Every year, in May and even more so in June, our Belgian neighbours take to our roads to head for the sun and enjoy the amenities of France. Nearly ¼ of Belgians say they go camping, and it’s fair to say that we often see them out and about with some fine equipment.

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 best time of the year to see our ancestors on the road again, in what we French would call retro caravans… In short, all this to say that in the 50s, 60s and 70s, the flat country saw a number of manufacturers who built inventively, looking for lightness or emphasising comfort, sometimes all 3 at the same time. We’re going to introduce you to five of these brands in this article.

Let’s start with the charming Wa-wa au, the brainchild of Louis Dombard. Most of them had a roof that could be lowered for journeys, an isorel body that was therefore very light, and twin wheels with a rubber ring suspension system. The first of these were called 160, 180 or 200, depending on the width of the body. Very popular in the retro world, they are nevertheless rare on our roads, but keep your eyes peeled…

More common and more widespread are the Constructams, which appeared around 1959 in East Flanders. They can be recognised by their half-height polyester body and rounded windows at the front. Very bright, with rounded wooden furniture, they are also very pleasant to tow, as their centre of gravity is low. They are called Condor, Coral or Comet, depending on their size.

Another brand that enjoyed some popularity was De Reu caravans, which appeared in Bellem between Ghent and Bruges. The wooden fittings were just as well designed and similar to those of the Constructam, but they were quite distinct externally. The first shape was characterised by a straight front with a line descending towards the rear, then in the mid-1960s they adopted a more classic line with rounded corners and a pop-up roof. In different ways, their names evoke small dwellings, the Cahute, the Casbah or the Casa Blanca. They were built until the mid-1980s.

Another technical solution that allows a very particular shape are the Bourgeois, born in Ostend in 1960. Two brothers chose pressed aluminium to build a caravan with a rounded shape. They also have very effective hydraulic brakes. This time, the names don’t evoke escapism, but simply size: B36 for the 3m60, B43, B50.

Let’s finish with the Belgian grail, the Notin of the flat country, with the astonishing La Tortue, built in Ypres from 1950. They are immediately recognisable 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 their penetration of the air, they offered numerous solutions to improve comfort: a two-piece polyester roof to provide natural air conditioning, metal shutters on the inside of the windows, a large boot at the rear to store the caravanners’ ‘brol’ (the familiar Belgian version of ‘barda’), and an integrated footboard. They were fairly heavy, however, as comfort was essential, but their island names – Micorca, Corsica, Mallorca, Capri, Capri MK II for the brand’s flagship, a twin-axle vehicle 6.85 metres long and 2.20 metres 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.

To write this article, we found informations in

–Le camping a évolué, le campeur aussi – La Libre , article du 6/02/2015

– http://www.rccf.net/

-Sylvie et Franck Méneret, Caravanes de France et d’ailleurs (1920-1960), ETAI 2010

–Digue dingue Dong

– https://www.bocc.be/

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In 1960, the Société Sud-Aviation produced mainly the Caravelle series of planes, the Alouette series of helicopters and participated in the study and production of ballistic missiles. It is a national state-owned company that employs 23,000 workers in the south-east and west of France.  Sales of the Caravelle are slowing down and it is a question of keeping all these employees employed by the French state busy. The company therefore sought to diversify and produced Frigéavia refrigerators, Téléavia television sets, etc.

The caravan market was buoyant in the early 1960s and, with the agreement of the State, this new activity was created in the St Nazaire factory where engineers were working on what was then called “camping trailers”. The beginnings were small-scale. Initially, about twenty caravans in parts were imported from the United States and built under a Terry licence. The first models actually built by Caravelair had an undeniable American caravan feel. 

In September 1961, the new manufacturer presented to the national press the two models called “la Corsaire” and “la Goélette” which would become the future Bretagne (3m30) and Armagnac (4m20) when they arrived on the market a few months later. They are of classic design with an electrically welded profiled steel frame, independent wheels and torsion bar suspension. The interior is lined with laminated wood panels. Later on, different printed wood species will be possible, such as sycamore. 

From this time onwards, Caravelairs were distributed by Trigano in other regions of France. This brand, like Digue and Sterckeman, quickly underwent a process of industrialisation of its production. Trigano, a specialist in the world of leisure, gradually acquired shares in the company and the production site was extended to Trignac, 7 km away. Other models were quickly proposed, all of which were named after regions of France, except for the small “Alouette”, with its 2.90m long access through a large double door at the rear. It is possible to choose a colour for the central strip: turquoise blue, jade green or chamois beige. Many remember the Caravelair caravans produced by Dinky toys 1/43 that were part of our childhood games. The brand is also visible on all the roads of France thanks to its after-sales service and its Estafette stamped Caravelair. 

