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Topic: Motorway Services

happybonzo

09/5/2011 at 6:46am
Location: Ndidis Kraal
Outfit: Laika Ecovip 100 & Quasar

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Most Motorway services are dismal places but Baie de Somme sets the standards as being a decent place to stop. Does anyone know of similar services?

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warbis66

09/5/2011 at 7:03am
Location: Bristol
Outfit: Sungari 600 Icarus 600 with canopies!

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Yes the one St mont michel is really nice. Cleanest loos ever and a nice landscaped garden area

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France Lover

CaravanSkier

09/5/2011 at 7:32am
Location: Essex
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Some useful information can be found at:

http://www.abelard.org/france/motorway-aires1.php

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CaravanSkier

09/5/2011 at 7:36am
Location: Essex
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Trying to get a direct link

Here

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Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

Val A

09/5/2011 at 8:00am
Location: West - North Yorkshire
Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate

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The new Aire at the end of the Millau viaduct is superb (except for the loos, and I've complained to the Mairie at Millau about them). The building itself is an updated version of a Caussenard Farm with vaults, beautiful stonework, and inside is architecturally superb. Outside is a lovely viewing gallery! 133

We also like the Aire at the Viaduct du Garabit, which has no service building, just an information bureau and a toilet block, but superb views, a picnic area, and a wide wall where you can sit overlooking the lake below and watch the osprey, buzzards and red kites hunting over the lake or over the pine woods.

Pictures being worth a 1000 words!

happybonzo

09/5/2011 at 8:49am
Location: Ndidis Kraal
Outfit: Laika Ecovip 100 & Quasar

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Thanks for that Val: I have now recovered from looking at those pictures - I hate heights. The thought of driving over them fills me with dread...

Berriow

09/5/2011 at 8:53am
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No, no, no. You are all wrong !!!

The very best is at Gueret on that little known free motorway E62/N145 that goes west to east across the middle of France - a lovely restaurant with a delightful outdoor terrace, a shop selling local crafts and produce, gardens and lawns, free wi-fi, and a real bookshop. It certainly beats Membury on the M4.

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Val A

09/5/2011 at 9:07am
Location: West - North Yorkshire
Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate

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Quote: Originally posted by happybonzo on 09/5/2011
Thanks for that Val: I have now recovered from looking at those pictures - I hate heights. The thought of driving over them fills me with dread...

Sorry Bonzo! I'm not good with heights either, but many years of visiting France have diluted my fears somewhat!

The Gueret services may come on to our radar if it's on a free part of the autoroute!

happybonzo

09/5/2011 at 9:11am
Location: Ndidis Kraal
Outfit: Laika Ecovip 100 & Quasar

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I'm now thinking of that bridge at St Nazaire. The useless curs slow down at the highest point to admire the view - ********s all of them

Granville

27/5/2011 at 11:22pm
Location: None Entered
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Quote: Originally posted by Berriow on 09/5/2011

No, no, no. You are all wrong !!!
The very best is at Gueret on that little known free motorway E62/N145 that goes west to east across the middle of France - a lovely restaurant with a delightful outdoor terrace, a shop selling local crafts and produce, gardens and lawns, free wi-fi, and a real bookshop. It certainly beats Membury on the M4.

Agree this is an excellent service area. It does seem to suffer from a lack of customers though.

Aire des Harras et Aire de la Dentelle d'Alencon on the A28 Southbound are both quite nice.

Opensauce

27/5/2011 at 11:37pm
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It depends on the motorway, on any main routes' ie A1, A10, A20, A6, A7 etc, the services will usually be heaving. The French don't seem to attach any importance to toilets which are generally inadequate & dirty.

Good tips are park before the fuel pumps as there won't be any room after them except miles from the main building & if you are a gal use the blokes bogs, if you are a bloke use a tree, its quicker.

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

Pennine Plodder

28/5/2011 at 5:11pm
Location: Wakefield West York
Outfit: Swift Basecamp+ Fo

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Just to add my 2 bits worth. We've paused for a break and stayed overnight at various Aires on route to the Vendee and Central France. We've yet to visit one which doesn't beat any and all of the British motorway ones. There 's a lovely one north of Nantes heading for Rennes.

We cannot wait for the trip to start this year.

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Some days are diamonds.......

iwalani

01/6/2011 at 9:25pm
Location: East Sussex
Outfit: Burstner Belcanto 525 TL + Santa Fe

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We stopped at a nice one two weeks ago on the A25/E42, about halfway between Dunquerque and Lille. As we said to each other, "You know you're in France when you get a really good cup of coffee in a motorway service station, the loos are immaculate, ut have no seats!

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Il vaut mieux vivre ses reves que rever sa vie

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