Renting a campervan or motorhome: what to check

Renting a campervan or motorhome is the best way to try this way of travelling before you buy, or to set off without the hassle of maintaining a vehicle. Whether you go through a professional rental company or a private owner, a few checks will spare you unpleasant surprises when you bring it back.

The licence and driver requirements

A vehicle with a maximum authorised laden weight (PTAC) of no more than 3.5 t can be driven on a standard car licence (permis B in France): that covers most campervans and many motorhomes. Above that, a car licence is in principle no longer enough. Rental companies often set their own conditions too: minimum age, how long you have held your licence, declared additional drivers. Check them before you book.

Choose the right size

A six-metre campervan slips in anywhere and fits in a normal parking space. A low-profile or A-class motorhome offers more space, a proper bathroom and often a rear storage locker, at the cost of more demanding driving. Think about the real number of berths, room for luggage and space for bikes if you are taking them. Our guide on motorhome size explains what height and weight change on the road.

Insurance, excess and deposit

• Insurance: check what it covers (glass, theft, breakdown assistance, damage to the roof and upper parts, which is often excluded).
• The excess: this is the amount you pay yourself in the event of a claim. An excess waiver option can reduce it.
• The deposit: often taken or pre-authorised on a bank card, it is returned after the return inspection. Ask how long that takes.

Mileage and extra costs

The advertised price sometimes includes a limited number of kilometres per day, beyond which every kilometre is charged. Estimate the distance of your route before choosing a package. Also check: cleaning fees, emptying the cassette on return, a full tank of fuel and gas, optional equipment.

What should be included

Ask for a precise list of equipment: crockery, bedding, electric hook-up cable and adapter, water hose, levelling blocks, chairs and table, a full gas bottle. A "fully equipped" campervan can be more or less so depending on the rental company.

The inspection, on departure and on return

Take the time to walk round the vehicle with the rental company and photograph everything: bodywork, wheels, windscreen, interior, odometer, fuel level. Ask to be shown how the heating, water heater, waste tanks and fridge work. Those ten minutes will save you an argument about damage that was already there.

Plan your route before you collect the vehicle

A rental is counted in days: every evening spent looking for somewhere to sleep is an evening lost. With Pakvia, enter your starting point (the rental depot, for example), your destination, the length of your trip and the size of the vehicle you are renting: you get a day-by-day route with an official overnight stop every evening, suited to your vehicle. Next, read our 10 tips for your first motorhome trip and plan your route for free.