Canada in Camping-Car: advice, areas, routes

How do I visit Canada by car or furnished van? Go to the discovery of the Great White North!

A land discovered by Jacques Cartier and rich colonial and modern history, Canada is one of the world’s most visited countries. Between landscapes, lakes, Indian reserves and metropolises, there are no inspiring places to visit the country. A country, which is the perfect place for a road trip. This is why visiting Canada on a camper or van is an excellent idea.

De Montreal to Vancouver , passing through Toronto , Ottawa or Edmonton, you will only have the embarrassment of choice for your journey. Each province of the maple country can provide you with wonderful memories.

Would you like to visit Canada by car or fitted van? Here is our guide to make your adventure!

Ideas of itineraries in Canada by motorhome

Canada is a vast country with an area of almost 10,000 km2. There is therefore an incalculable number of possible and imaginable routes. Depending on the duration of your stay and/or your wishes, you will need to adapt your course. For this, several options are available to you.

Visit a province

It is possible to imagine staying in one province. As provinces are gigantic, there are no places to visit. Here are our course ideas:

• Nova Scotia: Halifax, Lunenbourg, Piste Cabot, Cap Breton, Phare de Peggy’s Cove, les lacs (Boggy Lake, Ogden Round Lake, Bonnet Lake),
• New Brunswick: Fredericton, Moncton, Bay of Fundy, Mont-Carleton, Lake Kennedy, Hopewell, Acadian Village of Bertrand, Saint-John, Bathurst, Swallowtail, Mirachimi River,
• The Quebec : Montréal, les Laurentides, l’Outaouais, le Saguenay, Lac Saint-Jean, Mont-Tremblant, Ville de Québec, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, la Gaspésie, Mauricie, Réserve Mastigouche,
• L’Ontario : Niagara Falls, Hamilton, Mississauga, Toronto, Simcoe Lake, Algonquin Park, Mille Island, Ottawa, Pukaskwa National Park, Wabakimi National Park, Manitoulin Island,
• Manitoba: Winnipeg, Wapusk National Park, Lake Manitoba, Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park, Mont-Riding National Park, Clearwater Lake,
• Saskatchewan: Regina, Lake Old, Saskatoon, Missinipe, Prairie National Park, Gravelbourg, Cypress Hill Park, Cold Lake,
• Alberta: Banff National Park, CalgaryLake Moraine, Dinosaur Provincial Park, EdmontonPark of Canada Jasper, Willmore Wilderness Park, Small Slave Lake, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Athabaska Glacier
• British Columbia: Vancouver, Stanley Park, Capilano, Mont Grouse, Tofino, Nothern Rocky Mountains Park, Spatsizi Wild Board, Bowron Lake, Wells Gray Park, Prince George, Yoho National Park.

You will understand that, visiting Canada on a motorhome is ideal as long as there are things to do. However, you must adapt your course and make choices, depending on the duration of your stay.

Crossing Canada

Another possible option, to cross the country completely or partially. Indeed, from one side to join the other can be practical and interesting. As we have told you before, you will have to make choices and adapt your roadmap to the duration of your stay. Here are some ideas to help you in your choice:

• 7 days: Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Winnipeg, Banff National Park, Vancouver,
• 10 days: Montreal, Les Laurentides, Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Algonquin Park, Winnipeg, Banff National Park, Vancouver,
• 15 days: Quebec, Mauricie, Montreal, Laurentides, Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Algonquin Park, Winnipeg, Baff National Park, Jasper Park Canada, Vancouver,
• 30 days: Quebec, Saguenay, Lac Saint-Jean, la Gaspésie, Mont-Tremblant, Trois-Rivières, Montréal, Halifax, Moncton, Fredericton, Sherbrooke, the Laurentides, the Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Manitoulin Island, Algonquin Park, Winnipeg, Mont-Riding Park, Cold Lake, Edmonton, Calgary, Banff National Park, Moraine Park, Jasper Park
• 45 days and more: Quebec, Saguenay, Lac Saint-Jean, la Gaspésie, Mont-Tremblant, Trois-Rivières, Drummondville, Montréal, Halifax, Saint-John, Moncton, Fredericton, Lac Kennedy, Village Ancien Acadien, Sherbrooke, les Laurentides, l’Outaouais, Ottawa, Toronto, Chutes du Niagara, Île Manitoulin, Parc Algonquin, Winnipeg, Parc du Mont-Riding, Cold Lake

Be careful, these path ideas require a certain rhythm. He's also subjective. You are, of course, free to change the steps and impose another rhythm. However, these path ideas are beautiful examples that can help you in your choices.

How and where to rent a motorhome in Canada?

Before landing to visit Canada on a motorhome, it is recommended to make an online reservation. And yes, it would be a pity to arrive in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver to find themselves deprived of a vehicle.

To find a camper, opt for a rental platform for camper-cars and vans arranged online for example Outdoorsy . These sites are now numerous on the road-trip and wild camping market. The principle is simple: you choose the type of vehicle, your dates and then send a rental request to the owner.

Last step: after the online payment, you will receive a confirmation email and you are here to visit Canada on a camper!

How and where to rent a motorhome in France?

It seems uncommon to rent a motorhome for Canada from France. To avoid any transatlantic transportation costs, the ideal is to book it via a platform in Canada, as Outdoorsy .

If you want to go from France with a motorhome, therefore prefer other destinations, such as Italy , Spain or the Germany . In this case, leaving from France is possible. You can book online or take it in an agency.

