Wild Camping in Europe

[pkeenan]

I'm sure this has already come up - so apologies if I'm repeating stuff.

What's the general feeling on wild camping throughout Europe?

As a side-question: are campsites expensive in Europe?

Specifics: I'm mainly eye-ing up France, Germany, Italy, and then some of Eastern Europe: Greece, Hungary and Romania.

Any thoughts/experiences would be most welcome!

 

[Banjo]

Camp sites are pretty cheap in France.Some towns have council owned ones that are even cheaper.
Not camped much in Germany but would hide myself away well if wild camping there. They used to have quite strict vagrancy laws ,

 

[rich p]

French municipal sites are very reasonable. I've paid as little as 4 euros for 2 people, up to about 15 maximum.
Italy is more expensive.
Germany was somewhere between the two @ about 15 Euros IIRC on average.

 

[psmiffy]

I think its possible to wild camp across most of Europe - you can generally find some little patch that no one loves - the question is why you would want to when camping at proper sites is generally relatively inexpensive - myself I only wild camp when there is a dearth of camp sites - In a lot of countries as a self propelled traveller you will tolerated as long as you heed the basics of camp discreetly, late and leave early (basically don't get caught doing it) - however there is always going to be the risk that someone will take umbrage - Ive wild camped probably 40 nights in Europe and so far no one has.

As an aside it is always good to keep a few camp site receipts to produce if for some reason the local police should decide to question you about vagrancy.

 

[pkeenan]

@psmiffy
Thanks for your thoughts on roughing it. It's a good point: why do it when there are relatively inexpensive campsites on offer? My main response is that I'm just sounding things out! I enjoy wildcamping (being from Scotland, where one can do it with few worries!), and like the thought of keeping costs to the minimum (don't we all!).

It's been helpful to get a vague price range for sites throughout France, Germany and Italy - thank you for posts so far.

As for keeping camping receipts to tackle any accusations of vagrancy - that's a good idea! I wouldn't have thought about that...

As you'll probably have realised, I have not camped (nor toured) anywhere outside of UK, and have only been abroad two brief times! So Europe (despite being so near and available!) still feels so undiscovered for me. All input here is much appreciated!

 

[andym]

Prices do depend a lot on when you go and where you go. Also IME campsites generally charge a certain amount for the pitch then an amount per person - so two or three go cheaper than one person on their own. If you're travelling solo I'd say budget for less than 10 euros in France and 16 euros in Italy. But more in high season.

I don't think there's anywhere where you can be arrested for being a vagrant - the police won't be bothered to take much interest in you.

 

[steveindenmark]

Why do you think that wild camping is "roughing it" ? Some of the best camping experiences I have had is when I have been wild camping. I know for certain that the worst camping experiences I have had has been in organised campsites.

Try and find some cycle forums for the countries you are riding through and ask them, even if you need to use Google translate. They will probably be able to tell you about all the local free places to stay.

Wild camping is easy in any country, even in Scandanavia where I live. The chances of getting "caught" are very slim, unless you are extremely careless.

 

[pkeenan]

I use 'roughing it' as just an informal term of phrase... Sorry! I would agree that some of my own best experiences were wild camping - so wasn't meaning that I consider it to be a rough last resort...
I'll be checking out forums, as you say.

As plans firm up a bit, I think I'll be touring through France towards Italy (Tuscany), where I'm going to try WWOOFing (not done this before, has anybody else?) for a week or two, and then return... Depending on money and time, I might return through Germany (via Switzerland and then Belgium back to Calais), making it a bit more varied. We shall see!

 

[snorri]

where I'm going to try WWOOFing (not done this before, has anybody else?)

No, never done it, never heard of it until now, but I'll know about it next time.
The things I learn on Cyclechat, amazing.
Good luck with your tour pkeenan .

 

[pkeenan]

Thanks snorri! It's a very new idea, so will have a bit more research to do. Hopefully it'll be fun!

 

[zealand]

Hi there, you can wild camp anywere ,but as long as you not seen hide away ,done this in 12 countrys in europe . i cycled in Romainia for a week also, but didnt camp stayed in hotles ,as was by my self and didnt feel safe with the wild animals, but meet some guy from belgium there who was wild camping and said he didnt hve any problems

 

[pkeenan]

OK zealand, sounds good!

Just did a quick bit of googling, and whadyaknow - both Alpe d'Huez and Mont Ventoux are around where I intend cycling. Awesome!
I cannot cycle by those mountains and not ride 'em - it would be rude!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

We have camped wild through a lot of Northern & Eastern Europe and had no issues. A German tourer we met in Finland explained that you can legally camp wild in Germany only in 1 circumstance - a mechanical failure (bike (chain snapped, flat tyre around dark etc) or you (sprained your ankle, felt faint, migraine etc)) which prevents you from getting to somewhere like a campsite (which are not particularly cheap in Germany, though we did find a few that came in around €10 for the 2 of us whilst we were on tour) and you can only do that for the 1 night in the same spot.... I understand Greece & Italy can be an issue though from what I have read in other peoples journals - not been to Italy myself though, but we did wild camp in Greece a couple of times in winter without issue, though I was not particularly comfortable about it. Places like Poland/Hungary etc were much easier to camp wild & Denmark has a network of free tent sites for cyclists/walkers/hikers/kayakers. Otherwise it is a case of playing it carefully (disappear, stay quiet, up early & don't argue if you are found etc), and you should have no issues.

 

[ComedyPilot]

I did 3 week tour around Germany a did lots of wild camping. Like others have said be discreet and you'll have no worries.

 

[pkeenan]

Thanks for all posts - good to have feedback from people who've actually been there and done it!