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On June 7, 2026, illegal caravan encampments were reported in several French towns, and a fatal motorhome accident occurred in Sarthe. The driver died, a passenger was hospitalized.

Owners of camper vans in France often question their right to use motorhome parking areas. The key access criterion is the presence of autonomous water and waste systems, required by private networks. Legally, such areas are treated as regular parking lots, so no ban on entry exists for camper vans, but setting up camp is prohibited.

Michel Letraveler, a regular contributor to Le Monde du Camping-Car, traveled to La Roche Courbon Castle (Charente-Maritime, 130 km from Bordeaux) by motorhome. The castle grounds offer free overnight parking for motorhomes with no services. Entrance to the gardens and museums costs €12, guided tour of the castle €16.

Using a caravan as a permanent guest room on a property may be classified as illegal construction. Under French law, if the caravan loses mobility (wheels removed, placed on a concrete base) and is used for more than three months a year, it is treated as a building. The fine for such a violation can reach €90,000, and the court may order demolition with a daily penalty of up to €500 for non-compliance.

According to an Ipsos/Le Monde du Voyage survey (May 2025), 62% of vanlife enthusiasts in France choose routes under 300 km, and 73% prefer visiting one region per trip. Leading destinations are Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (over 540 spots on Park4Night, 80% rated above 4/5), Finistère (28% increase in natural area visits since 2022), and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, where temporary agricultural parking for up to 2 nights has been tested since March 2025.

Approximately 200 caravans of travellers (gens du voyage) have illegally set up on the grounds of the Lunéville-Chanteheux-Croismare airfield in France. Their arrival was originally scheduled for mid-June, but they occupied the site early without signing an agreement with local authorities. The CCTLB intercommunality set a fee of €5.20 per day for a double-axle trailer, but the travellers demanded a reduction. The CCTLB president stated his intention to enforce the law and collect the established fee.