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

How do I visit the Netherlands in camper or van?

You expect not to leave too far for your next vacation? What if you're going to visit the Netherlands by camping-car or by van? Travel by motorhome , in a van or a furnished van offers freedom, comfort and luxury to be able to travel the roads in itinerant mode, without being forced to book a hotel or accommodation.

Often economical, you stop in the middle of nature spending the night with your desires. Perched north of Belgium and of Germany The Netherlands is generally regarded as a progressive country with a long tradition of social tolerance and openness on morals.

As you travel across the country, you can discover a leading historical and cultural heritage in the European Union. Between South and North Holland, Amsterdam to The Hague Rotterdam , Voldendam and Giethoorn or Kinderdijk, canals, traditional houses and famous mills , there are many activities to include within your itinerary to visit the Netherlands.

This road trip adventure tempts you? Here is our mini-guide to visit the Netherlands on a camping-car or in a van, between cities, countryside and the coast of the North Sea!

Ideas of itineraries in the Netherlands by motorhome

The Netherlands is geographically a small country: the total area is only 41 530 km2, which is only four times the French department of the Gironde. From France, Belgium or Germany, many routes are obviously possible to visit the Netherlands by camping-car, by fitted van or by fitted van. From Antwerp and Liege in Belgium, Cologne, Düsseldorf or Bremen in Germany, several must-see sites will continue your route: the national park De Hoge Veluwe, the cities of Rotterdam, The Hague and Amsterdam and their countless museums.

It is undeniable that your route will depend on the duration of your road trip. If you come to visit the Netherlands by camping-car or van for a week, you will have to make sacrifices and "zapper" some tourist sites and activities. Restrict your course according to your availability, and vice versa, extend your tour area if you come for longer (15, 20 days or a month). You don't know where to go to visit the Netherlands on a motorhome? Here are some ideas of possible itineraries to be made depending on the length of stay:

• 7 days: Amsterdam (2 days), Rotterdam (2 days), The Hague (1 day), Gouda and Delf, Haarlem, Keukenhof Park (in the spring), museums (Maison Anne Franck, Van Gogh Museum, Heineken Experience, Rembrandt House Museum, etc.), Leidseplein and the old church of Amsterdam,

Photo credit: Caramaps

• 15 days: the same route, the more the villages of Ijsselmeer (Marken, Monnickendam, Volendam, Edam, Zaanse Schans), the national park De Hoge Veluwe,

Photo credit: Caramaps

• 20 days to one month, same course with longer stages: the nature reserve Oostvaardersplassen, Lelystad, Kampen, Giethoorn, Haarlem, Leiden, Middelbourg, Domburg.

Photo credit: Caramaps

Note : These steps are only informative and of course you are not obliged to follow this path to the letter: the itinerary will vary according to your budget, your desires and the hazards of the journey (meteo, possible problems encountered).

How and where to rent a motorhome in France?

Would you like to leave France hexagonale and join the Netherlands by ferry with your camper or van for example? It is now easy to rent a motorhome in the Hexagon. How? Using interrelationship platforms between tenants and particular camper owners 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 shaking the Greek roads, sign the state of the places of return and the tower is played!

How and where to rent a motorhome in the Netherlands?

Would you like to discover all the different facets of the Netherlands, all on a camping car? If you prefer to rent it directly on site, it is recommended to make an online reservation in advance to ensure that there are vehicles available on arrival.

To get you a motorhome, we recommend you go through a rental platform for motorhomes and vans arranged online. These sites are now legion on the road trip and wild camping market. The principle is simple: you choose the desired vehicle – depending on the daily price, the type of camper/van/van fitted, the equipment of the vehicle -, and you send an inquiry to the owner.

A final step awaits you: the receipt of a confirmation email after your online payment. You can then leave safely for a Road Trip in the Netherlands!

Drive to the Netherlands by motorhome: traffic rules to be known

Circulation

They say that driving is relaxed in the country of tulips and crooks. However, the rules of the road code must be scrupulously respected: the Dutch do not transigrate with the offences and the law, unlike the cultures of the Latin countries of South Europe.

In the Netherlands, traffic is done, you doubt, on the right track and the rules of the road code to drive in motorhomes are singularly the same as in France. The Netherlands is a small country and the distances are therefore relatively short.

Roads and signs

Also, the country has an excellent road and highway network. Another advantage for you who will visit the Netherlands by camping-car or by fitted van: signalling is excellent on the roads. It is therefore possible to travel quickly and easily from one city to another, from one site to another. We join the cities of Utrecht , Rotterdam, The Hague, Delft and Leiden in less than an hour from Amsterdam! To go visit Maastricht, you must count 2:15 : as if rolling Montpellier to Toulouse joined the end of France!

