Best Motorhome Sites in Normandy: A Ferry Away

Normandy is the easiest slice of Europe for UK campervanners: a night ferry or a short crossing from Portsmouth, Newhaven or Ouistreham puts you in a region packed with history, apple orchards and quiet coastal roads. For many first-timers it is the perfect introduction to continental touring.

Getting there

The ferry from Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistreham) lands you in the heart of the region, while Newhaven to Dieppe is the budget option, landing further east. In summer, crossings start at roughly £80 to £150 for a motorhome with two people. Keep your GB badge and travel documents handy at check-in, and remember the UK drives on the left but France drives on the right.

Where to stay

Normandy mixes French municipal campsites — usually around £18 to £28 a night with electric — with the country's excellent network of aires de service. Key bases:

• Bayeux for the Bayeux Tapestry and the D-Day beaches.
• Mont Saint-Michel, where the dedicated motorhome parking is a short shuttle ride from the rock.
• The Pays d'Auge and the cider route around Cambremer and Beuvron-en-Auge.
• Honfleur and the Seine estuary for a final night before the return crossing.

Food and fuel

Markets run in almost every town: bread, cheese and cider bought fresh from a village market cost a fraction of a supermarket run and taste better. Fuel is comparable to UK prices on the main roads, and water and waste points are free to use in most municipal sites.

Booking your return ferry before you go gives you flexibility — if the weather turns, most operators let you change crossing dates for a small fee.

What to pack and know

Your UK campervan needs no mechanical changes for France, but carry a warning triangle, high-visibility vests for everyone, and headlamp beam deflectors. Normandy is flat and easy, with wide main roads, so it is an ideal first trip for a nervous driver. If a bigger European tour appeals, our campervan ferry guide covers every major route, and you can pick a van on our search.