Planning a trip to Burgundy? Here’s our mini-guide to the Morvan by motorhome!
Spanning four of Burgundy’s départements (Côte-d’Or, Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire, Yonne), the Morvan nature park offers a wild, unspoilt setting for a pleasant motorhome vacation. With its vast forests and large lakes, the Morvan is one of the best sports and nature destinations in central France.
Planning a vacation in Burgundy? Nestled between Avallon and Beaune, here’s our mini-guide to the Morvan region by motorhome or van. On the program: nature escapades, rejuvenating lakes and the famous route of Burgundy’s most prestigious wines!
Route ideas in the Morvan nature park by motorhome
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Traveller70
Not sure where to go to visit the Morvan Regional Nature Park in a motorhome or van? The Morvan is a protected natural area covering almost 3,000 m², with a rich and diverse ecosystem. So there’s no shortage of things to see and do.
Here are our ideas for itineraries to do in a motorhome, depending on the length of your touring trip.
A weekend tour of the Morvan nature park in a motorhome
- Day 1: Vézelay (Sainte-Madeleine basilica), medieval old town, the Fontaines Salées archaeological site, Saint-Père (5 km, 10 minutes) ;
- Day 2: Avallon, Mont du Haut-Folin (80 kilometers, 1h30) ;
- Day 3: Signal d’Uchon, Beaune (92 km, 1h20).
A week in the Morvan nature park by motorhome
- Day 1: Vézelay (Sainte-Madeleine basilica), medieval old town, the Fontaines Salées archaeological site, Saint-Père (5 km, 10 minutes) ;
- Day 2: Vézelay, Arcy-sur-Cure caves, Bazoches castle (30 km, 30 minutes) ;
- Day 3: Avalon, Chastellux-sur-Cure (Château de Chastellux), Lac du Créscent (19 km, 25 minutes);
- Day 4: Settons lake, Saint-Agnan lake, Pannecière lake, Chaumeçon and Chamboux lakes (115 km, approx. 2h30) ;
- Day 5: Saut de Gouloux waterfall, Saint-Prix, Bibracte archaeological site (65 km, 1h15) ;
- Day 6: Mont du Haut-Folin, Mont Beuvray (12 km, 20 minutes);
- Day 7: Mont Préneley, Mont de Bard (50 km, 1h).
Rent a motorhome to explore the Morvan
What’s the right budget for motorhome travel in the Morvan nature park?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Pierre Jean Durieu
Not sure how much to spend on your Morvan touring trip in a motorhome? To help you prepare for your trip, here’s a guide to estimating your expenses, including motorhome rental, fuel, tolls and parking.
Of course, this indicative budget will vary according to the steps you decide to take.
Average budget for 1 weekend
- Motorhome rental + insurance: €93 per day on average ;
- Petrol + toll: 20€ (fuel) ;
- Parking: €5 per day;
- Total: around €300-315.
Average budget for 1 week
- Motorhome rental + insurance: €93 per day on average ;
- Petrol + toll: 30€ (fuel) ;
- Parking: €5 to €10 per day;
- Total: around 750€.
Average budget for 2 weeks
- Motorhome rental + insurance: €93 per day on average ;
- Fuel + toll: €80 (fuel), €50 (tolls);
- Parking: up to €10 per day;
- Total: approximately €1,500.
Areas and driving in motorhomes
In the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region, the legal provisions of the highway code are obviously similar to those prevailing in the rest of France. Nevertheless, here’s what you need to know about driving a motorhome, van or camper in the Morvan Natural Park.
What documents should I carry?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – GetFocusStudio
Make sure you always have :
- Driving license (B ) ;
- Motorhome registration;
- The motorhome rental contract;
- The departure inventory of fixtures, agreed with the owner;
- A photocopy of your vehicle registration document;
- A summary document indicating the vehicle’s dimensions, weight and fuel type;
- Motorhome insurance certificate.
Freeway tolls in the Morvan nature park: what price for your category of motorhome?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – RnDmS
There are no freeways in the 2,909 km² Morvan Nature Park. Nonetheless, you’ll need to drive on a number of major motorways to get there. These include the A6 freeway, which runs along the northern and eastern edges of the park, between Auxerre and Chalon-sur-Saône.
The A6 freeway links Paris to Lyon, and is operated by Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhône. It is therefore subject to tolls, which are charged at the class 2 flat rate for motorhomes, and at the class 1 flat rate for converted vans. For information, the class 2 fare from Auxerre to Beaune is €23.30 (class 2) and €15.20 (class 1).
To the west of the Morvan nature park, you’ll need to take the A77 freeway, formerly part of the legendary N7. This freeway is also subject to tolls, particularly between Montargis and Nevers: €7.10 for class 1 and €10.30 for class 2.
