Vanlife in France: Freedom Comes at a Price, but Alternatives Exist

The motorhome stopover in Auxonne, opened on 13 February on chemin de la Grande Prairie, recorded 1,575 overnight stays (about 3,700 people) in its first six months. Initially planned for 35 pitches, capacity was reduced to 30 due to the discovery of an old burial site during construction. The rate is 14.80 euros per night, and revenue has reached about 20,000 euros. About 60% of users are French and 40% foreign, mainly German. The site has a rating of 4.4 out of 5. No expansion is planned.

The Landes department is holding the first edition of the Automnales du foie gras et de l'Armagnac from 1 to 31 October. Six Routes du Foie Gras and five Routes de l'Armagnac have been created, including a Route de l'Armagnac au féminin. A 2.5-hour food tour in Hagetmau is available for groups of 8 to 20 people at €39 per person. A cocktail evening will take place on 2 October at the Green Oak pub in Mont-de-Marsan.

In summer 2026, motorhome dealerships in Cornouaille, France, are seeing a younger clientele who are swapping air travel for local tourism and itinerant travel. Concarneau has four motorhome parking areas available in high season, and the motorhome area in Pont-l'Abbé is regularly full. In Cap-Sizun, increasing numbers of campervans and motorhomes are putting pressure on natural areas.

Camping-Car Magazine has published its 399th issue, timed to the 60th anniversary of the Paris-Le Bourget leisure vehicle show. The 292-page edition features European motorhome novelties for 2027, 45 test drives, details on base vehicles and ADAS, and a market overview with prices. It goes on sale on 11 September 2026 at €6.95.

Under Article R.421-23 of the French Urban Planning Code, keeping a caravan on private land for more than three months per year outside campsites and residential leisure parks requires a prior declaration. The three-month period is calculated by adding up all periods of use, consecutive or not. If the notice is ignored, the mayor can order removal with a penalty of €500 per day of delay, capped at €25,000. A mobile home is not granted the same tolerance and may only be installed in a residential leisure park, holiday village, or campsite.

Trigano brand Panama is expanding its lineup with two camper vans based on the Renault Trafic: the R10 and R10 Limited Edition. Both models are offered in two pre-configured variants without a configurator. The R10 measures 5.08 m long, 2.05 m high, 2.28 m wide and has a kerb weight of 2450 kg. It is powered by a 2.0 dCi engine with 130 hp and manual transmission, and includes a reversing camera, lane keeping assist, 16-inch steel wheels, a lead-acid battery, a 185 W solar panel and an 8-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Limited Edition adds 150 hp, automatic transmission, 17-inch wheels, a lithium battery, a 370 W solar panel, an inverter, a hot water boiler, a portable toilet, a 360-degree camera, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and a premium Java Black interior. Both models feature polystyrene floor insulation and rock wool in the walls and tailgate, plus under-seat drawers and a side rear cabinet. Sales start in the 2027 season.