Super U car parks
Hi has anyone had experience of parking overnight in one of the Super U car parks in France.we will be travelling down to the Vendee at end of June but don’t expect to arrive down there until after the sites close for the night. We have seen motor homes parked up in them but very rarely caravans
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Don't know the answer to the question,but I have noticed that more supermarkets in France have height restriction barriers installed than was previously the case. This had Just my own personal observation. A better bet might be a motorway aire. I'm pretty cautious about using aires these days. You hear stories....
David
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If you are using the Autoroute you might be better parking up on a services. Toll motorways are best (Pèage) and choose a fuel station rather than a quiet aire.
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We visited, but didn't stay, at the large MH parking spaces at the rear of SuperU in Marans a few weeks ago.
It may be a bit too south for you but there is ample room for a Caravan outfit, no barriers and you are unlikely to be moved once parked up for the night.
Its close to the town centre and, of course, baguettes are on site in the morning.
Hope this helps.
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Agree with Hitchglitch. I would not be happy using a supermarket car park. However, I would much prefer a site and there will be plenty open en route say until 7pm which you could use, just call a couple to see what time they close. If you are going to Caen the nearest site stays open to receive the evening ferry custom.
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You don't mention your start point or route. Only you will know your times. You will be much better booking into a site, either commercial or municipal and finishing your journey the next day. Don't forget lots of sites close for a 2 hour lunch break so bear that in mind for your arrival time.
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Even though we have done it in the past, I wouldn't do it now. I would work out where I might be at 6.00 pm, find a site nearby, and arrive there in time to have a meal and open a bottle of wine (or whatever takes your fancy), then I'd be up and off early in the morning, to arrive on site before lunchtime for the pick of the available pitches.
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Having toured around France a lot, personally I would never ever stop either on a supermarket car park or any autoroute service Aires on the grounds of security alone.
The OP is I believe a caravanner just like I was once, as such you aren't allowed to use any of the thousands of commune Aires that there are dotted around the entire country, but there are none the less thousands of inexpensive camping municipals some of which are listed in the C&M's Europe book.
On a side note, I recently returned from a 5 week tour around France stopping on commune aires throughout my trip. This time I decided to be exceptionally careful with my money and at the end of this lengthy trip, our total site and water costs equated to an eye watering €12!!
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The only supermarkets car parks we have used overnight have been after late night ferry arrivals at French ports long after allsites were closed - but they were Auchan and LeClerc rather thanSuperU. No problems.
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OP; if you let us know your ferry crossing and timings you will get some sound advice from the experienced continental travellers who so far tend to be cautioning against overnighting is a supermarket car park. Like Val, I too have lived in France and toured there for many, many years and, as I said earlier, would not consider overnighting in a car park!
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In times past I used to board a ferry in Dover at around 10 at night and arrive in Calais after midnight (1am). I drove to Abbeville, then Rouen and reached Igoville about 3.30.. I drove into the Super-U car park off the roundabout and slept for a few hours. After some breakfast I filled with diesel and was on my way. My second night was spent 325 miles further on at Aire du Fenioux - south of Poitiers. This aire is wooded and laid out with several roads with laybys. All very quiet and in November often deserted. Don't know that I would be brave enough now.
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well (as usual?) my view is the complete opposite.....sorry...
im only 5' 10" (but a 3rd Dan....) and have stayed on many a supermarket car park as do loads of other vans....
this morning, we strolled past the local Intermarcé and there were about a dozen vans and I'll wager at least half had overnighted there....
weve used Lidl, LeClerc, Intermarche, Carrefour.....well, just about all of them....
we also stay in plenty of village Aires.....but would I stop on a motorway service station?.....
no way, neither home or abroad.....
obviously w
each to their own, but some car parks are just like Aires (some Aires are just car parks) and some supermarkets put notices on their door suggesting you stay the night and tell you to come in and buy their bread in the morning...lovely.
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ps.....always MHs, caravans seem to frequent sites....never seen them on supermarket car parks...
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We have stayed in supermarket car parks in the past, many times, when travelling with our children made for a late night crossing and so it was impossible to find a site to stopover. We used to use smaller towns, with smaller supermarkets. No one ever minded and once someone came out with coffee and croissants - which were very much appreciated. We have also stayed on railway station forecourts (again smaller towns) and a factory car park - and once on a grass verge on the road from Dunkerque to Chateau du Gandspette where we were to stay the following day!
These days I wouldn't do it - but whether the risk is 'actual' or 'perceived' I'm not sure.
