Rent Easy Rental company category:Premium
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Rent Easy Béthune c/o Multi Loisirs Distribution EURLBoulevard Victor Hugo - RD941, 62149 CuinchyView map
A campervan hire in Cuinchy starts your trip in Artois, east of Béthune and about a dozen kilometres north-west of Lens, on the banks of the Aire canal. Around the village, the 1915 front line left its British cemeteries; less than forty minutes away, the hill of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, Vimy Ridge and the gabled squares of Arras tell the story of the Great War. Our partner company, Rent Easy, hands over its vehicles on the RD941, the road from Béthune to La Bassée.
Further west, the Audomarois marshes, the Seven Valleys and the Canche bay are one to two hours' drive away, far from the crowds of the coast.
1 rental partner
Where to pick up your vehicle à Cuinchy?
Road trip ideas
Road trips from Cuinchy
1 The Artois front, from Neuve-Chapelle to Arras
- Cuinchy
- Neuve-Chapelle
- Fromelles
- Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
- Neuville-Saint-Vaast
- Vimy
- Arras
- Cuinchy
To the north, the Indian memorial at Neuve-Chapelle and the Australian memorial park at Fromelles recall the offensives of 1915 and 1916. You then head south to the hill of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, its national cemetery and the Ring of Remembrance, which bears the names of nearly 580,000 soldiers of all nationalities. The German cemetery at Neuville-Saint-Vaast and the Canadian memorial at Vimy come before Arras, where the Wellington Quarry is visited twenty metres underground.
- Distance
- about 130 km
- Recommended vehicle
- All types of motorhomes
2 Aire-sur-la-Lys, Saint-Omer and the Audomarois marshes
- Cuinchy
- Aire-sur-la-Lys
- Saint-Omer
- Clairmarais
- Arques
- Wizernes
- Cuinchy
Following the Lys westwards, Aire-sur-la-Lys lines up its Renaissance bailiwick building on the Grand-Place and, a little further on, the collegiate church of Saint-Pierre. Saint-Omer keeps its Gothic cathedral and opens onto the Audomarois marshes, the last cultivated marshland in France, explored by boat from Clairmarais. The way back passes Arques and the Fontinettes boat lift, then La Coupole, a V2 base turned history centre and planetarium.
- Distance
- about 130 km
- Recommended vehicle
- Campervan or camper van
3 Agincourt, Montreuil-sur-Mer and the Canche bay
- Cuinchy
- Agincourt
- Hesdin
- Valloires Abbey
- Montreuil-sur-Mer
- Étaples
- Cuinchy
Head south-west via the Agincourt battlefield and its centre devoted to 1415, then Hesdin and the oriel of its town hall, where the Canche meets the Ternoise. Valloires Abbey and its gardens, in the Authie valley, come before Montreuil-sur-Mer, its ramparts and citadel, a setting of Les Misérables. The trip ends at Étaples, a fishing port on the Canche bay, beside the largest Commonwealth cemetery in France.
- Distance
- about 250 km
- Recommended vehicle
- Camper van or low-profile motorhome
Weather and seasons
When to go à Cuinchy?
Best time
May, June and September
May to June, September
highs 18 to 22 °C, lows 8 to 12 °C
The best months to leave from Cuinchy: long days, mild temperatures for walking the former battlefields and boats running in the Audomarois marshes. September is often bright, and the remembrance sites are quiet again once the holidaymakers have left.
High season
July and August
July to August
highs 23 °C, lows 14 °C
The warmest months remain temperate, with showers possible at any time. This is the season of daily guided tours, the Les Misérables show in Montreuil and full campsites on the coast: book your vehicle and pitches, and keep the inland sights for the busiest days.
March, April and October
March to April, October
highs 11 to 16 °C, lows 3 to 9 °C
April is one of the driest months of the year and brings the remembrance pilgrimages, especially around Vimy. In March and October, nights are cool and days shorter: a heated vehicle and short stages are enough for a weekend in the Audomarois or in Arras.
