Sleeping en route

[Alan Zoff]

Not planning to do this. But if I decide that I want/need to pull off the autoroute for forty winks after midnight, will I be breaking any law if I drop off to sleep in the car for an hour or two in one of the unmanned picnic sites ("aires")?

[Dick Smith]

I'm pretty certain not, I've done it myself with a car and a coach full of kids. I've seen ads warning drivers to use the aires if they feel tired, I'm certain.

Be aware that there are stories of travellers being robbed in aires in the small hours. Might be better to look for one with people around, or get off the autoroute altogether.

[hastobe]

LOL - I hope not..else we have been guilty of breaking the law - on

several occassions!!  Seriously, when we have done that we have

always seen several lorries pulled up with cab curtains closed - so I

assume it must be ok.

Kathie

[Jc]

If you're sleeping in an aire,use one with a petrol station-then,there are always people about.

[Bassman]

Done that many times over the years so I hope it's OK [:)]  We have come across some that have hook up points for motor homes so I can't imagine it's a problem[;-)]

[sandt]

there is absolutely no problem with haveing a rest on your journey. just bear in mind your security and possibly come off the autoroute .  the aires are generally safe but a lot of people come and go. i have been here several yaers and have a motorhome i have parked up it that by the road and in my car  many times no problems

[Alan Zoff]

Thanks for the comments.

Will make sure to park near some lorries - and will hope I haven't presented myself to some really big time bandits!

(The security point is well taken though. A couple we were speaking to were forced to stop on the road near Dreux by a blue car containing 2 men dressed as gendarmes who proceeded to rob them....)

[EuroStar]

I drive lorries as a career and find when I need to sleep en route that parking with other lorries is safer.

[Val_2]

Yes so does my BIL when hes too-ing and fro-ing UK/Spain via France. Far too dangerous to pull up in a lonely spot these days regardless of what you are driving.

The title of this thread should refer to elderly french drivers because thats what they do when I find myself behind them.

[EuroStar]

I love driving lorries too much to risk being the target of a hijacking, robbery etc

[Benjamin]

[quote user="Alan Zoff"]

Thanks for the comments.

Will make sure to park near some lorries - and will hope I haven't presented myself to some really big time bandits!

[/quote]

Didn't I read somewhere a few days ago that a man who parked with his car and caravan in with the lorries (in England) was clamped for illegal parking?

He got his own back by clamping the clampers with his caravan wheel clamp and only agreed to release them and pay up when the clampers called the police. [:D]

[EuroStar]

I don't think that would happen in France.

[Thibault]

For the umpteen years we had a caravan, we regularly slept in an aire de repose on our first night in France (en route to our first "official" stop at Macon).  There were always lorries and other caravans/motorhomes about.  We had no incidents or worries as it seemed safe.

The last but one trip made by 'van, we stopped at our usual aire not far from Laon.  Around three in the morning, I was awoken by a sharp click and a "shuffling on sand" noise.  As I looked towards the door, it slowly opened.  I said in a very loud voice "Who's there!!!  What do you think you are doing!!"  My OH was still asleep at this point.

The person ran off and I heard the sound of a car speeding away. 

The lock on the caravan door had been forced by a screwdriver type thing.  There was some loose grit by the door which accounted for the shuffling I had heard.

The Dutch lorry driver next to us had not heard a thing!  We were later told that gangs of  "foreigners" drove up and down motorways at night looking for targets.  Their usual plan was to force a door and grab whatever was nearest.  On this occasion, they would have gained a carrier bag full of digestive biscuits and jellies we were taking to our friend in Marseille [:)]  Probably not what they would have hoped.

Needless to say, on our next trip we kept going to the camp site at Dijon, rather than risk another break-in.

[jc]

We've always used the Service Aires and parked as close to the shop/cafe as possible.

[terry1956]

We have used the aires a great number of times with our camper van, but have heard of tells of east europeans breaking into vans etc. I always try to park next to someone, not next to the hgv,s as they make far to much noice for anyone to sleep. Just pick a spot you are happy with.

michael 

[Val_2]

There have been incidents reported this year of camping van occupants being gassed whilst they sleep so the thieves can enter and take what they want without being disturbed.

