Les Landes en camping-car : advice, areas, routes

What if this summer, you're going to visit the Landes in motorhome? Discover all practical information to rent and travel!

What if we go to the Landes on motorhome this year? Traveling while sleeping in his vehicle makes it possible to explore natural landscapes and visit exceptional sites. In addition, this practice inherited from hippie years has become fashionable. We travel at its pace, freely and comfortably, making camping.

Land of large natural spaces delimited by a wide wild coast, Landes do not lack attractiveness. The second largest in France, the department houses the largest pine forest in Europe. The Landes stretched over 100 kilometers of dunes and huge sandy beaches.

Great lakes, unmissable terroirs, thermal cities, sport and a leading cultural heritage... Are you going to visit the Landes in camper or in a furnished van? From the hinterland to the beaches, here is our guide to prepare your travelling journey!

Ideas of itineraries in the Landes by motorhome

With 9 243 km2, the Landes are the second largest metropolitan France department after the Gironde. The territory has multiple entry points. Your route will vary depending on whether you arrive from the Gironde, the Gers or from the Pyrenees-Atlantiques.

To develop your steps, think about the duration of your trip, and what you want to do. Needless to see everything if you come to visit the Landes in motorhome for 7 days. For urban escapades, 5 days are enough to visit Dax and Mont-de-Marsan. On the other hand, visiting the coastal wilderness will require more time. Here are some steps ideas for your road trip in the Landes.

• The Landes coast: Biscarosse-Plage, the beach of Vivier, Sanguinet, Parentis-en-Born, Gastes, Mimizan, the beach of Contis, the Cap de l’Homy, the current of Huchet, the lake of Léon, Soustons and the pond, the beach of the Estacade, the beach of the Bourdaines, Seignosse, the beach of the Gravière, Hossegor, Capbreton, Tarnos ;
• Les Landes in 10 to 15 days: the same course, plus the national nature reserve of the Marais d’Orx, Hastingues, Peyrehorade, Dax, Mont-de-Marsan, Saint-Sever and Chalosse, Labastide-d’Armagnac;
• The Landes in 20 to 30 days: The same steps, the more the villages of Brassempouy, Aire-sur-l’Adour, Saint-Julien-en-Born, the national reserve of Arjuzanx.

You will of course adapt your itineraries to your desires: these routes are only ideal!

Driving in the Landes on motorhome: the traffic rules to know

In the Landes, you will obviously find the same provisions of the road code as anywhere else in France. We'll all remember some basic rules. The driving is well-sure to the right, and the movement by the left lane. Each passenger must have its buckled safety belt when the vehicle moves. Since motorhomes of less than 3.5 tonnes are considered cars, the speed limits are the same:

• 50 km/h in town,
• 70 to 80 km/h on secondary roads,
• 110 km/h on double lanes
• And 130 km/h On the highway.

Be sure to check that you have all the papers at your disposal before leaving: driver's license, gray card, vehicle insurance. Increase caution on the Landes roads. Out of 12,128 kilometres of road network in the Landes, 63% of roads consist of communal roads. In view of the camping-car template, be aware of the crossings on narrow country and beach roads.

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

The Landes department is crossed by two highways: the A63 , nicknamed “the highway of the Basque Coast” and A65 , nicknamed the Gascogne motorway. To a lesser extent, the highway A64 linking Toulouse In Bayonne, go to the Landes in Hastingues.

The A63 is managed by Atlandes, the A64 by ASF and the A65 is operated by A’lienor. As these three companies are private, they are toll-free highways. Are you going to visit the Landes on a motorhome? If you take the highway, you will have to pay the tolls in class 2. In a fitted van, it will be Class 1, like the cars, which will concern you. Payment is simple. It consists of removing a ticket at the entrance terminal, and paying at the exit according to the mileage travelled.

But then, how much to pay to visit the Landes in motorhome? And how much in a van? Here are some prices according to the largest sections in motorhome:

• Langon to Aire-sur-Adour : 25,90 €,
• Langon to Peyrehorade: 50,90 €,
• Bayonne in Saint-Geours-de-Marenne: 5,80 €,
• Salles (33) in Saint-Geours-de-Marenne : 11,40 €.

Here are a few prices to visit the Landes in van arranged by taking the highway (class 1):

• Langon to Aire-sur-Adour : 15,80 €,
• Langon to Peyrehorade: 31,70 €,
• **Bayonne in Saint-Geours-de-Marenne:**3,80 €,
• Salles (33) in Saint-Geours-de-Marenne : 7,60 €.

You can see it well: taking the highway by camping-car is so much more expensive than by furnished van!

How and where to rent a motorhome in France?

Do you intend to go to the Landes from your departure? You are not cold in your eyes! You will need to rent your motorhome in France. Now it is very simple to rent these vehicles between individuals. 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. When you return from the Landes, sign the state of the return places and the tour is played!

Camping-car areas in the Landes: where to park?

Parking in the Landes

In France, a motorhome is a car like others from a point of view of the law. As a result, motorhomes and vans can park on all regular sites dedicated to this effect. In agglomeration, these are squares delimited by white (free) and blue (paying) lines.

But where do you park outside cities? You can park anywhere where you don't interfere with signage or traffic. And this, if there is no prohibition in force by municipal or prefectural order. This logic prevails in rural villages, near beaches and in the Landes forests.

Parking to spend the night

In France, he is allowed to sleep in his vehicle , provided that it is not permanently installed on the public space. The French law prohibits the wild camping. For your camping-car and furnished van stages, several solutions are available to you:

• On the one hand, you can opt for them Service areas for camper. The site Camping-car in reference 117 in the Department of Landes. These are paid areas where you can sleep, empty the vehicle, use sanitary and electricity.

• On the other hand, we also find the campsites. It may happen that a service area is full, wherever you are looking for where to camp for cheaper. So sleeping in a campsite can be a good option.

• Other alternative, the camping wild. The Landes offer magnificent natural spaces where to sleep in the beautiful star, isolated and free.

Do you want to sleep on a sand car park at the foot of the dunes and the ocean? This practice is prohibited, but there are solutions to avoid a fine. First, we can arrive late and leave early in the morning. You can also request the approval of an owner. In any case, make sure to leave the place clean and without waste on the ground. Are you a fan of the campsite in the middle of nature? Have with you the Park4night app, a reference in this matter. This tool provides all the spots referenced by travellers.

A trick: do not install your equipment (paraboles, holds, tables and chairs) on the road to be as discreet as possible.

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

The Landes being a south-west department open to the Atlantic facade, the climate is of type Ocean . Winters are mild and rainy and summers are warm and wet. Depressions can be accompanied by severe storms with heavy rain and hail.

In the summer, the Landes also experienced high temperatures after a stormy passage. Spring in the Landes is rather rainy and fresh. The autumn is often summer, with a beautiful back-season and the cold settles in November. Fall and winter storms are sometimes violent, with strong wind gusts. If the Landes enjoy good sunshine, the accumulated rains can be consistent: 700 mm east of the department, almost 1,300 mm on the south-west coast.

However, the Landais say that it is possible to eat outside each month of the year. The sun of the south of France, even in winter, is strong enough to warm the ground.

So when do you visit the Landes in a camper or in a furnished van? The answer is about the whole year . The period between September and October is one of the best seasons to travel to the Landes. It’s still hot, the ocean has just been heated by summer, and time is still dry. To satisfy all your desires and find a weather-friendly activity, we recommend to visit the Landes on a camping-car between May and October .

The average maximum temperatures range from 22°C to 28°C: it gives five beautiful months to enjoy this road trip!