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We always stop on sites even for the odd night mainly due to the fact of the safety aspect of Aires, can anyone advise are they really as unsafe as people claim? We are going to Lake Garda this year and want to try and get there with as few stopovers as possible so we are contemplating staying on the Aires. There are two families together. Just wondered what everyones view was and if anyone had and advice or experiences they would like to share with us.

Many thanks

We never overnight on them - we had heard the reports & Advice and met people who have done it and had break ins. Not worth the risk in my opinion.

I wonder how your insurance would view any problemif you had gone against all authoritive advice and stopped on an aire ane had a break in?

I don't think there is the slightest issue regarding insurance. Using that maxim nobody could stop at any services anywhere! After all, they are rest areas and sleeping is rest.

We quite often use aires and if you take sensible precautions you are no more at risk than anywhere else (unless crime has been eradicated at all campsites, hotels etc). Leave a muggers wallet (consisting of a 5 Euro note and an old expired card) in your van where it can easily be seen by an intruder (if they got in) and you will be no more at risk than a lorry driver in his cab. Just make sure you are sleeping on any valuables.

We used to stay but 3 years but a  lorry driver tried to break into my parents caravan whilst they were sleeping - we were parked directly opposite - would not risk it now - met 2 couples that were gassed as well - south of France definitely the worse so for the price of a site would not risk it.

This may help to locate an aires:

http://www.airecampingcar.com/

Quote: Originally posted by squirrelchops on 08/6/2011

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Rather than stay at an aires on an autoroute couldn't you try and find a 'proper' aires a few km off the autoroute instead?

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We used to stay but 3 years but a  lorry driver tried to break into my parents caravan whilst they were sleeping - we were parked directly opposite - would not risk it now - met 2 couples that were gassed as well - south of France definitely the worse so for the price of a site would not risk it.

Glad to see people still think they have been gassed 

As missmally said, just sensible precautions which is just like parking / staying anywhere. Try and stick to busy aires (Baie de Somme is a good example but there are countless others all over France). A good one is Aire de service du Centre de la France (Farges-Allichamps) on the A71 between Bourges and Clermont Ferrand. Just don't pinch my space there!!