It’s not too late to plan a January or February motorhome trip in France
Here are 10 great reasons to visit France during January and February and travel and sleep in a motorhome, instead of staying in a hotel or villa…
Inside a cosy France Motorhome Hire Euro-Traveller Prestige campervan
When planning a winter break it is probably true to say most people won’t immediately think of a motorhome trip in France. However, here are 10 very sound reasons for exploring France during even the coldest of winter months:
1) France is one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world and the only time it’s really quiet is during the colder winter months. So, if you want to enjoy peace and quiet with some stunning backdrops, this is a great time to come.
2) It can be cold here during the winter, but it’s not often relentlessly wet. So, winter walks and time outdoors are still a pleasure, as long as you wrap up warm.
3) Modern motorhomes are well insulated and designed for year-round use, so they stay cosy even during the French winter. Every vehicle on the FMH fleet has central heating, so all parts of the motorhome stay toasty.
A beautiful chateau in Burgundy, France
4) Many chateaux, museums and tourist attractions stay open year-round but are blissfully quiet during the winter, so you’ll often get to explore them in splendid isolation. Exploring a 12th century, Cistercian abbey without another soul in sight allows you to really appreciate it and take your time to imagine what it was like centuries ago.
5) While not many campsites are open, there is no pressure on other parking places, so you can stay pretty much anywhere you choose overnight without getting in anyone’s way. You’ll have your own shower/WC and a leisure battery to power your campervan, so you won’t even need campsites. Those campsite that do stay open (mainly those in bigger cities) tend to be quiet, so availability of pitches is not an issue.
6) Unlike a hotel city break in the winter, as you have your accommodation with you, you can spontaneously enjoy a mix of cities and other interesting areas. You could plan a trip to mix a city break with some wine tasting and vineyard visits or take in a few country chateaux in between city visits and enjoy a more varied trip. Basing a trip around Auxerre, Dijon, Beaune and Dole would add some wonderful contrasts.
Place Francois Rude, Dijon with its fountain and typical houses.
7) The French winter sales go live in the shops on 10th January in 2018. French sales are government regulated and offer probably the most genuine bargains relative to the regular prices anywhere in the world. The sales run until 20th February and the discounts increase the deeper into sale time you get. You’ll need to visit at least one big city with great shops to get the best out of them.
8) “La fête de la St. Valentin” (that’s Valentine’s Day to you and me) is a huge celebration in France, so if you are planning a break with a loved one, 14th February is a great time to come. How about a romantic motorhome break touring the charming vineyards, wine makers and towns of Champagne? It does not get much more romantic than that!
9) Everything from campervan hire prices to tourist attractions are at the lowest prices you will find all year, as long as you avoid ski resorts (which you cannot travel to in our motorhomes anyway). Hire prices even stay at the winter rate for the school half term in February, so you’ll get a great value break whatever time you come during the winter months.
10) Finally, the roads are quiet and, away from the mountains, road conditions are well managed here even if it does snow, so it’s a good time to circulate in a motorhome.
Read our last blog with top tips for a winter trip, ‘Essential checklist for a cosy winter motorhome trip in France‘ then plan and book a winter trip to shake off the new year blues!