[terry1956]

Hi to Val, re these gas attacks. There as been no known attack reported that as stood up to any number of questions, Its just a lot of rubbish going around by 3rd parties who also know someone else who knows someone who says they had been gased, I am glad to say that it does not hold water. Like all things just take there, yes there are ass h---- out there who try to break in, just like they would a car. But it happens a lot less in europe then in the UK, I forone would never wild camp in the UK, but I am more then happy to do so within europe,

michael

[sid]

We've done overnight stops in France on the service areas (as opposed to the small picnic 'aires') for over 25 years without any nasty incidents. Neither do we know of anyone who has had the misfortune to be robbed or attacked. I for one am very sceptical about the scarey stories.

Bonne route

Sid

[EuroStar]

I find I get to sleep better if I park next to other HGVs, after all I'm used to their noise.

[Jacqui Too]

[quote user="Val_2"]There have been incidents reported this year of camping van occupants being gassed whilst they sleep so the thieves can enter and take what they want without being disturbed.[/quote]

I saw a program on the TV some time last year and it was interviewing  two couples in a motor home who had 'Camped' overnight in one of the rest areas in SPAIN and had had gas put through the air vents, they didn't know anything had happened till next morning when they woke with sore throats and found things missing!

I know it was Spain but when we travelled over this May with the caravan we made sure we stopped in one of the busy service areas, I slept like a log for 3 hours but hubby only managed 40 winks because of the noise.

Jackie

[friend of stouby]

I think that it is a personal decision re sleeping in your vehicle overnight and how comfortable you feel doing it. 

We have travelled with a camper van and now sometimes with our 'works' van regularly all over Europe (and beyond) for more than 9 years, and probably are on the road for at least 3 months in every 12. We have been broken into twice, once in northern Spain on Boxing Day in the middle of the afternoon after we had left our camper along side a public park with many families playing in the sunshine. We visited a museum for about 2 hours and returned to find quite a lot stolen and some damage done to our then home. We were very angry and upset but after a couple of days decided to uprate a little of the security in a practical way (which still wouldn't have prevented the break in but would have taken the thieves longer to break in), and for it to not stop us doing what had been a lifetime ambition of just travelling where we wanted, when we wanted. We did feel somewhat nervous for about a year after but decided that the campervan life with risks was better than not.

The second time was in a panel van just outside Strasbourg at about 08:30 in the morning on a bright summer's day. I was parked at a major service area between the car parking and the trucks, and the place was really busy. I had travelled through the night  and was still alseep at 08:30 when a smartly dressed young man forced open the side loading door, at which point both of us were very surprised indeed. As I had very little on, the best I could do as he had the presence of mind to slam the door in my face, was to look out the the window to see where he went while I was dressing. He very calmly walked away until a car picked him up and off they cruised! A truck was parked along side me maybe 4 meters away, the engine was running and the driver watching all that went on.

The point is it can happen to anyone, anywhere and at any time, and in my view you accept the risk or if not go to a camp site or a hotel. There are a number of things you can do to minimise the risks but not eliminate them, and I have to say that on more than one occassion have moved on after either noticing something after stopping or a car has arrived with people who may not wish you well.

Hope this helps someone and puts the risks into perspective.

ps: What work well for us is to either park off the motorways on an N or D road as the professionals appear not to operate as often there, or on a motorway to park near to a caravan(s) or camper(s) as often the occupants appear to sleep a little lighter than truck drivers. Maybe the very best deterrent is a dog!!

Jamie

 

[jc]

Having read all these,I had an occasion of nearly killing a motor-cyclist-sleeping in a sleeping bag on the car-park-he could have,at least,used the grass.

[Thibault]

[quote user="sid"]

We've done overnight stops in France on the service areas (as opposed to the small picnic 'aires') for over 25 years without any nasty incidents. Neither do we know of anyone who has had the misfortune to be robbed or attacked. I for one am very sceptical about the scarey stories.

Bonne route

Sid

[/quote]

Well, it happened to us as I said.  This was after over 20 years of "safe" sleeping in aires de repose.  The authorities told us it was a growing problem along motorways.  What we found interesting in our episode was the Dutch lorry driver parked right next to us did not hear anything.  In a way this is not surprising as many lorries have refridgeration units working all the time, so probably blot out other noises.

[jc]

I am astonished that people who spend tens of thousands of pounds on motor caravans and caravans do not spend on upgrading their security.Also as to "gassing" in Spain,if I was sleeping  in a van,I would have every vent wide open due to the temperatures.

[EuroStar]

I always sleep in the cab of my truck and have the windows closed and lock the doors. That way I feel more secure even though as it has been said a door could be forced open or a window smashed.