In the 1970s, SEMM Caravelair was bought by Trigano. Shortly after this takeover, the production of Caravelair caravans moved to Tournon sur Rhône in the Ardèche, where they are still produced.  From 1972 onwards, new, very square shapes were adopted and the models were also named after French or even foreign towns (Hossegor, Lugano, etc.). In 1974, the group was in difficulty and it was the Crédit Lyonnais that took control before returning to the Trigano VDL group to which it still belongs.

Caravelair and Sterckeman caravans are still produced in Tournon sur Rhône in the Ardèche. It is possible to visit the site by booking in advance. 

References :
– Digue Dingue Dong
– Sylvie et Franck Méneret, Les caravanes de France et d’ailleurs, ETAI
– Page Facebook RCCF – Bruno Crotta
– Trigano (entreprise) — Wikipédia (wikipedia.org) 
– Trigano VDL (visite du site actuel)
– Bruno Crotta for the aerial photos of the production site. 
– Caravaning, n°75, octobre 1961

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This gathering, organised by enthusiasts of retro camping and the Notin brand, should have taken place last year, but Covid wanted it otherwise. One year later, it was a great success and a nice tribute to the 100 years old brand (101 years old, after all!). On the banks of the Indre, a real timeless campsite was set up. It was not only possible to see beautiful Notin caravans from the last century, but also the vehicles associated with many old American cars that Notin caravan owners appreciated. These caravans, which never weighed less than a ton, had to be towed. In addition to the caravans and their cars, the pitches were decorated with vintage camping equipment. The oldest caravan at the rally, probably the oldest Notin caravan still in use, dated from 1938. Although caravans were in the majority at this event, a few motorhomes were also present. We offer you a short video review of this successful anniversary, with the presentation of the caravans of some of the enthusiasts present in Azay-le-Rideau.

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Our campsites in France for caravanning

A caravan inspired by vans

It’s all in the name. The BiVan draws its inspiration from the vans from which it borrows the interior layout with a rear bench and two armchairs facing each other. The pleasant double side door is a tribute to the Volkswagen T1 combi offered by Westfalia in the 1950s. This heritage is hardly surprising. Before embarking on this project, Vincent Clédic was a salesman in the field of leisure vans. The BiVan has retained the folding roof of the vans, which has two advantages. Raised, it increases the ceiling height considerably. When lowered, it offers a very spacious bed of 160 cm x 200 cm. Combined with the bench seat, which converts into a 140 cm x 190 cm bed, this bed makes it possible for 4 people to go on a camping holiday in the BiVan. Perfect for families with two children. This caravan has a serious eye on the vans, but its interior space is greater than that of a conventional van. The space is used to install a bathroom and a chemical toilet.

A caravan that is easy to set up

The inspiration for the BiVan also comes from the American tear drops with a rear axle. This makes the use of rear kickstands unnecessary, as the jockey wheel completes the holding of the caravan. Two jacks at the front ensure that the trailer is levelled if necessary. This means that the caravan is quickly in place on the stage.

A caravan designed for camping holidays in all seasons

Thanks to its insulated cell, double-glazed windows and Truma heating with three outlets (two under the rear seat and one in the bathroom), the BiVan caravan remains comfortable even in spring or early autumn. Velcro fasteners are fitted to the pop-up roof cover so that an insulating cover can be attached and the BiVan can be used as for winter caravanning.

A 100% French caravan (or almost)

The Bivoak company that produces the BiVan is located in Ploeren, Brittany, not far from Auray. A large part of its components are therefore designed in Brittany, such as the furniture and the canvas. The electronics and the polyester cell come from Vendée and the chassis from Cherbourg. The only exception to the 100% French rule is the folding roof bed, which is made in Germany.

Prices and technical data

The BiVan has a starting price of €27,800. The full option version that we saw on the Camper Van Weekend is priced at €37,000. The options include a 150 W solar panel, embroidered and quilted leatherette upholstery and the Trum Combi 4E heater.

