Low season in southern France: 6 campsites open in October

The Les Chênes Verts motorhome stopover in Brem-sur-Mer, Vendée, has been shortlisted by Camping-Car Magazine for its annual best campsite award. The site operates year-round, offers around 40 pitches and is part of the RVR environmental network. Overnight stays cost €13.60, plus a tourist tax of €1.22 per person per night, covering parking, waste disposal, water and electricity.

Emma Manadé has been travelling across France and Europe in a converted Renault Twingo since summer 2023. She has visited the Alps, Jura, Ardèche, Switzerland and Ireland. She documents her trips and shares advice on budget vanlife with over half a million followers on social media.

Georges (76) and Evelyne (74) from Loir-et-Cher, after eight years with a heavy motorhome Bavaria Fjord 710 on a 4.25-tonne Fiat Ducato with Al-Ko chassis, bought a new Globecar Summit 640 camper van on a 140 hp Citroën Jumper, 6.36 metres long, in 2019. It is their seventh motorhome. They cite easier driving and access to villages and trailhead car parks, plus a large sliding side door. Drawbacks include a smaller garage, no scooter, and a smaller fridge. The couple do not consider themselves vanlifers and may return to a wider motorhome.

Citroën has launched the Holidays camper van with a starting price of €53,790. The vehicle is under 5 meters long, sleeps four, and features a removable kitchen and a roof-mounted solar panel. It is positioned as one of the most affordable factory camper vans on the market.

Four years after the 2022 wildfires in France, a campsite near the Great Dune of Pilat has been rebuilt and reopened. The fires destroyed five campsites and several thousand hectares of forest. Reconstruction cost significant money, but insurance companies have covered only 25% of the damage. Campsite director Cédric Rocher criticizes authorities for warnings that deterred tourists and insurers for delays. Despite this, the campsite reopened a year after the fire, and rebuilding is nearly complete. Trees still need to grow to provide shade.

French magazine Camping-Car Magazine has published a selection of events scheduled for October 2026 in the Centre-Val de Loire region for motorhome travellers. In Indre, the 37th guitar festival will take place in Issoudun from 29 to 31 October, with concerts, masterclasses and a luthiers' exhibition; motorhome parking is available at the Plaine des Sports car park (D918). From 30 October to 1 November, Éguzon-Chantôme will host the 40th chestnut festival with hikes, roasted chestnuts and cider; motorhome parking is possible at the private Super U service area (rue Camille-Toussaint) or for a fee at the municipal Les Nugiras campsite. In Loir-et-Cher, the Sologne gastronomy days will be held in Romorantin-Lanthenay on 24–25 October with around 70 producers and artisans, and the 35th Rockomotives festival will take place in Vendôme from 24 to 31 October.