When we are asked “Where you put your motorhome ?” and we answer the simplest way : “where there is room”, people are surprised and sometimes frown. “But you do not have the right to park anywhere, not ?”, “It is highly regulated in some places !”, “You easily find placeholders ?” are phrases that we often heard. Signs prohibiting parking of campers in such streets or neighborhoods such, bylaws establishing the rights motorhomes, the height limiting bars… Equally established fact that we too have believed before legal year round living in a motorhome. In front of the large number of bars preventing access to parking and turning looking for a place in true expedition we finally ask about this practice !
What was our surprise to discover the truth ! That today we hasten to explain to people who ask us or those who live like us and do not know.
Quick Links
Category of vehicle
Paneling
Bar height
Bylaws
Documents to download
A simple glance at the gray card (J.1 field) allows to know the kind of national motorhome (official name) : in this case VASP (Propelled vehicle which specializes Total Permissible Laden Weight is less than or equal to 3,5 tonnes), as well as the national designation of the body (J.3 field) : caravan. These two terms used to find the vehicle in’Order of 9 February 2009 (Annex V : List of genera and body, Paragraph A : Genres and body in force, Category III : Not specialized vehicles used for the carriage of goods). The motorhome is therefore within category M1.
Extraits de l’article R311-1 du Code de la Route :
Category M : motor vehicles designed and constructed for the transport of persons and having at least four wheels
M1 : vehicle designed and constructed for the carriage of persons and having, Also the driver's seat, eight seats up
Use of the motor, as a means of transportation, is equated to that of passenger cars, complying with traffic rules applicable to this category of vehicle and can park on the premises.
Voir aussi la directive 70/156/CEE, concernant le rapprochement des législations des États membres relatives à la réception des véhicules à moteur et de leurs remorques.
Thus reassured, we focused on those signs marking the icon of a motor barred. After peeling the complete list of road signs, can not put my finger on it, for the simple reason that it has no legal value ! It is not listed in the list of regulatory signs.
Only panels Highway Code regulate the movement and parking of vehicles. Some panels come close, but their meaning is clear :
B8 : No entry for vehicles used for the carriage of goods.
B9i : No entry for vehicles towing a trailer or caravan.
CE24 : Dumping station for caravans, motorhomes and cars.
C23 is the only regulatory panel for motorhomes (and caravans), it says at the entrance of a joint that parking is regulated, mean normally an area is provided.
What these bars height limitation that bloom at the entrance parking ? Let bar one elle-même, known road signs as the gantry K15 (family signs and temporary signs devices) is legal, its use on outdoor parking is not. As well as explained the’Article 9 of the order of 24 November 1967 on Signs of roads and highways (consolidated version of 18 April 2012) :
Signs and temporary signs devices listed below are used for signaling any obstacle or hazard whose existence is itself temporary or replace, temporarily, other signaling device.
It includes the gantry K15 as signal pre-signaling limited capacity. Its use must therefore be strictly limited for this purpose (advance warning of an obstacle : low trees, bridges, entries underground parking ... ).
There are some signs the number of a bylaw, giving the impression of a legal nature. But do not be fooled and do not hesitate to make a request in writing a copy of the order to the concerned town hall (some councils charge sheet, around 5 cents).
The mayor may compromise the circulation and parking of certain vehicles involving public tranquility, the air quality, protection of animal or plant species or protected areas, enhancement of landscape or site pursuant to Article L.2213-4 of the Local Authorities.
The ordinance shall mean the type of vehicle by template, are weight or its mass and can in no case be sent only for motorhomes, it is discriminatory in this case and therefore illegal. This applies even to the authorized parking and non day night, or prohibited in certain time slots (20h - 8am eg), again these prohibitions can not be solely motorhomes.
BUT, an order, even abusive and illegal, unfortunately must be respected. Only a tribunal can cancel. Attack a city is not an easy task, France in association seeks to protect motorhome : get the order and send them a copy remains the best course of action in our user level.
Liaison Committee of Motorhomes
3 Street Ropes
75013 PARIS
Parking – Official rules. Where and how to park ? (PDF)
Retrieved document there some time on a site that I can not find. If the applicant passes by, he did not hesitate to sign, I gladly add a link to the site ! In addition to the summaries of the author, document contains the interministerial circular of 19 October 2004 (à télécharger seule ici en PDF).
Sample letter to contest parking for PV (DOC)
A suitable detour, she has proven once !
Little word windshield (DOC)
A suitable and if necessary to share ! We leave on the dashboard when we parked in an area “risk” 😉 .
