Le Loiret en camping-car : conseils, aires, routes

How do I visit the Loiret in camper or van? GV explains how to discover the department!

Want to visit the Loiret in motorhome, van or van? One hour Paris , the Loiret is a milestone on the holiday road. Visitors would rather think of going to Paris, Auvergne , in Brittany or in the Midi de la France.

The Loiret is yet rich in historical monuments and natural regions to visit: the Loire Valley, the Gâtinais, the Orléanais, the Berry and the Sologne. The Loiret is mainly visited for Orleans , Châteaux de la Loire and for the forest of Orleans. Finally, the Loiret attracts for its remarkable historical and cultural heritage. In 2015, nearly 818 000 visitors visited the department number 45.

On camping-car, you will have the opportunity to explore a often forgotten area of tourist guides. Here is our mini-guide advice to visit the Loiret in camper, van or van.

Ideas of itineraries in the Loiret by camping-car

The Loiret department covers 6,775 km2, an area equivalent to that of Île-et-Vilaine or Drôme . You will not be able to visit everything on a weekend: it will take several weeks to visit the Loiret on a camping-car, its cities, sites and historical monuments. Restrict your itineraries if your itinerant trip by camping-car lasts little time.

Conversely, it is by staying longer than you can actually explore the riches of the Loiret. From the north, the entrance gate in the Loiret is made from the Essonne and the Seine-et-Marne, by the Parc Nature du Gâtinais Français. From the south you will arrive in the Loiret by the Castles of the Loire, the vast plains of Cher, Auvergne or Burgundy.

You don't know where to go to visit the Loiret in motorhome? Here are some essential steps to do:

• The Loiret in 5 to 7 days : Orleans, the forest of Orleans (belvedere des Caillettes, hikes by GR3 and GR32, the observatory of the Ravoir), Pithiviers (the Secret Garden of André Eve), the Route des roses, Yèvre-le-Châtel (medieval village), Montargis;
• Visit the Loiret in camping-car in 15 days : The same steps, more Artenay, Beaugency, Ferrières-en-Gâtinais, Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, Gien, Briare (the old side canal in the Loire, the Trousse-Bois natural park), the amphitheatre of Chenevières (Montbouy), Sceaux-du-Gâtinais, Dordives (Château de Mez le Maréchal),
• Visit the Loiret in a month: The same steps, the more the castle of Chamerolles, Grignon, Malesherbes, the Bonny Islands (Bonny-sur-Loire), the pond of the Grand’Rue (Breteau), the lake of Châlette, the Grand Rozeau (Chalette-Sur-Loing).

You still have time on your vacation? This is the time to get out of the department to visit the must-sees of the region Centre-Val-de-Loire or Burgundy-Franche-Comté . For example, the Château de Guédelon, a medieval site built with the techniques of the time (since 1997).

To the south, Morvan Natural Park , Bourges and the Auvergne volcanoes. To the west, go to visit the Loire Castles ( Chenonceaux , Chambord , Cheverny , Saumur , Blois , Angers , etc.) and the Atlantic Coast! The Loiret offers a very central position to radiate all over France.

Driving in the Loiret in camping-car : the traffic rules to know

The road network is well-managed in the territory of the Loiret, and roads are of good quality. The length of the department’s roads is 11,440 kilometres, with 266 kilometres of highways, 3,638 kilometres of departmental roads and 7,536 kilometres of communal roads.

Be aware, therefore, when you cross other vehicles on small communal and departmental roads. The tracks can be narrow sometimes. We advise you to tighten right . It will always be necessary to keep in mind that the model of the camper is imposing. Given the dimensions of your vehicle, take into account the centre of gravity in the corners. Start the curves softer than a sedan car.

Also, because of weight, it is necessary ensure braking distance longer, and adapt your speed to different situations. Also think that the motorhome is sensitive to the wind due to its height: take into account when overtaking, passing under a bridge or in the roundabouts.

Here is an advantage for driving in camping-car in the Loiret : the relief of the department is very flat . In theory, you will not have any difficulty moving on the roads. Small departmental roads in the countryside, in the forest and in the plain are sometimes narrow. For a civil and courteous driving, try to park on the sidewalk to let other vehicles cross the road.

Likewise, it is better park a little on the right to let the cars pass you: the large straight lines and the flat relief invite some motorists and bikers to drive as on a race circuit.

Motorways in the Loiret: what price for your camper category?

