Aires, Aires de Camping Cars, Aires de service - whatever you call them they are a wonderful solution for an often free overnight stop. Some will have no facilities but others may have toilets, water, rubbish bins and occasionally black and grey waste disposal facilities - I haven't experienced it, but some even have electricity supply. I believe the maximum stay is up to 72 hours.

Credit: Fontenay-le-Comte | Tourist Office Pays de Fontenay-Vendée

They are a French thing but now Spain is quickly/slowly (depending on your view) catching on, and Italy have Sostas and Germany have Stellplatz. Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands have aires too, and when I start researching I expect that I will discover that most European countries have them, except the UK, unless you count a lay-by. Regarding the UK I see there is a scheme called 'Britstop' featuring country pubs, farm shops, vineyards, breweries, etc., where you can park-up for a small fee.

Portugal have EasyCamp - a great idea where you park up at a farm, vineyard, estate, etc., and in return for a fee you receive produce, i.e. bottles of wine or a box of fresh vegetables!

For example, you can stay for 24 hours at the Roncão Estate where they have 3 parking spaces next to the winery overlooking the vineyards and woods for an autonomous motorhome/campervan (with toilet) for 24€ and in return you receive a 'welcome pack' of Quinta do Roncão White Reserve 2019, Quinta do Roncão Red Harvest 2016 and Quinta do Roncão Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

In my motorhome trip of 25 years ago, taking in France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway I only parked-up outside of an official camping site on a handful of occasions. Once at Dieppe harbour, an aire between Montpellier* and Lyon, Copenhagen harbour, office carpark** on an industrial estate on the outskirts of Oslo (I was working there), overlooking a fjord near Flåm en route to Bergen - just five times in nearly 10 months.

But my future ventures will be based on off-grid camping and aires, and if there is a village or town close by the aire then I'll spend a few euros at one of their hostelries by way of a thank you.

*In June 1997 I took the opportunity to visit the Stade de la Mosson where France was playing England in the Tournoi de France football competition. I parked my motorhome in a tarmac and fenced car park, close to the stadium, where I intended to spend the night after the match. However, around 11pm two 'officials' came to explain that they were locking the car park and it wouldn't re-open until the next match which was scheduled for early August.

**The carpark had water supply, electricity hook-up and I could shower in the toilets of the office block. Free parking for around three months, and next door was an indoor go kart track with a bar!