Length : 5,14 m
Width : 1,95 m
Height : 1,89 m
Weight : 900 kg
GVWR : 1200 kg

All in all, the BiVan caravan is very appealing with its pleasant interior space and original exterior design. As it made its first official appearance, two orders have already been placed with Bivoak. A good start as the two designers hope to sell ten of them in this first year. Given the curiosity aroused during the Camper Van Weekend, it’s a safe bet that they will succeed. While waiting to be able to try it on the road or to see it on the campsites, it is possible to discover it in the Bivoak workshop in Ploeren in Morbihan. However, it is advisable to let us know when you are coming. You will find the contact details of Bivoak on the website www.bivoak.fr.

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A new layout for the TakeOff folding caravan

To show us around the factory where the TakeOff folding caravans are produced and to tell us more about them, we met Maarten de Roos, managing director of the Campfire Group, which owns the Easy Caravanning and Holtkamper brands. He talked about the desire to create a hybrid product between the folding caravan and the traditional caravan with the TakeOff: a caravan that is as easy to tow as a folding caravan, but as quick to set up as a traditional caravan. We were also given the opportunity to present the new layout with a semi-fixed bed offered by TakeOff. This new layout was born out of a request from the brand’s first users. You can now choose between the two interior layouts with the semi-fixed bed or the two benches facing each other.

In addition to its attractive character, the TakeOff should appeal to a number of caravanners as it meets a demand of the moment since it can be towed by small vehicles (including a Fiat 500, although we are not certain that it is necessary to tackle the Alpine passes with such a hitch) and electric vehicles. The impact on autonomy is relatively small, between 25% and 30% according to Maarten de Roos.

There is no doubt that this folding caravan, which will start to appear on campsites in France and Europe, will appeal to many with its modern design and ease of use.

The TakeOff is available in 3 versions, the TakeOff Active (from £16,495), the TakeOff Sport (£18,495) and the TakeOff Xcite (£21,895). All three versions are built on the same base, but the two more expensive versions offer additional options. The TakeOff Xcite comes with the X10T awning, designed in collaboration with Karsten. An optional extra on the other two models. Prices for all options are available on the Easy Caravanning website.

Website of Easy Caravanning : www.easycaravanning.com

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The designer of this surprisingly shaped caravan was inspired by whales. With its slide-outs that greatly increase the interior space when the caravan is in camping mode, this Whale Trailer Cabin was designed above all to meet the expectations of the Chinese market. On the road, the caravan has the size and weight of a small trailer (2 m x 2 m and 700 kg), which allows it to be towed by all types of motorised vehicles. When stationary, once deployed, it can accommodate 4 people (2 adults and 2 children). Even if this vehicle is still at the prototype stage, we would be very curious to see this whale arrive on French campsites. Apparently we are not the only ones, as this caravan has just received the Red Dot design award in the mobility category.

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A radio-controlled caravan

In addition to Thor Industries’ and Airstream’s commitment to reducing the CO2 emissions of a trailer tow hitch, the eStream’s motorised axle offers other benefits. You can manoeuvre your caravan with just one finger from an easy-to-use application. The perfect tool for positioning your Airstream caravan on its camping site. The interior of the caravan will of course be ultra-connected with the possibility of being managed remotely or by voice with, in particular, an Alexa console. All of this is combined with the American brand’s ever-polished design.

Still at the concept stage, this electric caravan looks very attractive on paper. It could be the solution to pulling a beautiful riveted aluminium caravan with a slightly less powerful tractor than those currently required. We hope to see this concept at the next caravan shows and tell you a bit more about it. And maybe even be able to try it out soon.

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The Mink 2.0’s first attraction is its looks. With its yellow and grey exterior with elegant curves, its doors rounded like portholes and its alloy wheels, the little Icelandic car looks great. The Mink 2.0 was born in the land of volcanoes, and that’s not its only originality. The caravan is mounted on a galvanised Al-Ko chassis which ensures stability on the road thanks to its very low centre of gravity. The caravan weighs 520 kg and has a maximum permissible weight of 750 kg. It can therefore be towed by most cars. And its height of 1.83 metres means that it can easily pass under the 2 metre mark at the toll booth and therefore benefit from the category 1 tariff. The monocoque interior seems solid and designed to last.

In addition to the two large side windows, the Mink’s roof has a large panoramic window. This gives the Mink a very bright interior and the pleasure of watching the starry sky at night. Like the two side windows, this window can be covered with blinds.

