Wild camping for multiple nights on the same spot is usually illegal unless you have specific permission from the owner of the land. Answer 1 of 2: Hey guys I would like to try to travel along the coastline of Mediterranean sea from Italy to France, Spain and Portugal and I will have very limited funds. Hello from a newcomer, pointed this way by Womble! Bivouac is allowed between 7pm and 9am, your tent has to be small. Leave no trace and always keep your surroundings clean. Here is to the future. Bivouac is allowed when more than one hour away from the borders of the park or from the road, between 7pm and 9am. known Bivouac is allowed between 6pm and 7am, your tent has to be small. We are about to burst full steam into the height of camping season. Feel free to let me know. If you want to go wild camping, you must first contact the relevant township of the regional park Haute-Vallée de Chevreuse. If you are going to remember anything, simply remember: Bivouac is usually legal and tolerated, wild camping is usually illegal and not tolerated. It’s not technically allowed but, like an irritating child, you’ll generally be tolerated if you play by the rules. Rent a motorhome with Goboony and explore the beauty of France deeper through wild camping. They specifically claim that tents are not allowed (the definition of a bivouac is free for interpretation sometimes, but not in this Park). Thousands of reviews with easy booking. Wild camping in France for motorhomes and campervans- France Passion. Selected Here's our conversation. Camping France - small campsites in In certain areas (see “what does the law say”), With special permission (see “what does the law say”), You can find the official website about the French laws by. Words by Angus Cunningham. On some aspects of The only time you might have trouble finding a wild camping spot is on the beach in the summer. medium-size campsites in the heart of rural France. The shortest answer on this question is: in some places it’s legal, in most places it’s illegal. Visit my TOURING BLOG: http://cycletraveloverload.com/Follow CP on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/thecollegepicker/ The law is only written in French, and it can be rather confusion. We hadn't even seen the motorhome before and had no idea what it had onboard. Especially when you set it up late in the evening and leave early in the morning. Nobody will be actively looking for you, but if someone does find you, you probably weren’t discreet and you might get in trouble. All of the information in this article is found in online sources. , in most places it’s illegal. Should you use one or two trekking poles. this, French law is clear, on others it is vague. Wild camping in France. Campers during the Tour de France. And whatever you do, don't light a fire. If a regional park does not have specific rules, it will fall back to the general rules (which is rather vague, it might not be legal, but you can assume it’s tolerated). So what is Wild Camping? certain general limitations. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Bivouac is tolerated outside the summer and – if private land – with consent of the owner of the land. Also, there is a difference between pitching a tent for one night and wild camping for multiple days in the same spot. Wild camping is permitted anywhere in France subject to the permission of the landowner or tenant of the land, and subject to certain general limitations. Therefore, there might be a different interpretation when it comes to bivouac and wild camping. John Traynor, author of Lightweight Camping, has this advice for anyone thinking about free camping in France. 14. Remember, most of the time you won’t get into trouble, even if people spot you. France is also a world-class wild camping destination. Because of this, they came up with the word bivouac. Pitch your tent in the evening and be gone in the morning – this way, it will be very hard for people to spot you. However, as long as you are respectful and don’t stay too long in one place (settle down late in the evening and leave early in the morning), you should be totally fine (even when using a tent). Technically speaking it’s illegal in a lot of places, but these laws are not really meant to target hikers. in French as "le camping sauvage", involves setting up your tent, or This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. There is probably a reason. and by continuing to use our site you are agreeing to this. parking your caravan or motorhome, for a night or two, outside of designated natural sites, such as national or regional parks, may However, in rural areas wild camping in France for motorhomes really doesn’t seem to be a problem, and if you head a few kilometres from most tourist hot-spots you can usually find a safe and pleasant place to park up overnight. Norway is a country where you can experience completely unparalleled natural beauty, and one of the best ways to do this is through wild camping. Sharing hiking, camping and outdoor experiences. Really quite difficult to find anything conclusive and you don’t want to arrive and be met with a fine or another nasty surprise. But most of the time, the authorities will simply ask you to leave." This generally means pitching your tent in the ev… Camping is perhaps a misleading term. In France camping is officially permitted only on private land with the consent of the owner. Albanians have a habit of ignoring traffic laws, smoking regulations, and pretty much any rule. That said, it’stolerated most of the time, with the exception of certain regional and national parks. No prep, no prior planning. Including the police. Sometimes a bivouac is only allowed with a bivy sack, or sometimes not even that. Online sources might be wrong, rules could change, etc. Finding a little piece of solitude in France isn't usually hard. This generally means pitching your tent in the evening and leaving in the morning, using a small/light tent. Wild camping, or free camping is where you park your vehicle in an acceptable place, such as a beach car park, and camp for free. Close to particularly popular shelters: in the Pré de la Chaumette, on the edge of