🇫🇷 France — OpenVan.camp

RMC Story will broadcast an episode of the programme La folie du camping-car about families travelling across Europe by motorhome and camper van. Erwan and Aline set off on an 18-month round-the-world trip in a converted truck with their daughter, starting in Brittany. Aurélie and Erwan have been travelling around Europe with their children for six months and stopped in Germany to attend their first MotoGP race. Marie and Jo have been touring France by motorhome for two years, combining concerts and travel. The episode airs on Sunday 22 November at 19:00.

At the 10th Niort motorhome show in France, running until 8 November 2026, Pierrick Clément is the only converter among vehicle dealers. He founded Atelier du fourgon four years ago in Le Vanneau-Irleau after leaving his IT job. Clément has travelled by camper van for 30 years. He builds bespoke interiors after a consultation of at least one hour, taking into account the number of travellers, the season and the destination.

Caravan trailers with 1950s and 1960s styling were shown at the Paris and Düsseldorf leisure vehicle shows. The Dutch Lume Traveler Ranger, 5.19 m long with an aluminium body, leather interior and a 160 x 200 cm bed, costs 60,000 euros. The Airstream 20X, 6.15 m long and sleeping four, is priced at 60,800 euros before import costs from the US. The Barefoot Classic, weighing 910 kg with a bathroom and kitchen, costs 48,000 euros.

The motorhome stopover in Chanaleilles, Haute-Loire, is open all year and charges nothing for parking or for use of its facilities. The site has a waste disposal point, drinking water, a rubbish container, picnic tables and a sanitary block maintained by the commune's technical teams. There is no electricity on site. A stream runs next to the stopover, which looks out on the surrounding hills.

French converter Antilope Van has introduced the Flex 5 Confort, an all-inclusive camper van based on the Renault Trafic. The fully equipped version costs €65,900, well below the price of similarly configured VW California or Mercedes V-Class models. The cheapest variant starts at €52,900. A test review notes both strengths and weaknesses at this price point.

The commune of Guerlédan in Côtes-d’Armor plans to install paid parking meters for motorhomes, caravans and camper vans at the Landroannec site along the lake dam. The municipal council approved the first stage of the project on 5 November 2026. Parking will be charged per day in 24-hour slots at half the rate of the new Camping-car Park aire on rue du Lac. The solar-powered meters are due to operate by the 2027 tourist season. Officials say the free site has increasingly functioned as wild camping, with some visitors staying several days and leaving rubbish.

Alain, 67, a former police officer, and Christelle, 62, from Aveyron spend three winter months in Morocco in their motorhome every year. Their only income is Alain's pension of €2,500 per month; Christelle, a former homemaker, has no personal pension. To fund the trips, the couple limits spending in France, avoiding restaurants and cinema. At a campsite in Agadir, a pitch costs €11 per day including electricity, with a direct view of the ocean. They buy produce at the Aourir market, where a kilogram of vegetables costs about €1.30.

A show for motorhomes, camper vans and caravans runs from 6 to 8 November 2026 at the Noron exhibition park in Niort. The organiser is the VDLPN association, and this is the tenth edition. The previous year's event drew between 4,000 and 5,000 visitors, and treasurer Nils Fleury said the number is only rising. More than a hundred vehicles are on display in the Galuchet hall. Industry representatives say demand holds despite inflation and higher fuel prices; customers keep the same annual fuel budget but reduce mileage.

The Camping-car park motorhome stopover project at the Garandots site in Joncy is moving forward. A construction preparation meeting was held on site on Tuesday 3 November at 9:30 with all parties involved: contractors, the sanitation service of the Clunisois community, the festival committee and the football club. Grant applications have been submitted.

The motorhome stopover in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Besbre, Allier department, is located next to an animal park where Highland cattle graze. The 48-pitch site is part of the RVR ecological stopover network and is open all year. An overnight stay costs €12. Facilities include a waste disposal point, electric hook-up, drinking water, a sanitary block with hot showers, pétanque courts and barbecues, as well as recycling bins. The stopover was created by Pierre-Baptiste, the herd's owner, to let visitors see the animals.

