Can I wild camp or sleep in my car?
It depends heavily on the place. Wild camping isn't banned by a single national law, but a stack of rules makes it illegal in most real cases: it's banned on the coast (shoreline, beaches, dunes), in national parks, classified sites and nature reserves, near monuments, in forests during fire-risk periods, and wherever a municipal order bans it. On private land you need the owner's consent. Sleeping in your car on the public way counts as parking (allowed as long as the vehicle stays in road configuration), not camping.
📋 The rules
- No single national ban, but many banned zones
- Banned on the coast, in national parks, classified sites and reserves
- Municipal orders often ban it in tourist areas
- On private land: owner's consent required
- Sleeping in a car = parking (vehicle in road configuration)
🔓 Exceptions
- Bivouac (one night, no installation) sometimes tolerated in the mountains under conditions
- Camping on private land with consent: possible (within limits)
- Equipped motorhome areas: parking and overnight stay allowed
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Illegal wild camping is a 4th-class offence: fixed fine of €135, which can be raised for environmental harm (fire, litter, damage). In a classified site, a nature reserve or a national park, the fine can reach €1,500 and climb for a repeat offence or a fire. For the car, leaving the parking framework (chocks, awning, table out) can reclassify it as camping and be fined.
📎 Official sources
- Service-Public.fr · Camping outside an equipped site →
- Légifrance · Article R.111-33 of the Planning Code (camping) →
- National Forestry Office · Bivouac and camping in forests →
❓ Frequently asked
Is wild camping banned in France?
Not by a single national law, but it's banned on the coast, in national parks, classified sites and reserves, and by many municipal orders. In practice it's illegal in most attractive places.
Can you sleep in your car?
Yes, on the public way it's parking, allowed as long as the vehicle stays in road configuration (no chocks, awning or table out). As soon as you 'camp', it can be reclassified and fined.
What's the fine for wild camping?
€135 (4th-class offence), raisable for environmental harm. In a classified site, nature reserve or national park, the fine can reach €1,500 and more in case of fire or repeat offence.
Is bivouac allowed?
Bivouac (a single night, no installation, tent up late and down early) is sometimes tolerated, especially in the mountains, under locally set conditions. Check with the park or town before settling in.
Can you camp on private land?
Yes, with the owner's consent, but within certain limits (duration, number of tents) and subject to local planning rules. The owner also can't create a permanent campsite without authorisation.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “wild camping banned france”
- “sleep in car legal”
- “wild camping fine 135”
- “bivouac allowed mountains”
- “wild camping coast banned”
- “camp private land consent”