L’Estonie en Camping-Car : advice, areas, routes

Are you going on a travelling trip to Estonia? Here is our guide to visit Estonia by camping-car or van!

Visit Estonia on a motorhome? And why not Siberia! Estonia, this country of Northern Europe at the edge of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland, is often unknown to travellers. Visiting Estonia by camping-car allows you to explore vast areas of nature, free from mass tourism. Also, you will not worry about hotel availability. The country is often rewarded for its openness, tolerance and respect for foreigners. It must be said that Estonia enjoys many cultural influences on its territory: Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, Belarusian and Western. Forests cover 45 per cent of Estonian territory and 15 per cent of Estonian territory consists of protected natural reserves. Here's what you want in this country that looks like little Scandinavia! Discover our mini-guide advice to visit Estonia by camping-car.

Ideas of itineraries in Estonia in motorhome

L’Estonie has a small area of 45,339 km2, the size of the former Midi-Pyrénées region. The country has more than 1,500 islands, 1,400 lakes, 7,000 rivers and 3,000 kilometres of coastline. The fauna is rich in castors, elans, brown bears and lynx: it is the den of nature lovers.

To visit Estonia by camping-car from Latvia, you will have to cross Riga . Three roads access to Estonia by the north:

• Pärnu west,
• Valga In the center,
• And Misso to the east.

You can also choose to rent your camping-car in Tallinn to travel the country from the north. From France, cross Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

Anyway, we recommend a minimum of 10 to 15 days to visit Estonia by camping-car. Your routes will logically depend on the duration of your road trip. In three or five days, limit your course to one area. Tallinn and the north coast, for example. During a trip of more than a month, you can explore the country and make incursions in Finland towards Helsinki or Latvia , for example in Riga. You don't know where to go? Here are our ideas of possible routes in Estonia.

• Estonia from the south: Riga, Pärnu, Tallinn (old city, churches, castle of Toompea), cliff of Türisalu, the park of Laheema, the marsh of Kaderdaja, the castle of Rakvere, Purtse, the reserve of Ontika,
• Visit Estonia to the north and east: same steps, plus Körvemaa, Virumaa, Narva, Toila Park, Kurtna, Silamäe,
• Visit Estonia in a month: the same route, the more Tartu, Otepää and the homonymous park, Lake Võrtsjärv, Lake Pühajärv, Suur Munamägi, Röuge Suurjärv, the island of Kihnu, classified as the UNESCO world heritage, the islands of Muhu and Saaremaa, the Hiiumaa and Vormsi islands, Haaps

These are just non-exhaustive step ideas. You can of course choose to go to other cities or regions. If you have more time, or your desires for cultural visits change, other opportunities are available to you. Notably board a ferry to Helsinki, visit St.Petersburg (you need a visa to go to Russia), or Riga to the south.

Driving in Estonia by motorhome: traffic rules to be known

Are you visiting Estonia on a motorhome? The cost of Estonian life affordable compared to Scandinavian countries. And all the Estonian territory enjoys great wealth.

How is driving in this country organized? In Estonia and France, driving is on the right side of the road. And then the overtaking is done by the left. However, a long distance must be foreseen before going down, especially after having doubled a truck. The circulation in the roundabouts is as in France, in the opposite direction of the hands of a watch. Unlike France, the passing beams are mandatory day and night. The traffic lights are different in France: green, flashing green, yellow and red. You have to stop as soon as the fire passes yellow.

It is also mandatory driving with winter tires "Snow tyres" from December 1st to March 1st. Also, it is of course mandatory to have at the disposal an international driver’s license, as well as the insurance and gray card of the motorhome. In addition, all passengers must have closed their safety belts when the vehicle is in operation. Children under the age of 12 must be installed on a lift seat.

Are you driving in winter? Attention, the secondary road network is not not always in good condition . This, especially after winter and despite the advanced economic development of Estonia. To visit Estonia by camping-car, note that rental is only accessible to the elderly 21 or 23 years minimum . In addition, a driver under the age of 25 must have his licence for at least one year.

