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If you’re looking for the perfect country for campervan travel, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one better than France. From the stunning countryside to the vibrant cities, there are plenty of places to explore. Plus, with a host of campervan and motorhome campsites, Aires and stopovers to choose from, you can plan your route (and your budget) with ease.

If you’re keen to start living the dream – eating cheese and croissants on the way – here’s a guide to planning your next campervan trip to the South of France.

How to get there

Start planning your route using Google Maps. The fastest way to get to the South of France from Calais is on the autoroute. It will take you around 12 hours (and cost around £100 in tolls). However, you’re going to miss a lot of the sights along the way.

Instead, you may decide to plan a more leisurely route. Research places to stay as you meander your way south and decide how much driving you are happy to do each day. How many days you have for your trip will determine how quickly you want to get to the area, but part of the fun is getting there. Especially when you’re driving a campervan.

Rules for driving in France

You want your campervan trip in the South of France to be as stress-free as possible. That means understanding the rules of the road before you go.

As a starting point, it’s a good idea to get EU cover. At Lancaster, we offer 90 days EU cover as standard with our campervan insurance.

Once you’ve got that sorted, there are a few more things to remember, including:

-        Remember to drive on the right.

-        Make sure you take your driving licence, passport, vehicle registration and campervan insurance documents. You may also also need an international driving permit (IDP) if you have an old paper licence now that the UK has left the EU.

-        Keep a reflective vest, warning triangle and breathalyser in your campervan at all times.

-        Adjust your headlights to suit driving on the right – beam deflectors are inexpensive and will do the job.

-        Be prepared for tolls on the autoroutes (if you’re using sat nav, you can program it to avoid tolls).

-        Keep to the speed limit: 80mph on motorways; 68mph on dual carriageways and non-toll motorways; 56mph on other roads; and 30mph in towns. And be aware, if the weather is bad, these limits may be reduced.

-        Know which cities have clean air zones and make sure you have Crit’Air vignettes.

Stick to the rules of the road, and you’ll be living the French Riviera campervan holiday dream before you can say voila!

What is the Aires network?

If you’re looking for something that embodies the freedom of a campervan holiday, look no further than the French Aires network. These Aires offer travellers free or cheap overnight stopovers – without the need to book in advance.

Found all over France, Aires are generally a large area where campervans and motorhomes are allowed to park overnight (some allow you to stay up to three to four days). Most will have a shop, bar or café within easy walking distance. Other facilities include waste water disposal, toilet emptying and refilling drinking water (aka eau potable).

Because you generally don’t book into these places, you can be flexible with your journey. However, this does mean they can get full very quickly – especially during peak seasons. The trick is not to leave it too late to stop.

Places to see in the South of France

If you’re looking for a campervan trip that oozes style, you’ll be spoilt for choice in the South of France. Grand boulevards, sleepy towns, beautiful beaches, and the odd casino – The French Riviera has got it all.

Here are some of the key spots to park up the campervan and enjoy everything the Côte d’Azur has to offer.

Marseille

France’s second-largest city is full of culture. Its museums, churches, port and old town are all well worth a visit. It also boasts beaches, mountain peaks, a national park, and an off-shore fortress. Just east of the city, you’ll find Cassis, a quaint fishing port and harbour surrounded by the stunning national park, Calanques. Whether you decide to hire a kayak, hike through the rugged terrain or take it easy with a leisurely game of petanque, you’ll be pleased you did.

Saint-Tropez

Fancy injecting a bit of glamour into your trip? Saint-Tropez is the chicest of the chic. With its yachts and sports cars, this is the playground of the rich and famous. And when you’ve got your own accommodation courtesy of a campervan, this expensive city becomes a little more accessible. You can head up to the citadel with its views of the city and the Mediterranean, or down to the harbour (for some serious boat porn). Further south along the coast you’ll find plenty of beaches if you fancy a quick dip.

Monaco

Now, let’s be clear. The principality of Monaco isn’t somewhere you want to take your campervan. In fact, campervans and caravans are banned. But if you want to visit the city, you can use the Biot Aires or any of the campsites along the road to Nice and jump on the bus. This tiny microstate on the French Riviera is full of opulence, wealth and that world-famous casino. You can stroll through the Exotic Garden of Monaco, take a train to the beach, and even get your passport stamped at the tourism office as a souvenir. It’s only 200 hectares, but Monaco has a lot going on.

Menton

Close to the border with Italy you’ll find Menton. Full of Italian style and French finesse, this town boasts glamour, secluded beaches and lush gardens. To get there, you can take the Basse Corniche (coastal road), Moyenne Corniche (arguably one of the world’s most scenic routes) or Grande Corniche (the most dangerous to drive at a dizzying 550m above sea level). With its mild climate, Menton is known for its lemons and in February/March hosts an annual three-week Fête du Citron.

Campervan insurance for holidays in the EU

Full of excitement, adventure and freedom, campervan trips have it all. But to get the most out of your holiday, you want campervan insurance you can trust.

At Lancaster Insurance, we’ve been arranging campervan insurance for more than 35 years. Benefits can include 90 day EU cover, windscreen cover, awning cover and optional breakdown cover. All this alongside a 24 hours claims helpline. Bon voyage!

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.