The Jura by motorhome: tips, areas, itineraries

How to visit the Jura in a motorhome or van?

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What if, instead of going abroad this year, we visited the Jura by motorhome? A road-trip along French roads offers a unique opportunity to discover nature while traveling freely. In a motorhome, van or camper van, you don’t have to check prices and opening hours of accommodation in town. You can drive and stop wherever you like, by a lake, in a forest, in a field, etc. Visiting the Jura by motorhome means you can travel at your own pace.

Jura is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of France. It’s also a mountain range that acts as a natural barrier to Switzerland. The Jura has a lot to offer. You’ll find sublime landscapes, and a historical and cultural heritage that can’t be ignored. Planning to visit the Jura by motorhome? Here’s our mini-guide to this road-trip!

Route ideas in the Jura by motorhome

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The department covers an area of 4,999 km², half the size of Gironde or Landes. With its wine, cheese, lake and pine tree routes, the Jura has a lot to offer. There are several possible itineraries for visiting the Jura by motorhome. These depend logically on what you want to do. The Parc Naturel du Haut-Jura reveals its high-mountain ambience. The towns of Dole and Lons-le-Saunier will show you their historical and cultural heritage. The wine and Comté routes will delight the taste buds of gourmets and gourmets alike. There are several ways into the Jura: via theA39 from Bourg-en-Bresse or Dijon, and via theA36 from Besançon. There are so many must-see sites in the Jura that you’ll have to limit your program. Especially if you’re short on time. Here are a few ideas for stages in the Jura:

These stage ideas are only indicative. You are of course free to follow them or not. If you have a lot of time, stay longer at each stage. Only by staying for several days can you immerse yourself in the region’s history and culture. It’s also a great way to meet the people of the Jura and experience their hospitality!

Driving a motorhome in the Jura: traffic rules you need to know

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The rules of the road are no different from the rest of France. The Jura road network comprises 93 kilometers of freeways and trunk roads. There are 3,545 kilometers of departmental roads and 4,592 kilometers of communal roads. And yes! Jura is a very rural department, and the roads can sometimes be narrow, especially in the mountains. Remember that priority goes to the vehicle climbing a hill, especially if it weighs the most. Don’t hesitate to honk your horn on mountain bends. This is to warn other vehicles when visibility is poor. Be extra careful, especially on mountain roads. Motorcyclists and motorists can sometimes arrive at speed.

In France, national law governs the provisions of the Highway Code. However, local authorities sometimes tighten the rules. This is particularly the case during climatic episodes or tourist events. These exceptional measures may concern speed limits or vehicle access and parking. From a legal point of view, a motorhome (weighing less than 3.5 tonnes) is considered to be a car. Speed limits are therefore generally as follows:

• 50 km/h in built-up areas,
• 70 to 80 km/h on secondary roads,
• 110 km/h on dual carriageways,
• 130 km/h on freeways.

Make sure your motorhome is equipped with a reflective vest and warning triangle. In traffic circles, motorhomes must always stay in the right-hand lane. You’ll also need to pay attention to safety distances, which are increased by the size of the vehicle.

Freeway tolls in the Jura: how much does your motorhome category cost?

The Jura department is crossed by two freeways: theA39 and the A36. If you’re visiting the Jura by motorhome, you’ll have to pay class 2 tolls. If, on the other hand, you’re travelling in a converted van, you’ll have to pay class 1 rates. If you need to take the freeway to visit the Jura by motorhome, here are some indicative rates (class 2):

• Dole-Beaurepaire-en-Bresse: €6.70,
• Besançon-Dole: €4.40,
• Dijon-Dole: €6.20,
• Dijon-Beaurepaire-en-Bresse: €12.70

Driving through Jura doesn’t seem very expensive: that’s normal, as there are only 93 kilometers of freeway in the département!

Motorhome parks in the Jura: where to park?

Need we remind you? In France, wild camping is officially prohibited, especially in national and regional parks. That’s what the law says. Unofficially, many itinerant travellers do so without being evicted or fined by the police. In truth, the Jura is a fairly isolated department. So you’ll find plenty of places to spend the night in peace and quiet. In the middle of nowhere, in a forest, on a parking lot at the start of a hike, in the mountains, by a lake, on an isolated path, etc… All you have to do is keep the place clean and respect the environment, i.e. don’t leave any dirt behind. However, it has to be said that in a small van, you’ll pass more unnoticed than in a camper van. Jura has a number of service areas for motorhomes. They may be free or chargeable.

You can park wherever signage authorizes motor vehicles to park. Motorhomes are in fact considered to be cars. Here’s a nuance: camping in the wild is forbidden, but sleeping in your camper van is permitted. But don’t take your chocks, satellite dish, tables and chairs out onto the public highway. Looking for a place to spend the night under the stars? The Park4night app is the Bible of itinerant travel. It’s a tool for sharing spots between travelers. The program lists campsites, parking lots, motorhome service areas and wilderness spots where you can park.

How and where to rent a motorhome in France?

Would you like to explore the Jura with your camper van, for example? It’s now easy to rent a motorhome in France. How can you do this? By using platforms such as Yescapa to put renters in touch with private owners of motorhomes.

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 details (dates, rental options, mileage, etc.) with the owner.
• If your application is accepted and after payment, you’ll have access to the owner’s contact details to arrange a first meeting.
• On the big day, present your driver’s license and pay the deposit.
• An inventory of fixtures is carried out and a rental contract is signed by both parties. On your return, after you’ve taken to the roads of the Jura, sign the return inventory and that’s it!

Rent a motorhome in the Jura

When is the best time to travel in a motorhome in the Jura?

Photo credit : Shutterstock / Jacques VANNI

Beware: the climate in the Jura is rigorous, even harsh. On average, it is semi-continental with a mountain influence. The most hostile weather is to be found in the south-east of the département, in the Jura massif. There are two main climatic zones in the Jura: plains and mountains. On the plains, from Bresse to Pays Dolois, the climate is semi-continental: the weather can be very wet, cool in summer and cold in winter. To the southeast, the Jura has a humid mountain climate, characterized by heavy snowfalls between October and May. Temperatures can be very cold in winter and cool in summer.

So when is the best time to visit the Jura by motorhome? While the average January temperature in the Jura is between -2°C and 4°C, it’s between 13°C and 24°C in July and August. Logically, the most favorable months are May, June, July, August and September. But spring, summer and autumn are wet, rainy or snowy. If you’re well equipped, visiting the Jura by motorhome in winter can be interesting. But the winter season is long and frosty days are frequent. The climate is considered fair from April onwards, becoming unfavorable towards the end of October. But keep one small detail in mind: even in summer, nights and mornings can be chilly in the Jura!