# Wild Camping for the first time in France



## tenderfoot (Aug 26, 2017)

Snoopy is heading to France next week for 2 months and the word on the road is that wild camping in France is not recommended and we are safer to stick to Commercial and municipal campgrounds. Apparently vehicle break ins is rife. If any of you lovely people could advise from your own experience how best to tackle France and any suggestions on what regions to explore or any other advise would be much appreciated...thanks in advance Toni and Richard


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## Tbear (Aug 26, 2017)

***** said:


> Welcome. Whoever told you it is not safe, obviously does not know a thing about Motorhoming in France! It is one of the safest places to motorhome, if not the safest.
> We don't usually use any camp sites, we use the French Aires which are designed for motorhomes. Check out below
> 
> Vicarious Books - Camping Caravaning and Motorhome stopover site guide publishers.
> ...



Ditto 

Richard


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## Deleted member 919 (Aug 26, 2017)

No such thing as wild camping in France, you can park almost anywhere so long as you park sensibly .I have been over nearly every year for the last 10 and never been broken into. if it doesn't feel right don't stop. Every region is worth exploring .If you do intend camping ie  tables chairs and washing and awning out then do use sites. Have a read of my blogs ,latest a month of updated stops and no campsites
Blog - rebbyvid


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## LesleyKH (Aug 26, 2017)

We're just back from France where we mostly stayed on free aires, but also wildcamped in a couple of places and stayed once on a campsite and once on an aire we paid for. We felt perfectly safe at all times, as we have every single year we've stayed in France.

I agree about not overnighting on motorway aires, but we've been fine resting up on them during the day in France, say after an overnight ferry crossing.

Actually, we've felt safe in every European country we've ever stayed in - Scandinavian countries, Estonia down to Greece, Italy, Germany etc. We've never taken the van to Spain or Portugal, but wouldn't anticipate any problems there either.

One rule we always follow is if either of us has any doubts at all about the place we stop, then we respect that and move on. If it feels dodgy, it might well be, and it's not worth the risk. We have very, very rarely had to follow that rule and never in France.

Lesley


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## oppy (Aug 26, 2017)

As all the above, France is 90% safe. Even small villages have dedicated 'Aire de campingcar' places, and if you are not happy with the one you land in, there will be another within a few klics. As with all things, common sense is a pre-requisite,  but just go for it, you'll love it. As a full member you have probably got a sat nav full of p o i's, use it, all the points are ones that we, the members, have used and happily pass on. Don't be afraid, just gird your loins, sally forth and have the best holiday experience ever.
For some kind of reassurance, have a look at Kiethchesterfield's youtube travels  keith chesterfield - YouTube


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## Private (Aug 26, 2017)

*Easy over here*

France is much, much easier than the UK to wild camp. If you can wild in the UK you can wild in France. 
Enough said above to hopefully quell any fears you had.


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## runnach (Aug 26, 2017)

tenderfoot said:


> Snoopy is heading to France next week for 2 months and the word on the road is that wild camping in France is not recommended and we are safer to stick to Commercial and municipal campgrounds. Apparently vehicle break ins is rife. If any of you lovely people could advise from your own experience how best to tackle France and any suggestions on what regions to explore or any other advise would be much appreciated...thanks in advance Toni and Richard


 Whoever told you that I doubt has ever visited...The French as a rule so relaxed and laid back ......Motoway aires in some areas are best avoided. Once you have been, I make you a bet , you will wonder why you didn't take the plungs years ago 

Channa


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## Tbear (Aug 26, 2017)

This post is a few years old but I have never seen a better one for someone heading for France.

https://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forum...w-tips-your-first-french-trip.html?highlight=

Richard


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## Canalsman (Aug 26, 2017)

tenderfoot said:


> Snoopy is heading to France next week for 2 months and the word on the road is that wild camping in France is not recommended and we are safer to stick to Commercial and municipal campgrounds. Apparently vehicle break ins is rife.



Complete rubbish!

I have spent the past four Winters wild camping in France, Spain and Portugal with no problems, concerns or hearing of anybody that had experienced any security problems.


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## oppy (Aug 26, 2017)

POI Admin said:


> Complete rubbish!
> 
> I have spent the past four Winters wild camping in France, Spain and Portugal with no problems, concerns or hearing of anybody that had experienced any security problems.



That's a tad harsh, we have to be gentle with virgins---------oh dear, I've done it again. Seriously though, we all have had to start somewhere, and in an alien situation all is scary. Your four winters must have begun with an unknown, so with all due respect, lets allow someone else to be a tad apprehensive eh


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## QFour (Aug 26, 2017)

The French Aires are great but can be full of foreigners :scared:.. We have found the best ones to be off the beaten track and not the ones by the beaches. We went to Honfleur cannot see why it is so popular. Aire was packed, Someone had a couple of new bikes stolen and we had the worst meal of the whole trip. As always you need a PLAN B and sometimes PLAN C as well. Aires disappear and new signs send you to campsites. Some of the Wild Camping ones are a bit .. well .. yuk .. Think we should be able to grade them. The French seem to have a passion for Lidl car parks so they don't have to walk far for their bread. Have a great time.


