France road trip: everything you need to know

It took a few years before France appeared as a vacation destination on our radar. Apart from my love for croissants, macarons, crêpes, and crème brûlée, there was actually very little that appealed to me in France. Well, that’s what I liked to tell myself, and I think many others did too. Secretly, we probably found it not exotic enough, not exciting enough, not far enough, not unique enough, not hip enough? A bit silly (stupid) reasons to overlook a country.

Breathtaking landscapes, beautiful beaches, bustling cities, amazing food, and a lot of history, those should be the main points to consider when choosing a travel destination. Add to that a delightful surfing atmosphere and countless camping options, and TADAAAA there’s France. Road trip heaven. After 2.5 weeks, we’re convinced. France is delightful.

Today we share everything you need to know for your France Roadtrip: route, attractions, handy tips, budget, and nice accommodations.

France Roadtrip Route

In just over 2 weeks, we made a stunning road trip along the west coast of France.

Calvados, Normandy – 2 nights
Le Grand Vey (Utah Beach), Normandy – 2 nights
Le Mont-Saint-Michel – 1 night
Rennes -1 night
Mimizan – 2 nights
Cap de’ l’Homy – 3 nights
Moliets – 3 nights

Also read the article “Southwest France Route”

Attractions

Take a mini road trip through Normandy and learn more about France’s history during World War II. Very impressive.
Visit Utah Beach and Utah Beach Landing Museum, one of the most important landing beaches during World War II.
The Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial is located in Colleville-sur-Mer. There are 9,385 soldiers buried here, who died during D-Day.
Pointe du Hoc is a high cliff between Omaha Beach and Utah Beach. During World War II, this point was heavily guarded by the Germans.
Visit Saint Mont Michel, a peninsula in the southwest of Normandy and even one of the most visited attractions in France.
Surf in Cap del Homey: one of the most beautiful surf spots in perhaps even Europe.

Handy Tips for Your Roadtrip through France

Download the app Park4night & campercontact for the nicest camping spots. Oh, and don’t forget our old reliable friend Google Maps.
Use the ACSI discount card in the pre- and postseason (but apply in advance)
If the dog is coming along, make sure to get the right vaccinations, chip, deworming pills, and passport. Always ask your vet for advice beforehand. This is necessary even in France.
This is what you must take with you in the car or camper: a warning triangle and a safety vest. Of course, spare bulbs, a spare wheel, and a first aid kit are handy to have, but this is not mandatory.
Avoid toll roads! One thing we absolutely don’t like about France is the toll roads. Super boring and they really cost you an arm and a leg.
Also pay attention to environmental areas in France. You often need environmental stickers in cities. Check with the ANWB beforehand, as this changes almost daily and varies for each country.
Our road trip through France was during Corona. This sometimes made the trip more difficult. During our trip, the situation changed quickly and the travel advice for each region was continuously tightened. Always do your research beforehand. Note! If you travel in an orange area, most insurances won’t fully cover you anymore. Usually, this is only for corona-related issues, but it’s good to be well informed about this.

Best Time to Visit France

The best time for a road trip through France is from June to September. France is one of the most popular holiday destinations for the Dutch, so we advise against traveling during the high season. It’s difficult to find a camping spot and it can be quite expensive. From October, most campsites in France are closed and the temperatures drop significantly.

Budget for Your Roadtrip through France

Unfortunately, France is not really a budget destination. A small craft beer can easily cost you 7 euros. So, we passed on that.

In total, we spent about 80 euros per day in France. Normally, we try to stay below 60 euros, but unfortunately, that wasn’t possible in France.

The largest part went to petrol and tolls, a total of 524 euros. Yep, that’s what you get with a monster camper from 1991. Because the travel advice in France was being tightened daily, we couldn’t really travel leisurely through France. Because we really wanted to see the south, we covered long distances in a short time. This is something we wouldn’t normally do so quickly. As a result, transportation costs increased significantly. The most important tip if you want to save costs: take it easy. Not just with your money, but especially with your travel pace.

See below our cost breakdown for our road trip through France.

Petrol: € 403.33 in total / € 25.21 per day
Attractions: € 17.90 in total / € 1.12 per day
Groceries: € 245.00 in total / € 15.31 per day
Camping: € 280.00 in total / € 17.50 per day
Tolls: € 121.00 in total / € 7.56 (especially the tunnel to Italy was really expensive)
Dining out: € 190.00 in total / € 11.88 per day

The Coolest Campsite in France

Camping Cap de l’ Homey (Favorite): beautiful surf camping in the middle of the woods, right by the beach. It doesn’t get better than this.
Camping Huttopia Calvados: very nice cozy Huttopia camping in Calvados, Normandy.

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