We love touring motorhome-friendly France, and we know that many of you do too! So our new August issue of Practical Motorhome shares nine wonderful tours by ourselves and Practical Motorhome‘s Reader Team. If you’re looking for somewhere new to visit in your ’van, don’t miss our 40-page France Special!

Our grand tour of Brittany highlights the region’s fantastic food and awesome scenery. We visit Mont St Michel, sink our toes into the golden sands of Brittany’s best beaches and sample culinary delights such as a chimney steak, galettes and a tasty tagine. From châteaux to ships, touring Brittany needn’t break your bank, but will enrich your life, as we discover.

Our 13 top campsites in France for motorhomes, as recommended by our helpful and experienced Reader Team of motorcaravanners, are another essential read in the August issue. “We used Camping Les Frênes as a base to explore Nice, Monaco and Monte Carlo,” says Donna Garner, while Geoff Crowther names Camping Municipal de Saint-point Lac as the only site that’s lured him back time and again. Sylvia and Don Guy prefer to use aires, but now and then they make an exception – for an exceptional campsite, like one of these.

Roman France is the unusual theme picked for a fascinating tour by Mick and Elaine Statham. They follow the route that Rome took to conquer southern Gaul and Iberia and discover awe-inspiring Roman antiquities, large and small, on a 1818-mile motorhome tour of France and Spain.

Hidden gems – our French village tour

You may have heard of ‘Les Plus Beaux Villages de France‘ – a collection of the most beautiful villages dotted around the French countryside. In our new August issue Claudia Dowell explores 12 of these unspoilt beauty spots and finds the best night stops for motorhomes  along the way.

Provence is a region that has long captured the hearts and imaginations of artists, photographers and tourists alike. Swift Bolero-owners Sylvia and Don Guy see the iconic white horses of the Camargue, view châteaux and sample the delights of the local markets – and find themselves falling head-over-heels for the charms of this distinctive region. Read their touring tales to find out the best places to stay in Provence.

Next we visit a dream island, the second-biggest in France. Read all about Joe and Elaine Ormerod’s tour of the Ile d’Oléron, and our selection of more fantastic French islands that are accessible for motorhomes.

Northern France and WWII battlefield tours

For those worried about fuel costs and shortages in France, how about a short tour of Normandy? Bryn and Janice Sadler explore Manche, a self-contained corner of France that’s easy to explore from the Cherbourg ferry port. They discover a beautiful Aire Naturelle, where only 25 motorhomes are allowed at a time, walk out to an island, and find out about smugglers’ haunts. 

Many of us would like to pay tribute to our own grandfathers or great uncles who fought for our freedom at the Battle of the Somme. July marks 100 years since the start of the battle, so Caroline Mills and her daughter have taken a motorhome tour in honour of her own grandfather.

Next we visit Alsace and Verdun, in north-eastern France, part of which used to be Germany. Donna and Phil Garner enjoy Colmar’s picturesque ‘Little Venice’ canals, visit Strasbourg, and find the best aires in the region. While in this much-contested area they visit a memorial for the Battle of Verdun, and more.

Five fantastic new ’vans reviewed

Whether you like van conversions, coachbuilts or A-class motorhomes, our August issue’s new motorhome reviews are a ‘must-read’!

When a horse-box builder enters the upmarket segment of the panel-van-conversion market, we’re keen to see if it’s hot to trot! Read our S & L Motorhomes Atlanta 6.4FL review to see a fresh new ‘take’ on how to build a two-berth camper, on sale from £47,750.

Another great little van conversion is the Pilote Foxy Van V540G. With its transverse rear bed, walk-through washroom and sub-£40k price, will this clever little two-berth high-top camper draw admiring glances from you?

Coachbuilt motorhome fans should check out our new Auto-Sleepers Corinium FB review. This is a premium motorhome, and it’s now available at a lower price point! Read Andrew Jenkinson’s review to see if you agree with his expert verdict on this four-berth low-profile with two double beds.

For just a little more money you could order the new Swift Bolero 744PR. It’s the latest addition to Swift’s line-up of four-berth low-profile coachbuilts and offers a choice of seating arrangements. Read our August issue to find out more, and get our verdict on this 8m-long ’van.

A-class style for less

Next up is our Rapido 8066df motorhome review – a four-berth that will turn heads wherever it goes. “The popular French manufacturer unveils a compelling offering at the affordable end of the A-class market,” says Editor Niall Hampton. Check out his full review in our August issue. 

All the latest motorhomes for sale in the UK today are in our buyer’s guide in this issue, so you can compare prices and specs at a glance.

Motorhome accessory reviews, advice and more

Plus, we review 11 folding tables to find out which are best for motorhome touring. Workshop guru Diamond Dave offers practical advice on motorhome gearboxes, David Terence shows you how to keep your ’van’s electric step gliding in and out as it should, and Niall Hampton shows how easy it is to replace a damaged motorhome window!

Buyer’s guides: Swift Kon-Tiki

Buying used motorhomes is a great way to save money, as long as you buy a good one. So if you’re currently browsing motorhomes for sale, check out our buyer’s guide to the 1995-2006 Swift Kon-Tiki.

Also in this issue we compare three used van conversions with an end-lounge layout, to help you assess the best buys available.

Win two books and a weekend away!

Plus – don’t miss our latest competitions! This month there’s a chance to win The Essential Guide to Driving in Europe – or buy it with our special discount code if you can’t wait to see if you’ve won.

Win a copy of The Camper Van Bible – Live, Eat, Sleep (Repeat), by Martin Dorey, worth £20.

Win one of our five weekend packages for the UK Autumn Motorhome & Caravan Show in Newark this September and enjoy shopping for accessories and ’vans by day, then partying with like-minded people by night! 

Enter all three of our August issue’s competitions online, before midnight on 29 June 2016. Good luck!

We hope you enjoy our tours of fabulous France, our new and used motorhome reviews and practical advice in the August issue – it’s on sale in the shops and online from today!