Motorhome Aires in France and Europe
Campervan travel in some countries abroad offer parking and services which we refer to as Aires. Over the past 20 years we’ve been to hundreds of Motorhome Aires in France and Europe which are superb.
Many countries from Germany and Italy to Lichtenstein and France are easier for touring in a motorhome because of the systems they have.
These countries, offer similar parking and service areas, although they don’t necessarily use the same terminology.
France – Aire de Camping Car
France has the more familiar parking area, known to us British as Aires which is short for Aire de Camping Car.
For ease, I’ll refer to motorhome areas as Aires, as other countries have similar systems which I’ll list later.
So, what exactly is an Aire, how do you find one and what’s it like parking on one?
What is An Aire? – Motorhome Aires in France and Europe
Aires are designated parking areas provided by local authorities for motorhomes.
The local authority, usually the Mayor in France, or a private land owner provides the motorhome area. Some Aires are only for daytime parking, however, most are for overnight parking and these can be in any number of locations.
There is no real rule or way of knowing where an Aire is likely to be. This also applies to how big the parking area is or if any facilities are there.
Most importantly an Aire is NOT camping and isn’t to be confused with staying on a campsite or caravan site.
Why provide Aires? Motorhome Aires in France and Europe
In France, the original development of the motorhome Aire system was due to a practical and economic reason. This as a result of French Government recogintion, to the importance of providing facilities for a Motorhome.
The French Government knew encouraging visitor’s to stay in a town, was to bring economic benefits, resulting in benefiting the local community.
Significantly, the recognition between differences in Motorhome’s and caravan’s was paramount. Motorhome owners being fully self-contained within their vehicle, with a bed, on-board water tanks, sanitary and cooking facilities. They just require a service area to empty and re-fill responsibly and a place where owners know they are welcome to park overnight.
Motorhomes are unable park in many normal car parks due to their size, with many parking areas having height barriers, being underground or multi-storey. So daytime parking provision is just as important.
Another difference, is motorhomes usually move on frequently, usually every 24 or 48 hours.
Aires are part of the furniture in France
France recognises a motorhome as a holiday home on wheels, with owners moving on every day or two and not needing all the facilities of a caravan or campsite.
Caravan sites are often in rural areas or away from amenities, which is fine for caravans with a tow car for getting about, but not ideal for motorhomes.
Hence, the Aire de Camping Car or motorhome parking is part of the furniture in France. Aires bridge the gap, offering the convenience of a dedicated area to park overnight, as well as a responsible attitude to emptying the waste water and toilet and re-filling with fresh water.
Also, by providing Aires, the authorities of each location have motorhomes where they want them. This helps stop owners parking in areas which may be of annoyance to locals. By stipulating the length of stay, they also ensure regular movement of motorhomes.
Aires in France and Europe – Quick facts
- In France, the number of days or nights you can stop on an aire is usually determined by the Mayor of the town. This is generally between 24 and 72 hours.
- A sign at the Aire will define the amount of time you can stop.
- Aires are generally for parking but not camping.
- When parking, tyres should be in contact with the ground (no levelling ramps.
- Setting out a table and chairs isn’t supposed to take place as it’s camping behaviour.
- Motorhomes shouldn’t take up more than one parking space e.g have an awning out.
- An Aire is usually for motorhomes and campervans with their own facilities, e.g toilet.
- If the rules state 48 hours parking, then it’s respectful to abide by them.
- You can’t book in advance. It’s a first come, first served system unless using a private system or Campingcar-Park Aires.
How strict are these rules? Motorhome Aires in France and Europe
In practice we have rarely come across a public Aire in France where someone isn’t on levelling ramps. Certainly, if it’s good weather, in a great location the reclining sun chairs and awning will be out too.
Basically, a common sense approach, being respectful and not mis-using an area, especially if it’s really full with other motorhomes is needed.
When leaving the van and overnight, there shouldn’t be anything left outside which resembles camping.
However, some countries are more strict, with public aires in Spain being particularly stringent on camping behaviour. Checking signage before we park up is really important, respecting locals and rules which apply in the location.
Some aires can be so full, there’s only enough space to open the door between you and the next van. Those locations in the middle of a town or city are obviously for the purpose of convenience, so these may have perfectly marked out bays for you to park within, which can be narrow.
France Passion
One private initiative is France Passion, where local landowners allow you to stop on their land. This is in exchange for either a small fee or the expectation that you’ll buy produce from them.
Usually, these locations are something like an orchard, perhaps a vineyard or even a small-holding. Often, these will be small producer’s such as honey or growing fruit and vegetables on their land.
To find these you need to sign up to the France Passion guide each year.
