Questions for a family road trip in a camper van in Quebec

Hi there, We’re planning a 3-week camper van road trip in August 2026 with our two kids (5 years old and 14 months). I’m looking for feedback from families who’ve explored Quebec in a camper van—specifically, whether it’s more budget-friendly than renting a car/hotel/restaurants. The itinerary is still being planned, but it’ll likely follow the classic loop: Montreal / Mauricie / Quebec City / Tadoussac / Saguenay / Lac Saint-Jean / Gaspésie / Montreal. With the camper van, I’ve got a few questions:

Can you rent a camper van and pick it up/drop it off in Montreal? What budget should we set aside for renting the RV + campsites? Are there free spots where we can sleep in the camper van? Without using official campsites. Are there other rental companies besides the two main ones (Canadream and Cruise America)?

Thanks so much for your replies—they’ll really help us make a decision. Azurplage

Hello, Yes, of course you can rent RVs in Montreal. I don’t remember the rates, but unless I’m mistaken, they’re similar to those here in Europe. For places where you can camp for free, there are plenty, and I recommend the free iOverlander app for that. Since you have kids, an RV will indeed be more cost-effective and practical, especially if you have experience. For rentals, you might save a bit by renting from a private owner through one of these sites/apps:

LouezMonVR.com RVezy Turo

Just so you know, in Quebec, an RV is called a "véhicule récréatif" (VR). Class A = bus-shaped, Class B = the equivalent of a European profile, and Class C = with a cab-over (great for the kids!). Also, they’re longer, wider, and heavier than in Europe. No need to worry—roads and parking lots are adapted, and you don’t need a commercial driver’s license.

Hi, It seems that camping outside designated areas is prohibited in Quebec (even in an RV). If you're heading to Gaspésie after Tadoussac, I assume you'll take the ferry: you should expect a higher price for an RV. Some roads in national parks are quite rough—maybe less easy to navigate in an RV. A few years ago, we compared RV + camping vs. car + accommodation, and the RV ended up being more expensive for us (but we're a family of 6, so it's harder to find and more expensive than RVs for 4). Peer-to-peer rental sites are cheaper.

So we ended up doing our trip by car—I’m sorry I can’t provide firsthand RV experience. Happy planning!

Hello,

Thanks for your reply! This will be our first time in a camper van (or rather, a recreational vehicle ;-)), but we’re not worried about handling the vehicle!

Thanks for sharing those sites—I’ll take a closer look.

I’m relieved to hear we can pick up and drop off the RV right in Montreal. I saw some rental places that were several kilometers outside the city, which wouldn’t be practical with luggage and the kids!

Have a great day.

Hello,

Thanks for your reply.

Even for 6 people, was the RV more expensive than renting a car + accommodation + restaurants? Because I’ve noticed that accommodations are pricey, especially in the middle of August! Do you know if, like in the US, Canada has hotel/motel/B&B rooms with 2 queen beds?

Have a great day

Hi Eléonore, Welcome to Quebec! It’s really easy to spend the night just about anywhere here in Quebec (boondocking). I’ve been boondocking since 1971—Canada, the United States, Mexico, etc. 😉 . How can I give you more info on RVs here in Quebec? I’ll get back to you about the rental. Bye.

Hi, You can easily find gîtes, motels... with a room for 4 (2 queen beds). We also booked accommodation in a university residence, campgrounds, etc. No restaurants, most of the accommodations had cooking facilities.

The issue for 6 was mainly that RVs didn’t have 6 adult-sized beds—some sleeping areas were small (about 1.5 m / 5 ft I think), and some of our teens are already taller than us! For 4 people, it’s much easier to find options at lower prices, I think. Since we have an RV in France ourselves, it’s a type of vacation we really enjoy, and we initially considered it for our road trip in Quebec.

For RV parking: https://www.authentikcanada.com/fr-fr/faq/ou-dormir-camping-car

Hello,

Thanks to everyone for your replies and help. After some thought and consideration, we’ll rent a car and stay in B&Bs. We’ll wait until summer passes and then book our flight tickets and the car. All that’s left is to plan the itinerary :sweat_smile:! I’ll probably come back to this forum for some help. Have a great summer, everyone! !