Nouvelle-Aquitaine, one of our personal favourites for a motorhome holiday in France, is the largest region in France and has a long sandy coastline, the Pyrenees and the slightly winding Dordogne. From the ports of Caen or Cherbourg, the capital Bordeaux is seven to eight hours away and is therefore an ideal destination for a two- to three-week motorhome holiday. Parking in cities: Official car parks are usually marked in blue in French cities. Depending on the signs, a parking disc or ticket may be required. A broken yellow line at the side of the road means that parking is prohibited, a continuous yellow line represents a stop and parking ban. It is forbidden to stop or park in tunnels, underpasses or under bridges. Failure to comply with parking restrictions will result in a fine, a parking clamp will be installed or towed. Cycling in France: It is not surprising that the home of the Tour de France has a heart for cyclists and offers a very good infrastructure of long-distance cycle paths and tourist cycle paths. But even in France, cyclists have to follow a few rules. It is therefore important to know that wearing a helmet is mandatory for children up to the age of twelve, even if they only ride in a child seat.

Young people over the age of 14 are also no longer allowed to ride bicycles as passengers. At night and in poor visibility, cyclists must also wear a safety vest outside built-up areas. In addition, the mobile phone on the ear or headphones are taboo when cycling. On this site you will find a simulator that tells you which Crit`Air vignette you need to buy for your motorhome. You can order your French environmental sticker here. Stick it inside the windshield at the bottom right (seen from the inside). You can use the book All The Aires, which is available here and gives clear information about the best Aires in France and provides a map of France Areas. The book is updated annually and many Areas are also inspected annually.

Most Aires are also on Park4Night and other VR apps if you`d rather not use or carry the book. If you love campervan life in the UK or elsewhere, you`ll love campervans in France. There`s everything you could expect from a road trip, including fantastic beachfront campsites, vineyards and local markets full of wine, cheese and other treats, incredible history and plenty of places to explore. Free camping / wild camping in France: Contrary to popular belief, it is not allowed in France to spend the night with a motorhome on roads, parking lots or on private property without authorization. This applies to both one night and several nights. On private property, of course, the permission of the owner is also required. In some regions, such as Corsica, wild camping is now punishable by high fines. On the other hand, the France offers a very good infrastructure of campsites as well as more and less large pitches for motorhomes. Mobile phone use while driving: If you drive a vehicle while France, you can only make calls while driving with a hands-free kit with external speakers. Headphones, earplugs, headphones and other aids are not allowed. Winter tyres in France: In France, there is no national winter tyre obligation, but depending on weather conditions, it may be mandatory in the short term for individual routes and regions and are communicated by means of road signs. The minimum tread depth in these cases is 3.5 mm.

The same applies to the use of snow chains, which must be attached to the wheels of the driving axle. The maximum speed allowed with snow chains is 50 km/h. In the mountainous regions of the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Vosges, the Jura and the Massifs Central as well as in the mountains of Corsica, winter tyres have been mandatory from 1 November to 31 March of the following year since the end of 2021. Are you going on a France with your motorhome? Do it! The France is an ideal holiday destination with a beautifully varied landscape, a pleasant climate, delicious food and many perfect pitches for motorhomes. And for motorhome owners.