Once you’re a member, you’ll benefit from access to various locations across France.
2. How to fill up the fresh water and empty the waste?
Some Aires in France and Europe have a facility to empty the grey water and fill up the fresh water. There’s usually an area to empty the cassette toilet too. These specialist areas are known as a service point (Aire de service de camping car) or a dump, consisting of either:
- A drain built in the ground, often surrounded by concrete, which you drive over.
- This is done by simply lining up the waste pipe with the drain hole and emptying the waste water by opening the valve on the motorhome.
- There will be a separate sewerage drain for the cassette toilet. Then there’s a separate fresh water tap to enable people to connect a hose pipe and fill up the water tank.
OR
There may be an all in one multi-function unit. These are specifically manufactured by companies, such as Euro-Relais and Flot Bleu.
- This type of system is a one-stop unit for emptying the toilet and filling with fresh as well as providing a separate drain in the ground.
- They also allow grey water emptying, usually by driving over the drain in the ground and releasing the waste pipe valve.
- These units may also have a power outlet, where you can do a quick charge of the leisure battery. Typically around 2 hours charging for a small fee.
Service points can be without parking and vice-versa
It’s not unusual to have a service point and no parking area, however, you can have both and at the end of the day each Aire is different.
Service areas can be in other locations too, such as motorway service areas or a supermarket. Ultimately, towns and villages across France and Europe have motorhome service points.
Are Service areas free? Motorhome Aires in France and Europe
Nowadays, there’s a tendency for authorities to charge for service points. This can be either with a credit card on the actual service unit or at the entrance to an Aire.
Sometimes, you pay with coins on the unit or buy a token (Jeton) at the tourist office. Overall the following apply:
- All payment methods give limited usage, usually a few minutes.
- The use of barrier entrances have become more likely. In these circumstances, you may have to pay to enter the area to use the service point, even if you’re not stopping the night.
- It will probably cost a few Euro’s to use a Service Point, so it won’t break the bank.
- Last but not least some service points are free.
How Do You Find An Aire?
There is no set way of knowing where an Aire or a Service point will be and whether there will be both when you do find one. However, they’ll be a sign to tell you and it’s usually very distinctive.
Sometimes there may be a few motorhomes in the Aire or it can be very full.
How to find an Aire
Tourist Information
French tourist offices have local maps that often show where Aires are located. They’ll also indicate if you can stay the night and if there’s a service point. These are usually free and easy to read as well as being up to date. It’s a fuss-free way of getting the most out of an area or region.
Apps
We use Apps on our phone and Garmin Sat Nav. Campercontact has hundred’s of Aires listed throughout Europe. The App is by The Camper Club of The Netherlands, the largest in Europe, so it has official Aires rather than a mix of Aires and “rough or wild camping”.
There’s also Park4night which was originally more for wild camping spots, but in recent years seems to list more dedicated Aires.
There’s also Search For Sites https://www.searchforsites.co.uk
The Old Way
Books
This just seems a bit old fashioned now to keep books in the campervan. Although we’ve had lots of them in the past, technology has moved on.
There’s an English printed book ‘All The Aires’ available through Vicarious Media in the UK.
Maps are also available to buy at service stations in France, listing Aires.
Where to Park?
Parking varies enormously. It may be a grass or gravel area, possibly just dust or sand, but sometimes tarmac or concrete. Basically it’s completely random.
There can be marked bays, or just parking where you can. The location can be next to a pretty canal, alongside a river or close to a beach. There may be at a tourist attraction or it could be in the centre of a town. Perhaps, overlooking a vineyard or even at the bottom of a ski slope.
The location of Aires in France and Europe can be incredible or just functional, in addition they can be peaceful or noisy, but convenience is key.
Are Aires Free?
This varies and generally depending on location. If it’s a sleepy village in a rural area, it’s often free. Elsewhere, there may be a charge and this can be anything from a few Euro’s up to 10 or 20 Euro’s a night.
The Gendarmerie (local Police) used to collect fees by knocking on the motorhome door. This is now unusual, following the introduction of automated pay machines and barriers. These were often installed to stop campervan owner’s from not paying the fee.
Overall, an Aire represents excellent value for money and convenience.
What Facilities will there be?
Don’t get too excited on this one, facilities are pretty basic.
A motorhome Aire is really a parking area where you can stay overnight. There won’t necessarily be any facilities, so the expectation is to have on board toilet, shower, cooking facilities etc.
Occasionally, there may be a public toilet nearby, but this is unusual.
Respectful use of the area is key to enjoyment for all, remembering an Aire isn’t a bathroom or campsite.
