We’ve also successfully used the huge Camperstop Europe guide to overnight stopovers for motorhomes and service locations. Camperstop Europe free campervan stops in France guide To confuse you even further, other types of aire (which are the ones you’re probably looking for) are also often referred to as ‘aires de service’… so when you’re looking for nice places to stop, look for any which aren’t right on a motorway- more on this later! They see visitors to their towns as likely to spend in shops, restaurants, and other commercial businesses. By providing an Aire, the council is encouraging people to visit the town. It costs the municipal councils a great deal of money to create and maintain these parking spaces and services that are dedicated entirely to motorhome travel. Don’t abuse the invitation by not looking after the areas where you stay. More guides for overnight stays in a motorhome in France A safe location to park. Even if you aren’t going to stay at the aire overnight, parking at free aires is possible. The good thing about an aire is that because they have been built as a dedicated space for motorhomes, you can be assured of not having an issue with the vehicle size.

Aires are free or low-cost stopping places for motorhomes and caravans. They either offer just parking or basic facilities such as water, waste disposal and electricity. How long can you stay in a motorhome aire? Salles Curan: A view of Lake Parloup – the largest lake in the Midi-Pyrenees - and sheltered parking makes this the perfect place to relax in hot weather.When I am planning a destination, I will also have a plan B for another Aire at the next town and have had to use that on occasions when the first choice was full when I arrived. What Does it Cost to Stay at an Aire? The Aire de Service area as service stations will usually have some basic facilities for a motorhome and can include a grey wastewater dump, fresh water and some provide toilet cassette emptying. Other than that, these are not places you would usually use as a destination. They are best used for a break on your journey, but not recommended for staying overnight. We are pleased to note that the use of tokens is now reducing, although some are still left. About 10-15 years ago, no machine had credit card facilities and the jeton was the only way to pay. We saw one during a recent road trip that still required a trip to the local boulangerie to get a token. Map of aires in France – standalone bornes Most aires in France will have a shop/ bar/ cafe within easy walking distance. Walking to get fresh French bread in the morning is one of our favourite things about motorhoming around France.

What is a French Aire de Camping Car? An Aire is a place to park and stay overnight in a motorhome and is popular and widespread in France. They can be free or have a small cost and facilities vary from Aire to Aire.

What are aires?

Apps and online maps can be very useful, and there are many available with directories of motorhome aires in different European countries and beyond. Some gated aires closed during the height of the Covid pandemic. France currently has few restrictions and most aires are fully open, although where there are services like toilets and showers, they may remain closed.

This type of motorhome aire should not be confused with a motorway aire, properly called an aire de service, which is a fuel station and motorway services. The physical appearance of aires can also differ. Some are quite well maintained, with hard-stand areas and dedicated parking spaces. We stayed at one of these in Gron and in Pont-de-Larn, and they were excellent. Others might be more rugged, with a small area of gravel set aside. Some like the aire at Cordes-sur-Ciel is near a lake, in a nice park area where all the spaces are grassed. Aires de service – Albi France Aires de Service – motorway stopovers Aires differ in price (from free to €20 per night) and facilities vary too – from what is essentially just a car park, to more of an aire camping experience with showers, loos, electricity, boules pistes, swimming pools, bread vans and more. The general rule is that you can stay for a maximum of 48 hours. It really depends on who is running them. Commercial camping aires in France can cost upwards of €10-12 and you might have to pay extra for services. Most aires in France have info for camping cars (Motorhomes) in French and English. If not, there will be signs making it easy to understand what you need to know.As always, there are no absolutes with safety. We have never had an incident at a French aire (touch wood!) but that’s not to say nothing can happen. Every aire is different! Some have a full suite of services including electricity and some have very basic offerings, with a few having no motorhome services at all. There are roughly 4,000 known aires in France, so wherever you travel, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find one. Books and guides Why the France Passion network is perfect for motorhome travellers and some great locations in the south-west of France More motorhome reading and guides Like any other camping area, respect other travellers and motorhomes around you and the local community in which you are staying.