As for speed limitations, they are similar to France:

• 50 km/h in agglomeration,
• 90 km/h on secondary roads,
• And 110 km/h On the highways.

Estonia applies a tolerance zero for alcohol in the steering wheel: do not drink any drinks. scrupulously respect the law because the amount of fines is high: up to 1 150€ for driving alcohol, 115€ for over 20 km/h above the limit, 15€ to 385€ for a grilled red light, until 190€ for non-compliance with the mandatory wearing of the belt. Same amount for traffic without passing beams, and 200€ for undocumented traffic of the vehicle.

Motorway toll in Estonia: what price for your motorhome category?

Here's a good news: the roads in Estonia are free . There is no toll road. Although the Estonian road network is well documented, highways are rare. Two main axes scatter the territory from north to south. Via Baltica Tallin rally in Riga (Latvia) and via Estonia extends southeast of Tallinn to the Russian border. Finally, a highway crosses the north coast of the Gulf of Finland, from Tallin to Narva St. Petersburg .

However, ferry connections are paid, especially to go to Helsinki and to visit the islands of the West Coast of Estonia.

How and where to rent a motorhome in France?

Do you intend to leave for Estonia, on a motorhome since France? 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. Upon your return, after you have sailed Estonia, sign the state of the return places and the tour is played!

How and where to rent a motorhome in Estonia?

The choice of online reservation is not developed for this destination. It will therefore be necessary to rent one at a rental professional. Learn well before you leave, so you can't find yourself without a vehicle. Otherwise, you can rent the motorhome from the beginning of your trip to France.

Camping-car areas in Estonia: where to park?

Here is another good news: Sweden , the wild camping is Authorized in Estonia outside national parks and natural reserves. Parking on the public space to sleep in motorhome is often complicated in European countries. Generally prohibited by law, however, wild camping is more or less tolerated by countries. The public transport network is very developed in Tallinn, so it is almost not necessary to come by car to visit the Estonian capital.

However, there are paid parking lots and indoor or outdoor parking spaces. On motorhomes, you can park on the same pitches as cars. But parking places sometimes have one limited duration . In addition, it is less to cross the cities than to enjoy the way of life of a beard, that you rent a camper or a furnished van. And yes, the interest of visiting Estonia on a camping-car is to be able to sleep in the middle of nature when you found a good spot.

So, where do you park in Estonia to sleep at night? Several solutions are available to you: look for an isolated place, away from the homes (it will not be difficult in Estonia) or download a mobile app. You can also search for the few 300 campsites in Estonia as well as the service areas for campers.

Several sites can help you: Campercontact and Campanda in particular. Another solution, the Park4night application. This is our flagship tool for road trip roaming. The app is a platform for sharing spots between travellers: parking, service areas, campsites, isolated places in the middle of nature. A public comment system makes it possible to get an idea on the referenced files.

What is the best time to travel by motorhome in Estonia?

When to go to Estonia on a motorhome? Know that the country is at a latitude of 59° north, at the same level as in northern Nunavut ( Quebec ). So there are large differences between the night and the day between winter and summer.

To Tallinn solstice winter days are characterized by nights of 17:58 for only 6:02 a day. In the summer solstice on the other hand, there are 18h40 of day and 5h20 of night. Due to high latitude, winters can be rigorous : the temperature can descend below -20°C . However, the influence of the Baltic Sea and the warm currents of the North Atlantic warm the air. It is therefore not as cold in the Baltic and Scandinavian countries as in northern Quebec.

The Estonian climate is characterized by cold winters, mild and rainy springs, relatively warm summers and mild autumns. The dryest month is March but the nights are still cold. In addition, the snow remains on the ground until early April, and snowy showers can continue until May.

L’ summer is therefore the better period to visit Estonia by camping-car. Between June and early September, temperatures are mild but fresh in the morning. Minimum temperatures 10-11°C in June will be frequent, while the maximum will reach 22°C . So always plan warm clothes in your suitcase!