Advice/Tips Appreciated For Travelling in Europe

[Pudsey Bear]

We considered going this year, but a lack of knowledge made us abandon it, same with Spain without asking specific questions, maybe next year.

 

[El radge]

Tbh, I’ve not read all of this thread. Intermittent wifi.

I’m interested to know about Italian Aires.
In France , as also in the European countries I’ve already travelled, I’ve always found free overnight parking.
Would I find similar free Aries in Italy ?

If you check usual apps/POIs you'll find plenty Aires in Italy

 

[maingate]

If you are over in Europe now (and for anyone else over there) there has been a lot of trouble in the Gravelines area between Police and large numbers of migrants.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

If you are over in Europe now (and for anyone else over there) there has been a lot of trouble in the Gravelines area between Police and large numbers of migrants.

Nice little WC spot there, but we moved on, stayed last year though.

 

[Pogster]

Can I ask why you “do not recommend not to stay on a motorway aire”? We have stopped overnight on both types of aires, fuel dispensing and non fuel dispensing, I do prefer the latter. We have never had any issues at all.

Have you had a bad experience?

We were broken into on a aire in non fuel dispensing about 1.1/2 from Paris, whilst asleep in the van. So we would never stop on motorway aires again.

 

[runnach]

We were broken into on a aire in non fuel dispensing about 1.1/2 from Paris, whilst asleep in the van. So we would never stop on motorway aires again.

Understandable. And as I mentioned on the linked thread thread, the British couple who were unfortunately murdered while parked on a village aire, I think near Grenoble.

 

[El radge]

If you are over in Europe now (and for anyone else over there) there has been a lot of trouble in the Gravelines area between Police and large numbers of migrants.

In Gravelines itself ? Stayed there last month , all good

 

[maingate]

In Gravelines itself ? Stayed there last month , all good

Yes. The trouble is currently ongoing at the moment.

 

[Andy n Mandy Travel]

We stayed in loads of free aires in france with no issues a few weeks ago, I wish other countries had such great stopover areas.

Also our crit'air sticker took 6 weeks to arrive earlier this year.

North to south of france cost us about €120 in tolls on the motorways

 

[Pudsey Bear]

We didn't touch any toll roads this time, but did do a few motorways.


Has anyone noticed that as a country, it's very clean, even around the diesel pumps, one petrol station was an attended one, didn't need to touch the pump, and it was the cheapest one for miles around.

 

[Andy n Mandy Travel]

We didn't touch any toll roads this time, but did do a few motorways.


Has anyone noticed that as a country, it's very clean, even around the diesel pumps, one petrol station was an attended one, didn't need to touch the pump, and it was the cheapest one for miles around.

Yes very proud and very clean, attended pumps are very common in the Canaries, you don't have to get out of your car at all, we found a few in france and spain too.

I'm happy to pay the tolls so we can sail through as quick as we can, don't want to waste any of those 90 eu days

 

[mariesnowgoose]

We didn't touch any toll roads this time, but did do a few motorways.


Has anyone noticed that as a country, it's very clean, even around the diesel pumps, one petrol station was an attended one, didn't need to touch the pump, and it was the cheapest one for miles around.

Britain has been a filthy country for years, Kev.

I noticed just how bad it was, and how big a contrast with other countries, when I returned from living overseas for a short time in the 1980s.
Hasn't improved any in the decades since, unfortunately

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Yes very proud and very clean, attended pumps are very common in the Canaries, you don't have to get out of your car at all, we found a few in france and spain too.

I'm happy to pay the tolls so we can sail through as quick as we can, don't want to waste any of those 90 eu days

It isn't the cost, we only used them to get a move on, we don't care to pass all the villages etc, and most motorways had a normal road running alongside anyway.

 

[El radge]

Britain has been a filthy country for years, Kev.

I noticed just how bad it was, and how big a contrast with other countries, when I returned from living overseas for a short time in the 1980s.
Hasn't improved any in the decades since, unfortunately

Very noticeable in small towns in France. Possibly civic pride but also suspect local government is better organised .
One of the few subjects I ever agreed on with Wintonian

 

[Burge]

Getting a little Political now but This Country's Gov & Councils are a Laughing Stock are Roads are Dia , Full of Pot Holes, & Local Council spending £1000s putting Bike Lanes in the Town JOKE....Rant Over

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Millions not thousands, and making roads narrower too.