Winter
November to February
November to February
highs 6 to 10 °C, lows 1 to 5 °C
Winter is grey, damp and short on sunshine, but rarely very cold. The museums, the Wellington Quarry and La Coupole stay sheltered from the weather, and the Arras Christmas market fills the Grand-Place in December. Check which campsites are open, as fewer operate off season.
Climate à Cuinchy, month by month
Most pleasant months: May to September.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 °C | 2 °C | 79 mm | 4 h/day |
| Feb | 9 °C | 3 °C | 59 mm | 5 h/day |
| Mar | 11 °C | 4 °C | 64 mm | 7 h/day |
| Apr | 15 °C | 5 °C | 44 mm | 10 h/day |
| May | 18 °C | 9 °C | 62 mm | 11 h/day |
| Jun | 22 °C | 12 °C | 61 mm | 12 h/day |
| Jul | 23 °C | 14 °C | 50 mm | 12 h/day |
| Aug | 23 °C | 14 °C | 57 mm | 11 h/day |
| Sep | 21 °C | 12 °C | 55 mm | 9 h/day |
| Oct | 16 °C | 9 °C | 68 mm | 6 h/day |
| Nov | 11 °C | 5 °C | 69 mm | 5 h/day |
| Dec | 8 °C | 3 °C | 70 mm | 3 h/day |
Averages 2016–2025 computed from Open-Meteo data (ERA5 reanalysis).
Practical tips
Everything to know before hitting the road
Pick-up on the La Bassée road
The Rent Easy Béthune depot is on Boulevard Victor-Hugo, on the RD941, on the edge of Cuinchy towards La Bassée. The N47 to Lens and the N41 to Lille are a few minutes away, so you avoid driving a large vehicle through Béthune. The address and handover time are in your confirmation.
The cemeteries of the 1915 front
Cuinchy, Cambrin and Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée stood on the front line from 1914 to 1918, notably during the Battle of Loos in 1915. The small British cemeteries are often at the end of narrow farm tracks: leave the motorhome on the main road or a firm verge and walk the rest, without blocking farm machinery.
Booking the Wellington Quarry
The Wellington Quarry, dug by New Zealand tunnellers before the April 1917 offensive, can only be visited with a guide at a set time. Book your slot in season and around commemorations, and park in the car parks on the outskirts of Arras rather than in the streets of the centre.
The Audomarois marshes by boat
The marsh roads, between Saint-Omer, Clairmarais and Salperwick, are narrow and lined with water-filled ditches. Park at the landing stages or in the village car parks, then explore the canals, known as watergangs, by electric boat or in a bacôve, the market gardeners' traditional flat-bottomed boat.
What travellers ask
Your questions about a road trip à Cuinchy
Where can I pick up a campervan in Cuinchy?
Rent Easy, our partner company, hands over its vehicles at the Rent Easy Béthune depot, Boulevard Victor-Hugo, on the RD941 in Cuinchy. Despite its name, it lies east of Béthune, on the road to La Bassée, close to the routes to Lille and Lens. The exact address and meeting time are in your booking confirmation.
How much does it cost to hire a campervan in Cuinchy?
The price depends on the season, the length of hire and the vehicle, from a camper van to a family motorhome. Run a search with your pick-up and return dates: you get the real rates, mandatory fees included, bookable straight away. The summer holidays and the long weekends of May are often the first to go.
Can I return the vehicle in another city?
Lille, Calais, Dunkirk, Valenciennes and Amiens are also departure cities of our partners, which makes a one-way trip to the Opal Coast or Picardy possible. Enter the return city when you search: only the available offers are shown, with any one-way fees already included.
What is there to see in Béthune before setting off?
About ten minutes from the depot, Béthune rebuilt its Grand-Place after 1918 with Art Deco and neo-Flemish façades around its 14th-century belfry, a World Heritage site together with the belfries of northern France. Allow an hour for the square and the guided tour of the tower before collecting the vehicle.
