At this time of year, there are almost no campsites open in northern France. Luckily, there are plenty of great pitches in France! For those who don't have a motorhome: a pitch is a place where you can stay overnight in a motorhome, sometimes with services such as rubbish collection, water and electricity.
You pay for the service
Here in France there are often small boxes with water taps and electricity sockets, which you have to pay for. In addition, there is usually garbage collection and the possibility of emptying the sewage tank and toilet tank. Very convenient! I Honfleur we paid 100 SEK for a day, and that included everything. Here in Arromanches parking is free, but electricity costs €20/hour.
Below you will find a link to a page where we have collected all the campsites and pitches in France that we have stayed at, as well as an article about driving on French roads.
Problems with fridge, engine light and LPG
We've got the fridge running on gas again, so electricity is enough for a few hours to charge computers or watch a film. Thanks Lars for the tip about sweeping the fridge's burner! We have read up on it now. So far it was enough to "knock a little", but it may be that the problem comes back.
Today we are going to find a FIAT workshop in Caen. Our engine light comes on occasionally, and we also need help somewhere to connect the French LPG tube.
The Giens peninsula in France - outside Hyères
The Gien Peninsula in France is a peninsula protruding into the Mediterranean Sea south of Hyères. The Gien Peninsula belongs...
Mountain roads at Calanche in Corsica
Mountain roads at Calanche in Corsica! Driving around the Calanche Di Piana cannot be explained....
Porto-Vecchio in Corsica - Plage de Palombaggia
Porto-Vecchio in Corsica! We decided to go for a walk along the beaches around Porto-Vecchio in...
Life dreams, oyster fishing and wine making in the south of France
Guest writer: Mia Ulin A good friend of mine said to me "If you keep saying I'm dreaming...
Seats in France - experience France's little Venice
Welcome to Sete in France! Sete is located on a narrow spit of land on the French Mediterranean coast, just...
Cannes Film Festival - we were there!
The Cannes Film Festival in France! Today we rubbed shoulders with celebrities at the Cannes Film Festival....
Europe's largest sand dune - Dune de Pilat in France
Europe's largest sand dune, Dune Du Pilat, is around 3 kilometres long, 104 metres high and 500 metres...
Camping in Cannes - Camping Le ranch
Camping Le Ranch is a campsite in Cannes that is ideal for visiting the city centre.
Delicious oysters in Cancale, Brittany, France
There is something special about experiencing oysters in France. In Brittany, France, there is Cancale, which...
Port-Cros Island in France - France's exotic national park
The island of Port-Cros in France is one of the so-called Golden Islands on the Côte d'Azur. The island reminds...
Corsica's beaches - 10 most beautiful beaches
Most beautiful beaches in Corsica, and we have received requests for more pictures of the blue sea...
Great places in France - 15 favourites
There are plenty of great places to visit in France, whether you like dramatic scenery, bustling cities or...
Veulettes-sur-Mer in Normandy - seaside caravan site
Now we have found a pitch in Veulettes-sur-Mer on the Normandy coast. The cliffs are dramatic...
Saleccia beach - Corsica's most beautiful beach?
Could this be the most beautiful beach in Corsica? Ok, we don't know for sure, but Saleccia beach has...
3 things to do in Marseille, France
What to see and do in Marseille, France? Marseille is the second largest city...
Calvi - 15 Things to do in Calvi in Corsica
Calvi in Corsica is a must when visiting the island, and here are fifteen things to...
Cap d'Agde - Biggest nude town in France
Cap d'Agde - the nude town in France! The French town of Cap d'Agde is located on the Mediterranean Sea and is...
Club Med in La Rosière - a dream for a ski holiday in the French Alps
Guest writer: Christian Muda La Rosière is a ski resort in the French Alps at an altitude of 1850 metres....
Aunt Anna on a housewife holiday in Paris
Guest writer: Anna Nilsson Spets Do you remember the word 'housewife holiday'? A housewife's holiday was a way for overworked women to...
Amphitheatre in France - Arles in Provence
In Arles, Provence, you can find the ruins of a Roman theatre. This impressive amphitheatre in France...
St Florent in Corsica - a Corsican St Tropez
Now we have reached the small town of St Florent in Corsica. "Oh, here I want...
Sainte-Mere-Eglise in Normandy
The Normandy coastline is littered with memorials from D-Day, the Normandy landings on 1 January....
Driving on French roads
What is it really like to drive on French roads? We've done a lot of driving...
The Normandy landings in France
It's one thing to read about the Normandy landings in France, and another to read about the...
Palavas les Flots in France - among canals and boats
Palavas Les Flots is located on a small spit of land outside Montpellier, France. This is a...
Camping and swimming at Le Lavandou - Côte d'Azur in France
After a nice visit to blog friends in Provence, it was time for us to head south....
Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume and the tomb of Mary Magdalene
Now we have started to roll north from the French coast, and on the way we have visited...
Dramatic roads in western Corsica
Roads in western Corsica are really dramatic! On the road (D81) from Calvi to Porto. So, which...
Île Sainte-Marguerite near Cannes - Lerin Islands in France
One of the reasons why we went back to Cannes and the French Riviera, was that we...
Travelling through Brittany in France
Travelling through Brittany is a journey through medieval France. Small villages pop up every...
Ama de casa says:
We did a camping trip many years ago with the theme D-Day. Very interesting.
Glad you got the fridge going!
So they close down in winter, the campsites. I haven't thought about that... But on the other hand we don't camp in the winter. The tent is not so well insulated...
😉
06 December 2014 - 11:31
Maggan and Ingemar says:
How nice that it was only soot. I hope you get the gas sorted out too. Is it a fixed tube to be connected? I have heard that butane gas produces more soot than propane, perhaps something to consider. We have also noticed that many campsites close over the winter. Fortunately, some are open and that there are parking spaces, we miss it here in Greece.
Have a nice trip.
06 December 2014 - 15:21
Mr Steve says:
Well organised for campers, I see.
Glowing lights on the dashboard are a scourge.
06 December 2014 - 16:44
Role o Carina says:
You look like you are having an exciting time on your trip!
A working fridge is a need!
Keep up the good work.......
06 December 2014 - 16:44
BP says:
What a service! Do not have a motorhome but wonder how the service is in winter here at home. No idea.
I think the electricity for 20 kronor is expensive.
Hope the Fiat workshop in La France can fix your problems. It's good that they show up like this in the beginning, then you'll have a problem-free rest of the year - hopefully.
06 December 2014 - 17:03
Anders and Birgitta says:
Not fun when the campervan is not working, hope it will work now.
06 December 2014 - 18:47
admin says:
Ama de casa, fun and interesting with a trip with a theme! Yes many campsites close in winter, but not all.
Maggan and Ingemar, no it is not a fixed tube, but it is a French refillable tube. We discovered that we have a coupling that we bought earlier, which seems to fit. Haven't changed it yet...
Steve, yes there are plenty of signs for motorhomes in this country. Always very clear if you are welcome or not.
😉
Rolle and Carina, very complicated without a fridge...
BP, in Sweden there are also car parks, but not so often with this kind of automated service unfortunately. Often something has to be open so you can pay for electricity, or there is simply no electricity.
Anders and Birgitta, we have a lot to fix right now, but it's just as well to do it all at once!
06 December 2014 - 19:25