Furthermore,
Holidays: sleep where we want:
Alternatives to the hotel
Sleep where we want in van? In addition, In Switzerland, freedom has its strict rules – Holidays: sleep where we want
More and more Swiss are traveling by sleeping in their fitted vehicle. Therefore, But certain rules must be respected and may be binding.
Van trips are popular. Meanwhile, But beware, you can’t do what you want.
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- The craze for the landscaped vans reaches a record with 100,000 vehicles registered in Switzerland.
- The regulations vary according to the cantons for parking.
- Many platforms allow you to rent vans directly to individuals.
- Switzerland offers 400 campsites and 200 holidays: sleep where we want official areas for motorhomes.
They are popular from the pandemic: the Vans fitted offer travelers. Similarly, owners or tenants of the vehicle, a great feeling of freedom. However, Increasingly modern. Meanwhile, comfortable, they allow you to sleep, eat, even do your needs and shower, in a reduced and itinerant space.
On social networks, the phenomenon is viral. Nevertheless, Proof of this is, on Instagram, the hashtag #vanlife has more than 18 million publications. Moreover, Vadrouilleurs share videos from renovations from their vehicles but also. However, and above all, shots of their provisional fall points: in the desert, on a beach, at the top of a mountain or in the heart of a forest.
In Switzerland too, success is growing. Meanwhile, According to the Touring Club Suisse (TCS), there are today nearly holidays: sleep where we want 100,000 of these registered vehicles. For example, “A record figure in Europe with regard to the population of the country,” emphasizes Jordan Girod, spokesperson. Therefore, Camping and vans developed today represent the majority of customers in our 31 campsites of the country. Therefore, “
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But the freedom promised by van travel has its limits. Moreover, And if you plan to be tempted by the adventure this summer. it is better to know some rules in force, especially for the parking lot, in order to avoid unpleasant surprises. And the fines, salty, which can amount to 350 holidays: sleep where we want francs in the event of prohibited parking.
Holidays: sleep where we want
Communal regulations
Once on the road. you will have to determine where you want to sit to spend the night. In Switzerland. it is forbidden to camp in natural reserves, in the National Park (located in Graubünden), in the areas of tranquility of wild fauna or, logically, in places where access is prohibited.
For the rest, the rules depend on cantons or municipal authorities. From then on. The TCS recommends playing the security card and “to inquire upstream with the municipality, the canton, the tourist office or the local police station,” said Jordan Girod.
Many cantons prohibit wilderness camping, like Ticino, Geneva or the canton of Vaud. But some municipalities are organized to offer spaces dedicated to holidays: sleep where we want fans of “Vanlife”. like The Joux valleywhich has two places in the middle of nature, equipped with dry toilets.
In German -speaking Switzerland. the cantons of Obwald or Argovie authorize travelers to settle outside the dedicated spaces for a maximum duration of one night.
Sleeping with the locals
Websites. applications make it possible to identify the potential places to stop for the night, like Parkn’Sleep or Park4night. Remember to consult the comments of other users to make sure that these spaces are always accessible.
Campsites represent a safe alternative to avoid unpleasant surprises. And there is a choice! Switzerland has nearly 400 campsites and 200 official areas for motorhomes. They are identified on the sites pincamp.ch or aupaysducampingcar.ch.
Finally. if it is obviously forbidden to park on private land without the agreement of its owner, certain initiatives offer private individuals to make a plot available to travelers. The Swiss platform Please Related farmers. winegrowers or even cheese makers with fans of “Vanlife” who can go to sleep on the farm. A way to create a link between consumers. producers since, if the reception is free, visitors undertake to buy products from their hosts.
And abroad?
Wild campsite is prohibited in a large majority of European countries. In France, Italy or Germany, therefore promote dedicated areas, either “Aree di Sosta” or “Wohnmobil-Stellplätze”. In most cases, vans and motorhomes can park in public space, but it is not allowed to camp there.
A little further north, Scotland and some Scandinavian countries, including Norway and holidays: sleep where we want Sweden, authorize the wilderness campsite. Provided that travelers leave no trace of their passage and remain respectful of the environment.
Advice before hitting the road
Before embarking on a van experience, the TCS spokesperson recommends preparing his route. “Especially in summer, because accommodation places and campsites are often complete, especially near rivers and lakes,” he said. If it is a first trip. the TCS also recommends favoring rental rather than purchase, in order to verify that this leisure mode really meets your expectations.
Several online platforms offer these vehicles for rental. Roadsurferone of the European leaders has two rental agencies, in Zurich and Bern. The site mycamper.ch offers to rent individual vehicles, like Airbnb for accommodation.
On its website, the TCS offers a checklist Basic holidays: sleep where we want equipment to provide for the vehicle and for the stay. Its spokesperson also recalls that it is essential to respect the maximum weight indicated on the traffic license. “An overload is not only illegal. but also represents a danger to road safety because it increases the braking distance and can compromise handling,” explains Jordan Girod.
It will also be necessary to place heavy objects near the ground. the lightest in the cupboards, in height, while ensuring that nothing can slip or fall during the journey.
Finally, a car driving license, category B, is enough if your house on wheels does not exceed 3.5 tonnes. Beyond that, a C1 permit is necessary.
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