Report a problem

What is the problem?

Could not attach a screenshot — send without it

Vanlife Summer 2026: Tips for Beginners and Myth About Cool Destinations Debunked

27.07.2026 01:12 1 min 3 sources
L'Auto-Journal FRA + 2 more
Vanlife Summer 2026: Tips for Beginners and Myth About Cool Destinations Debunked
Original source: L'Auto-Journal

In Brief

More French people are choosing vanlife. Camper rental costs 60 to 130 euros per day; driver must be over 21 with at least 2 years of experience. A survey of 17,000 Europeans shows that France, Italy and Spain remain top summer destinations, not Scandinavia.

Preparation for the First Trip

Camper rental costs 60 to 130 euros per day. The driver must be over 21 and have at least two years of driving experience. Before the trip, it is advisable to study local parking rules and pack a first-aid kit, tools, an extension cord and bed linen.

Myth About Cool Destinations

A survey of 17,000 European vanlifers conducted by the ACSI platform debunked a social media trend: the main summer destinations remain France, Italy and Spain. Scandinavian countries have not replaced southern ones. During the year, travelers reduce distances due to high fuel prices, but in summer they still take long trips.

Additional Tips

Le Guide du Routard recommends planning a route with possible changes in mind, checking overnight parking rules (wild camping is restricted or banned in Iceland, New Zealand and Spain), planning short legs and budgeting for unexpected expenses.

Aggregated by OpenVan.camp from the public sources listed below, with AI-assisted translation and summary. We always link to the original source. Machine translation may differ from the original -- check the source for important details. Images and content remain the property of their respective owners. Copyright information

Story sources

Tips for your first camper van trip

05.07.2026 L'Auto-Journal FRA Original source

Vanlife: The myth of a shift to cool destinations debunked

13.06.2026 Caradisiac.com FRA Original source

Tips for camper van travel this summer

27.05.2026 Routard.com FRA Original source

🇫🇷 France — fuel prices

Updated: 25.07.2026

SP95-E10

$2.31 /l

€2.04 · £1.74/l

130 of 140

pricier than 92% of countries

SP98

$2.40 /l

€2.11 · £1.80/l

82 of 94

pricier than 86% of countries

Gazole

$2.45 /l

€2.15 · £1.84/l

132 of 141

pricier than 93% of countries

Gazole premium

$2.50 /l

€2.20 · £1.88/l

34 of 41

pricier than 80% of countries

GPL

$1.19 /l

€1.04 · £0.89/l

47 of 55

pricier than 84% of countries

Superéthanol-E85

$0.97 /l

€0.85 · £0.72/l

4 of 6

cheaper than 50% of countries

Cheapest on the map

Popular route

Distance

Fuel cost

~

Est. time

~

Quiz: test yourself
Guess the vanlife lingo — 3 quick questions
1 / 3
Q1 A French sign says "Aire de service camping-car". What should you expect first?

Best regions in the coming days

Brittany +22°·24 km/h
94
Normandy +21°·43 km/h
90
Hauts-de-France +23°·43 km/h
89
Pays de la Loire +25°·39 km/h
83
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes +24°·24 km/h
79
Avoid now
Corsica +32°·25 km/h
44
Occitania +29°·35 km/h
57

You May Be Interested

All News

Van’s Ouest offers camper van rentals for travelers

Van’s Ouest, founded by Muriel and Maxime, rents camper vans for exploring the Landes and southwestern France. The fleet includes four vans, each with a unique design; after the first season, the fleet doubled. Rental prices range from €85 to €100 per day without extras. The company also offers compact models for beginners and solutions for self-sufficiency.

News from France

All News

Full-time vanlife without a laptop: three ordinary jobs

The French vanlife community discusses a lifestyle of living in a motorhome without remote work. According to community sources, annual income from seasonal hospitality work, agricultural labor, and selling handmade goods can range from €18,000 to €25,000 net. Expenses for fuel, insurance, campsites, food, and maintenance are estimated at €12,000–€18,000 per year. The model can be financially viable but requires physical work and administrative organization.

Solidarity appeal: caravans and building materials for Nantes fire victims

A fire in the Vieux Doulon shantytown in Nantes destroyed between 20 and 30 caravans. About 60 families lost their homes and all belongings. The appeal requests habitable caravans, construction materials (wood, panels, fasteners, tarps, insulation, sheet metal, windows, doors, tools) and financial donations. The families work seasonal agricultural jobs (vineyards, vegetable farming) and are due to return to work on August 1.

Van life market gains traction in Corsica

An economy is emerging around van life in Corsica, encompassing not only vehicle sales and rentals but also a range of related services. Entrepreneurs like Camille Istria with I Picculi Combi rent out restored Volkswagen Combis, promoting authentic tourism. Campsites report an increase in van visitors, who spend money at local restaurants and shops, boosting the economy of less frequented areas.

Install OpenVan.camp

Get quick access and offline reading.

Install on iOS

  1. 1 Tap Share in Safari.
  2. 2 Choose "Add to Home Screen".
  3. 3 Confirm by tapping Add.

Already installed

The app is already installed on this device.

Install from browser menu

Use your browser menu to install or add to home screen.

→ Glossary