We're booked onto a ferry with our caravan which arrives at Dieppe at 10pm (August). We've got a space booked at a site on Ile d'Oleron and, ideally, would like to find a place to stop for a few hours to get our heads down.
From what I've read stopping at motorway Aires is a no-no due to security issues and many campsites don't allow check in that late - so any advice welcome or do we just soldier on through the night??
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Hi Roz84. We always get a late crossing, leaving straight after work to start our holiday as soon as we can. If our destination allows, we always stop at Aire de la Baie de Somme on the A16. Sometimes we're fortunate enough to get a space in the caravan/Motorhome area, otherwise we go in with the HGVs. I know it doesn't suit everyone, but we've never had an issue. If we're heading south we stop at Aire de Rely.
Have you e mailed all the campsites in and around Dieppe to ask if they have a late arrival area you could use?
But even if you are lucky with that it could take you ten hours on the next day to get from Dieppe to your Oleron site if you are travelling at a peak weekend.
Good luck.
We have stopped at Aires before in similar circumstances to yours, although it isn't ideal, there are some precautions you can take, ours are that we make sure that we are at least 50 miles away from any sea ports, Aires on the toll roads are preferable, if you pull in to an aire and have an uneasy feeling, move on to another one, our best tip is where possible, park next to lorries.
It isn't for everyone and we only do it rarely but have never had a bad experience
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There are specific Campervan Aires, where you sometimes pay, which are just car parks really but may have 'some' facilities. No space for caravans and unsuitable for tents. A new company has set up CampingCarPark for MH's, you join by buying a 5 euro card then can book in advance or turn up on spec, the card raises the barrier then you have EHU and water/drain. No sanitary block normally, but some have them in season.
Then there are Motorway Aires, similar to ours, where you can stay for no extra charge as long as you like with your MH or caravan. On the toll sections there is a maximum charge if you are on that section for more than 24 hours, I think. You can sleep in your car, we have done it, and seen many folk doing it. The Aire de Baie de Somme has 2 separate sections, well away from the coming and going section, with picnic tables and larger bays. We have slept there many times, there's always someone else there. Then you can walk across to the very nice building for toilets, a shower if you like, cafe and shop.
France is much more relaxed about travel on the roads and makes it easy to do.
Quote: Originally posted by franbee on 15/6/2025
There are specific Campervan Aires, where you sometimes pay, which are just car parks really but may have 'some' facilities. No space for caravans and unsuitable for tents. A new company has set up CampingCarPark for MH's, you join by buying a 5 euro card then can book in advance or turn up on spec, the card raises the barrier then you have EHU and water/drain. No sanitary block normally, but some have them in season.
Then there are Motorway Aires, similar to ours, where you can stay for no extra charge as long as you like with your MH or caravan. On the toll sections there is a maximum charge if you are on that section for more than 24 hours, I think. You can sleep in your car, we have done it, and seen many folk doing it. The Aire de Baie de Somme has 2 separate sections, well away from the coming and going section, with picnic tables and larger bays. We have slept there many times, there's always someone else there. Then you can walk across to the very nice building for toilets, a shower if you like, cafe and shop.
France is much more relaxed about travel on the roads and makes it easy to do.
Re: CCP card. I have one, haven’t used it, as it’s my ‘get out of jail free’ option. I gather it’s all online now, you load up your account and do things with your phone, like using the car park phone ins over here. The joy of the online app is that it shows you how many units are there, and how much space is left. Plus the location map of course.
We joined CCP so we could use the site at Mery sur Seine. We used to use the campsite there, loved the place, and were gutted when it closed. But now it is CCP and also under the sub group 'Camping du mon Village', which have sanitary facilities (which we need) during the season. The rest of the campsite is unchanged apart from a renewed 'dump' and clean water fill. They have put plastic mesh over the grass to make all weather standings, as CCP are open all year. But they are well spaced out, as you chose when it was a municipal campsite.
We just turned up, there were spaces, and let ourselves in.
There is also a CCP place next to the campsite at Lyons la Foret. We use the campsite most years, and had a look at the CCP place. That is just a gravel car park, very attractive next to the river, and was pretty full both times we stayed in May.
You only need a phone to search and book in advance, you load your CCP card from your bank card at the unit at the barrier, and that tells you how many spaces there are left that night. So you can turn up on spec, like any campsite. But I assume you can't be 'squeezed in' as a campsite might do.
For a late night stop with a caravan Iwould do as Paul and Nikki (above) - pull into to a big motorway service station . But the problem for late night arrivals at Dieppe is that there are none until you get south of Rouen, and that’s about 60 miles. So if you want somewhere closer to the port where you can stop with a caravan it might be a supermarket car park.
Thank you all, very helpful. I think we may drive for a couple of hours once we're off the boat until we can find a suitable motorway service station, I'll have a look on Google maps and see if I can scope out a suitable one to aim for! I've got the CCP app and think I could take the caravan into one of the Camping de Mon village ones, but I can see one on the route we'll take and I'm not sure how everyone there would feel about us rocking up there at 1am and waking them up!!
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For a motorway services - La Dentelle d'Alencon on the A28?
Used fairly regularly heading to Caen (note car only - not towing) from our home in the Dordogne. Helpful staff -once we'd been held up by an accident S of Tours . We realised we'd be late for the ferry so re-arranged for a crossing in the morning, Called in to the services with a view to sleeping in the car and guy serving in the shop phoned a hotel in Alencon who put us up very reasonably and gave us a morning alarm call.
Nb the A28 Rouen - Alencon has probably the most extortionate tolls in France.
There is a large centre commercial in Dieppe. Auchan & Decathlon etc. locate it on the map & stop there. Plenty of space to park & you won’t be disturbed. Easy to get to from docks about 10mins.
Quote: Originally posted by Netherton on 17/6/2025
But it would be very odd to advise the questioner to go to Baie de Somme services when heading from Dieppe to Oleron
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Topic: Late stopover with caravan tips/advice
via mobile 14/6/2025 at 5:49pm
