Where to take a van road trip in France: 12 destinations

Three cirques (Mafate, Salazie, Cilaos), an active volcano, black-sand beaches, tropical rainforest, and a coastal road that circles the island in 220 km. For anyone who wants to combine France with total exoticism, Reunion Island is unbeatable. Its culture blends European, African, Indian and Chinese influences, visible in the food, the architecture and the pace of life.

The van suits the island particularly well: official wild-camping spots all over, trailheads starting right from the car park, street markets at any hour. Allow 7 to 10 days for an unhurried loop through Saint-Gilles, Saint-Leu, Saint-Pierre, the volcano, Saint-Philippe, the wild south, Saint-Benoît, Saint-Denis and Mafate viewed from the Maïdo.

200 km of the Loire between Orléans and Angers, dotted with Renaissance châteaux you can visit in a day each. Chambord and its double-helix staircase attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, Chenonceau and its gallery bridge over the Cher, Villandry with its chequerboard kitchen gardens, Azay-le-Rideau resting on the water.

The route works comfortably in 4 to 5 days by van, with one stop each evening near a château or along the Loire. The 'La Loire à Vélo' cycle route also offers stopovers for smaller motorhomes, and bikes can be rented there to reach the less-visited châteaux.

The abbey, the medieval streets, the Mère Poulard omelette, and above all the tidal phenomenon that temporarily cuts the islet off from the mainland. The big equinox tides (March and September) draw thousands of visitors, so plan to arrive very early or very late if you want a stress-free place to park.

The van lets you spend the night nearby (the official Beauvoir stopover, 4 km away, with a shuttle to the Mont included) and follow up with a detour to Cancale for oysters or Saint-Malo (50 km to the west).

Brittany is probably the most complete van destination in France. The Emerald Coast, the Pink Granite Coast, the Crozon peninsula, Pointe du Raz: 2,700 km of coastline to explore, dotted with iconic lighthouses (Eckmühl, Créac'h, Ploumanac'h), isolated chapels and small fishing harbours.

The inland areas have their own appeal too: the Brocéliande forest with its Arthurian legends, the Carnac megalithic alignments, medieval towns like Dinan or Quimper. On the food side, crêpes and galettes, seafood and craft cider at every stop.

Provence by van means combining the Luberon and its hilltop villages (Gordes, Roussillon with its red ochre cliffs, Bonnieux), the lavender plateaus of Valensole in July, Sunday-morning Provençal markets, and the Calanques de Cassis to finish with your feet in the water.

Key season: June-July for lavender in bloom, September for the grape harvest. Avoid August, when traffic is heavy and prices double. The van works well for visiting the villages: arrive before the tour buses, leave after they do, and sleep just outside town.

Normandy by van breaks down into three possible routes depending on your interest: remembrance (the D-Day landing beaches, Colleville cemetery, Pointe du Hoc), the picturesque (Honfleur, Deauville, Étretat and its arched cliffs), or the countryside (the Pays d'Auge with its hedgerows, apple orchards and cheese dairies).

Distances are short, 1 to 2 hours' drive between each site, which makes for an easy 4-5 day road trip. October-November is new cider season on the farms, best tasted straight from the producers.