Lake Muzelle in Venosc and in the Pré des Selles near the Lauvitel -more in Bourg d’Oisans. In most places, wild camping is officially illegal. You are also advised not to stay beyond 9am the next day. Camping Road Trip: Wild Camping In France. However, there are certain exceptions: According to the Article R111-34, the practice of camping outside managed terrain may be prohibited in certain areas: Finally, these bans are only to the extent that they’ve been brought to the public attention through the establishment of posters in town hall and signs on the main access roads leading to the places covered by these bans. There are places where there is no budget accommodation available. From this point, I will use the words used on the relevant websites. This is kind off a gray zone. Wild camping is forbidden at the edges of the lake and in the gorges. Each large pitch is cut into the meadow so you can really immerse yourself in nature. All photos by Bernard Descales. I created HikeHeaven to share experiences, research, tips, tricks and recommend products - or simply to help other hikers. I'm a hiking enthusiast who's mainly been active in Europe. When camping in the wild, however, there are a few rules to follow to avoid problems with the authorities and residents. Bivouac is allowed between 7pm and 9am. We had just purchased this wine, (and a few … Anyone know how wild camping is viewed in France? From wild camping in the French Alps to boondocking in the wilds of Utah, there are a number of resources for finding good spots for wild and free camping in France and across the world; Apps such as Park4Night and Campercontact help you find spots and offer the closest thing to a wild camping map. In terms of the legalities of wild camping in France… They are not meant to target a hiker who doesn’t make a mess, stays discreet and only stays for one night. We knew we wanted to stay off-grid for at least 3 nights. This expertly chosen collection of campsites from the authors of the best selling Cool Camping France guidebook has everything from riverside campsites to woodland pitches, family-friendly camping to glamping sites, city break campsites to rural escapes. Note that the term bivouac can be open for interpretation (especially in other countries). In general, the laws around wild camping are meant for camping cars, gypsies, long-term wild campers, etc. Bivouac is allowed when more than one hour away from the borders of the park or from the road, between, More than an hour’s walk from a road access point or the limits of the heart, Less than an hour’s walk from an access road to the road or the borders of the heart. Bivouac can be allowed if the owner/manager agrees to it. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Wild camping in France. Wild camping, campers and campfires are forbidden. Posted by 3 years ago. HikeHeaven is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Wild camping in Europe: For many a dream, but in most countries, there are laws that forbid overnight stays in nature. France is also one of the top three destinations for campers. The basic rules are set out in Article R111-33 of French town and country planning law. Give consent that we may collect and use your data. Portable fires are allowed, campfires on the ground are forbidden. We live on-site with our 2 dogs, cat […] Bivouac in France is usually tolerated. Also, when I say that something is tolerated that does not necessarily make it legal, you could still get punished. The bivouac is forbidden in classified sites. Regretably we only have an android tablet and I have difficulty in finding a programme to open your file so all the comments are viewable, I dont suppose you have any suggestions of an app that might work? 😀, Your email address will not be published. this message click. Don’t camp close to the street, there is an unwritten rule that you should be at least one hour away from the street. The main restrictions stipulate that wild camping is not Wild camping for motorhomes in France. Wild camping | Find and book campsites in France from £9.11/nt. Wild camping in Forêt d’Orient Regional Park, Wild camping in Landes de Gascogne Regional Park, Do not bivouac on the slopes or peaks of volcanoes, Wild camping in Haute-Vallée de Chevreuse Regional Park, Wild camping in Cotentin en Bessin Regional Park, Wild camping in Monts d’Ardèche Regional Park, Wild camping in Pyrénées catalanes Regional Park, Wild camping in Préalpes d’Azur Regional Park. Safe wild camping in a motorhome was a possibility! Regulation on Wild Camping and Bivouac Shelter in France 22 December 2017 First of all, there is not much explanation in the french legislation to frame the practice of wild camping and the bivouac shelter, but there are still some rules to be respected, such as … To be honest, nobody really seem to care as long as you stay discreet (unless in certain National/Regional Parks and in crowded areas). You can find the official website about the French laws by clicking here. According to the Article R111-32, the campsite is allowed, outside the right-of-way of the highways and roads, with the permission of the person who owns the land. Close. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. Wild camping and bivouac is forbidden in the entire park. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. France is a popular destination area for holidaymakers of all ages as it’s just a short ferry or Eurotunnel journey from the UK. land,  beside a road or well off the road. They are not meant to target a hiker who doesn’t make a mess, stays discreet and only stays for one night. You can stay at vineyards, snail farms, nature reserves and much more.  Article. permitted on the coast, in protected natural sites, and on the Rural , your tent has to be small. set up for the night in an unscheduled location, it's best to have at Hello Lyn, Great website! That’s why, in four months of cycling from England to Turkey, I spent a total of five nights in paid accommodation. You have to be at least one hour away from the borders of the Park, the entrance of the Park and the roads. That said, it’s. 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