Drives to Canada by motorhome: traffic rules to be known

In Canada, the principles of conduct are relatively similar to the French rules (carrier, overtaking...). If the ground marking is yellow rather than white, the principle remains identical. Warning, however, the lamps are located the other side from the cross. So be vigilant. Logically, you must have your driver's license, which must be obtained for at least 1 year.

Canadians are known to have a cautious and courteous conduct. You won’t have to cross the driving path. Still stay vigilant on the various devices. In case of caps, some motorists can sometimes lose patience.

Attention also, panels with side arrows exist. They mean the street is unique. Prudence, so. Also note that there are flashing green lights. These mean that you can not only pass, but that you are also priority.

The difficulty of metropolises

However, if travelling by camping-car allows some freedom, there are also constraints. Indeed, in Canada it is prohibited to drive a motorhome in metropolises. For example, to visit cities such as Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver, you must park on the outskirts. You're not risking a ticket. And the Canadian police are intransigent.

Alcohol level

If for many countries, the alcohol consumption limit is limited to 0.5/L, Canada allows up to 0.8/L . However, if you exceed this threshold, a fine of C$1,000 and the licence withdrawal will be made. A criminal criminal record will also be opened. Therefore respect the laws in force for the safety of all.

Speed limitations

If you visit Canada on a motorhome, you will quickly notice that road maintenance is not as good as in France. It is not uncommon to cross chicken nests, even on a highway. Also, speed limitations differ slightly. In Canada, we must roll to:

• 30 km/h, on small town roads or high traffic pedestrian,
• 50 km/h, in conventional urban areas,
• 90 km/h, on fast lanes,
• 100 km/h, on the highway.

However, limitations are very often indicated. Just follow them.

Motorway to Canada: what fare for your camper category?

In Canada, almost all highways are free . Great news for your trips. Especially since gasoline will take a large part of your budget. Do not pay the highways thus makes great savings. Also take into account that on the panels, it is the highway numbers that are registered, not a direction. The direction will appear on the exit and fork panels.

Also, if you can go to the Niagara Falls, don’t hesitate to cross the American border. Since the gasoline is cheaper in the United States, you can take advantage of it to make a full.

Camping-car areas in Canada: where to park?

If you visit Canada on a camper or in a fitted van, there are some key rules to know. The first, already listed, is that parking and motorhome traffic are prohibited in metropolises.

In addition, for the night it is imperative to park its motorhome in a "legal" area . Do not take the risk of stopping in the parking lot of a shopping centre or stopping by (a motorhome can not stay for more than four hours). You must therefore find legal parking areas, which cost between CA$40 and CA$90 according to their benefits.

Campgrounds in Canada are ranked:

• 1 service, which includes electricity,
• 2 services, which includes electricity and water,
• 3 services, which includes the water, electricity and drain of the vehicle.

To facilitate your search for parking areas, you can use applications such as Caramaps or park4night, which recens the highway areas and allow you to view them. You can also add spots not yet indicated.

Prepare your trip to Canada by camping-car

Preparing for a trip to Canada on a motorhome is also thinking about the need to take a ride to his vehicle. It happens in our preparations that we are head in the air and that we forget essential things. Here is a list of things to take and do before leaving:

• Sunglasses, sun cream
• Bathroom bags
• Mobile Application Panel: Waze (GPS), Park4night, tourist maps and guides
• Cables, adapters and battery chargers telephone
• Rescue kit (pansements, antiseptic, Betadine, etc.)
• Anti-moustic pulse
• Toilet paper
• Cleaning wipes
• Liquids (dish, soap, shower, shampoo)
• Camping kitchen battery
• Gas refill and refill
• Bonbonnes d’eau
• Small board games, dice and card games (for rainy days)
• Duvets and blankets, etc.

Think about taking clothing adapted to the season, nights can sometimes be fresh, even summer in mountainous areas. If you travel for a cool period, buy your equipment like shoes and sub-maillots directly on site. You will find better products, adapted to the situation.

What is the best time to travel by camping-car in Canada

Canada has a continental climate. In winter, temperatures are very cold, while summer is very hot and wet. So we can have temperatures at -40°C as well as at +40°C. The best time to go extend from mid-April to June or September to mid-October . Indeed, spring in Canada is very pleasant. But Indian summer in Canada also offers mild temperatures, while enjoying the beautiful autumn colours. The winter is far too harsh to go camping-car.

Finally, take into account that the more you are in the north of the country, the colder the temperatures will be, even in the summer. However, most of the places to visit are on the southern part of the country as a large part of Northern Canada is inaccessible by road.

How do I go to Canada?

Canada is located on the North American continent, so it is necessary to plan aeroplane tickets. From France, it is possible to connect the country, mainly by 4 international airports:

• Montreal and the Pierre-Eliott Trudeau Airport,
• Toronto and Lester B.Pearson International Airport,
• Vancouver and the Vancouver International Airport,
• Calgary and the Calgary International Airport-Banff.

We recommend that, to the extent possible, you prefer Montreal and Vancouver. Both airports are close to two of the country's coasts. This will allow you to cross the country and thus reduce the detours. To find the best prices for your flights to Canada, don’t hesitate to help you with flight comparisons such as Ulysses .

It’s okay, you know everything about Canada and how to get there on a camper. Did you ever make a road trip there? Tell us your trip in comments!