The Cevennes in Camping-Car: advice, areas, routes

How do I visit the Cevennes in camper or in fitted van? Discover all the practical info to go south of the Massif Central!

Do you want to make a trip to the Cévennes in campervan, van or fitted van? The Cevennes are located at the southern end of the Central Massif, between the Gard , Lozère and Ardèche South. A must-see destination in the Midi of France, the Cevennes are known for their preserved natural environment.

The Cevennes National Park is also renowned for its rich historical and cultural heritage as well as the majestic views it offers. Several stays will be necessary to explore the Cevennes, from the slopes of Mont Aigoual to Mont Lozère through Anduze, Alès or the Gorges du Tarn. Some locals would say that they must even be born to know them... You will discover an exceptional natural heritage and a country with strong identity consciousness. Also, beautiful villages, hung on their rocky pitons.

Here is our mini-guide advice to visit the Cévennes by camping-car or in a furnished van!

Ideas of itineraries in the Cevennes by camping-car

The Cevennes have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011. With their central position, the Cevennes have a multitude of entry points on the road. They are indeed enclosed between the Rhone valley and the Grand Causses Natural Park .

The national park is also delimited by the Mediterranean plain to the south, and by the Ardèche Mountains to the north. The port cities of the Cevennes are Alès (Gard), Lodève and Ganges (Hérault), Mende (Lozère) and Millau ( Aveyron ). This is a plurality of possible itineraries, to be modulated according to your desires and the duration of the road-trip in camping-car. This trip promises you in all disappointing points. Your steps will be sprinkled with unmissable villages, sites and monuments. On the programme, Sainte-Énimie (Gorges du Tarn), the road to the Corniche des Cévennes, Mont Lozère or Mont Aigoual.

Here are some ideas:

The Cevennes in 5 days

• Avèze and Le Vigan,
• Mount Aigoual,
• The road Gorges du Tarn (La Malène, Sainte-Énimie, Le Pont-de-Montvert),
• La Corniche des Cévennes from Florac to Saint-Jean-du-Gard,
• Anduze,
• Alès,
• Venetobre.

The Cevennes in 15 days

• Even unmissable stages, plus Mont Lozère,
• The Bleymard,
• The Castle of Castanet and Lake Villefort,
• Saint-André-de-Valborgne,
• Barre-des-Cévennes,
• The abyss of Bramabiau (Saint-Sauveur-Camprieu),
• The Cirque de Navacelles,
• The gorges of the Ardèche (from Vallon-Pont-d’Arc to Pont-Saint-Esprit),
• The Castle of Portes,
• Genolhac,
• Liar.

The Cevennes in a month or more

• Same steps by staying more at sites, plus Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort,
• Mende,
• La Canourgue,
• Mont Bouquet,
• Les gardons (d’Alès, d’Anduze, du Mialet),
• The menhirs of Mount Lozère,
• The villages of Barjac,
• Lussan,
• Stevenson Road and the Regordan Way (for hikes).

These routes will give you a good insight into what the Cevennes are. But these are only the must-see sites and thus, in fact, the most touristic. The true Cevennes are a succession of small hamlets and villages where farmers, shepherds, artisans and artists have lived for centuries. Visiting the Cevennes does not stop at its exceptional sites and monuments.

Adapt your steps with your desires (sports, relaxation, culture, heritage).

Driving in the Cévennes en camping-car : the traffic rules to know

In the Cevennes, the road code is the same as anywhere else. However, there are certain specificities, particularly related to mountain driving. On the heights, roads are sometimes narrow and often windy . Visibility is reduced, especially in tight corners. Don’t hesitate to klaxonner before a turn to report your presence.

In addition, the Cevennes are a biosphere reserve and are home to an exceptional fauna and flora. An abundant nature therefore allows animals to live and reproduce in all peace. Beware of animals who would venture on the road, especially the wild boars. It is better to drive slowly because mountain roads are also the playground of bikers, sometimes dangerous in the corners.

Finally, don't hesitate to let the other vehicles exceed you, by guaranteeing you on the side as soon as possible. If you're on vacation, cevenols aren't necessarily.

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

Motorway tolls in the Cevennes? It would be like looking for a cactus in Lapland... The Cevennes National Park is surrounded by the A75 (Clermont-Ferrand/Béziers) on its western flanks. The A75 runs through the Grand Causses Natural Park and is free. In the heart of the Cevennes, there is no highway. The only toll highways around the Cevennes are the A7 and A9 and they are relatively remote.

The only toll that could be asked is that of the Viaduct de Millau . In Class 2 (for motorhomes), the price goes from 13,30€ in low season to 16,50€ In summer. By car, fitted van and van, the price is 11€ summer and 8,90€ outside the summer. The price is high, but it allows a huge gain of time and avoids Millau’s downtown.

How and where to rent a motorhome in France?

Today it is possible to travel by camping-car, even if you are not owners of a vehicle. Indeed, it is now easy to rent these vehicles among 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, after silling the cevenole roads, sign the state of the return places and the tour is played!

How and where to rent a motorhome in the Cevennes?

Many tourists choose the Cevennes for their camping-car holiday. Therefore, take it in advance if you don’t want a bad surprise at the last moment. The best solution is therefore online booking platforms, such as Yescapa.

However, if you want to rent on site, Alès is the perfect city to find a vehicle. Otherwise, cities around such as Nimes or Montélimar are also to be considered.

The camper areas in the Cevennes: where to park?

Where to park in the Cevennes? On motorhomes, you can park on all regular car pitches (white and blue lines). On the other hand, finding a place to spend the night can be more complex. Wild camping is strictly forbidden in the Cevennes National Park. So it's best to go to the service areas and in the campsites to sleep at night if you rent a camper. In van and fitted van, it will be easier because the small paths to isolate you will be accessible.

Controls can be carried out, especially in the summer and in the tourist sites. However, many travellers are travelling in nature, isolated on the side of the road. At the bottom of a path, in a forest, near a field, on the edge of a river, on a starting parking lot, etc.

The territory of the Cevennes covers 93,500 hectares, making it the largest national park in France after the Amazonian park of Guyane. The Cévennes laughs with great spaces and landscapes. The security forces cannot patrol everywhere! If you are discreet, and unless you are denounced, there is in principle little risk of being verbalized, especially at the wheel of a van. Stay still discreet and do not rustle the environment .

Also, leave no detritus on the ground during the night (trash bags, empty bottles, garbage, etc.) not to attract animals. Finally, it is necessary to avoid sleeping in places passing, visible and discovered. Looking for a spot safe or secure ? The Park4night app is your best friend: on an interactive map, you see some spots that have been referenced by the member community of travellers. This allows you to know where the known spots are.

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

The climate of the Cevennes is Mediterranean and mountainous at altitude. This is characterized by significant precipitation in autumn and by hot and dry summers. In the fall, beware of the storms known here as "cevenol episodes". They bring violent stationary thunderstorms, sometimes equivalent to a month of rain in just a few hours. In winter, snowfall can be important: the Lozère is the department with the highest average altitude in France with about 1,000 meters.

The best time to visit the Cevennes in camping-car is therefore undoubtedly summer Between May and September. In the north and at altitude, nights are always fresh or cold. In the south of the Cevennes, summer temperatures can be suffocating.

Good trip to Cévenole lands!