French Alps Campervan Packing List
A Living Packing Guide for Slow Campervan Travel
This packing list is based on our VW campervan trip to the French Alps. Instead of simply listing equipment, we’ve recorded what we packed, how often we used it and whether we’d take it again. As we complete more trips, this guide will continue to evolve.
| Trip at a Glance | Details |
| Destination | Val Cenis, French Alps |
| Travel dates | August 2026 |
| Campervan | 1990 VW T25 |
| Trip length | 21 days |
| Main base | Val Cenis |
| Highest campsite | 1,460 metres |
| Travel style | Slow campervan travel |
| Activities | Walking, cycling, local food, swimming |
Packing for the Alps is Different
Packing for the Alps isn’t difficult—it just needs a little more thought.
A summer day can begin at 10-12°C in the campsite, reach 28°C in the valley by lunchtime and then feel cold again once you’re standing at over 2,500 metres after taking a ski lift into the mountains.
Unlike a beach holiday, you’ll probably spend the same day:
- Driving mountain roads
- Walking alpine trails
- Eating lunch beside a lake
- Visiting a French market
- Sitting outside the campervan until late evening
It’s packing the right things.
This guide is based on our own VW campervan journey through France and our week staying in Val Cenis in the Maurienne Valley.
Our Packing Philosophy
We don’t try to pack for every possible situation. Campervan storage is limited, and France has excellent supermarkets, outdoor shops and pharmacies. We’d rather leave a little space in the cupboards for local food and the unexpected discoveries that every road trip brings.
Packing Considerations
| Question | Notes |
| Time of year | Summer |
| Destination | French Alps |
| Length of trip | 21-days |
| Number of people | Two up & down delivery trip – four in Val Cenis |
| Highest altitude expected | Campsite 1460 meters |
| Planned activities | Walking / Cycling / Swimming / Sightseeing / Eating local produce |
| Campsites booked | Yes – Eight! |
| Electric hook-up available? | Yes |
| Bike hire or bringing bikes? | Two bikes on delivery trip, extra bikes hired as required. |
Documents
| Item | Packed |
| Passport | ✔ |
| Driving licence | ✔ |
| V5C | ✔ |
| Vehicle insurance | ✔ |
| Breakdown cover | ✔ |
| Holiday Insurance | ✔ |
| EHIC/GHIC | ✔ |
| Campsite bookings | ✔ |
| Item | Packed |
|---|---|
| Engine oil | ✔ |
| Coolant | ✔ |
| Brake fluid | ✔ |
| Tyre pressures | ✔ |
| Spare wheel | ✔ |
| Wheel brace | ✔ |
| Jack | ✔ |
| Windscreen washers | ✔ |
| Wiper blades | ✔ |
| Lights | ✔ |
French motoring laws – what to bring
| Item | Packed |
| UK Sticker- – don’t count on buying one at the point of exit. | ✔ |
| Head beam deflectors. | ✔ |
| Spare bulb kit | ✔ |
| Reflective Vests & Triangles | ✔ |
| Warning triangle | ✔ |
| Red-and-white chevron boards to fit on the bike carrier – essential if you travel on from the Alps | ✔ |
| Spare Glasses | ✔ |
Campsite Equipment
| Item | Packed |
| Levelling ramps | ✔ |
| Spirit level | ✔ |
| Hook-up cable*2 | ✔ |
| Camping chairs | ✔ |
| Folding table | ✔ |
| Awning | ✔ |
| Hammer | ✔ |
| Pop-up tent | ✔ |
| Lantern | ✔ |
| Head Torch | ✔ |
| Power pack | ✔ |
| Extension lead | ✔ |
Why We Carry Two Hook-up Cables
Most French campsites use the standard blue 3-pin CEE hook-up connection, so that’s the cable you’ll use most of the time. We also pack a French/Schuko adapter for older municipal and independent campsites that occasionally use different socket types. It takes up almost no space in the campervan, but it’s one of those items that can turn a potential problem into a minor inconvenience.
Kitchen Equipment
| Item | Packed |
| Aeropress coffee maker | ✔ |
| Kettle | ✔ |
| Frying pan | ✔ |
| Saucepan | ✔ |
| Cadac Safari Chef | ✔ |
| Outwell solo stove | ✔ |
| Chopping board | ✔ |
| Sharp knives | ✔ |
| Washing up bowl | ✔ |
| 3-way fridge | ✔ |
| Bread bag | ✔ |
Health & Safety
| Item | Packed |
| First aid kit bag | ✔ |
| Sun cream | ✔ |
| Lip balm | ✔ |
| Insect repellent | ✔ |
| Pain relief | ✔ |
| Allergy medication | ✔ |
| Hand sanitiser | ✔ |
| Plasters | ✔ |
| *Antiseptic Wound Spray | ✔ |
* Ideal for the inevitable scrapes that come with cycling, mountain walks and generally living outdoors.
Cycling Equipment
| Item | Packed |
| Helmets | ✔ |
| Gloves | ✔ |
| Sunglasses | ✔ |
| Water bottles | ✔ |
| Pump | ✔ |
| Multi-tool | ✔ |
| Spare tubes | ✔ |
| Tyre levers | ✔ |
| Chain oil | ✔ |
| Bike locks – lots | ✔ |
| Lights | ✔ |
| Phone mount | ✔ |
| Bell* | ✔ |
* lots of cycling paths, used politely very effective for letting people know you are there when cycling alongside canal paths etc.
Electronics
| Item | Packed |
| Phone charger | ✔ |
| Phone battery pack | ✔ |
| USB cables | ✔ |
| Camera | ✔ |
| Spare batteries | ✔ |
| European Plug adaptor | ✔ |
Photography
| Item | Packed |
| Camera | ✔ |
| Flash | ✔ |
| Tripod | ✔ |
| Cleaning cloth | ✔ |
Campervan Living
| Item | Packed |
| Washing line | ✔ |
| Clothes pegs | ✔ |
| Bin bags | ✔ |
| Washing tabletsTea towel | ✔ |
| Microfibre cloth | ✔ |
| Torch | ✔ |
Van Essentials:
| Item | Packed |
| Oil | ✔ |
| Coolant | ✔ |
| Fanbelt | ✔ |
| Spark plugs | ✔ |
| Distributor cap & rotor arm | ✔ |
Essential Tools
| Item | Packed |
| Self Amalgamating Tape – essential for water cooled vans | ✔ |
| Jump leads | ✔ |
| Socket set | ✔ |
| Electrical tape (black) | ✔ |
| Fuses | ✔ |
| Plastic hose connectors and jubilee clips | ✔ |
| Stanley knife | ✔ |
| Spanner set | ✔ |
| Adjustable spanner | ✔ |
| WD40 | ✔ |
| Spanners & screw drivers, flat and Philips | ✔ |
| Superglue | ✔ |
Packing Lessons
Every trip teaches us something. Rather than rewriting this page from scratch each year, we’ll update it with what we actually used, what stayed packed away and what we’ll leave at home next time.
This Guide Will Be Updated After Our Trip
This page is being published before our summer road trip to the French Alps. Once we’ve returned, we’ll update it with the equipment we used every day, what stayed in the cupboards, what we forgot to pack, and the local products we’d recommend buying in France.
Related Guides
- France Alps Campervan Road Trip – hybrid road guide
- Our Val Cenis Itinerary Guide