Good plans to rent it
What if the van was the best way to travel around France, while maintaining a reasonable social distance? Before booking your favorite model, you select it according to your needs, the distance traveled and the comfort required. Smaller and above all less equipped than a motorhome, the van in the collective imagination is above all the adorable T2 Volkswagen combi whose legendary curves continue to thrill road-trip enthusiasts. Several sites offer a delicious moment of nostalgia by renting fully equipped vintage models, such as the T2 or the Westfalia, in several regions of France. With more than 100,000 registered members, the Wikicampers site offers to rent between private throughout France over 3,500 vans, vans and motorhomes, vintage or recent, even at the last minute. For neophytes, modern versions will undoubtedly be more comfortable. Founded in Germany, the Roadsurfer site offers a selection of compact and fitted vans adapted to everyone's needs. Some models, such as the Mercedes Marco Polo or the VWT6 California, have four or five beds and encourage family travel. "The ideal is to test the van by opting for a rental over an extended weekend , says Arnaud Lorrain, marketing manager at Roadsurfer. This allows you to get your bearings and know if you are ready to stay in this small space for several days or weeks. The big advantage of fitted vans is that their compact size allows access to unique spots, they are more discreet than motorhomes. From a practical point of view, these models have a kitchen area, outdoor showers, a small table and chairs stored in the doors. Enough to satisfy a desire for basic comfort.
Useful apps
To avoid unpleasant surprises, we download the travel assistance applications before leaving. Roadsurfer / Photo press
If smartphones have replaced GPS and road maps, they will also be very useful for managing daily life, starting with the choice of a location for the night. The van allows you to stop along beaches or national parks, away from homes and out of sight; but in town, it is obviously not possible to camp around your vehicle. Even if the van trip is a delight for those who like the unexpected, it is not necessarily pleasant to be surprised by the night without knowing where to park. To avoid surprises (and look for a discreet way to park) the Park4Night app references all the sites, whether in town or in the countryside and to identify the equipment you might need. On Caramaps, same principle, but the participants can also offer their terrain. By making it possible to camp with the inhabitant, the Home Camper application offers an original experience. Several thousand private plots are thus available for reservation from the application, offered by individuals to stay one or more nights. Regulars of “vanlife” will also have downloaded the Flush app on their smartphones. It may sound anecdotal, but it does indicate the nearest toilet. To prepare or keep the precise memory of your hiking trails on site, Wikiloc records in real time the route with details on the elevation and the addition of photos to share with other users.
Dream itineraries
The advantage of the van? Even on the most touristy routes, it is still possible to find a space to park away from the crowds. Roadsurfer / Photo press
France has the largest road network in Europe, with 1,073,500 kilometers of roads and motorways ... Enough to consider several road trips for this summer, whether you want to leave for one or more weeks ... A trip by van does not require swallowing the kilometers, but taking your time to savor the landscape as well as to linger in the villages crossed. Even on the most touristy routes, it is still possible to find a space to park away from the crowds.
LE COTENTIN
First stage, the Cotentin and Bessin marshes natural park, then towards Sainte-Mère-Église and the Landing beaches. The D14 then goes up towards Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, you can park in front of the small beach and walk on the island of Tatihou when the tide allows. After Cherbourg, you have to take the D45 which overlooks the sea, pass by Port Racine and join the lighthouse of Goury, where the presence of sheep and stone walls gives the landscape an air of Ireland. Facing the island of Jersey, it will be the ideal spot to sleep lulled by the wind.
Read also: Practical guide to the D-Day landing beaches to prepare your family D-Day
L'ALSACE, FROM STRASBOURG TO COLMAR
From Strasbourg, direction Saverne to visit the Château de Rohan, nicknamed the little Alsatian Versailles; then Obernai, Sélestat and Ribeauvillé, where the route joins the Route des Crêtes, a famous circuit in the Ballons des Vosges regional park. Stop in the medieval town of Cernay and then by the lake of Gérardmer where many paths allow you to stay in peace.
Read also: In Alsace, three new walks less than 100 km from Strasbourg
THE PYRENEES
For those who wish to avoid the crowd crowded on the beaches of the Basque country and who are not afraid of the winding roads, direction Cerbère, south of Banyuls, on the Catalan border. From Hendaye, direction Arette via the Col d'Ispéguy, Irouléguy and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Stay overnight at the Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin, which offers breathtaking views of the Arlie and Anas peaks. The road continues towards Argelès-Gazost then on the D921 through the Gorges de Luz and it will be necessary to stop camping by the lake of Génos-Loudenvielle for a stop in the heart of nature. The departments will then take you from Bonac to Vernet-les-Bains via the Canigou massif, then Boulou and finally Cerbère to end the trip with a swim in the Mediterranean.
Read also: Via Garona, the other way to Compostela
The Cévennes
The advantage of this region in the heart of France: a particularly low population density and valleys that stretch endlessly. The impression of being alone in the world or the very essence of the van trip ... The ideal route: Anduze, Florac, Ste Enimie then descend to Roque Sainte-Marguerite towards the Grands Causses. Several forest tracks allow you to sneak between the trees, but a night is essential on the D35 in Fraissinet-de-Lozère with an unforgettable panoramic view.
wikicamper.com
roadsurfer.com