Electric is Rare
Electric can sometimes be found on one service unit next to the waste and re-fill point. This is limited usage and can be inconvenient. For example, it may mean that you need to park next to it for a couple of hours to charge.
It’s unusual to have electric bollards on an Aire. Campingcar-Park Aires do normally have electric points.
Motorway Aires
These are different to the Aire de Camping Car. They’re basically similar to a motorway service station. Therefore, it’s unwise to use them for an overnight stop.
Motorway Aires are busy places where people stop in any vehicle to take a break. Some have shops and cafe’s to buy food and drink or use the toilet as well as selling fuel.
When we do stop at a motorway Aire during the day, one of us will stay in the van to keep guard. We never stay overnight on a motorway Aire, instead we’ll drive to a dedicated motorhome Aire away from the motorway.
Aires In Winter
Many Aires resemble a ghost town out of season. There are few service points available over Winter, simply because they may freeze.
This can leave you struggling for fresh water and emptying the cassette toilet. So although it’s motorhome-friendly across the Channel, not everything stays open year round.
Ski resorts are an exception and are generally prepared for Winter season. Usually, you’ll find some service points open and Aires that are busy, in fact, they’ll often be full.
Motorhome Aires in France and Europe
GERMANY
Aires or stopovers in Germany are known as Stellplatz and they are excellent, being very neat and tidy. Although, nearly all have parking fees, payable at a meter.
The parking area is usually a better surface than in France. Also, there’s more likely to be a good public toilet at the parking area or very close by. Normally, Parking areas will have electric bollards available too.
A book can be bought, listing all the Stellplatz in Germany, called ‘The Bord Atlas’ or Reismobil Stellplatz. This can be ordered online or bought at some motorhome dealers or service stations in Germany.
The locations of a Stellplatz can be superb. They are often next to vineyards or lakes; mountains or rivers. However, we love those located at Thermes. These are hot mineral water spa baths, dotted around various thermal areas in Germany.
It’s a great way to spend a relaxing evening, dipping in and out of the various pools before heading back to the van.
BELGIUM
Belgium has a mix of stopovers, which are very similar to French Aires. These are found throughout the country and are generally in great locations.
Usually a fee applies of between 10-20 Euro per night for most Aires in Belgium.
The NETHERLANDS – Motorhome Aires in France and Europe
Stopover’s in Holland are usually found on privately owned land, with many in some really great locations, such as marina’s and private farms.
One big advantage is that many have facilities too, often providing hot showers, toilets and sometimes a laundry or EHU.
Finally, most are subject to fees, averaging around 15-20 Euro per night and some private stopovers will take bookings.
SPAIN – Motorhome Aires in France and Europe
There is a mix of Aires in Spain, these can be local authority stopovers or private and are found in a variety of locations.
As for facilities, some private aires have toilets and hot showers and the possibility of electric.
However, they can be extremely over subscribed through the Winter months, when many people head south to the sun.
Private Stopovers will charge and it may be possible to pre-book these, whereas local Authority areas tend to be a mix of free or a fee.
Spain has strict rules on no camping behaviour on public aires, so be careful to read the signs and be respectful.
portugal
Portugal has both public and private aires and service areas and have similar strict rules on camping behaviour. Signs will indicate the rules.
ITALY – Motorhome Aires in France and Europe
The Italian system for motorhome parking is known as an Aree di Sosta. These are located throughout Italy and are very similar to French Aires. They are every bit as good if not better than the French Aires and are usually located in really good places too.
A mix of private sosta and local authority areas are found. Publicly provide sosta parking can be free but not always.
Prices range from around 10 – 25 Euro per night.
Sosta Motorhome Parking in Italy
AUSTRIA
Austria has no widespread Aire system, therefore, a campsite stay is the main option. However, there may be some private areas offering overnight parking along with an occasional public Aire, but these are few and far between.
CROATIA
Croatia doesn’t really have an Aire system, so it’s usually campsite stays, although some have a facility to stay in the car park belonging to the campsite. This is an Aire type parking, but you still have to pay at the campsite reception.
SLOVENIA
Slovenia is similar to Croatia, with generally campsites only stays for motorhomes, although on our last visit in 2023, there were a few fee-paying Aire-type parking areas that we came across.
LIECHTENSTEIN
Liechtenstein is a small country, however, motorhome parking is allowed in the coach park.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg has a similar Aire system to France which is really useful.
Great Britain
Unfortunately there is no dedicated public Aire system across GB.
In recent years, there are a few more areas springing up, so we’re hoping aires do become a more familiar sight in the coming years across Britain.
In our local region of North Wales, Gwynedd County Council have begun introducing an Aire-type parking in a few areas around Snowdonia. Let’s hope this is the first of many other councils in the country.