First off, oh my god! We’re so excited for you. Before our first taste of van life Europe, we were definitely nervous, unsure of what we needed and a little overwhelmed by it all. We struggled to find an exact breakdown of the information we needed, so now we’ve been through it, we wanted to write our own guide for first-time travellers from the UK to Europe in a van, encompassing everything we wanted to know!
Table of Contents:
Research and Planning
Even if it’s vague, make yourself a little plan. It’ll just help you feel more prepared and also help you look past the nitty gritty and start feeling excited about van life Europe and what awaits you! We planned to do van life Europe through France, Spain, and Portugal. Since we’d be hitting France first, we bought the Take The Slow Road France Travel Guide, which includes routes, things to do, and places to go. This helped us create a bit more of a plan for when we got off the ferry. We also used park4night to find EXACTLY where we would go upon arriving in France.
We went to a paid aire in Saint Vallery-sur Somme. Although there are plenty of free park-ups in France, we didn’t mind spending on our first night as we knew we’d be safe and could fill up on water and just mentally prepare for our adventures to come! The spot was ideal as it was within walking distance of the town, which was super cute. It also had a Lidl so we could fill up our fridge. When getting the ferry, they advise you not to take fresh fruit and vegetables, although nobody checked…
- Plan the start of your route: Use resources like travel blogs (like this one), Instagram, and maps to figure out a viable route.
- Find a key destination where you’ll spend your first night/few nights. This relieves any stress when you first drive off the ferry.
- Consider the best times to visit various regions to avoid peak tourist seasons.
Make Sure You Have All Your Documentation
Of course, when travelling anywhere, you need to ensure you have the necessary documentation. We don’t have experience doing van life Europe with pets, so if you do, click here for more advice about travelling with your furry pals. We’d been recommended by friends that it’s a good idea to make copies of your important documents just in case someone, somewhere along the line, someone wants to keep a copy, so we made paper copies of the following…
- Passports: First things first, ensure all travellers have valid passports. We keep ours in our safe when we’re not crossing borders.
- Visas: Check if visas are required for any of your destinations. If you’re travelling within Europe only, this is unlikely.
- Driver’s License: A full, valid UK driver’s license is needed.
- International Driving Permit (IDP): Required in some European countries. Check if your destination requires one and obtain it from the Post Office if needed. You don’t need one for the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
- Vehicle Registration Certificate (V5C): The original V5C logbook to prove ownership of the van. Yes, you must carry the original. We also made copies of this. Nobody asked to see it on our trip, though we have heard of this happening, especially in France, and you can be fined if you don’t have it.
- MOT Certificate: A valid MOT certificate if your van is over three years old.
- Insurance Certificate: Proof of insurance that covers you for driving in Europe. Either print out a digital copy or make sure you have your policy downloaded on your phone/computer or iPad so you can access it if anyone needs to see it.
- Breakdown Cover: Get a European breakdown cover for your van. This isn’t legally required, but you’ll be glad you did if any problems arise. Luckily, we haven’t had to use ours yet, but it gives us peace of mind that if anything does go wrong with our home on wheels, we’ll be sorted.
- Travel Insurance Policy: Comprehensive travel insurance covering medical expenses, theft, cancellations, and other travel-related issues is a good idea. Ensure it covers you for travelling by campervan and includes all necessary activities, especially if you’re planning to do anything a little more extreme. We use the Nationwide FlexPlus account, which gives us worldwide travel insurance coverage for trips up to 31 days. (and can be extended after). Mobile phone insurance. Your phone is your lifeline, especially when travelling abroad; you’re likely to be using it for translations, maps and basically a bit of everything, so it’s a good idea to get insurance. When travelling, I’ve lost one phone and had one stolen, so I would definitely advise mobile phone insurance! Lastly, it gives us vehicle breakdown cover in the UK and the rest of Europe. …
So, having this bank account ticks a few of your documentation boxes!
Additional Documentation
- EHIC/GHIC Card: The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or the new Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) provides access to state healthcare at a reduced cost or sometimes for free in Europe. Of course, you hope you won’t need to use it, but it’s better to have it on hand just in case!
Prepare your Campervan for Van life Europe!
Now you’ve got a vague route, or at least a place to go when you get off the ferry, and you’ve got all your documentation safely stored away; now it’s time to prepare your campervan.
- Before you set off, it’s a good idea to conduct a thorough vehicle maintenance check (brakes, tyres, fluids). This is advisable before any long drive, so it makes sense to do it before you depart for Europe!