Attention, injunctions of officials directing traffic signals take precedence over all, traffic lights or traffic rules. Failure to do so results in a fine for violation of fourth class (Art. R 411-28 CR). A quiet discussion is the best solution ! 🙂
Comments are open, for any questions, inputs information, your experiences, etc.. The documents are available in alternative formats if you wish, ask ! 😎
And I hope that sharing this information will help motorhome respectful to change misconceptions !
Reading arrested is sometimes sadly funny, the Cannes evokes “risk of danger to health or public safety”. But strangely this risk exists only in certain areas of the city : the coastal strip and the Croix des Gardes, ie corners “crested” ! The “risk” also disappears for two weeks in December and January… In reading I feel a motorhome parked immediately synonymous drain sewage and garbage ! Where I see a car parked !
L'ile d'Oléron is dotted with signs and barriers prohibiting all kinds… PV fall, and when you ask for explanations.. you will know, you will laugh in your face !
Actually, the entire Charente Maritime, except for a few places where the reception is really nice as Tremblade and some other, starts to be really hostile to camping truck operators with arbitrary signs, see even chaseurs Cc !! You glue the PV, when you leave your vehicle, or at night.. what courage…
Thank you for your testimony on Oleron island, we have not yet gone into the corner of the Charente-Maritime (to believe that as soon as there “maritime” in the name of the department, we are not welcome ! 😀 ).
The dialogue is rarely easy to start, but do not lose hope ! Last winter we were in Antibes (Alpes Maritimes) and the first reaction was to make us a paper from, then punch the door, Presque main au revolver : “you go away or is impounded”. But calmly discussing (very important !), citing our rights, laws, all ended well and we could stay all winter unmolested. This is unfortunately not always the case.
And when it is “civilians” who get involved, we explain in the same way… Mais nous avons eu le droit à d’étranges choses, as the trash bag filed against the camper to (je suppose) believe that we leave to drag our garbage.
Did you provide this information to CLC or other trying to defend the rights of motorhome body ?
I'll send a file to the CLC but also write to the relevant ministries.
Bravo for this site
The Pyrenees, still a place where we do not go with the camper. We stopped at Narbonne to go to Toulouse 2011. Maybe this winter I would like to try the experience of Wwoofing (should I learn about the activities at this season), then go to Spain and Morocco.
I know that if the municipality prohibits parking vehicles for too long or too heavy (to use the right terms !), it must provide a placeholder. By cons I do not know if it will be free or not. I considered the question !
My request to the CLC about our Cannes dispute remained unanswered to date, I hope that your efforts will have an impact. Courage !
Thank you for having taken the time.
You still live in your motorhome ?
I just purchase mine, I just got the license and thus begins trenkillement to do a little road with my dog.
it would be nice to talk about your experience.
Again thank you,
See you,
Teddy.
As always I am delighted when sharing our stories is the lessee ! I just love to read others', ici d’autres sont bientôt à venir 🙂 Oui, we still live in what we have called T'N'T (Truck N’ Trip), although we were more or less stationary for about a year. We left the coast a few weeks ago in a westerly direction, we are currently Beziers (future articles to come to tell these movements !), we find the pleasure of nomadic life !
Before turning to this lifestyle, I scoured a lot of blogs and websites and when I have found the answers I was glad, so if we can bring you anything it will be with great pleasure ! Peut-être même se croiser sur la route 😉
Good road and soon !
Cool I expect the next items hehe, bah why not to meet on the road, with pleasure. I made my first real road trenkillement yesterday I left a 9:50 ET 5:30 p.m. has finished rolling haha I'm a side montargis now. Teddy.tortevoix[at]gmail contact me when you want ! :p
L’idée de faire une lettre type a adresser à chacun de nos députés pour faire changer les choses ne serait elle pas une piste.
Je suis prêt à contribuer à sa réalisation et a sa diffusion.
cordially. Christophe
C’est sûrement une bonne idée, je ne me suis jamais penchée plus avant sur les actions qui avaient été entreprises à ce niveau. Je sais qu’il existe des organismes luttant pour la protection des droits des camping-caristes comme le CLC, maybe join them rather than undertaking an isolated action would be more appropriate ? 🙂
.When to’ Espagne.avant Barcelona must forget…..after it's top….just my opinion…
I do not fail to mention where we were cordially welcomed in several articles. Knowing avoid major tourist areas, generally all is for the best. And being respectful, Needless to say. Unfortunately it is a human habit to a handful a generality.
