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Abondance through France in a motorhome, what to see and do?
Abundance is one of the dream destinations in our neighboring country and on our route along Lake Geneva. Discover this unforgettable place that turns white in winter.
Live it!
On a route through France in a motorhome, we discover fairytale villages, emerged from a freezer of the most remote history of Europe, pirate villages and beautiful coves on its coast, impressive natural parks and surprising archaeological sites. In addition, we discovered France with children and with our dog Max, who broadens our gaze and makes us enjoy it 200%.
This time we're taking a 10-day winter trip along the Rhône River, from its source to its mouth in France. It's on this route, which you can see a summary of in a video on our YouTube channel , that we discover Lake Geneva and Lake Yvoire in all their splendor.
Stay on our journey through our posts on our blog and start traveling with us to France by motorhome.
Abondance: what to see and do
What to see and do in Abondance
Abondance is a small municipality in the Lake Geneva destination, located in the Haute-Savoie department. A ski resort in winter and an authentic mountain village in summer, it is a delight for athletes and nature lovers.
Abondance Abbey
It was founded by the abbey of Saint-Maurice-d'Agaune in the 1100s. It became the abbey of Notre-Dame d'Abondance in the 1795th century when the priory moved to the city. After several abandonments, it was close to ruin before being sold as national property in 1860. The monument fell into disuse and served as a dumping ground for the inhabitants. It was not until the XNUMXs that the place regained its letters of nobility, after being bought by the Sallavuard family.
Today you can visit it with a ticket at a reasonable price. The visit is not very big and the explanations are in French, but if you use the website of the guided tour that they tell you, you can do the automatic translation on your mobile.
The guide for families with children is entertaining and very good.
Cheese House
La Maison du Fromage d'Abondance stands out for local producers and farmers. The venue contains an exhibition as well as a shop and tasting area to the delight of fans. It is a short visit of 9 steps that will allow you to discover all the secrets and flavors of the best products of the Haute-Savoie department, entertaining with the children and very tasty.
To save some money you can buy the combined ticket that includes the House of Cheese + the Abbey.
Abondance Church
Next to the Abbey is the Abondance church belonging to the same Abbey, but with free and separate access.
It really is very beautiful, you can enter whether or not you visit the Abbey.
Lake Plagnes
Lac des Plagnes occupies 6 hectares and is the Abondance's Nordic ski domain and natural ice rink in winter.
In summer, loved by fishermen, this water point is also the start of many hiking trails in the surrounding mountains.
Swimming in summer and natural ice skating in winter, Nordic skiing, jogging and many other activities await you.
On our trip we did not have time to go up, but we have it pending for the next one.
If you like winter sports, ski in its alpine ski resort!
Once the snow season arrives, the mountains of Abondance become ski slopes to launch at full speed. Winter sports and thrill seekers will be very happy. Skiing, snowshoeing, tobogganing… 4 green slopes, 6 blue slopes, 2 red slopes, 1 black slope…
They are relatively small tracks, but it makes them very familiar and ideal to go with children. Of course, you should know that most lifts are ski lifts, if your children and beginners are very young, it is better to change the station.
go hiking
Mont de la Grange is a mountain that rises to over 2.400 meters in height, making it the highest massif in Chablis, after the Hauts-Forts. It is about a dozen hiking trails that intersect in the heights of the mountain. Obviously, each point offers different points of view of the most exceptional. To climb it from Abondance, you will have to take the direction of Lac des Plagnes, pass in front of some typical villages of the region and after passing the Saint-Théodule chapel, you will be there.
get lost among deer
Head to the Parc à Daims d'Abondance, located near the impressive Chevenne stream. This is full of animals to admire. Sheep, cheese, deer and much more... A short walk will allow you to clear your mind, seeing, from time to time, animals and chalets that are very typical of the region. The landscapes are relaxing and the expanses are vast, making them ideal for children and nature lovers.
Taste and buy local products
Throughout the year, local producers invite you to taste local products such as sheep and goat cheese, as well as other typical specialties of the region. Cured meats, fresh fish, seasonal fruits and vegetables, flowers, handicrafts, and many other Abondance dishes and souvenirs can be found in its little shops and restaurants.
Every Sunday, in the city center, overlooking the Notre-Dame abbey, the market is held for added pleasure.
Lake Plagnes
Lac des Plagnes occupies 6 hectares and is the Abondance's Nordic ski domain and natural ice rink in winter.
In summer, loved by fishermen, this water point is also the start of many hiking trails in the surrounding mountains.
Swimming in summer and natural ice skating in winter, Nordic skiing, jogging and many other activities await you.
On our trip we did not have time to go up, but we have it pending for the next one.
An extra –> Not far from Abondance you can visit the gorges of the Devil's Bridge, only in summer
They rise 50 or 60 meters above the stream that they overlook and sometimes give the impression of being a sinkhole. The name of the place comes from a large concrete block wedged between two walls, 40 meters high. Nowadays, the site is only accessible between April and September to avoid accidents due to the weather. The landscape is impressive but if you go in winter like us you will find it closed.