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## Tony Lee (Aug 27, 2017)

***** said:


> Me thinks Guys, that Tenderfoot has very little European Experience as from Aussi Land!
> So Tenderfoot, will be out of comfort zone, much more than us lot!


,

You are joking surely. Aussies brave crocodiles, world's most venomous snakes, deadly spiders, voracious sharks, poisonous fish, endless deserts and swarming backpackers AND drop bears ---  and that is just to get out to the outback dunny at night. 

We don't have an "out of comfort" zone.


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## Canalsman (Aug 27, 2017)

oppy said:


> That's a tad harsh, we have to be gentle with virgins---------oh dear, I've done it again. Seriously though, we all have had to start somewhere, and in an alien situation all is scary. Your four winters must have begun with an unknown, so with all due respect, lets allow someone else to be a tad apprehensive eh



I meant that 'the word on the road' as quoted is nonsense, not what the poster had said.

By all means be cautious, as I am, and don't park in places that feel unsafe. Then all will be just fine


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## Tbear (Aug 27, 2017)

QFour said:


> The French Aires are great but can be full of foreigners :scared:.. We have found the best ones to be off the beaten track and not the ones by the beaches. We went to Honfleur cannot see why it is so popular. Aire was packed, Someone had a couple of new bikes stolen and we had the worst meal of the whole trip. As always you need a PLAN B and sometimes PLAN C as well. Aires disappear and new signs send you to campsites. Some of the Wild Camping ones are a bit .. well .. yuk .. Think we should be able to grade them. The French seem to have a passion for Lidl car parks so they don't have to walk far for their bread. Have a great time.



Honfleur is a great place to meet like minded people, to pick up tips on what is happening and where, what to avoid or may be dangerous and on your homeward journey, pass on your updated info to those that may be setting out on their first trip.

Richard


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## runnach (Aug 27, 2017)

Tbear said:


> Honfleur is a great place to meet like minded people, to pick up tips on what is happening and where, what to avoid or may be dangerous and on your homeward journey, pass on your updated info to those that may be setting out on their first trip.
> 
> Richard



You make a good point, I read lots of blogs of travellers going long distance on motorcycles, A consistent theme is treat home office advice with a pinch of salt, Travelling through places like Iran or Libya. As you enter talk to the people that are leaving the country, Up to date info re insurance, border crossings general mood of the place and troublespots to avoid etc, Significantly different to France perhaps but the theory remains constant and seems to work

Channa


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## samuel (Aug 27, 2017)

*Save in France*

Its depends on the place and the time you are someware .
France is not save anymore like 20 yaers agow.
I feel safer in Albanie then in France.
1 Try to pick my trailer once.
2 Broke in to my camper in South France.
3Broke in in Huelva,(spain)
For us its over,no more France ,Spain.
Portugal is no problem.
The fact you say ,dont overnicht on hw parkings??
I am an Flemisch speaking and French speaking from Belgium. France was my second country,3 brothers born there.
When we go to Portugal ,we overnicht on free campersites in France and Spain.
Willy


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## Deleted member 58330 (Aug 27, 2017)

France is big but so is the number of MHs visiting there, add the Brits, Germans, Italians, Belgium, Dutch and you have thousands and thousands of vans traversing from A to B and mainly on the Aires.  We went to a campsite once on our earlier 6 week trip this year, and it was full of Brits...and I mean Brits.  Never seen anything like it.  Aires went from just us to well over 50 in some of them varying from 0 to 18 Euro (St Michel Mount).  There are loads of gypsy camps all over the place but they do not seem to interfere with the aires at all, and we saw not one dodgy migrant.  The only thieves we saw was the so called cafes and resteraunts, they take your money and serve you dressed up nosh....be wary of French Cuisine, some of it dreadfully overpriced and they think  nothing of charging you 8 euro a pint.


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## Keithchesterfield (Aug 27, 2017)

By 'eck, lad, it can be rough out there in deepest France.

Earlier this year we were on an Aire overnight by a river, just us and a few rabbits, and at 4 am we were surrounded by men in cars.

Slamming doors and chattering away in a foreign language, French I think, and when we decided enough was enough and they needed remonstrating with - we found there were about fifty of them setting up for a fishing match that morning and apparently an early start is required - bl**dy foreigners!

And the smell of bacon and sausages from there cooking facilities was a nightmare!

Then a few weeks ago there was a right din after midnight in a Sports Hall close by the Aire we stayed on - a Wedding party were singing and dancing the night away - luckily they stopped the noise at 7 am and we got half an hours sleep - bl**dy foreigners!

And that's as bad as it's got in ten years staying on Aires in wildest France - you'll be safe wherever you stay as long as you use common sense.


:dog:  :dog:  :dog:  :dog:


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## jann (Aug 27, 2017)

Never felt uneasy on aires.we have wild camped in many places.
Use common sense if you don't feel comfortable then leave.
In twenty years never had problems.