Thank you for sharing opinions on Spain, we never finished that trip after a mechanical problem in 2013, but we have not given up ! 😀
I come from the Belgian coast where we parked in a parking lot for cars…Hardly anyone and C.C. in perfect alignment without overshoot…We go to shop in shops in Westende and we return 1 hours later…
PV ahead and fills, is that we met the local police bike that ns told that there were no worries….Directorate gendarmerie who did not bother to listen to us…. You have to know the law of the country but in other cities it is allowed ?? It is forbidden to park except camping….therefore impossible to go shopping ……….
It could explain, kindly, before verbalize good people who sincerely believed to be in their right….The Belgian coast is to be avoided because it's zero tolerance, we can not even get to the restaurant….
Vive la France where we consume local products, the nice restaurants and awesome landscapes and villages….
Isa
PS : Flee the Belgian coast…..
I think the ribs generally be avoided (here again do not make generality), at least to park there ! Learn about the laws of the land can actually be helpful but do not always shines as often as there are sometimes tolerances as we showed notre expérience aux Pays-Bas (suivant les lieux et les saisons !)
Quant à dire “vive la France” je n’irais peut-être pas aussi vite 😉 : Carnon en décembre 2013, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer en novembre 2013, en mai 2012 : Sainte-Croix du Verdon, Montmeyan, Fréjus… And many more ! (By searching by keyword on the word 'panel’ you will find passages that speak in different articles related.)
We have spent against a night in the Bruges in April 2011 without being bothered !
Je viens d’ajouter la circulaire interministérielle (dont semble-t-il tout le monde se fiche 😀 ) dans les documents à télécharger. 😉
Merci d’avance de votre éclairage.
The motorhome is a vehicle in the same way that a car (it has a motor and a gray card), there would be no difference to me. On your private parking, you do what you want, if you want to put a wheelbarrow I guess that's your (as it does not exceed the limits of your private space). By cons, if it is a shared parking condominium, I guess we should ask the settlement of that union. Pesky owners could pass anti camper at a general meeting rules. To check !
I think everyone has a gain.
Income weekend to avoid ILE OLERON CAMPING very hostile to forklift operators very bad memories – we racquette us from all sides and bad HOME
Spread the word !!!!!!!!!!!!
SEE MORE PLEASANT TREMBLADE !!!!!
Usually when they are big attractions, beware of the welcome. Without a generality as highly visited places are also very warm and open-minded. 😉
Coast and other tourist places, as soon as it is possible to make money, they often want to do more with specialized area overpriced and no parking to push the campers at campsites I guess.
In our case, all they earn is that we do not stop and do not make good publicity ! While those who have understood that being welcoming back their money anyway (essence, courses locales, etc.. !), we go back and gladly share such good corners. 🙂
Some apps are interresting.
But I am humble and respect for your oppinions.
If there is a panel with a camper (although the panel does not exist in the highway code) then it is likely that there is an order.
In both cases you can go to the town hall to request a copy of the order (it will pay for photocopying) and check it yourself content. These are unfortunately often illegal arrest but apply until someone made them fall…
Let me leave this issue here !
We envy with my spouse to live in campers throughout the year but one thing we fear, the parking. Let me explain : we'd love to come to settle in pretty places, I mean, at the edge of a forest, a field, of a lake, a river, etc.. But is it possible ? Have you lived ?
For we do not see living in a parking lot and exit our table for lunch in the middle of other cars.
Sachant aussi que nous pensons voyager dans toute l’europe avec nos deux petits bouts 😉
Merci pour votre réponse et merci de me dire si cela est possible et si oui dans quels pays ? Tous… aucun … ?
The trick is not to stay too long in one place (we rarely over two nights on the same site).
A few examples should encourage you : Lorgues, Mison, Ain ! 😀
For other European countries, I am less aware of laws (for example in the Netherlands, the police left us alone all summer and in September it took from, we were right near Amsterdam, I think that the campaign, we would have been less bothered.)
We strive to create a map of cities as anti campsite..
Can you help us list the ? Or tell us links ?
Thank you in advance
cordially
Gilles Cohen Director
Memory and browsing the Site Articles, here is the information I can give you :
– Alpes Maritimes
Cannes (strangely only banned in Bourges neighborhoods)
Mandelieu-la-Napoule
– Alpes de Haute Provence
Sainte-Croix du Verdon (Memory pay parking for campers but free for cars)
– Bouches du Rhône
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (prohibits habitable vehicles ! Free area for day parking only, still illegal panel)
– Gard
Acute dead (pay area, 12€ in 2011, Other car parks are closed to campers)
– Hérault
Carnon (not allowed “illegally” the night, but the rest of the city of Mauguio looks OK)
– Where
Fréjus (panels, bar height)
Montmeyan
Vins-Sur-Caramy (prohibited throughout the town, in 2012 police politely asked us not to stay, in 2017 on the same parking lot there before 3 vans, 2 camping-cars et 1 truck ?!)
