We are the opposite! We like to stay on sites where you don't have your car next to your tent! To us, it can feel like you are camping in a car park otherwise.
Obviously other people will have different needs though. The best sites will accommodate all of us!
I've always found sites where you can't have your car on your pitch to be in a minority in France though. I think I've only ever stayed at two sites where you definitely couldn't have your car next to your tent.
It is definitely worth having a look at reviews on here for sites as people do tend to mention whether you can leave your car on your pitch or not. I've certainly mentioned it in most of my reviews as I know people can feel strongly about it one way or another.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
On a sites where there is room to park your car next to your tent, there is generally space elsewhere for those who prefer it not to be parked next to them so it's always an optional choice. However, on those sites which the OP mentions, with a tent field, it would seem that those who prefer to have their car next to their tent have to look elsewhere.
The site we store on has about twenty parking spaces for cars or visitors, as well as other places on site where you could leave a car if you don't want to park next to your tent.
I've got no issue with off pitch parking. Makes for a nicer campsite without cars constantly driving in & out. All sites like this I use allow driving in to unload though. Some sites only require off pitch parking Jul/Aug peak though. Vast majority do allow on pitch parking though.
I don't have the experience and/or longevity of most on here, but thus far in my limited number of French camp sites, I've yet to come across any that don't allow on pitch parking. Some pitches may be a little tight (see my first and third pics), but all have allowed it, in theory...
Plus two more overnight sites on the way home from that last trip.
The only site I've been that I've had to park away from my pitch in Ireland has been Mannix point in Kerry. No big deal as I was there with a wee force ten. If we had had the Alaska, it would have been a literal pain. Abroad it was in Stockholm but only because we camped in the backpacker section and there was no real car access.
A couple of sites I have stayed on in Switzerland have not allowed you to park next to your tent - these were in Interlaken and Altdorf. The Interlaken site would allow you to park next to your tent if you put the tent up in back field, and not beside the lake.
------------- Euro-leafing to infinity and beyond!
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Strangler, we have camped at Interlaken ( a long time ago - 1977 or 78 I think) and you could camp with tent and car together. This is what I mean by the creeping unwelcome attitude to tents in certain areas. It looks like Germany and Switzerland are the bad places, and that's why I wanted to check the French attitude before we set off in 4 weeks time. It's no fun driving several hours to a campsite only to find that you can't have your car nearby.
Quote: Originally posted by strangler on 03/5/2017
A couple of sites I have stayed on in Switzerland have not allowed you to park next to your tent - these were in Interlaken and Altdorf. The Interlaken site would allow you to park next to your tent if you put the tent up in back field, and not beside the lake.
There are a few sites in the Baltic's and Scandinavia where you can't have your car next to your tent if you camp next to water. I believe it is due to pollution risk.
We are camping in Tuscany this year and found a site in Volterra that generally do not allow cars next to tents...we were not too keen on this as the car is secure and can be locked with valuables. People in campervans, motorhomes and caravans do not have this issue.
When I contacted the site owners they were ver y accommodating and said YES we could park the car next to the tent because we were going off peak. This suggested to me that they either had unmarked pitches or were very small pitches. Anyway, it was a case of allowing it or lose the custom.
We have never had an issue if France not in 23yrs any way.
P.S. we have noticed over recent years that we see fewer tents and caravans and more motor homes, but I think this is because we driving quite a long way from the port, some people just don't want to drive that far. Just a theory, I may be wrong.
------------- CAT
Favourite site:
Camping Nanzel, Limone, Lake
Garda..perfect for MTB, Kayak, SUP and fell running training.
Favourite areas: Provence, French Alps, Savigny (as a stop over for Southern France: Rhein valley as a stop over for Italy. 78
We bought the Hartford XL some years ago, but have gone back to the modular system with the Decathlon pop ups (now discontinued).
Your like us...tent, bikes a view...sorted.
Re tents - we have noticed that there are often an element who turn up with several small tents and generally make a nuisance. This is often the case on municipals. It will never change. Big family tents tend to be the norm everywhere.
------------- CAT
Favourite site:
Camping Nanzel, Limone, Lake
Garda..perfect for MTB, Kayak, SUP and fell running training.
Favourite areas: Provence, French Alps, Savigny (as a stop over for Southern France: Rhein valley as a stop over for Italy. 78
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by BobCat10 on 10/5/2017
P.S. we have noticed over recent years that we see fewer tents and caravans and more motor homes, but I think this is because we driving quite a long way from the port, some people just don't want to drive that far. Just a theory, I may be wrong.
I think that perhaps the reason for so many motorhomes, is that many of those battered old caravans which the French, Spanish, and Belgians used to tow around have come to their natural 'end-time' and have been replaced by state of the art motorhomes! I think it's also because on the continent provision is made for motorhomes, with free (or cheap) Aires and the potential to park-up anywhere, so people can kid themselves that spending €50,000 or more on a motorhome gives them access to 'free' holidays!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Camping with a tent
