Wild Camping and Hiking in the South of France | Winter Van Life in Europe

Wild Camping and Hiking in the South of France | Winter Van Life in Europe

Come explore the mountains of southern France with us as we spend the week wild camping in our wooden campervan Bilbo! In this episode of our van life adventures, we discover rugged limestone peaks, hike through trails steeped in folklore and history, and park our home in dreamy spots surrounded by pines and olive groves. Along the way, we learn about the region’s connection to Van Gogh and discover hidden gems that make the Alpilles a truly magical destination 🌲⛰️

➢ THE 7 LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES
1. Plan Ahead – Familiarise yourself with regulations and pack to minimise waste
2. Travel & Camp Lightly – Stick to trails and camp on durable surfaces
3. Dispose of waste properly or take it back home with you
4. Leave what you find to preserve nature and cultural features
5. Minimise campfires by using stoves or fire rings
6. Respect wildlife – Observe from a distance and never feed animals.
7. Be considerate of others by respecting people’s space and avoiding noise

➢ BUY US A COFFEE – every little helps 💕
https://ko-fi.com/jessicakleczka

➢ Links to the Hikes We Did in this Video:
» Pas de la Figuière: https://alltrails.pxf.io/raGyeG
» Rocher des Deux Trous: https://alltrails.pxf.io/MA5VkP
» Les Baux-de-Provence: https://alltrails.pxf.io/4GJAL1
» Lac du Peirou & Grotte de Peirou: https://alltrails.pxf.io/2ajegD

➢ Follow along for daily adventures!
» Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicakleczka/
» Support Us: https://www.patreon.com/c/JessicaKleczka

Chapters:
00:00 Intro & Who We Are
01:16 Cooking Breakfast in the Van
02:40 Our Plans for the Week
04:15 Hiking Pas de la Figuiére
07:20 Easy Van Air Fryer Dinner
08:50 Foraging Pine Needles
10:25 Living With Chronic Illness
13:11 Making Pine Needle Tea
15:03 Hiking Rocher de Deux Trous
18:25 Van Gogh and the Alpilles
19:39 Slow Morning in the Van
21:22 Hiking Le Baux de Provence
23:36 Waking Up in the Mountains
26:08 Hiking Lac du Peirou
27:38 Exploring a Hidden Cave
30:12 Van Life Chores
31:05 Rating the Alpilles

➢ WHO WE ARE
We’re Jessica, Risi, and Heidi – a trio exploring Europe as digital nomads, living a minimalist lifestyle in our handcrafted wooden van conversion “Bilbo.” A year ago we left behind our old lives working 9-5 for a life of freedom and full-time travel. We converted our second hand van using sustainable materials like reclaimed wood, linen and hemp to create an eco-friendly cottage on wheels for our adventures. Since then, we’ve been doing van life in Europe in the slow lane, reconnecting with nature through foraging and learning more about European folklore 🚌

► SHOP OUR VAN AND GEAR 🚌
(affiliate links – each purchase helps us create more videos!)

➢ MY HIKING GEAR
» Garmin emergency GPS: https://amzn.to/42mtHCe
» Vivo Barefoot hiking shoes: https://tidd.ly/4anKU08
» Patagonia coat: https://amzn.to/4jpS9Zq
» Patagonia daypack: https://amzn.to/3E1CejP
» Osprey multi-day backpack: https://osprey.pxf.io/POKgA6
» Black diamond hiking poles: https://amzn.to/3E2NOeJ

➢ HEIDI’S GEAR
» Dog Water Bottle: https://amzn.to/4ar8LMd
» Hemp Harness: https://amzn.to/3PHecgM
» Natural Puppy Food: https://amzn.to/3E06mfw
» Anti Flea Shampoo Bar: https://amzn.to/4aqK5nb

➢ SHOP OUR VAN
» 6% off Solar Panels & Electric Systems with JESSICAKLECZKA: https://tr.ee/DX5HrHAULq
» Portable Laundry Wash Bag: https://bit.ly/3PIuNAM
» Our Mattress from Naturalmat: https://tidd.ly/3DKYDC5
» Hemp Bedding from Naturalmat: https://tidd.ly/425FDbn
» Nature’s Head Compost Toilet: https://amzn.to/40EUZTe
» 4G router for Wi-Fi on the road: https://amzn.to/3PIAEpA
» Single induction cooker: https://amzn.to/3E5jjVy
» Sustainable cooking pans: https://amzn.to/3WqQid5
» Window vac: https://amzn.to/42g4x8k

➢ SUSTAINABLE LIVING
» 15% off Herbalism & Foraging Online Courses: https://tr.ee/FhwjuNfoq5
» 15% off Sustainable Electric Toothbrushes: https://tr.ee/umYGc77uDM
» My Vegan Supplements: https://tr.ee/FXa9ZqhCYh
» My favourite period pants: https://wukauk.pxf.io/qzAoO5

➢ MY CAMERA GEAR
» Vlogging Kit: https://amzn.to/4jggaCl
» Zoom Lens: https://amzn.to/42kU0Zr
» Drone: https://amzn.to/40EU98P
» Cinematic Filter: https://amzn.to/4hjDKME
» Two Metre Tripod: https://amzn.to/4gZer2N
» Shock-Proof Hard Drive: https://amzn.to/4gXnJMD

➢ Music from Epidemic Sound – get 7 days free: https://share.epidemicsound.com/ki5bsy

#VanLifeEurope #OffGridLiving #HikingAdventures #SlowTravel #SustainableLiving