Aire and campsite axle/weight/size limits

1866 Views 7 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Vennwood, Jun 11, 2009

WillanDi

Discussion Starter · Jun 10, 2009

Hi
We have heard rumours - and only rumours - that there are restrictions concerning vehicle size/weight/axle layout, especially on some French aires.
Any truth in the rumours? :? (it's a Burstner A747 - tag axle, max 5 ton)
Will

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JockandRita

· #2 · Jun 11, 2009

WillanDi said:
Hi
We have heard rumours - and only rumours - that there are restrictions concerning vehicle size/weight/axle layout, especially on some French aires.
Any truth in the rumours? :? (it's a Burstner A747 - tag axle, max 5 ton)
Will

Hi Will,

It's not something we have come across.........yet, in France, Belgium or Germany, and hopefully we won't either. :wink:
There are some very big MHs across the channel, (especially German built), and they all seem to get on the Aires.

Jock.

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Boff

· #3 · Jun 11, 2009

Hi Will,

as long as the max. allowed weight is not more than 7.5 tons, there should be no problem on aires, weight-wise. Length could be an issue on some smaller aires and sites.

Camp sites, however, might be a different story: While getting on the site usually works out fine, getting off again could become troublesome. Your 747 has a front-wheel-drive, and on wet grass this could be troublesome. See here:

So unless a site offers hard-standing, I would be careful.

Best Regards,
Gerhard

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erneboy

· #4 · Jun 11, 2009

Have not come across (or heard of) any restrictions of that sort, generally if you fit you will be fine, Alan.

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inkey-2008

· #5 · Jun 11, 2009

We have the same van as you and have been ok, only 1 or 2 that have been to small to get in to.
As you get use to the turning circle of your van you will find it easier to get into places that you might discount now.

I have been surprised at some of the pitch we have got in and out of

We tend to stay out of the ones in the centre of the villages as some of roads off the main road can be tight for turning.

Never seen any restrictions for camper vans, but seen signs that ban caravans and trucks.

Andy

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Vennwood

· #6 · Jun 11, 2009

Neither have I heard of anything.

The only thing I came across was length of unit as some of the newer French Aires seem to cater for up to 6 mtrs but nobody has ever complained are taken offence

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Sandy_Saunders

· #7 · Jun 11, 2009

Have just got back from six weeks in France and noticed a few campsites, municipal and private, which had restrictions on tag axle vehicles. Usually it was just a picture of a pair of wheels with a red line through it. Sometimes there was accompanying text, but I don't really speak enough French to give a reliable translation (and in any case I have forgotten what it said!).

It was usually not clear whether the restriction referred to caravans or motorhomes or both.

Another thing I noticed was that few of these places had hard standings for motorhomes, however this did not cause us any problems.

Cheers

Sandy

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Vennwood

· #8 · Jun 11, 2009

Sandy_Saunders said:
Have just got back from six weeks in France and noticed a few campsites, municipal and private, which had restrictions on tag axle vehicles. Usually it was just a picture of a pair of wheels with a red line through it. Sometimes there was accompanying text, but I don't really speak enough French to give a reliable translation (and in any case I have forgotten what it said!).

It was usually not clear whether the restriction referred to caravans or motorhomes or both.

Another thing I noticed was that few of these places had hard standings for motorhomes, however this did not cause us any problems.

Cheers

Sandy

These sites are usually referring to caravans. There has been an increasing number of French campsites that don't allow twin axle caravans. This is well documented in the Caravan Club magazines and the Vol 1 & 2 CC European books. I've been told this usually relates to keeping New Age travellers and Gipsies away.

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