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France
Experts from the Touring Club Suisse (TCS) tested 129 motorway service stations in France, Spain, and Portugal, covering 10,000 km. France ranked first due to a high density of fast charging stations and well-developed facilities for motorhomes. Portugal came second with good food and charging infrastructure, while Spain ranked third due to a lack of charging stations (only one in ten) and frequent malfunctions.
A group of caravans has set up on the grounds of the Lycée du Chesnoy in Amilly. A spokesperson stated that stopping there was not originally planned. The reasons and circumstances of the occupation are being clarified.
A new episode of the Vanecdotes podcast has been released, in which traveler Mathilde Dubois recounts an unusual night spent in Brittany with a catch of seafood in her camper van. In 2023, she embarked on a tour of France to promote local gastronomic products as part of the Vaniti Vadrouille project. After a fishing trip in Finistère, a fisherman gave her lobsters, spider crabs, and octopuses, but cooking them in the small van was impossible due to the lack of a suitable pot. Dubois had to spend the night with the catch on the front seat, leading to unexpected sounds and a comical situation.
In Ostheim, France, Baron François de Watteville blocked a group of travelers who cut down a tree and branches to create a passage through a hedge of Schoppenwihr park to a field intended for parking at the Country Living event on June 20–21. The incident occurred on Sunday around 4:00 PM. Negotiations involving gendarmes and a representative of the Haut-Rhin prefecture lasted about two hours. The estate owner offered an alternative meadow for the caravans.
In spring 2026, the Touring Club Schweiz (TCS) evaluated 129 highway rest areas in France, Spain, and Portugal. In France, 86% of the 52 tested sites received 4 or 5 stars; in Spain, only one of 60 reached 4 stars, and nine of the ten lowest-rated sites were in Spain. In Portugal, 11 of 17 sites were rated as recommendable. The test found non-functional charging points at several Spanish locations.
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About 180 caravans of an evangelical community occupied the Courlans airfield, another 170 headed to the Oraison racecourse, and a group settled on a plot in Corbas. Negotiations or evictions are underway everywhere.
On the night of June 13, 2026, an individual entered a couple's motorhome parked at the Champoux rest area on the A36 highway and stole several personal items. According to the Doubs gendarmerie, similar thefts have occurred in Côte-d'Or and Saône-et-Loire. An investigation is underway.
French traveler Michel Le Traveler interrupted his week-long motorhome trip on the first day because his TV stopped working. He returned to Bordeaux, where he resolved the issue himself by replacing the satellite TV access card. The incident led to a dispute with a dealer who failed to diagnose the fault.
On Sunday, June 14, 2026, a group of travelers will leave the Stade Gien in Talant. The city hall has warned residents of possible traffic disruptions from late morning until the end of the day. The departure follows a protocol signed on June 4 between the mayor and group representatives. Drivers are advised to avoid the area or plan for longer travel times.
For the fourth year, the caravan from the Résidence des Korrigans nursing home has been set up at the Camping des Dunes in Penvénan (Côtes-d'Armor). From June to August, on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., residents spend the day there, recalling their summer holidays. One participant, 94-year-old Thérèse, said she has been coming to this campsite for over 65 years—first with her family in a tent, then alone, even after moving from Le Havre to Penvénan.
A new motorhome parking area with 12 pitches opened on June 15 in Geudertheim, Alsace, accessible year-round. Located near Strasbourg, the facility aims to boost tourism in the Basse-Zorn region and generate economic benefits for local businesses.
RTBF Tipik will air a documentary about France's largest motorhome show, held in Villepinte. Over ten days, the film follows sellers, exhibitors, and visitors, including retirees, families, and salespeople. It showcases a wide range of models, from luxury motorhomes costing hundreds of thousands of euros to innovative mini-caravans.
In the Haute-Loire department, retired farmers are renting out former agricultural buildings for storing motorhomes and caravans. One farmer, Antoine, uses an 800 sqm barn to store ten motorhomes and one caravan year-round. According to Joris Baco, co-founder of Monhangar.fr, about 40% of farmers seek additional income, and vehicle storage is one of the least time-consuming options. The peak season for such services runs from June to late November.
Berger Loisirs, a specialist in equipment for motorhomes and campervans, has released four new product lines: ArktarRoof (from €999) and PCA 3400 (€349) air conditioners, BKS refrigerators (from €399 to €699), and BEPS portable power stations (from €179 to €799). The ArktarRoof is available in 2650 W and 3600 W versions, fits a standard 40×40 cm roof cutout, and offers cooling, heating, and dehumidification. The PCA 3400 is a portable 1000 W air conditioner requiring no installation, compatible with external batteries. BKS refrigerators come in five capacities from 44 to 148 liters, operating on 12 V or 230 V. BEPS stations use LiFePO₄ technology, support charging from mains, cigarette lighter, and solar panels (on models from 1200 W).
In Castres (Tarn), around a hundred caravans of travelers illegally occupied a sports field during evangelical festivities. The mayor cut off water and electricity after they refused to leave, resulting in damage to a transformer and fences worth several thousand euros. 800 young people were unable to participate in a highly anticipated rugby tournament. The municipality plans to file a complaint.
Sonia Bossard, owner of the 4-star Gajan campsite, reported 70% occupancy for summer 2026. The campsite has upgraded its playground and added an outdoor fitness area. It features 46 mobile homes, including 3 new ones, and pitches for tents, caravans, and motorhomes. Planned activities include concerts, lotto, aqua aerobics, and sports tournaments.
A 28-year-old man living in a motorhome in Nord-Isère was found guilty of corrupting a minor. The child's mother filed a complaint in September 2025, expressing concern about the father's regular alcohol and cocaine use. On June 11, the court ordered socio-judicial monitoring with mandatory treatment.
Françoise Gularek, after retiring, converted an old van into a mobile sewing workshop. She now operates on three markets in Lot-et-Garonne, offering clothing repair services.
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On June 11, a car with a caravan was surrounded by water on the flooded Passage du Gois road in Vendée, France. The driver managed to reach dry land, and rescuers evacuated the vehicle.
Amy Edwards, 40, along with her husband and five children, left the UK to travel Europe in a motorhome. The family bought the vehicle in July 2025, visited Wales, and then moved to France. Plans include Spain and Portugal. Amy homeschools the children, calling the British school system 'too rigid'.
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