Hi all,

I have been touring in France several times now, but my next trip will be solo and late in the season. In the past I had a friend doing most of the logistics so I didn't have to think too much about it, but on this trip it will be all on my own to succeed or fail with campgrounds!

I am wondering if anyone with local knowledge can help advise if there is any sort of centralised app or website to recommend for either the municipal campgrounds or the commercial ones? I seem to be having to resort to Google Maps and my experience there has been that it is very time consuming to first of all find a campground and then search to see if it is open. I am finding that late October, most commercial campgrounds seem to be closing. But I am wondering if that will be the same for the municipal ones? Or if there is some good resource that can make finding these places a bit easier?

Thanks in advance!

Emmet

My experience is that the municipal campgrounds in France usually shut down for the season earlier than the commercial campgrounds. It's going to be difficult to find open campgrounds in late October in the north. Even in the south, it's going to be a crapshoot.

I found this map of municipal sites that may be of interest to you.

Ideally you'd want a site or app that would allow you to filter by available dates. ACSI might be helpful in that regard, although I've never used it personally. When I toured France two years ago, I used Google Maps and Komoot/openstreetmap to find campgrounds. Yes, it is very time-consuming to go to each campground's web site and look for their season open/close dates, or to make a bunch of phone calls. It got to the point where I would just choose a campground without confirming its open status, ride there, and hope for the best. A couple of times, I was able to camp for free -- restrooms were open, water was available, but other facilities were shut down. In other situations I'd have to scramble for alternative lodging. If you're game for some camping sauvage, you'll have even more options. Just note that it'll likely be quite cold at night and in the mornings. The coldest night (4°C) I spent was near Bordeaux, which is pretty far south.

Another resource worth checking out is https://www.chambres-hotes.fr/. You can often find great B&B-type experiences out in the countryside for a very reasonable price.

In larger cities with no nearby campgrounds, we would look for "apparthotels", which have a stocked (with utensils, not food) kitchenette. They're geared towards extended stays (business travelers, students, etc.) but they'll let you book a room even for one night. If you want a hot meal or two, you can save a few bucks that way versus staying at a standard hotel and visiting restaurants.

Happy travels!

Hi Emmet

As has been said elsewhere, you're likely to find most campgrounds closed. Their websites usually make clear if they're open.

It is remarkably easy to camp wild in France, though, unless you're in open prairie like the Beauce, south of Paris. Look for unmade tracks leading off the road, walk along to see if there's a spot for a tent, wait to see if anybody has followed you, then put up your tent.

People are easy-going even if they find you. It's clear you'll move on in the morning and if you keep off crops and don't obstruct tractors, you'll have no problems.

Good luck!

happy days

léo

Hi Kevin,

thanks so much for this - it is amazing the "velotouring" site. I am only going for one week and I am happy to pay for hotels each night but there is not always a convenient hotel wherever you need one!

Also, I plan to start from Bordeaux and head along the coastline over to Bilbao in Spain. That way I am hoping that the temperatures will not be too bad and I have been assured by some French people I've spoken to that it should be comfortable enough. Although I agree, overnight temps could certainly get chilly.

I've been reluctant to wild camp in the past for several reasons, however I have also had a similar situation to you in one particular municipal campground in the past where we were happy to pay but it was unattended so we ended up camping for free. This happened twice in the same place.

Either way, it will be better than a week in the office!

Cheers,

Emmet

Hi Leo,

I was of course hoping to hear from the Oracle himself. Thanks for the input. I plan to go from Boreaux to Bilbao in Spain, these are relatively easy flights from Ireland, and the distance is achievable even for a slow-poke like myself. 

I have a hotel booked for the first night just outside Bordeaux, and the rest I will just wing it. I am not opposed to wild camping but I thought it was "illegal" in France and honestly not really a necessary thing for me given the availability of good quality and reasonably priced campgrounds. However the time of year is a bit of an issue and I do see some of the campgrounds will be closed - but some do still appear to be open.

Main issue with wild camping is basically the lack of facilities. I  am not 18 anymore and I do like some creature comforts like a shower, toilet block and the ability to wash and dry clothes - as well as a nearby food source that I don't have to cook myself. Yes, I am soft in more ways than one. 

From a budget perspective I have no issue with a hotel each night also, if that is my only option, but there again - if I'm going to commit to a hotel tour, then do I carry tent etc as backup - and if I don't then I need a hotel to appear on command as I need it to at the end point of each day!

I think in the end, I will bring the camping gear, hope for the best and let the road unfold what it will. 

Cheers,

Emmet

Hi

Of course, if you don’t want to camp wild then this will be of limited interest. But it may help others.

Wild camping is illegal in every European country I can think of, except Scotland, Norway and Sweden.

It is indeed illegal in France but the question is at whom is the law aimed? In general,it is aimed at people with huge tents who have no intention of moving on next morning, and at people in caravans and camper vans. Seaside towns can be stricter because potential campers are more numerous and because the towns depend on tourists and the money they spend. 

In rural areas, walkers and cyclists who pitch for the night, who are discreet and have an obvious care for the countryside, are looked as curious and eccentric but of no harm. Some people may even be envious, or reminisce about their own adventures. I have never been moved on.

It’s true, of course, that you won’t get a shower and a gin and tonic. But there are ways round that.

It’s perfectly possible to wash yourself. If you have found somewhere discreet, you can heat water and strip right off. I have done numerous times and so have others I have been with.

Washing clothes is trickier because hanging them to dry is an excellent way to call attention to yourself. So, early in the day, you stop at a petrol station. They all have toilets with basins. Petrol stations are impersonal places. Nobody lingers. So you squirt soap into a basin, dunk your shorts, shirt and whatever else, rinse them in clean water, wring them out and leave the place looking as innocent as you can manage. You are unlikely to be questioned even in mid-wash; people feel uncomfortable striking up conversations in toilets.

Back outside,you strap your clothes to your bags and ride off, knowing that the air that flows over you will also flow over your washing.