Safety and equipment

The safety belt is mandatory for all passengers in the vehicle. It must be equipped with a signage triangle and a first aid kit. Of course, it is necessary to have its driver’s license, gray card and vehicle insurance available, and also a reflective jacket.

Speed limits

Here are the speed limits for motorhomes:

• In agglomeration50 km/h
• Hors agglomération80 km/h
• Highways100 km/h (weight greater than 3.5 tonnes), 130 km/h (weight less than 3.5 tonnes)

Alcoholemia

If you are going to visit the Netherlands by camping-car with a weight lower than 3.5 tons , you are subject to the same rules as those applicable to cars. As for maximum allowed alcohol, it is of 0.5 g/l (conductors over 5 years of licence) and 0.2 g/l (for drivers under 5 years of licence).

Motorway to the Netherlands: what price for your camper category?

Here is a good news that will delight the motorists: there is no toll, no paid decal to take the highways and visit the Netherlands by camping-car or by car. The roads are public and free, with the exception of two tunnels, which are paid:

• Kiltunnel de Dordrecht in Hoekse Waard: from 2 € to 5 €,
• Westerscheldtunnel from Zuid Beveland to Zeeuws-Vlaanderen: from 5 € to 7,45 €.

In the heart of the village Nieuwerbrug ann den Rijn , is the Tolbrug a bridge of only a few meters. It is the only pay bridge across the country, whose cost is only of 0.50 € . It is a manually operated bridge-levis, in service since 1651 .

Like the Italy limited traffic areas — zona traffico limitato - the Netherlands has introduced a device limiting vehicle access in the Dutch city centre, including some types of vehicles (old, diesel). These are the Milieuzone (LEZ), environmental zones limiting access to cities to diesel vehicles dating from before 1 January 2001 . In this case, the area is covered by cameras that check the registration plates of the vehicles falling in.

These are the following cities:

• Rotterdam: a fee of 25,90 € allows to circulate a maximum of 12 days per year. Amount of fine : 90 €
• Utrecht: no authorization for vehicles before 1 January 2001
• Arnheim: pre-2004 diesel vehicles banned since 2019

Pay attention if you rent a diesel vehicle before the 2010s!

Campsites in the Netherlands: where to park?

Here is a fundamental question of a road trip to visit the Netherlands on a motorhome: where to park? Can we stop sleeping where we want?

Wild campsite

A motorhome or a furnished van are, like cars, empowered to park on the regulatory parking spaces, dedicated to this effect. However, car parks in the Netherlands are very often paid in cities, and do not take the bet to pass through the mesh of the police net, as fines are now systematic.

If you can park on the parking spaces with a motorhome, it is however strictly forbidden to practice the wild camping in the Netherlands (cales, parabole, table and camping chairs rechaud à gaz, etc.). Spend a night on the public track or a parking area is also prohibited.

Parking area

If you’re looking to park in the mood to spend the night, you’ll choose them instead camping-car areas and campsites . The country with very little relief — it is said from Holland that it is the “flat country” — the campsite is conducive to it. There are many camping sites where to park for one or a few nights, have access to the sanitary and water points to drain the waste water tanks. In the municipalities, camper pitches where it is allowed to spend the night are materialized by a Special panel .

You don’t want to spend too much time looking for a “spot” where to sleep peacefully, without fear of a fine or forced evacuation of the place by the police? Degain mobile application Park4night , a Bible for any road trip : it is a tool for sharing places (parkings, camper areas, camping pitches, outdoor places, etc.) between travellers. Free , it allows to compare the reviews and to go through GPS coordinates to a wide variety of "spots" where to spend the night.

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

But then, when do you visit the Netherlands by camping-car or by van? The climate of the Netherlands is temperate, subject to sea entrances. As a result, summers are mild and rainy and winters are fresh and wet. Rainfall can be important during interseason and the sky frequently covers a thick grey veil.

The tulip country is full of bright colours in spring, when the flowers open. The months March , April and May are therefore an ideal time to visit the Netherlands in motorhome. It will be fresh or even cold but the landscape promises to be sublime.

The best time to visit the Netherlands in camping-car is undoubtedly summer, June to September : there is usually 20°C (sometimes close to 30°C). It is also the season where the tourist affluence is the strongest, with the increase in the rates.

But to visit the Netherlands by camping-car, we will therefore prefer the late spring to see the country in bloom and before the strong tourist season.