We advise, manage, solve doubts, give support and set up a route or trip in a motorhome personalized to your tastes and needs, so that you can go calm, safe and your trip in a motorhome is unforgettable.
With this service you will really enjoy a motorhome trip without setbacks or loss of time.
Park and spend the night in Abondance in a motorhome
Abondance has a motorhome area with all the services and one of the best in the entire Lac Leman area. A spacious place to park and with a heated utility terminal, making it one of the few places where you will find water available in winter.
Parking and overnight stays are free and the services cost €3,5 each for 20 minutes. You can pay by card at the terminal and the instructions are in Spanish, English and French among other languages.
To finish ... 3 maxims about France in a motorhome
1 Don't forget winter chains or tires in winter
You should know that between November 1 to March 31 in 48 departments of France, including those bordering Spain, it is mandatory to wear chains (at least for the two driving wheels) or winter tires.
If you want to see an article about which snow chains and/or winter tires are best for a motorhome, here's an article we wrote based on our experience with our motorhome.
Finally, here's an article with recommendations on what you should never do in the snow in a motorhome.
2 Do not forget the necessary documents
To go to France, you must carry valid ID cards or passports for adults and children as identification documents.
You must also bring your Covid vaccination certificate or QR code , or a negative PCR or antigen test for those over 12. This may be requested not only at the border, but also in many restaurants, museums, and other places of interest.
On the other hand, for medical matters, you must have a valid European Health Insurance Card , although you should know that in France there is a co-payment for foreigners in most medical procedures. Therefore, and based on the experiences of several colleagues, we decided to always have travel medical insurance , which, given the cost, gives us peace of mind. We always use Iati Escapadas insurance, which is designed for family trips in motorhomes or campervans. Besides medical insurance, it even includes accident insurance for any pets you travel with and a small amount of insurance against theft from the motorhome's interior. For the price, it's truly worthwhile, especially with Covid still present here. We're including a 5% discount on the insurance we mentioned, in case you'd like to request a better price.
3 Learn about the regulations on parking, spending the night and camping in a motorhome in France
We make it easy for you, here is a small practical guide about France by motorhome with everything you need to know.
Traveling in France in a motorhome is the easiest. Without a doubt, the motorhome routes in France are among the best in Europe.
Regulations on parking and spending the night in a motorhome in France freely
The regulations in France regulate that you can park and spend the night anywhere that a vehicle can do it, as long as it is not camped (you leave the perimeter of your vehicle, that is, take out tables, chairs, etc.), as in Spain although with particularities, which we will see later. This is the general rule, you can park and stay overnight without problem if there is no explicit prohibition.
Regulations on camping in a motorhome in France
Camping in France is meticulously regulated in various ways depending on the region and site.
However, as a general rule , free camping (setting up tables and chairs, opening windows, putting up awnings, etc.) is prohibited in these places throughout France:
- By the sea
- In natural parks or protected environmental areas
- In the streets and public roads
- Less than 500 meters from a tourist attraction
- On private farms without permission
Outside of these sites, you have to look at each case about the region we are in and place, a normative tidal wave.
But as a general rule, outside of the sites mentioned above, if there is no prohibition, we could take out our awning, table and chair to eat without problem.
Another important thing to know is that the French motorhome culture is of great respect and education, which means that no one thinks of leaving their table and chair and awning anywhere all day. They only do it at the time of use and then they collect everything quickly. You must always do this as well, so that free camping is still tolerated in France outside of the sites we have mentioned above.
Motorhome services and areas in France
Traveling through France by motorhome is very easy, as it boasts the largest network of motorhome areas in Europe, with over 6000 sites . These areas offer full services, including waste disposal and water filling, and many also have electricity.
Most of the overnight areas for motorhomes or campers are municipal and free or at very low prices, less than € 10 for 24 hours.
In practically all points of interest or tourist towns you will find a motorhome area, and generally always central or well connected to the center of the towns.
The French have a PhD in camping and caravanning and it shows.
In addition to these motorhome areas, we find a network of overnight areas in very important farms and vineyards where they allow to spend the night and camp in exchange for the purchase of km0, this network is what makes France Passion.
Routes
In general the roads are very good in France. The national ones usually have a hard shoulder and are usually fine, although depending on the area you will find many changes in grade, curves and a lot of two-way traffic.
The highways are great, but against the extortionate prices. In some sections there are highways, however they are minimal.
Finally, you should know that between November 1 to March 31 in 48 departments of France, including those bordering Spain, it is mandatory to carry chains (at least for the two driving wheels) or winter tires.
If you want to see an article about which snow chains and/or winter tires are best for a motorhome, here's an article we wrote based on our experience with our motorhome.
REMEMBER, CAMPING IS OUTSTANDING THE PERIMETER OF YOUR VEHICLE (taking out a table and chairs, awning, opening windows, spending more than 72 hours in the same place ...). For camping you can go to private areas or campsites.
