Roadside services
You're making a long journey. The advice is to stop roughly every 2 hours. So where do you plan your break? Do you need to use a toilet, have something to eat or refuel? Or will a stretch of the old legs and a bit of fresh air do?
Each country provides a range of roadside facilities to suit people's needs. Here's what to expect, and our maps will tell you what facilities are available at each area.
Aires de repos
These are small, basic rest areas generally located 20 to 30km apart, and are designed to offer a quiet respite away from the road. The facilities on offer are basic, usually just parking and picnic tables, so there's somewhere to eat a packed lunch or stretch your legs. You may find a snack bar, tuck shop or children's play area on site.
Toilets are also provided at these sites, however they are unmanned, so it is strongly advised that you keep some toilet roll and hand soap with you!
Aire de la Mare des
Fourches rest area, alongside the N154 between Evreux and Dreux, France.
Click to open full size image.
Aires de service
These larger service areas are normally located around 40 to 60km apart, and provide a greater range of facilities when compared with a rest area.
The size of the facility will determine what is on offer. Smaller service areas are usually found on the quieter stretches of motorway, and are generally nothing more than a petrol station, with toilets and a shop selling light snacks and drinks to take-away.
In contrast, larger sites offer a full range of facilities, such as eat-in restaurants, take away outlets, and sometimes tourism offices and gift shops selling local produce. However, these are typically the more popular sites, so in the busy tourist season parking can be at a premium.
One thing to note is that you may find that prices are a little higher than off the motorway, but the thing to bear in mind is that these are remote sites, and they need to open long hours (if not 24/7) - so they need to cover the costs of providing staff during quieter hours.
Aire de Chartres Gasville
service area, on the A11 near Chartres, France. Click to see full size
image.
Croq'Malin
During the summer season, additional facilities are provided at many French
service areas, such as children's entertainment and vehicle health checks.
Also offered is the Croq'Malin programme - this is a scheme whereby healthier picnic style meal deals are offered for five Euros. Some operators also offer reduced price deals at their eat-in restaurants.
This is a very popular scheme offered by the main roadside providers, with over 50 million meals sold in 2018. Panels advertising this scheme are usually displayed alongside services signage.
Villages étapes
If you are travelling through
France and looking at stopping off somewhere a little different, then you
may wish to consider one of the almost 70
village étapes dotted
around the country. These are
small villages with a population below 5,000, and located less than 5km from
a motorway (must be untolled) or expressway.
Despite their size, you'll still find everything you need - somewhere to eat, local shops for those provisions, pharmacy, cashpoint, hotel or campsite and garage. There also needs to be publicly accessible toilets and a play area. They should also be great places to explore.
Becoming a village étapes isn't automatic for those villages that can qualify for this status. Every applicant has to pass an inspection to ensure they meet the necessary criteria, which has to be renewed every five years to ensure the ameneties are still in place.
Signage
All service areas are signposted in advance, with signage stating what is available at the upcoming facility, as well as the distance to the next site provinding the same. These are useful in determining if a site is a rest or service area.
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Emergency telephone | Public telephone | Tourist information | Picnic area | CCTV secured parking | Toilets | Disabled facilities |
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Petrol station |
Petrol station also providing LPG |
Petrol station with EV charging |
Petrol station with LPG and EV charging |
Electric vehicle charging |
Electric vehicle charging plus LPG |
Restaurant |
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Hotel | Cafeteria | Viewpoint | Children's play area |
Motorhome waste drop |
Cash machine |
Tyre inflation point (free to use) |
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24 hour repair point |
Shop selling local or regional products |
HGV Ecotax sales outlet |
Photos of
Aire de Chartres Gasville by Qwesy Qwesy, and used under a Creative Commons 3.0
licence
Sigh graphics by Roulex45 and Chabe01,
and used under a
Creative Commons 3.0
or 4.0
licence