The department is crossed by the highways of the sun, including the A10 and A71 . The other highways are the A19 and A77 . The A19 connects the A5 to the A10 between Sens and Artenay. L’A10, named the “ Aquitaine” motorway, connects Paris to Bordeaux . The A71 connects Orléans to Clermont-Ferrand and the A77 allows to reach the Nièvre and the Seine-et-Marne between Poligny and Nevers.

Unfortunately, it is highways granted to private management by charter contract. The Loiret motorways are therefore paid. Camping-car is the rate in Class 2 that applies, while to visit the Loiret in furnished van, you must pay at the rate Class 1.

Here are some indicative rates on some sections of the department:

• Visit the Loiret in camping-car :

• Paris-Orléans : 16,50€ ;

• Paris-Vierzon : 30,10€ ;

• Between Paris and Montargis: 13,80€ ;

• Nantes-Orléans : 49.20€ ;

• Nevers-Orléans: 5,10€ ;

• Clermont-Ferrand-Orléans : 41,70€.

• The Loiret in van :

• Paris-Orléans : 10,90€ ;

• Paris-Vierzon : 19,80€ ;

• Between Paris and Montargis: 8,70€ ;

• Nantes-Orléans : 32,70€ ;

• Nevers-Orléans: €7.10 ;

• Clermont-Ferrand-Orléans : 27,20€.

Rate differences are high between the two types of vehicles. Crossing and visiting the Loiret in motorhome by highway, it can cost expensive if we come from far.

How and where to rent a motorhome in France?

Would you like to visit the Loiret in motorhome, but you don't have a vehicle? Now it is very simple to rent these vehicles between individuals, especially in France. Many platforms allow this type of rental, online, as Yescapa For example.

How does it work?

• At first, you have to choose the motorhome in your city (For example Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Paris, Montpellier or Marseille).
• Be careful choose unlimited mileage, to check the number of beds available and if travel abroad is possible.
• Do your work online rental request and share your travel information (dates, rental options, mileage, etc.) to the owner.
• If your request is accepted and after payment, you will have access to the owner's contact information to organize a First meeting.
• Day J, present your driver's license and pour bail.
• One. status of premises is executed and a lease is signed between the two parties. You'll have to sign it as soon as you get back from 45, and once done, the tour is played!

Campsites in the Loiret: where to park?

The issue of camping-car parking is often thorny, especially when approaching the great holiday of the summer season. In the agglomerations (Orléans, Montargis), stationing can literally rise from the mission. Orleans, the department's prefecture, has more than 115,000 inhabitants. Difficult, in a city centre where the trams circulate, to get in the streets by camping-car!

You will certainly need go to service areas for camper. This constraint related to the vehicle’s template will in fact be a freedom: you can explore the city centre of Orleans on foot and freely! To park in other municipalities, the white and blue lines are yours, as are the cars.

Are you looking to park in rural areas? Moreover, it is rather the objective of a travelling trip to the Centre de la France: to be able to sleep in the camper, quietly and without having to check the hotel availability! Always make sure that parking does not obstruct the visibility of signage panels or traffic.

If you sleep in the camper, the law considers that taking out its facilities (tables, camper chairs, calves, etc.) is the subject of the camping wild . You risk a fine in the event of a check. On camping-car, it is best to stay on the service areas for camping-cars and on the camping pitches. To bivouac on the public space, the fitted van brings more discretion and is less visible.

In addition, you can search for your best spots to sleep on the Park4night app. This tool is required as the reference for wild camping: you will find parking, service areas, isolated places and campsites. An experience feedback system by the traveller community allows you to get an idea on each spot before you go.

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

What weather conditions will be for your vacation? The best time to visit the Loiret in camping-car is spreading of end-May or even June September . The climate of the Loiret is temperate, degraded ocean type. This means that winters are mild and rainy and summers are fresh and wet. This climatic character is only valid for averages: because of the distance from the sea, winter can lead to heavy morning frosts and high heat peaks during the canicular episodes.

Paradoxically, due to the lack of relief and as the climate is wet oceanic, the snow is rather rare in the Loiret. In Orleans, temperatures can descend to -10°C during the winter cold waves. In summer, it is not rare that the temperature is greater than 30°C. The department is also experiencing increasingly recurring peaks above 35°C.

Over the year, the maximum average temperatures range from 6°C to 10°C in winter and between 21.6°C and 24°C between June and August. Rainfall remains regular, with 53 mm of rain per month on average and 637 mm per year. The dryest months are April, June and August with an average of 45 and 47 mm. Precipitation is similar to those recorded in Paris.

Note that nights can be fresh even during the summer season: the minimum temperature can drop to 12°C in July-August.