Franconia's best campsites: readers' top 7

Under Germany's 'Tempo 100' rule, trailer tires must be less than six years old; otherwise, the maximum speed drops to 80 km/h. The Dutch association ANWB recommends replacing caravan tires after six years and car tires after 8–10 years. Checking the DOT code on the tire sidewall reveals the production date.

Franconian Switzerland is introducing a new quality initiative to manage the flow of motorhomes in the region. The low-threshold concept relies on digitalization to reduce unregulated camping.

According to camping.info, several highly rated campsites in Germany offer pitches from 10 euros per night. For instance, Erlebniscamping Lausitz in Brandenburg starts at 10 euros, while Campingplatz Am Furlbach in North Rhine-Westphalia starts at 11 euros. The average price for a night in Germany in 2025 is around 40 euros. The CamperDays trend index indicates that families are planning more carefully, seeking affordable options.

German company Eifelland will present the fully electric Relax camper van based on the Nissan Interstar-e at the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf. WLTP range is up to 410 km, the 87 kWh battery supports fast charging up to 130 kW. Prices start at 89,900 euros including VAT. Inside, there are four seats, a kitchen with a 90-liter fridge, a bed measuring 1.90 by 1.60 meters, and a Truma Eezy heater powered by the high-voltage battery.

CAMPWERK, a camping specialist from Velbert (North Rhine-Westphalia), will present four new products at the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf from August 28 to September 6, including a new category: pickup truck camper shells under the name Pickup Mate. The company, an exhibitor for 16 years, will display three camper shell models, rooftop tents, and trailer tents at its booth (Hall 3, Stand D70). Visitors can see the systems set up and try them out.

German manufacturer Kuckoo Camper from Baden-Württemberg has introduced the Max Offroad model (from €17,500), a compact caravan measuring 4.30 m in length, 1.98 m in width, and 1.89 m in height. It accommodates two adults, with optional child bed or roof tent expanding capacity to four people. Features include 16-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tires, increased ground clearance, roof rack, and aluminum edge reinforcements. Weight starts at 420 kg, and the caravan is approved for speeds up to 100 km/h. The base version is intended for self-build, while fully equipped off-road variants range from €20,000 to €25,000.