Campgrounds opening motorhome service areas next to their grounds: the example of Merval in Vendée

In spring 2026, the Touring Club Schweiz (TCS) evaluated 129 highway rest areas in France, Spain, and Portugal. In France, 86% of the 52 tested sites received 4 or 5 stars; in Spain, only one of 60 reached 4 stars, and nine of the ten lowest-rated sites were in Spain. In Portugal, 11 of 17 sites were rated as recommendable. The test found non-functional charging points at several Spanish locations.

On June 14, 2026, around 170 caravans of a traveler community attempted to enter the racetrack in Oraison (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence). Mayor Benoît Gauvan stated he would not allow this, noting the existence of a designated large-passage area. Traffic on roads D4B and D4096, as well as exit 19 of the A51, was blocked. By 11:30 PM, the caravans left the town center but remained on the road; an operational center is expected to open on the morning of June 15.

On the night of June 13, 2026, an individual entered a couple's motorhome parked at the Champoux rest area on the A36 highway and stole several personal items. According to the Doubs gendarmerie, similar thefts have occurred in Côte-d'Or and Saône-et-Loire. An investigation is underway.

French traveler Michel Le Traveler interrupted his week-long motorhome trip on the first day because his TV stopped working. He returned to Bordeaux, where he resolved the issue himself by replacing the satellite TV access card. The incident led to a dispute with a dealer who failed to diagnose the fault.

On Sunday, June 14, 2026, a group of travelers will leave the Stade Gien in Talant. The city hall has warned residents of possible traffic disruptions from late morning until the end of the day. The departure follows a protocol signed on June 4 between the mayor and group representatives. Drivers are advised to avoid the area or plan for longer travel times.

For the fourth year, the caravan from the Résidence des Korrigans nursing home has been set up at the Camping des Dunes in Penvénan (Côtes-d'Armor). From June to August, on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., residents spend the day there, recalling their summer holidays. One participant, 94-year-old Thérèse, said she has been coming to this campsite for over 65 years—first with her family in a tent, then alone, even after moving from Le Havre to Penvénan.