Hoping to continue to participate in your list !
I just came across your blog,fort interesting,and I think I misunderstood something:
top of the article you speak well of VASP ” (Propelled vehicle which specializes Total Permissible Laden Weight is less than or equal to 3,5 tonnes)”
This does not include the – 3.5t . My 19t is a VASP .
cordially
keep up the momentum in the 66, you'll find good!!
Thank you for this site and these tips, we will print and laminate! 🙂
we leave early in January to live year round in etween DC and make a tour of Europe. We are no longer young 47 and 49 and after 20 years abroad (Philippines and Mexico) we return to Europe to get closer to our 2 children studying manual careers in France. The main problem for us is to find medical coverage for accidents which is not prohibitive (Prices of expat = 3000 euros/an, we do not have the means!) normally we should be able to recover after secu basic coverage 3 months in France but apparently if we do not return all 2 months in France, we lose… et c’est un probleme à notre âge! Quelqu’un aurait-il une solution? Merci par avance. Virginie
Sorry for the response time, nous étions en vadrouille à travers la Grande-Bretagne ! Ravis que les informations rassemblées continuent d’aider d’autres personnes. 😀 J’espère que quelqu’un d’autre aura une réponse car je ne m’y connais guère en mutuelle. We just Safely, being regularly in France. In Australia I had taken out private insurance for a year but specialized for Australian WHV.
Gadabout since this year, I learn about a lot of things… especially on parking.
Thank you for this article.
A question still. We are Van (T4 MULTIVAN ATLANTIS) with a roof enhances for bed. Is lift its roof is in itself an act of camping? No outdoor table… no awning… good question??
We should inquire into a common open to travelers (those that provide free areas eg). 🙂
LETTER SENT TO THE AUTHORITIES MUNICIPAL PV CASE FOR NO PARKING FOR CAMPERS / CAMPING CAR HEADING HOME LAW AND PARKING
CC FRIEND ES DO YOU RESPECT BUT RESPECTEZLES TEXTS PARK IS NOT CAMPER
I live by the sea in a ground floor apartment. the latter has a window. When a camper park on the parking space that are outside my window, it's night home !
I'm not sure it rejoice the motorhome if it happens at home.
Good luck to all !
Already
Thank you for your comments and thank you for the address of the campsite Liaison Committee for, living on the island of Noirmoutier and with significant work has to do at home , we look for a place to spend many quiet nights, Surprise in the space of 1 an, bars two meters ,found in almost every small road that leads to the coast the rest away odds service areas, so no fishing. Better parking prohibition signs and other signs (from the imagination of our councilors). So I'll take pictures of all these weird things and anti camper (when there is no money to take) to transmit them to the above address
Thank you for your testimony Joseph, we must continue to engage and inform even the police. I think I have already told our adventure in Antibes, addressed aggressively, a discussion had brought the municipal police to hear and to learn by himself. He returned the next day with a smile tell us that we were right. 🙂
I contacted once without ever return Committee, I doubt they have a lot of work but I found it a pity. But this does not prevent you to inform them of illegalities practiced in several cities !
Good luck to you both.
No campground operator, but interested. The prohibitions of Mayors and the exorbitant prices of the campsites (39€ / night this summer just to ask a tent carnon ) block for me to spend time not.
Too bad because it creates many jobs in France making DC and development of Van and kits, and owners increase sales of local businesses. Some villages have included the recently.
Associated with high prices opportunities, No this is not a profitable pleasure compared to a R&B, or you have to go to abroad.
So thank you to the author of this web site information and action CC associations (which is expected to lobby and mailing to mayors to explain economic benefits) that will move things
Good continuation !
Je comprends qu’il vaut mieux la payer avant de tenter de la contester si on pense être dans son droit. However, de ce que je comprends, au mieux l’arrêté sera annulés mais le montant de l’amende ne sera pas remboursé ? Est ce bien cela ?
La première fois c’est tombé aux oubliettes, la seconde nous avons été convoqué au tribunal de proximité. Le tribunal nous a donné raison, nous n’avons donc pas payé l’amende (obligé par contre de payer les frais fixes de dossier).
Le tribunal de proximité n’a par contre aucune juridiction sur les arrêtés municipaux, il faut attaquer la ville au tribunal administratif, ce que nous ne nous sommes pas senti de faire et n’avons pas eu de retour de l’association Comité de Liaison du Camping-car.
En espérant que cela pourra vous aider dans vos décisions.