We were looking to head from the port of Cherbourg to western Brittany and were not keen to spend much of our break in traffic. Knowing in advance that we were arriving on the busiest day for traffic in France meant we were able to plan stops to avoid traffic as much as possible and so on the first day of our trip we organised to visit the Aire at Beauvoir.
Our reasons for visiting this aire were multiple. We had previously stayed in the campsite in Pontorson and cycled past the aire on our way to Mont-Saint-Michel so we knew it was well situated. It is located close to Alligator Bay which the kids were keen to revisit and it was only a short drive from Cherbourg so would help keep us out of traffic. Above all though we could pre-book our stay through the Camping Car Park website so we knew we wouldn’t be stuck for a place to stay during peak holiday season.
Arriving in Beauvoir from Pontorson you are greeted by a large Camping Car Park sign on the drivers-side and there is a large area to turn and align yourself with the barrier to gain entry. A quick swipe of your card (used for pre-booking) ensures entry. Given that this was peak season the aire was at full capacity so it took a bit if figuring out to find a spot for our van. Not all of the spots are well defined so this meant that some did take up unusual positions that would have blocked other users from finding a reasonable spot.
As we arrived relatively late we only had time for a quick bite to eat before heading for a short walk towards Mont Saint Michel (MSM). Though weather and the time of day didn’t allow for a proper visit we got our bearings and found the walking/cycle path to MSM and footpath through the town (if you want to use the shuttle buses) to be immediately adjacent to the aire, so access is no issue. After a long day we turned in to get an early start and depart before noon for our next stop.
The next morning we split our efforts with Mel heading to MSM and I bringing the kids to Alligator Bay. Before that, a quick trip to the Boulanger (5 minutes walk from the gate) had us set up with Pain au Chocolate and baguettes for the day. We did find the cycle path to be really busy with parked cars and on further investigation happened upon a bric-a-brac sale that was set up for about 500m of the path. Everyone seemed to know where they were going so I’m guessing this is a regular occurrence.
Leaving is pretty straightforward. There are two service bays set up which are drive-through style so no reversing required. Bins are also located near the gate with the typical assortment of general waste, glass recycling and general recycling available. We left just before 12 (if you go even a little past mid-day I understand you get charged for an additional night) and there was a queue of approximately 5 motorhomes waiting to gain entry. I guessed this was to avoid paying a full day’s fare for the 15 minutes up to noon but it may also be down to the availability not updating until noon either.
We took more or less the same road back that we used to arrive. We did notice diesel was competitively priced at the pumps just outside Pontorson which are most accessible on the journey to Beauvoir so if you’re low on diesel then topping up at Pontorson on the way to Beauvoir makes sense. The pumps at Pontorson are also located at the nearest supermarché (a basic but decent E.Leclerc market) so it might double as a supply and fuel stop en route.
All-in-all an excellent aire for a motorhome or camper-van as either a stopover or as a base for visiting Mont-Saint-Michel.
Date of visit: 3rd of August, 2024
Price: €17.10 per night