Can any one tell me is it legal and safe to stop overnight with a caravan in an aire de repose or a large service area perhaps some have you have tried it??
Overnights in aires
- Thread starter Trevor_5065670
- Start date
Hi Trevor
There have been many posting about this subject, with regard to safety. A friend of our woke in the night to find a hand coming in through a window just above her head!!!!!!
A simple site costs only a few pounds, and why spoil your holiday for that. I would NEVER plan to stay overnight on any rest area. Many people do, and have no problems. For me it is my holiday, I find a little site, relax, have a meal and a drink, unwind and get a good nights sleep ready for the off next morning. Happy travels BarryB
There have been many posting about this subject, with regard to safety. A friend of our woke in the night to find a hand coming in through a window just above her head!!!!!!
A simple site costs only a few pounds, and why spoil your holiday for that. I would NEVER plan to stay overnight on any rest area. Many people do, and have no problems. For me it is my holiday, I find a little site, relax, have a meal and a drink, unwind and get a good nights sleep ready for the off next morning. Happy travels BarryB
Thanks Barry I totally agree about a small fraench site etc but for this one trip I will be unable to get in to france until around 11 pm hence the question. I could cross the following morning but though I would ask the experts first
Cheers
Cheers
Trevor, it is certainly legal to stay over in the Aires. On an Autoroute, you will find that the ticket taken at the toll gives you 24 hours before you need to exit the Autoroute, so you can park up overnight with no worries on that score. We used to use the Aires quite regularly, and never experienced any problems. However, we did read a few scare-stories and were rather put off the idea. Recently (since 1997) we have used Camping Municipals just off the Autoroute and have to say it gives a more relaxing stopover. Perhaps if you need to use the rest areas, it would be wise to look for ones where there are a number of other vehicles already parked - safety in numbers, so to speak.
We've been doing it for years, and never had any problems at all. We always use the larger areas, and if there's no other vans parked there we move on. You'll generally find that at the weekends you may be one of a dozen other vans parked - indeed some areas have hook-ups available on a coin meter!! We often use the showers in the service areas - generally available for either a very nominal charge. You will read lots of scare stories - stories of gassings for example turn up every year. Just take appropriate precautions - for instance in the example posting above, I wouldn't leave an open window for anyone to reach into!
I'm sorry but I do not see the point of using Aires when holidaying in France with so many available camp sites. Surely on holiday you should be taking it easy, not killing yourself driving from dawn to dusk. I much prefer to find a camp site at about 5 pm which means I can relax for the evening in more pleasant surroundings than a busy Aire.
I agree with Dusty. I wouldn't dream of using a service area for an overnight stop. Rather, I would prefer to stop around six in the evening, then relax until bed time. However, we usually travel from Dover, arriving very late in Calais. For that first night, we either stay on the dock area, or travel 60 or so miles down the Autoroute to the first service area - but not an aire de repose.
Trevor, as has been said by others there is nothing illegal about sleeping overnight on Aires or service areas. It is not true that somehow it is more riskier to do so in France than it is in the UK. Use the same criteria for assessing the risk in France as you would in the UK - would you be happy sleeping at a Motorway services, or a deserted picnic area, in England?
On any summer night in France there must be 10's of thousands of vehicle occupants, including lorry drivers, sleeping on French autoroutes.
On any summer night in France there must be 10's of thousands of vehicle occupants, including lorry drivers, sleeping on French autoroutes.
I use to sleep in aires or main services in my truck, but no way would i park in one with my caravan, and more important my Family i have heard to many stories about them...
The thing about aires is that some have a cafe fuel and areas for caravans . Others are parking and toilets only , I never stay at the parking and toilets only because I feel safer where there are people around . I have no problem whatsoever staying on the aires with all facilites they are quite safe in my oppinion.
John
Very interested in your reply as we will arrive in Calais from Dover approx 4am at the end of May. I have been told by Camping Cheque that you cannot stay on the dock area, it's obviously not an option to turn up at a nearby site at that time and I was considering the nearest Aire as an alternative.Is there any problem staying in the dock area for a few hours after disembarkation and which area would that be? Before exiting customs or after?
Very interested in your reply as we will arrive in Calais from Dover approx 4am at the end of May. I have been told by Camping Cheque that you cannot stay on the dock area, it's obviously not an option to turn up at a nearby site at that time and I was considering the nearest Aire as an alternative.Is there any problem staying in the dock area for a few hours after disembarkation and which area would that be? Before exiting customs or after?
We have stopped over night at larg service stations, the first night, not small air de rest,we allso have personal alarms fixed on the door and windows they realy do scream if opened. and only cost
we have stopped on the ones with main services and they are well policed,imho it is the toilet and rest areas only you have to worry about,however most big sites have a big area to pull in and have stopped and paid next day french are usually easy going contrary to public opinion
Valerie - You have been misinformed. You can stay on the dockside area at Calais. I did just that in January. Although you can see the parking area to your left, as you drive out from the port area, it's just a little complicated to get into it. Follow the road from the port until you arrive at the first roundabout (500yds). Take the roundabout and follow the road under the motorway you've just left. When you get to the otherside, follow the signs for 'parking without tickets'. No doubt, you'll find many other vans parked there.
john is right but strictly speaking you are supposed to only stop in the port if you are waiting to catch a ferry....it is not feasable to stop in a caravan site if you, like me, drive till after 11, aires are not a problem just take precautions like stop near other vanners, lock windows and doors..make sure your car is locked, thousands of caravanners do it every year!!
Why, there are hundreds of sites near autoroutes. get the Caravan Club Caravan Europe Book 1
Regards
David G
Regards
David G
This is first posting I have made to this forum allthough I have been pulling a "wobble box" for 18 years and its good to confirm what a helpfull lot you are.
Now then what about all these "tales"of security threats on service areas it seems there are lots of rumours and second hand stories but has anyone actually had a problem or Know anyone personally who has?
Or this just a myth that grown up over the last few years ??
Now then what about all these "tales"of security threats on service areas it seems there are lots of rumours and second hand stories but has anyone actually had a problem or Know anyone personally who has?
Or this just a myth that grown up over the last few years ??
You're right! These stories have been circulating for several years, and they seem to resurect themselves with the coming of the spring flowers. The 'victim' is usually someone who is a friend of a friend of someone they met on the ferry. I've still to come across first hand evidence. But that is not to say one shouldn't take every precaution when choosing an overnight stop anywhere other than a secure site. We did pitch next to a couple in Spain during the winter. They had been robbed at a service area on the A7, but that was when they stopped for fuel at three o'clock in the afternoon.
To quote from the Camping & Caravanning Club Carefree Holiday brochure, 'The Club does not recommend service areas or lay-bys, whether on motorways or on other roads , as safe places to spend overnight stops in.' Many of you obviously use service areas without incident up to now but I would always take the advice of the experts.
Met a lady sat knitting outside her van with no tow car on an A4 Aire about Junction 39. When I enquired she said the previous night someone had broken into van whilst 3 of them were asleep, taken husbands trousers, keys, money and raided car. I reiterate my previous message, stay on docks but not Aires. I would prefer to stay at CC site and travel early am
Hi Trevor
We stopped at an Aire near Perpignan in August last and we did get our van broken in to whilst we were asleep, I would never overnight on an aire again.
We stopped at an Aire near Perpignan in August last and we did get our van broken in to whilst we were asleep, I would never overnight on an aire again.
Facebook
Twitter