wild camping in France is it safe?

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Hi, We have decided as a first trip abroad to go to Brittany/west coast of France. We have looked at some campsites but would still like to wild camp,though now wondering how safe it is ie: gassed & robbed to put it bluntly.
Any advise much appreciated.
 
Much easier than in England. No NIMBYs to worry about and most towns have water and waste facilities you can use.

General advice is to avoid staying overnight in motorway service areas.

Gassing is is a myth. :)
 
Seeing this is your second post on the matter I would suggest you do not leave UK.

"Being gassed is a total mith so forget that possibility. Robbed, do you think the UK is any safer? It's all about how you feel where you park, including motorway Aires and if you are not happy move on as there are plenty places to park up in France
Most of all, do not worry and enjoy😃"
 
Both Sky and myself have fulltimed in France and I echo his sentiments.

There really are no issues. in four years I had a potential probelm with errant youths which in reality could have been anywhere. My German Shepherd dog a perceptive specimen ...Stuck the shecks up on her back showed the set of teeth she was happy to sink in their legs situation diffused they soon cleared off.

It was an aire in Agen at a sports centre which I used often, the kids worked out I had seen them drug dealing, and I think wanted a word the GSD did all the talking !. On that aire the one and only occasion I ever felt threatened.

I personally steer clear of the autoroute service stations far better places never far away to stop that are quiet

channa
 
Nothing to fear

My wife and I have stayed overnight in hundreds of French Aires without any hint of a problem. Last Autumn, for example, we were in the Chamonix area for over three weeks and our total cost of "accommodation" was 4 Euros which was two visits to a handy SuperU to empty/fill etc. Our advice on the majority of Motorway Aires is by all means use the services but find somewhere nicer and quieter for the night.
 
I echo the sentiments of Others

France is fine.
True "wildcamping" (ie no facilities) is no doubt possible but use the aires.
We did truly wildcamp in a couple of places but mainly used the aires
They are cheap and sometimes free (especially in small villages/towns).
They often have a pleasant parking area and outlook sometimes with picnic tables
You often have to pay only for water
Often 1 or 2 other campers which should allay all fears about security.
With even a moderate solar panel installation EHU is unnecessary.
You can get 12V power supplies/chargers for most devices (including laptops)
 
i have spent many hundreds of nights ''wildcamping'' in France over many years,in rural and urban spots,and maybe 5 or 6 nights on aires ,with and without children,and have never been robbed, gassed or murdered. well, not that i've noticed, anyway.
this doesn't, of course, mean it won't happen to you !
 
Thanks very much for all your help & advise, mind is eased. We have been wild camping all over the UK for many years now but going across the water into unknown territory was just a bit daunting,so glad to put this great site to further use. So thanks again.
Shortcucuit I posted a second time because wasn't sure I'd posted correct the first time.
 
jimmaestro said:
My wife and I have stayed overnight in hundreds of French Aires without any hint of a problem. Last Autumn, for example, we were in the Chamonix area for over three weeks and our total cost of "accommodation" was 4 Euros which was two visits to a handy SuperU to empty/fill etc. Our advice on the majority of Motorway Aires is by all means use the services but find somewhere nicer and quieter for the night.
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May I ask where you parked in Chamonix please.love that place
 
I totally agree with the rest of your post but I have to comment on your generalisation about Spain. Spain is similar to France in that there are places to avoid (because of overcrowding or danger) but the majority of the country is as safe as it is possible to be. If you follow the usual advice (don't stop at motorway aires, avoid the beaches with row upon row of motorhomes on them etc) then I know of no safer or friendly place to wildcamp in than Spain.
 
Deja Vu all over again. This oft asked question with much the same responses, is there currently anything more to add that isn't already to be found in the archives? Apart that is, from the recent "escalation in the Calais problem" as pointed out by sak.
 
I prefer the short crossing so for me it has to be Dover, from my house to Dover is 205 miles, to Portsmouth it is 185 so not much difference this side of the channel, I am going to Brittany next week but I like driving in France and the journey across will be enjoyable so the extra mileage in France is irrelevant to me, I will not let the immigrant situation stop me enjoying my holiday
 
tezza33 said:
I prefer the short crossing so for me it has to be Dover, from my house to Dover is 205 miles, to Portsmouth it is 185 so not much difference this side of the channel, I am going to Brittany next week but I like driving in France and the journey across will be enjoyable so the extra mileage in France is irrelevant to me, I will not let the immigrant situation stop me enjoying my holiday
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I can see where you are coming from, the drive is part of the adventure too.

What I never tired of in France was how the scenery changed as you chugged along...my first visits were on a motorbike but happy to tootle along, only when I hit autoroutes to navigate around Lyon etc did I open up the taps


Channa
 
Some of us on here actually enjoy the drive and has been already said look on it as part of the adventure :drive:

I also appreciate that some finding the driving difficult due to their age and or ability so the lengthier ferry crossing will help them get to the destination.

Both ways are right and so you do what`s best for you and not what other people tell you is the best way to do it :wave:
 
Of course, depending on where you're starting from, you may have to "waste time" driving through a fair bit of England!

And I would suggest, based on prices that I've seen bandied about on this forum, that the "feeling" that the short crossing is cheaper may be correct, even when the cost of extra diesel is taken into account. Before buying the motorhome, visiting Brittany, Vendée, Charente Maritime or the Medoc, it was a no-brainer to use Brittany Ferries, because we could take advantage of the long outbound crossing (Portsmouth-Saint Malo overnight) to sleep and then take to the road refreshed with a full day ahead of us; the short crossing would have involved not only extra fuel but also driving around London and at least one night in a Chambre d'Hôte or hotel. With a motorhome, the economics may be less clear-cut. And of course, total time/distance on the road will depend also on one's starting point in the UK. Departing from the Midlands, I still prefer to use the central Channel crossings, but opt for the daytime ones (cheaper), overnighting in the vehicle check-in lanes outbound from Poole or in wild camping locations if sailing from Portsmouth. Wouldn't want too short a crossing - the crossing's part of the holiday!

Tom
 
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