Further information about driving in the Morvan Natural Park
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Svetlana Bondareva
Everywhere else, apart from the freeways, communication routes are free, and rest assured: the Morvan road network is dense. It’s made up of a network of departmental and communal roads, all narrow and winding. In fact, these Burgundy roads are sure to provide you with beautiful views for your escapades.
If you’re visiting the Morvan by motorhome, we advise you totake care on the roads, and to consider the vehicle’s imposing size. Especially if you’re not used to driving this type of vehicle. We remind you of a basic rule to be observed in mountainous areas and on small, steep roads: when driving uphill, you have the right of way. But pull over to the side of the road when going downhill, whenever possible, and when the topography makes it difficult to cross.
It is also advisable to adapt your speed in areas where visibility is poor. The mid-range mountain ranges of the Morvan require extra caution: for example, don’t go faster than 30km/h on the small local roads, in order to anticipate any obstacle (car or animal).
Finally, you should be aware that the Morvan is a region where snow can fall in abundance in winter. Make sure you have snow tires and/or snow chains, to avoid accidents or getting stuck (or endangering other motorists).
Rent a motorhome to explore the Morvan
RV parks in the Morvan nature park: where to park?
Photo credit: Caramaps
Don’t know where to spend the night after visiting the must-see sites and monuments in the Morvan Park? Unfortunately, there aren’t many service areas in the park: there are just a dozen in an area of almost 3,000 km².
There are often fewer motorhome service areas inside a nature park. And there’s a good reason for this: it’s often a protected natural area.
As a general rule, service areas in the Morvan are all equipped with wastewater drainage, parking, water supply, toilets and garbage cans. And on the whole, access to the service areas is free of charge, except where more extensive services are offered.
For example, the aire de Faye in the commune of Montsauche-les-Settons. The price is €12, but the area is handicapped-accessible and includes all the services you need to travel comfortably (washing-up area and sinks, showers, water supply, hot water, electricity, caravan access, waste garbage cans, waste water and toilet cassette emptying, toilets). This service area allows you to enjoy the peaceful surroundings of Lac des Settons, an essential part of the Morvan Natural Park.
Looking for the best campsite in Morvan? Head for the Anost site, ideally located for visiting the southern part of the nature park. What’s more, the site offers high-quality services and facilities (entertainment, bar, bakery, shops, gas, washing machine, etc.). The area is free of charge, but has only 10 parking spaces. Nearby, there are a number of sports facilities (hiking, volleyball, golf, swimming, horse riding, mountain biking/cycling, fishing, etc.).
Elsewhere, two digital tools should help you find areas and spots to park and sleep: Caramaps and Park4night. You can view the location of motorhome service areas on interactive maps. As a bonus, you can freely consult the reviews published by the community of travelers.
How and where to rent a motorhome in France?
Would you like to visit the Morvan by motorhome, but don’t own a vehicle? It’s now very easy to rent these vehicles between private individuals, especially in France. There are a number of online rental platforms, such as Yescapa.
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 is signed by both parties. You’ll need to sign it as soon as you return from the Morvan, and once you’ve done that, it’s all over!
Rent a motorhome to explore the Morvan
When is the best time to travel by motorhome in the Morvan Natural Park?
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Traveller70
When is the best time to visit the Morvan Nature Park by motorhome? Despite its geographical location and topography, the Morvan Nature Park is characterized by a humid continental climate. As a result, winters are long and harsh, while summers are mild and short.
Rain and snow fall nearly 180 days a year on the peaks, i.e. for 6 months of the year. Average annual precipitation is 1,280 mm on the edges of the nature park. On the heights, it reaches over 1,800 mm per year.
For example, the best time to visit Vézelay is from April to September: average maximum temperatures are 25°C between July and August, and between 18°C and 22°C in June and September.
The region is subject to heatwaves every year, with values above 35°C becoming increasingly frequent. Except in the highlands, where the temperature is more regulated, and nights remain cool even in summer: carry long-sleeved clothing with you at all times.
Further south in the Morvan Park, climatic conditions are similar: in Château-Chinon, the best time to visit is from May to October. Rainfall is abundant from autumn to spring, and average maximum temperatures range from 5°C (January) to 15°C (April), 22°C (June) to 25°C (July-August), before dropping off rapidly in autumn.
Days of snow and frost are not uncommon in winter, especially on the higher ground. So be careful if you’re visiting the Morvan by motorhome outside the tourist season. Château-Chinon’s weather is only suitable for outdoor activities between June and September, with peak temperatures in excess of 30°C. But this is also the peak tourist season.
So it’s best to visit the Morvan Nature Park by motorhome during the summer or late spring, between May and late September.