Camping-Car Park Continues to Expand

We used them on our first year of MH ing in 2019 and the increase in choice this year was dramatic. We like them a lot and used 10 during our 40 day tour this year, as well as other sites and Aires.

They were trying to set up in the UK but I think for the time being they have put it on hold.

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The rules in the UK are much tighter than in many countries overseas

Don’t know about the rules JVB. On the pictures of Aires here they don’t seem to have any more spacing than CCP ones. Which has ranged from the width of a MH to over 10 metres. A lot of the issue might be that there are no existing sites to convert as in France, where local communities have done a deal with CCP converting their municipal sites, existing Aires or area of waste land. They have constructed some brand spanking new ones but many are existing refurbished units. Clearly land prices are astronomical here, plus there could well be local opposition, as locals have no experience of the benefits they will bring to the area.

One we stopped on in 2019, close to where the Rhone enters the  Med, had been an existing free Aire on an area of waste land. CCP put in 100 marked pitches, fencing, a barrier and facilities but no electric at that time. Three years later half the site is now a boat yard and each of the remaining  40 pitches have 6 amp electric, plus there is a WiFi hot spot.

I understand that stopovers in the UK are what some people and LAs have set up and are still on a learning curve as to what rules exist  to make them safe as per the UK regards others users safety 🤔

Yes, there appears to be more sites shown on the France map, which is great news. However, as above, the app currently lists no UK CCPark sites.

for those looking to tour France, CCP is a great option if you're looking for a booked place, perhaps more security etc, but this will come at a price, albeit one far lower than a typical UK stop.

however, don't forget there are over 8000 (at my last reading) countryside, village, town and city Aires that have been operated by local authorities for many years, a huge proportion of which are free. Also, not limited to France. Most European countries (other than the UK) have a similar system in place.

Do these camping car parks  have swimming pools, or serve cold drinks on shady terraces, or have a rotisserie van call round in an evening, or deliver fresh croissants into your open window at 7 am.?  There are decent campsites all over France which do.

for those looking to tour France, CCP is a great option if you're looking for a booked place, perhaps more security etc, but this will come at a price, albeit one far lower than a typical UK stop.

I am not convinced the booking option with CCP would be that much use currently and and it costs €29 a year. You can check online to see how full places are, so it would only be worth booking if they were very popular. One such we stopped at, supposedly had 26 spaces, however there were no marked bays and some folk had been a bit greedy. I counted 22 vans on one of the two nights we stopped and there wasn’t room for anyone else. The booking of a late arriving MH wouldn’t have been worth much, as there was just nowhere to go.

Most of the CCP sites we visited had marked bays but not all and even where marked they were often far from obvious. Generally it seemed to be the ones they had taken over from other providers and they are expanding rapidly. So hopefully in time they will get round to marking them and perhaps improving the vague ones.

No they don’t have swimming pools. Although several are next to the municipal one. Many are only a few hundred metres from shops that sell fresh croissants etc and within easy walking distance of bars / restaurants. You would be hard pressed to find a camp site right in the centre of Uzes for example, but there is a free Aire at the Domaine saint Fermin. They will even sell you a bottle of wine, after you have tasted the options of course. 

Oh we do stop at the sort of sites you mention as well, if they are in the right place. It’s all down to location.

Agreed, however some vanners coming from a 'regimented/secure' type system like a Club environment might find it easier to make the 'leap away from sites' if they have a booking.