- Snow Chains OR Snow & Mud Rated tyres are an EU Requirement. We opted for Snow and mud-rated tyres as they’re on, so whether we need them or not, we’re ready.
Pack essential tools and spare parts. For driving in Europe, you’ll need:
- Reflective Jackets: These are required in many European countries, and you must have one for every passenger travelling. If you break down, you should put on your high vis and leave the vehicle.
- Warning Triangle: Mandatory in many countries, also needed for if you break down.
- Headlamp Beam Deflectors: In most of Europe, you’ll be driving on the right-hand side of the road, so it’s essential to use headlamp beam deflectors, even if you don’t plan to be driving at night.
- First Aid Kit: Often required by law, and it’s just good to have onboard!
- Fire Extinguisher: Recommended in some countries, also advisable to carry all the time in a camper van. Fire extinguishers do go out of date, so it’s important to check and replace them as needed.
- Spare Bulbs: Required in some countries (including France).
Booking and Traveling by Ferry
When you’re actually booking your trip, if you’re travelling in your off-grid campervan, all you really need to book is the ferry. Once you get to Europe, you’ll find plenty of campsites you can book at the last minute, or free aires, which we personally love.
Ferry Booking Tips
- Compare prices and services on websites like Direct Ferries or Ferryhopper. We use direct ferries, which will show you the cheapest options and will even show you alternative ports if they’re more affordable.
- Book early to secure the best rates and availability. As with booking any travel, more often than not, it’s better to book early. However, we booked a day before leaving, and the prices stayed quite consistent with the ones we’d seen a month before.
- Consider ferry routes like Dover to Calais, Portsmouth to Le Havre, or Newhaven to Dieppe. We’ve found Dover to Calais to be consistently the cheapest. However, depending on where you’re heading in Europe, an alternative route might work out better for you!
At the Ferry Terminal
Make sure you arrive early at the ferry terminal to allow plenty of time to check in and go through any security checks. It’s advisable to arrive at least an hour before your ferry.
- Keep your booking confirmation and passports handy, and you’re sure to breeze through and be on the ferry in no time! It’s good idea to check the ferry website to see if there are any restrictions regarding what you can take onboard.
Navigating European Roads
Driving in Europe for the first time can be nerve-wracking as you’ll be driving on the right side of the road. While this seems scary, as you follow the traffic, you’ll soon find it feels normal, as everyone is doing it.
- Familiarize yourself with European road signs and speed limits. Before heading to Europe, we read about some old-school French roundabouts but never came across any, so don’t worry too much. Just familiarise yourself with some common road signs, and you’ll be fine!
- Be aware of toll roads and use apps like ViaMichelin to calculate costs. If you’re hoping to avoid costly toll roads altogether, you can set your navigation system (like Google Maps) to avoid toll roads altogether. While it might take you a little longer to get from A to B, the drive is sure to be more scenic!
- Learn about LEZ regulations in cities like Paris, Berlin, and Milan to avoid fines. Personally, we do try to avoid cities in the van due to low emission regulations, but a quick Google search before you head into a city will let you know if you need to pay or not.
- Before you travel to Europe, you should get a Crit-Air clean air sticker to use when driving in France. This is a sticker you put on your windscreen that is used to identify a vehicle’s emissions levels and, in some cases, restrict access in order to improve air quality. You’ll also need one to drive in Switzerland, but unlike France, it can be purchased when you cross the border for around £30, depending on the size of your campervan.
Getting Around and Data Plans
Use GPS devices or apps like Google Maps or Sygic, and you’ll get around no problem. Depending on how long you’ll be in Europe, you may want to purchase a European SIM card or an international data plan before you leave the UK. It’s also a good idea to download some offline maps as a backup or go for an old-school paper map, just in case you find yourself without a signal at any point.
Lastly, be a good guest.
When you’re travelling anywhere outside of the UK, it’s important to be a good guest. Wherever you’re going, try to learn at least a few basic phrases. Be mindful and respectful of any local customs and traditions.
Travelling in a campervan is the perfect way to see Europe; there are so many beautiful free park-ups and services readily available for you, so respect them! Leave them clean and tidy, and if you’re staying in an area for free, make sure to spend some cash in the local area. Lastly, enjoy yourself! Once you’re there, you’ll soon find that travelling in a campervan is easier than in the UK. While it can be daunting at first, it’s such a popular way to see Europe so it’s really set up for it!
If there’s anything we’ve missed in our guide for first-time travellers, let us know, and we’ll add it in!