Camping in France

[custard]

Does anyone know if you can wild camp in France, (stop and camp where ever you want, road side, open countryside)

Just spoke to someone about this for the Lake District (UK) there coment was...

Thank you for your email. Legally, you have to have the permission of a landowner to camp on their land. There is a tradition of wild camping in the Lake District. In the past, as long as people have:

Camped above the highest fell wall (so away from towns and villages)
Left no litter
Lit no fires and
Stayed for only one night

then their camping has usually been tolerated. However, we as the National Park Authority do not have the power to allow camping on private land. And we do not permit it on the land that we own.

The largest landowner in the area is the National Trust, and they can be contacted by email ([email protected]) or by phone (0870 609 5391)

There are many official campsites in the area, many in fairly wild and very beautiful locations. You can see a list on this link to the Cumbria Tourist Board website

Thanks

Matthew Woolfenden
Contact Centre Adviser
Lake District National Park Authority
01539 724555
www.lake-district.gov.uk

 

[Janie]

Ive never gone campin in france but i have toured around it in me motorhome, and they do seem to have a more relaxed attitude over there.....but to be honest why camp at the side of the road when there are some really beautiful campsites............with nice showers and clean loo's..........
they have eurocamps where you don't even need to take your own tent.....its already there with everything you need..........all you have to do is book em........................why make work for yourself...that my motto.....

 

[custard]

Ive never gone campin in france but i have toured around it in me motorhome, and they do seem to have a more relaxed attitude over there.....but to be honest why camp at the side of the road when there are some really beautiful campsites............with nice showers and clean loo's..........
they have eurocamps where you don't even need to take your own tent.....its already there with everything you need..........all you have to do is book em........................why make work for yourself...that my motto.....

Theres a group of five of us going in may, and rather than have to plan our route to much, we wanted to stop and camp when the light was drawing in or we were tired, rather then having to reach a certain point each day.
The idea of roughing it to engage in the full essence of adventure.
I know that France isnt quite the deserts of Africa, but it's our first trip.

 

[Janie]

don't forget a lot of the petrol stations aint 24hr and they don't always open on a sunday............unless your on a motorway......so a little thinkin will have to go into the adventure........

 

[mike wright]

I just pulled into a corner of a field and set up camp for one night in France. Didnt get any problems or hassle. Ive done that a few times and nobody seems to mind.

 

[thornley]

Wild camping is not legal but often tolerated. Camp sites are so numerous on the main routes that roughing it at road sides and being moved on in the middle of the night doesn't seem to be an option.

 

[Dellis]

Wild camping is not legal but often tolerated. Camp sites are so numerous on the main routes that roughing it at road sides and being moved on in the middle of the night doesn't seem to be an option.

Like thornley said

Dave

 

[spacemonkey]

I think your main problem there is being five of you. Sure they'd overlook 1 person but a few of you and they probably won't stop to ask you they'll be straight off to the nearest gendarmerie...

 

[Vendome 41]

Camping outside campsites is known as "Camping sauvage" and illegal, could cost you a lot more than the savings

 

[ELIMINATOR]

Who's got a geographical list of sites then?

 

[Spikehammer]

Almost every town and village in France has municiple camp sites that are cheap. Even the commercial ones are well priced.
I really wouldn't bother wild camping just get to a town or village before nightfall and you should be OK. The only time you may have a problem is the major French holiday weeks in August.

 

[(RIP) Shenzi]

Down here they wil do more than move you on, it will cost you dear especially in forested areas! As has been mentioned the municipal campsites as numerous and cheap, why bother looking for trouble?

 

[Python]

I posted up about touring in France recently, this may help with what you are looking for

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94150

Have fun.

J

 

[thornley]

Down here they wil do more than move you on, it will cost you dear especially in forested areas! As has been mentioned the municipal campsites as numerous and cheap, why bother looking for trouble?

We have the same around us (Drome Provencale). Camping sauvage is dangerous due to the forest fires common through out the height of summer. Usually moved on from road sides on major routes south but nicked in the forests!

 

[Big Lee]

There`s any amount of campsites in France, far more than in the UK. Well signposted too with how many stars the place has been awarded. Stick with the 1 * sites & you can`t go wrong. You only need a shower, bog & bit of grass to stick the tent

 

[BigAlMacMac]

There are thousands of campsites in France. You almost can't go anywahere without seeing signs for them.

If you are being very tight then you could consider camping in the hundres of Aires which are rest areas off, mostly major, roads.

Frankly, I would just ride until you had enough very feeling hungry and stop at the next campsite... it will never be far away

 

[Backmarker]

We (a load of uni mountaineering club students) camped rough travelling through France in 1985. We did not get a single nights sleep without gendarme intervention - and 'intervetion' meant a 'papers check' taking at least an hour, and then a move on.

Campsite wise, me and the missus used to just buy the michelin guide. Regularly just rode into sites 10 or 11 pm. They usually have a sign up saying something along the lines of 'if the office is closed, find a pitch, and come let us know when we open in the morning'. Never had a problem doing this, indeed, never had any problems of any sort on any French site in the Michelin Guide (regardless of grade/price).

 

[JIm]

Me and the other half got it wrong on year in France, we thought we could ride throug the night, but after midnight we realised it was not going to happen. We found a campsite but the barrier was down and no one in attendance, we quietly road round the barrier and sat up camp in a quiet part of the site. Next morning I left it to her to explain to the office person what we had done, no problem and charged for one night.