Message Forums

Hello all

We will be towing our Pathfinder for the first time in France and have never really used service stations or motorway stops when we have travelled there before.

Do people know if they have the large bays like we do here for towing vehicles...this is probably a silly question and I am sure they do however we have only stopped in 'aires' which have never been that spacious.  Merci.

We always park with the lorries and one of us stays with the caravan while the others go into the service area and then swap. As we are usually travelling at the weekend there is normally plenty of space. We did try following the sign for caravans once but the area was full, difficult for manoevring and we ended up back on the motorway without the stop we needed.

Susie

I'm, surprised to read the first two replies. I've been travelling to France with a caravan for 8 years now and have never ever had a problem with parking. I've used both service areas and aires in this time. In fact I think they are far superior to our services. If you have managed in the UK you will certainly manage in France.

I don't disagree with what Martyn says in his first paragraph. This does seem to be a popular forecourt layout. The trouble here is that when leaving the forecourt you tend to be on the exit road so if you can't get parked as described then you are stuck. Also picnic aires don't have petrol.

harryb

Maybe it is because we tend to go at the very height of the holiday season and at the weekend. We have always found the services between Caen and either Brittany or the Vendee to be absolutely heaving with incredibly long queues for both fuel and the loos!

Susie

Susie,

I always go in June and travel midweek so maybe thats why. Going next Thurs actually

harryb