Are Continental Aires as Good as Folk Claim?
#camping #campervans #ebikes
Just how good is the Continental system of campervan aires? Is there anything we can learn from our European cousins?
I’m based in the Scottish Highlands and I use a VW campervan to access the great outdoors, where I climb hills, ride my e-bike or gravel bike and just visit some of those places I’ve never been to. I’ve been climbing hills and mountains all over the world for 50 years and I’m a former editor of Climber Magazine and The Great Outdoors Magazine.
23 Comments
Good to see such a variety of reasonably priced aires on the continent, especially with EHU.
Did you notice less campervan / motorhome rage from the locals and was there a more welcoming approach in general ?
Excellent. Aires and equivalent have been around in Europe for decades, so why pray tell dont we havebsimilar in n Scotland, esp on NC 500 ( and suitable roads?) . Good video, thanks, your favourite pilot/ co-star😎
French aires are fantastic.
Great to see you back Cameron, I was just searching for you the other day as I had not seen any new videos for a few weeks. Another quality video loving your work 👏👏👏
Great video Cameron,
Ah, the joy of aires! As Mr Toad said – "Here today, up and off to somewhere else tomorrow! Travel, change, interest, excitement! The whole world before you, and a horizon that’s always changing!"
You are showing, and speaking total common sense – where as this seems to be beyond the wit and wisdom of our councils, counsillors, and travel sector in the UK. So simple, so effective and provides the overnight bases that keep rubbish and problems away from other places.
Another great vid Cameron, thanks. We’re just back to Perthshire ourselves after 2 weeks in Belgium, Luxembourg, France (and a walk across the border into Germany). Almost entirely Aires the entire trip apart from 2 campsites, one extremely good (camping medieval at Turkheim in the Alsace, fantastic, especially for wine tasting at the cooperative about 500m away from the site entrance!), one pretty awful (camping municipal in epernay which was just a mudpit but we managed to get into the 6 pitch site in town which was fantastic!). CCP does a fantastic job and is such a great system, just wish we could have them in Scotland. A lot of Karen’s on Facebook from the highlands/NC500 area need re-educated that motorhomes don’t need nor want campsites, especially ones far outside of towns or middle of nowhere. After 2 weeks of spending less than €15 a night on Aires, I had to pay £31.25 for a uk campsite on our way back to Scotland for nothing more, if not actually less than what I got on some CCP sites (camping non village especially) for under half that price.
Buenos Aires
Most Aires in Europe are free…you seem to be concentrating on the paid ones…
Thank you Cameron. We’ve returned from France using a combination of Aires (low cost and good quality as per your video) and campsites, fantastic. The cost of sites in the UK is extortionate compared to the EU ( i know there are expensive sites abroad). We are planning a late Oct/Nov trip using the Wales coastal route and seeing the cost of sites in e.g. Pembrokeshire ranging from e.g. £25 – 50 a night, absolute madness. No sign of low season charging. So, back to the EU then.
Unfortunately the uk just wants to add more height barriers in every car park possible to keep our campers away. So frustrating
Thanks for sharing your experiences Cameron, is there any way you can update the description with the what3words locations if the Aires you stayed in?
I know they may be on park4night etc but sometimes there are a couple in a town or village and the ones you chose seem like good options, rather than guess and potentially turn up at the wrong one in the same area – if that makes sense? Many thanks 👍
whats the best way to find them? Is there an app people use aside from park4night etc?
Great information from you there Cameron. Our offering in the UK is so embarrassing, albeit here in Scotland we're trying a bit harder. I do wonder what those coming across from mainland Europe must think!
All I can say about the UK is nimbyism rules unfortunately.
Short answer yes they are. I've travelled through 29 countries by motorhome I spend 6 months minimum but sometimes more in Europe never on a campsite , feel welcome in Europe. The UK is absolutely crap for motorhoming , and I'm ashamed of how Scotland my homeland behaves towards motorhomes.
Great video, and great to see at least 4 that you visited that I have stayed at myself. I love the attitude to Motorhomes and Camper Vans on the continent, as you say, we are actually welcomed and accommodated, there's a lessen there for our tourist industries especially as the European Motorhome and Camper Van tourist industry is estimated at over 5 million Euro a yr, and most wont visit the UK because of this lack of facility's. I've toured extensivly across much of Europe, and tent to use 80% aires, with a smattering of Municipal or commercial campsites.
Thank you for such a well made and informative video, about Aires never heard of them before, probably because my partner and I are Mobile home Virgin's 😮 .
Were hoping 2025 is going to be the start of our Van life.
I will have to admit that I'm disappointed with Councils in the UK weather in Scotland England and Wales. They complain they have no money and in the same breath banning motorhomes and camper vans from parking over night.
The Latest one is Scarborough Council want to ban the overnight parking along the sea wall North side , £10 a night 100 vans £1000 a night a possible £365,000. A year.
Plus maybe a Pay as you go shower £2. For Five minutes.
Every thing paid by credit card and Registration No. And make sure people pay a Fine of £500. Or a £1000. None payment. It's not Rocket Science .
Anyway fallen of my soap box now.
I didn't know about these service's on the continent.
England and Wales are simply terrible while Scotland is head and shoulders above for campervan or MH visitors. Much of Europe is still far ahead though and France is simply perfect to travel in so many ways, but of course is multiple times larger with about the same population as the UK, so it has an advantage. The real worry is the UK continues to move away from this type of model, with some exceptions of course, so things aren't likely to improve any time soon sadly, like in so many other areas as well.
Walked the TMB in 2023 and spied out that Aire in Les Chapieux thinking ‘I’ll have to come back here in the van’ and returned this summer for three great nights. Like you say it’s a mountain lovers Aire. You don’t mention the hairy road in! Almost as challenging as walking to it 😅
I read: An Eye to the Hills, There's always the Hills and Come to the Hills recently.
Over the last ten years of ussing these aires in France we found most of them free of charge .
Not been fo two years so things might be changing . We foung one in a frence village on our last trip that was free with free EHU. Unreal. We use these as we never want to book and just need a stopover with no bells and whistles etc. We allways try buy from the local shops before moving on. Germany has even more 6500 was in my last guide. Yes we are way behind europe when it comes to reconising the motorhome tourist income.