Can I drive to Belgium with a campervan hired in Cuinchy?
The Belgian border, towards Armentières and Ploegsteert, is less than an hour's drive away, with Ypres a little further. The conditions of each offer list the countries covered by the insurance: check them before planning the Ypres Salient or the Belgian coast, and look into the low-emission zones of Flemish cities.
Verified customer reviews
They rented à Cuinchy with CoolDrive Nomad
4.3
818 reviews
The two service providers made me pay for the insurance for the car. And when I request a refund for one of them, I no longer get a response. I will travel by motorhome again, but certainly not with CoolDrive, nor with my friends.
(anonymous)
France · Sep 2019
Avis Vérifiés
The two service providers charged me for insurance for the car. And when I request a refund for one, I no longer receive a response. I will travel again in a camper van but certainly not with CoolDrive, nor with my friends.
(anonymous)
France · Sep 2019
Avis Vérifiés
First rental of this type of vehicle in a professional context where the rental must take place from France to Canada. Many questions and Cooldrive (Marlène) has been a valuable support in guiding my choices. Efficiency and responsiveness beforehand, and on-site a vehicle and service that met our expectations. No complaints. Great!
Alain L.
Canada · Oct 2025
Avis Vérifiés
Frequently asked questions
FAQ — Campervan and motorhome hire in Cuinchy
Which licence do I need to drive a campervan hired in Cuinchy?
A category B licence is enough for camper vans and motorhomes under 3.5 tonnes, by far the most common for hire. A licence issued outside the European Union may require a translation or an international driving permit. Rent Easy also sets a minimum age and a minimum number of years holding a licence, shown in the offer.
Where can I stay overnight in a motorhome in Artois and the Audomarois?
Many towns in the Pas-de-Calais have set up motorhome service areas, often near a canal or a historic centre, and campsites are plentiful around Saint-Omer and in the Seven Valleys. Overnight parking outside authorised places may be banned by local by-laws: follow the local signs.
How do I reach the depot by train or plane?
Béthune station is served by regional TER trains from Lille and by a few direct TGVs from Paris; Lille-Europe also handles the Eurostar. The nearest airport is Lille-Lesquin, about three quarters of an hour by road. From Béthune station, a taxi reaches the depot in about ten minutes: let the company know your arrival time.
Are the motorways around Béthune tolled?
The A26, which links Béthune with Saint-Omer, Calais and Arras, is a toll motorway, with higher rates for tall vehicles. On the other hand, the N47 to Lens, the A21 mining-basin bypass and the N41 to Lille are free. For the Opal Coast, the A16 between Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer costs nothing either.
How many days should I plan from Cuinchy?
A weekend is enough for the remembrance sites of Artois or for the Audomarois marshes, as the stages are so close together. In a week, you can combine Lorette, Vimy and Arras, Saint-Omer, then the Seven Valleys and the Opal Coast up to the capes. Ten days leave time to add Belgian Flanders or the Bay of the Somme.
When should I book a campervan in Cuinchy?
With a single company on site, the choice of vehicles is limited: book two to three months ahead for July, August and the long weekends of May. April and November, the months of the major commemorations, are also in demand. The rest of the year, a few weeks' notice is often enough.
About us
Why start a motorhome trip from Cuinchy
Cuinchy offers a quiet departure, away from city centres, in the heart of an area that many travellers cross without stopping. Yet in less than an hour you move from the memorials of Artois, where French, British, Canadian, Indian and German stories meet, to the Louvre-Lens, the belfries of Béthune and Arras, and the canals of the Audomarois marshes.
To the west, the Canche and Authie valleys lead to Montreuil-sur-Mer and the Opal Coast, whose capes Blanc-Nez and Gris-Nez are just over an hour away via the A26. Rent Easy offers its vehicles from its depot on the La Bassée road, and Lille, Calais or Valenciennes, other departure cities of our partners, open the way to a one-way trip. Aim for May to September and pack a rain jacket: the weather changes quickly between Artois and the sea.