in the pocket.

They never heard a thing.

Mike A

 

[anotherDavid]

Hi Andy,

Agree with what has been said, it will happen sooner or later!!!

Try the Camping and Caravan Club Carefree service. As members of both clubs its far supierior to the Caravan Club and will offer and book one night stop overs near your route. The Caravan Club expect you to arrange these yourself.

Wayne

Why do you want overnight stops booking?

I dont travel in high season but I cant see there being too much problem finding a pitch. I dont book anything ever on the continent and have never had a problem. What would be a problem would be being forced to reach a particular pre booked destination say after a delay.

Dave