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I think, for some, there is a feeling of 'being alone' that is different to being on a campsite, where there is (as you say, perveived) 'safety in numbers'.
for example, here are two stop overs we've done, none are supermarkets, but they are similar in that we were alone, and I'm sure this is one of things that might 'concern' some folk, more used to camping with many vans.
as I said, in fact many supermarkets (especially in popular places) become the local 'aire' (or an overflow, or secondary, aire) and often are well used by MHs...so not really any different to a 'proper' aire.....a line of vans, just overnighting....
the thing is, some just won't 'do' Aires, even if it was the safest place on earth as they aren't what some 'expect' when 'camping'....
just another difference in touring styles.....
however, wherever anyone considers stopping, my view would always be that, if it doesn't 'feel right' move on...
but I can't say that (in general) supermarket carparks (usually very clean with (sometimes) dedicated MH spaces) come into that category.
again, as earlier, I wouldn't sleep on a MH service area, especially near a city for a number of reasons.....noise, smell, to our uch traffic movement, much higher incidence of unsavoury nighttime cruising types, swift escape for those who are involved in the sort of 'episode' that, perhaps, invoked some of the thoughts in this thread....
give me a nice quiet Intermarché every time
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Municipals have been mentioned, we have used them for years and found the majority of them good vfm and convenient when travelling South or on the way home. We, and others on here, have noticed in the last 4 years that many Municipals are being commercialised or just closing down. But have you noticed in the last 9 months, how many Municipals are joining the new'ish Camping-Car scheme? After the demise of camping cheques and Municipals, this scheme sounds like a good replacement. Its like a mix of MH Aires, Municipals and some small camp sites. There is a charge for many, but the charge is based on the facilities provided. Quite a few have loos. I have joined but not had the chance to use them yet, but will be over the coming months. The number of sites in the scheme is growing rapidly.
BillC
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BillC - do you have a link to the Camping-Car scheme ?
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Bill, we are on the Municipal at St Martin de Ré.....right in the middle of a world heritage site so, possibly, not the best example (but I have it to hand)....
van and two people....€22 no electric....€27 with EHU....no pool just prime location...
up the road, La Grainetiere, ACSI site, fabulous pool, walking distance to La Flotte (nicer, IMHO, than St Martin) and all mod cons €19 all in.
this is the type of competion that's about, along with the aforementioned supermarkets and Aires....all gratis.
the aire next to this campsite is €10 a night (max 3 nts)in summer, €5 a night unlimited stay at other times....again just 500m from St Martin harbour...
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We have seen Caravans parked up in Supermarket car parks and occasionally in out of the way Aires – even if it's not allowed the authorities have more to worry about and I've never seen an outfit moved on.
Luckily for us many people avoid Aires and that gives us more opportunity to find spaces that suit us and enjoy the peaceful relaxing holiday we like.
As long as there's a Boulangerie within walking distance or a short drive we are happy to stop.
Only once while stopping in remote places have we had a worrying experience.
Parked alone on an Aire, about half a mile outside a village, alongside the river L'Isle at about 4am we heard a car pull up nearby and doors open and softly close.
Then another vehicle, quiet whispers outside, doors opening and closing, then more cars arrived over the next hour.
A peek through the blinds showed virtually nothing in the hazy dim early morning light.
We checked the doors were locked and awaited our fate.
Gradually the sun rose and as it did the smell of cooking filtered into the MH.
I opened the door - and we were surrounded by cars and vans.
People milled around eating, chatting and laughing as they gathered together in one cause.
They'd come to an all-day fishing match.
One guy shook my hand, enquired if we wanted something to eat (I decline despite the tempting smell) and he politely suggested we move elsewhere on the Aire to avoid be boxed in by the incoming traffic.
All very amiable.
And in half a dozen years of visiting many, many Aires in remote places I can honestly say that was the nearest we've ever come to feeling 'threatened'.
BB - is one of the pictures the Aire at Grezillac ?
If it is it was a very quiet stopover - until around 8am when dozens of cars and vans turned up with their owners slamming their doors and chatting as they went to vote at the Mairie in the French elections – no consideration some people.
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Keith, yrs it is, well spotted
i really liked your post
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HERE is the link to the new Camping-Car Park website.
Have joined the scheme and am planning to use it this autumn. They seem to have a lot of sites very close to community shops etc and most spaces have their own electric hookup.
Hope this helps.
Jim
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Jim - thanks for the link - looks okay
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