Itineraries, rentals, parking: find out all the tips you need to visit the Drôme Provençale by motorhome or van.
Visiting the Drôme Provençale by motorhome or converted van is an excellent idea. It’s one of the most beautiful places in France for a road-trip. Travelling by camper van gives you a feeling of freedom. It also gives you the chance to travel without having to book any hotels or Airbnb apartments.
Drôme Provençale is a tourist region in the Drôme département. It takes its name from its direct proximity to Provence. It’s also an area with a rich heritage and strong tourist appeal. As a result, the region exudes the fragrance of the Midi, yet is far removed from the mass tourism of the PACA region.
Discover our mini-guide to visiting the Drôme Provençale by motorhome or converted van this summer.
Route ideas in Drôme Provençale by motorhome
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Eugen3B
You won’t have the same itineraries depending on whether you’re coming to the Drôme from the north or the south. The Drôme Provençale region comprises 177 communes and covers a third of the surface area of the département. Drôme Provençale is one of the most visited areas in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Its towns and villages include Montélimar, Buis-les-Baronnies, Dieulefit, Grignan, Nyons and Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux.
Your stages will be logically determined according to the activities you’d like to do and the length of your trip. Your itinerary will be different depending on whether you’re coming for a week or a month.
Here are our itinerary ideas for visiting the Drôme Provençale by motorhome, between lavender fields, mountains and picturesque villages:
- The Drôme Provençale in one week: the Rhône valley (Montélimar, Pierrelatte (la Ferme aux crocodiles), Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux), the Baronnies Provençales nature park (Nyons, Bourdeaux, Dieulefit), Montbrun-les-Bains, La Garde-Adhémar, Poët-Laval, Le Poët-Sigillat, Puygiron, château de Grignan,
- Visit the Drôme Provençale in 15 or 20 days: same itineraries plus the villages and castles of the Drôme Provençale (Roussas, Valaurie, Montségur-sur-Lauzon, la Baume-de-Transit, Saint-Paul-les-Trois-Châteaux, Allan, Chamaret).
Rent a motorhome for Drôme provençale
Driving a motorhome in Drôme Provençale: traffic rules you need to know
Photo credit: Shutterstock – travelview
The legal provisions governing the highway code in Drôme do not differ from those in other départements. The highway code is the same as elsewhere. And motorhomes are considered to be cars under French law.
However, there are a few important things you need to know about driving a motorhome. Take extra care at all times, especially if you’re not used to driving such a vehicle.
The roads in the Parc Naturel des Baronnies Provençales can be narrow. And the secondary stretches in the south of France are sometimes lined with plane trees, which can make crossing more difficult. The size of a motorhome is indeed imposing. What’s more, braking distance is greater than that of a car or converted van.
You should also be aware of the vehicle’s overhangs: take wide bends to avoid scratching the bodywork when manoeuvring. Every passenger must be wearing a seatbelt when the vehicle is in motion.
You must also be in possession of your driving license (B), vehicle registration document and insurance certificate. The vehicle must also be equipped with a reflective vest and warning triangle, in case of accident.
The speed limits are :
- 50 km/h in built-up areas,
- 70 to 80 km/h on secondary roads,
- And 90 to 110 km/h on dual carriageways.
Freeway tolls in Drôme Provençale: what price for your category of motorhome?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – JFFotografie
Drôme is crossed by the A7 freeway on its borders with Ardèche and Vaucluse. This Rhone valley route, nicknamed the « Autoroute du Soleil », is the only motorway in the département. The A7 freeway is managed by the concession holder VINCI Autoroutes, and is subject to tolls.
If you’re visiting the Drôme Provençale by motorhome, you’ll be charged the class 2 rate. Everywhere else in Drôme Provençale, you’ll be driving on free roads. Here are some indicative tariffs on the A7 motorway in 2020:
- Valence-Montélimar: €7.60,
- Valence-Bollène: €10,
- Lyon-Montélimar: €21.30,
- Lyon-Bollène: €24.60,
- Montpellier-Montélimar: €22.80,
- Avignon-Montélimar: €10.70.
The A7 freeway is reputed to be one of the busiest and also one of the most expensive.
How and where to rent a motorhome in France?
Would you like to explore the Drôme Provençale region in a motorhome or camper van? Thanks to the Internet, it’s now easy to rent a motorhome in France. All you need to do is visit platforms like Yescapa, which put renters in touch with private motorhome owners.
For those wishing to rent from professionals, it won’t be difficult to find a rental point in the Drôme. The same applies if you’re thinking of renting it on the way to Montélimar and the surrounding area.
How does it work?
- First, you need to choose the motorhome in your city (e.g. Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Paris, Montpellier or Marseille).
- Make sure you choose unlimited mileage, check the number of berths available and whether international travel is possible.
- Make your rental request online and share your travel information (dates, rental options, mileage, etc.) with the owner.
- If your request is accepted and after payment, you will have access to the owner’s contact details to arrange a first meeting.
- On the day, present your driver’s license and pay the deposit.
- An inventory of fixtures is drawn up and a rental contract signed by both parties. Once you’ve returned from the Drôme Provençale, sign the return inventory of fixtures and you’re ready to go!
Rent a motorhome for Drôme provençale
RV parks in Drôme Provençale: where to park?
Photo credit: Caramaps
Where to park?
French law outlaws wild camping. This practice is regulated by a decree dated December 28, 2015.
Even so, it’s still permitted to sleep in your vehicle while bivouacking. And, of course, you can park your motorhome on all parking spaces (white and blue lines). Outside built-up areas, parking is authorized as long as it does not hinder traffic or road signs.
If you’re driving a motorhome or van, you’ll need to use service areas and campsites to set up legally. The official Drôme Provençale website lists 35 motorhome parks throughout the region. These offer a range of services at varying prices, each with its own setting: near vineyards, on a private wine estate, on a shady plot of land, etc.
Where to set up?
There’s a fine line between wild camping and legal parking. In theory, you can’t set up on public land to spend the night. But in reality, it’s easy to find a place to sleep without disturbing anyone, and without being ticketed by the police.
If you’ve found a spot in the middle of nowhere, make sure you’re not in anyone’s way. Stay away from dwellings and built-up areas. Whenever possible, ask the owner of a field or piece of land for approval before setting up.
Another important tip: to avoid being seen (or reported), keep a low profile, arrive late and leave early, leaving the area clean. Finally, don’t install satellite dishes, wedges or camping tables and chairs in public spaces.
Looking for good places to sleep in your motorhome? Check out our Travel Bible: the Park4night app. This spot guide is community-based: a system of reviews published by travelers allows you to see the best places to sleep. Bonus: GPS coordinates so you can get there without looking!
When is the best time to travel by motorhome in Drôme Provençale?
Photo credit: Flickr – Bas Boerman
The southern Drôme region enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild winters. In summer, the mistral and drought become more pronounced. Average maximum temperatures frequently exceed 35°C, and even 40°C locally. The sunniest month is June, and it’s one of the driest months of the year.
Winter in the south of the Drôme is mild, but nights can be cold. Between April and May, temperatures rise again, but the weather is unstable for a long time: thunderstorms are sometimes violent in spring.
Summer can be stifling, as in nearby Vaucluse and Gard. Autumn is much cooler, but it’s also Cevennes season.
September and October are the rainiest months of the year, with sometimes heavy rainfall. We therefore advise you to visit the Drôme Provençale between mid-May and mid-September.
Rent a motorhome for Drôme provençale
Now you have all you need to visit the Drôme Provençale by motorhome.