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## skippy (Aug 27, 2017)

*Wildcamping France.*

Arrived back after 4 weeks in June no problems whatsoever wildcamping little concerned one night when travellers pulled up trying to repair vehicle offered to lend them extension wheel brace found them v polite. Just relax and enjoy.
 Different scenario last year intruder tried to break in whilst quietly watching tv late at night with blinds up shocked when i looked out of window.This location Campsite in Porthcawl South Wales.


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## n brown (Aug 27, 2017)

i don't know if anyone else has tried this
pop into the Mairie and ask the mayor or his assistant if they know of any nice spots in the area for a night or 2, or ask about a specific spot
always found them very helpful, and of course, being France, the gendarmes are informed, so they won't bother you, probably pass by a couple of times to check on you. all the locals will know about you and will relax about it,safe in the knowledge you;re not gypsies, and nobody will care if you have stuff out or hang washing out !


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## Clunegapyears (Aug 28, 2017)

We use All the franch aires book and France Passion (farms and vineyards, also available from Vicarious books).  However, we tend to use campsites for security when we visit major cities ... only cos we were broken into in the centre of Copenhagen.

So many motorhomes around, especially as it is still the silly season, that you may find popular aires busy or even full.  

So many wonderful places in France ... make sure you do a wine area ... not difficult, but one of my faves is Beaujolais area.  Following the Loire is good.  Alsace wine trail pretty. Put de Dome for unusual mountain shapes etc etc.  Small French towns are full of character.  Although France is relatively expensive now, you can still get a really good meal of the day with wine in rural France for around €13.

Enjoy.


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## Trompete (Oct 18, 2017)

*Wild in France*



tenderfoot said:


> Snoopy is heading to France next week for 2 months and the word on the road is that wild camping in France is not recommended and we are safer to stick to Commercial and municipal campgrounds. Apparently vehicle break ins is rife. If any of you lovely people could advise from your own experience how best to tackle France and any suggestions on what regions to explore or any other advise would be much appreciated...thanks in advance Toni and Richard



Buy the Camperstop book from Vicarious books...it frees you from expensive sites... over many years we have never had any problems.


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## witzend (Oct 18, 2017)

tenderfoot said:


> Snoopy is heading to France next week for 2 months





Trompete said:


> Buy the Camperstop book from Vicarious books...it frees you from expensive sites... over many years we have never had any problems.



They are probably home again by now and realise there's no problems to worry about hopefully


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## alcam (Oct 18, 2017)

witzend said:


> *They are probably home again by now* and realise there's no problems to worry about hopefully



We don't know that . We may never know !


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## LesleyKH (Oct 18, 2017)

Keithchesterfield said:


> By 'eck, lad, it can be rough out there in deepest France.
> 
> Earlier this year we were on an Aire overnight by a river, just us and a few rabbits, and at 4 am we were surrounded by men in cars.
> 
> ...



Oh that reminds me of a wildcamp in Italy where we woke on a Sunday morning to find ourselves surrounded by men in combats getting lots of guns out of the boots of their cars, some looked like machine-guns (we know nothing about guns!). It turned out we'd parked outside the local firing range!

Lesley


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## lefty107 (Oct 18, 2017)

*Wild camping france*

Just back after 2 weeks wandering around Normandy for the first time. Never felt safer mostly used Aires (not motorway services) as at this time of year are very close to centre of town. Spent 3 nights in beauex as there was so much to see and a couple of nights at Mont st Michelle and then on to the Normandy beaches. Never a hint of trouble a few interesting conversations in my very poor French much to the amusement of the locals.whale island is a perfect stop over if you are on the early Portsmouth ferry and there is an aire when you  get off if you need a sleep before moving  on or have a early ferry coming back from Cain. The Europeans are set up for motorhomes and far easier then moving around England. You can drive 10 miles to the next aire or 100 miles the choice is yours.


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## alcam (Oct 18, 2017)

lefty107 said:


> Just back after 2 weeks wandering around Normandy for the first time. Never felt safer mostly used Aires (not motorway services) as at this time of year are very close to centre of town. Spent 3 nights in beauex as there was so much to see and a couple of nights at Mont st Michelle and then on to the Normandy beaches. Never a hint of trouble a few interesting conversations in my very poor French much to the amusement of the locals.whale island is a perfect stop over if you are on the early Portsmouth ferry and there is an aire when you  get off if you need a sleep before moving  on or have a early ferry coming back from Cain. The Europeans are set up for motorhomes and far easier then moving around England. You can drive 10 miles to the next aire or 100 miles the choice is yours.



Don't rule out motorway services completely . I use plenty if travelling down to Spain in wintertime . Most people would say not to use any near big cities , which is fair enough . Your gut will tell you . You can often park close to the well lit areas at the all night restaurants .
Some of the locations are in beautiful country . Good stop on way home is Baie de Somme , its like a posh campsite/aire and costs feck all


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