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questions and answers

Got a question about camping in France? Ask us (email your question) and we'll try to help: some of the more frequently-asked will be posted here - see the example below:

Motorhome stopovers on the coast
Q "We are new to motorhome touring but during previous visits to France have seen many motorhomes parked up for the night by the beaches or close to beaches...it would seem without charge.We would like to try this type of holiday tied in with some nights on registered sites. Can you help? Is there a list of this type of site,what are the rules in France...etc etc."

A The French are extremely relaxed and welcoming to motorhome and caravan users as tourism is such a huge part of the economy, especially in rural areas. France is a big country with many different local bureacracies so things do vary, but everywhere you will find various levels of facility for overnight and longer stops, starting with car parks by beaches etc. Generally, if there is no notice forbidding camping/overnight parking, it should be OK to stop there. Please note this doesn't apply to town centre car parks, just the informal ones in rural and coastal areas. Some formal and informal car parks have facilities for discharge of waste water - there is one such in the centre of Bayeaux, for example.
Next on the list is the excellent and peculiarly French concept of 'Aires de Services'. These are actually intended for motorhome and caravan stopovers - they are municipal facilities for public use. They range from elaborate laybys on trunk roads (generally free of charge) to basic but well-kept sites in towns and villages, with water, sometimes electric hook-up and often discharge points. These usually make a small charge for an overnight stay, perhaps 5 euros at most including water etc. Our favourite is on the harbour at Honfleur, fantastic views and better access to the town than the commercial campsites! These are sometimes combined with the local 'Camping Municipal' (a municipally-owned campsite, always cheap and often very well-kept, although usually basic). Incidentally, there have been reports of criminals targetting motorhomes parked in the layby variety of Aires, although this seems to be restricted to the Cote d'Azur and Calais. Brittany, Normandy, the Loire, the Western Atlantic coast and places like the Lot, the Dordogne etc should be fine - it's partly a matter of common sense: in the same way that you'd be more wary in some parts of England than others.
How to find these? Well, the Federation Francaise de Camping et de Caravanning publishes a guide book: "Aires de Services Camping-Car" each year. It's a bit tricky to buy in the UK - 'Camping Connections' (Chesil Lodge, West Bexington, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 9DG) are the official UK agents, and carry small stocks.
Otherwise contact the local tourist offices in the areas you plan to visit: they often have leaflets listing the facilities in their areas - a list of their web addresses and telephone numbers can be found here. Or if you're feeling confident, just ask when you get there - ask for 'aires de services camping-car'.