When we think of caravans, we obviously think of French, German or British brands. Less so of Belgian caravans. And yet, Belgium boasted some fine caravan brands in the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Every year, in May and even more so in June, our Belgian neighbors take to our roads to head for the sun and enjoy the amenities of France. Nearly ¼ of Belgians claim to be campers, and we have to admit that we often see them with some very nice gear.
A few semantic details about French-speaking Belgians, however, which can also be referred to as belgicisms: while many appreciate the motor-home, or camping-car for the French; more and more appreciate the residential caravan that we call the mobil-home; others have opted for the camping car, which across the Channel means an extendable folding canvas caravan… But there are also die-hard caravanners, and there, the word is the same.
The summer period is therefore the perfect time of year to see our ancestors on the road again, in what we French would call retro caravans… In short, the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s saw the emergence of a number of manufacturers in the flat country who were inventive in their construction, lightweight or comfort-oriented, sometimes all 3 at the same time. We’re going to introduce five of these brands in this article.
Let’s start with the charming Wa-wa au, the brainchild of Louis Dombard. Most of them feature a roof that lowers for travel, a lightweight isorel body and twin wheels with rubber-ring suspension. The former are called 160, 180 or 200, depending on body width. Highly appreciated in the retro world, they are nevertheless rare on our roads, but keep your eyes peeled…
More common and widespread are the Constructam models, which appeared around 1959 in East Flanders. They can be recognized by their half-height polyester body and rounded front windows. Very bright, with rounded wooden furniture, they are also very pleasant to tow, as their center of gravity is low. They are called Condor, Coral or Comet, depending on their size.
Another brand that enjoyed a certain diffusion was De Reu caravans, which appeared in Bellem between Ghent and Bruges. Their wooden fittings were just as well-designed and similar to those of the Constructam, but they were quite distinct externally. The first shape was characterized by a straight front with a line running down to the rear, then in the mid-60s they adopted a more classic line with rounded corners and a pop-up roof. Their names evoke small dwellings in different ways: the Cahute, the Casbah or the Casa Blanca. They were built until the mid-80s.
Another technical solution that allows a very particular shape are the Bourgeois, born in Ostend in 1960. Two brothers chose pressed aluminum to build a caravan with a rounded shape. They also feature efficient hydraulic brakes. This time, the names don’t evoke evasion, but simply size: B36 for the 3m60, B43, B50.
Let’s end with the Belgian grail, the Notin of the flat country, with the astonishing La Tortue, built in Ypres as early as 1950. They are immediately recognizable by their parallelogram shape, which gives them a look that “causes a sensation”, as the advertisements say. The brand called this line “Mercury”. Designed to improve air penetration, they offered numerous comfort-enhancing solutions: a two-piece polyester roof to ensure natural air conditioning, metal interior window shutters, a large rear trunk to store the caravanners’ “brol” (Belgian colloquial version of “barda”), and an integrated footboard. They were quite heavy, however, for comfort’s sake, but their island names – Micorca, Corsica, Mallorca, Capri, Capri MK II for the brand’s flagship, a twin-axle model 6.85m long and 2.20m wide – were an invitation to long-distance travel and exoticism.
Now that you’ve read this article, and with a bit of luck, I’m sure you’ll soon be seeing some of these beautiful Belgian “ancestors” on our roads.
Author: Christophe Leroy, RCCF member
Resources :
–Camping has evolved, so has the camper– La Libre , article dated 6/02/2015
– http://www.rccf.net/
-Sylvie and Franck Méneret, Caravanes de France et d’ailleurs (1920-1960), ETAI 2010
– https://www.bocc.be/
Author: We Love Camping
C'est parce que nous aimons le camping traditionnel que nous avons pensé à ce site. Parce que nous regrettons parfois que le mobile-home occupe désormais tant de place sur les campings, nous avons voulu mettre en avant les terrains où les tentes, les caravanes et les camping-cars restent majoritaire. Et offrir à tout ceux qui partagent notre amour de la vie en plein air, un site avec des idées de voyages, des conseils techniques et surtout un choix de campings où il fait bon venir poser sa caravane ou planter sa tente.
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