A motorhome, camper van and converted van show will take place at the Parc des Expositions in Lisieux from 19 to 22 November 2026. Around 70 new and used vehicles will be on display over four days. Visitors can compare different layouts and receive personalised advice on buying or changing a vehicle. A selection of accessories will be offered at promotional prices, and Camping-Car Park and Starline will be present to answer questions. Opening hours are 10:00 to 18:30, with free parking.

French platform Roadvan has launched as a peer-to-peer rental service for camper vans, converted vans and motorhomes. The platform charges a standard 15% commission on the owner's share of each rental. It draws on the experience of Roadstr, a French vehicle rental platform operating since 2014. Customer service is based in France. Listing creation is free for owners, and payment is taken after a booking request is accepted, except for instant bookings.

Former farmers Roseline and Gérard in north-west Vendée have converted disused farm buildings into storage for motorhomes, caravans and boats. The 2,500 m² of sheds hold 39 vehicles, with 40 to 50 spaces available. Since 22 December 2021 the site has been listed on MonHangar.fr, which handles contracts, invoicing and insurance for a monthly commission of €15 to €30. The owners expect an average income of €4,000 a year.

Corigon has updated its 2027 motorhome range. The Pure line gains two 7.40 m models, the T 75 LS with twin beds and the T 75 LQ with a central bed, both with face-to-face seating. Pure prices start at €59,799, while the Slim TS 70 S and TS 70 LS start at €60,499. Pure and Advanced motorhomes now include a multimedia pack with a reversing camera and several Fiat driver assistance systems as standard, and Pure models offer a Travel+ pack bundling options. The 130 hp Ford Transit-based Slim models keep their 6.83 m length and 2.14 m width, with an optional drop-down bed.

The municipal council of Noirétable approved pricing for motorhomes at its meeting on Monday 2 November. The token-based payment system is being abandoned. Other details of the new charging scheme are not given in the available part of the article.

Bolazec in Finistère, Brittany, has a free motorhome stopover with three pitches. The stopover provides electric hook-ups, a waste disposal point and drinking water. Pitches overlook the Notre-Dame and Saint-Guénaël church in a typical parish close. A children's playground and a pétanque pitch are next to the pitches. The site lies on the border with the Côtes-d'Armor department.

Camping Figurotta in Bizanet received a SETT Award in the "Unusual" category at the sixth SETT Awards ceremony. The award was presented in Montpellier on 4 November during the SETT trade show, a European meeting of outdoor hospitality professionals. The campsite, damaged by a fire on 30 June 2025, was among six winners for 2026. Each winner received €500 excluding VAT from an exhibitor in its category and coverage in media partner L’Officiel des Terrains de Camping.

French practical site Minutes Maison (20 Minutes) has published a guide on travelling by motorhome with a dog. It states that a bed placed at the rear does not provide the animal with a sense of security. The guide recommends a special harness secured to a seat belt or a spacious, ventilated crate. The dog should be placed behind the passenger seat or facing the bench so it stays near its owner. Under traffic law, the dog must be secured while the vehicle is moving. In September 2026, a 61-year-old man was found dead at the wheel of his motorhome at an aire in Neufchâtel-Hardelot, and the rescue operation was complicated by the presence of his German shepherd. A microchip (mandatory since 2011) or a legible tattoo and an EU pet passport are also required. Stops every two hours are advised.

German equipment manufacturer Berger has presented five new accessories for motorhomes, all priced under €90. The selection includes the Camp&Brew 3-in-1 coffee machine with 1,400 W power and a 0.92 l tank at €89, the SmartLevel digital level with smartphone app at €69, the CC-Check air quality monitor measuring CO₂, humidity and temperature at €59, the RoadDust handheld vacuum with 100 W power and USB-C charging at €34, and the Advertir V16 warning light with magnetic mounting and Spanish DGT approval at €29.99. The accessories are available in Berger stores and on the company's website.

Citroën has launched the Holidays, a camper van based on the Spacetourer. It sleeps four, has two beds, a kitchen and a pop-up roof. Prices start at €56,800.