The Beacon Message Board

When watching bits of the Tour de France, I have on a couple of previous occasions simply taken a tent and pitched up at the side of the road. Lots of other people were doing it, and I just followed suit. In contrast to what I'd expect in the UK, everybody, including the police, seemed perfectly easy about people camping where there was no officially sanctioned camp site.

Which makes me wonder: do the French simply tolerate this practice in the spirit of the event? Or is it generally OK to camp in the wild in France? Could you pitch a tent half way up a mountain pass at any other time without attracting unwanted attention?

George - from what I understand it's a legal grey area in France, but generally nobody minds as long as you don't have fires, make a mess, camp on crop fields etc. I have also come across designated wild camping areas, usually a clearing in the woods with no facilities, where you can camp for free.

Cheers, Graham.

Here goes ... George v the French Judiciary Part 2

George wrote: In contrast to what I'd expect in the UK, everybody, including the police, seemed perfectly easy about people camping where there was no officially sanctioned camp site.

Correction: In contrast to what I'd expect in the England, Wales and Northern Ireland

This sort of thing is perfectly okay in Scotland where it is permitted to wild camp in upland areas - as I occasionally do.

G, would you like to borrow my bivvy bag?

Philip Whiteman wrote:G, would you like to borrow my bivvy bag?

That's a kind offer, Phil, but at this stage I'm just toying with one or two ideas. If they become firm plans, I may get back to you.

I bivvied in Provence in Mar/April of this year for the seventh time and nobody bothered me, I've slept in farmer's fields too, but not on their crops.