Small but comfortable

The interior of the caravan does not have a living room or a kitchen. Just a double bed. The leatherette headboard allows you to lean back and sit on it. The LED mood lighting extends to both sides of the Mink and there is a power socket in the middle of the rear wall. This is complemented by 4 USB ports for charging your phones and tablets.

The memory foam mattress is large and comfortable (140×200 cm). Above the bed, a 1.40 m x 0.55 m bunk has been designed to accommodate a small child. Let’s face it: it’s hard to imagine a holiday with three people, even with a small child in the Mink. A night out now and then, but not a real holiday. This bunk will probably be more useful as extra storage than as a third berth. It is not superfluous. The Mink is indeed limited when it comes to storage. It will be necessary to keep some of your luggage in the boot of the car, even if the kitchen has a few drawers. The kitchen is hidden in a trunk on the outside of the caravan. The work area has a built-in cooler and a mini gas cooker. Several electrical connections complete the equipment of this kitchen. Although the kitchen is open air, the door to the boot will provide shelter in case of bad weather. Although it does its job well if only a few drops fall, it is not very pleasant to cook in heavy rain.

A 4 season caravan

In addition to its attractive design, which distinguishes it from other mini-caravans on the market, the Mink also stands out for its 4-season character. This cold weather caravan is designed to be used even in winter. The walls of the caravan are 30 mm thick, insulated with 19 mm of Armaflex, a highly heat-insulating material. In combination with a good duvet, the insulating properties of these walls will keep you safe on cool spring or summer nights. However, they are not sufficient for winter camping. The Mink is therefore sold with an optional heater (1490€). Combined with the heater, the Mink’s two-way ventilation system sends 70% of the warm air into the cabin and 30% of the warm air under the bed, preventing condensation and keeping you warm at night. This ventilation allows the air to slide over the caravan when it is in motion, while when it is not in motion the air circulates freely inside. No pollen or dust is brought in thanks to a filtration system. The controls for the heating are integrated in the headboard.

Options aplenty

In addition to the heating, the Mink caravan has a wide range of options, starting with the solar panel (€868). This is installed on the roof of the caravan and should be sufficient for the vehicle’s electricity consumption. However, this option will be of little use if you are camping on holiday. However, if you are camping in the summer, you will probably not be able to do without mosquito nets, which are not available in the standard model (€85). You can also add a platform at the front of the vehicle to store equipment (€406) or add a Bose speaker to your interior (€224).

Features of the Mink mini caravan

GVW: 750 kg
Weight: 520 kg
Overall length: 4116 mm
Cab length:: 2811 mm
Total height:: 1829 mm
Overall width: 2080 mm
Width of cab: 1511 mm
Price without options: 16460 €

Where to buy it

The Mink is distributed in many european countries such as UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium or Germany. You will find the addresses of the retailers on the brand website.

For winter camping

To test the pleasures of camping in the cold with your Mink 2.0 4-season caravan, We Love Camping suggests some campsites that are open during the winter.

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The first electric caravan

Presented for the first time at the Düsseldorf Fair 2019, the E.Home caravan is an original idea. The concept of this electric caravan is to relieve the towing car. The towed caravan is no longer a dead weight, but a driving caravan thanks to its own 100% electric drive module. The two electric hub motors of the E.Home caravan thus transform a passive trailer into an active living vehicle. When towed, the two motors of the caravan reduce the load on the car. These two motors also offer a number of advantages, such as the possibility of parking via a remote application or of rotating the caravan through 360°. No need to mover, then. To power this electric caravan, a photovoltaic installation on the roof of the E.Home maximises its autonomy. The two motors also recover energy when driving downhill.

Still in the prototype stage, this electric caravan was to undergo a full-scale test. The Dethleffs teams therefore decided to cross the Alps with a 100% electric carriage. Planned for 2020, this journey was postponed to 2021 because of Covid. It was therefore carried out last July.

Crossing the Alps with a caravan and an electric car

Anyone who has ever been camping in the Alps with a caravan knows that the altitude differences in the Alps greatly increase the fuel consumption of the vehicle. With a conventional car, the only consequence is to make a few extra stops at petrol stations along the way. To make such a journey with an electric car towing a caravan would be much more complicated. For the Dethleffs teams, the Alps were a real-life test for the E.Home caravan prototype.

The route from Dethleffs’ home region of Allgaü over the Brenner Pass to Lake Garda is well known to German caravanners who go camping in Italy. This 386-kilometre route, which takes about six hours, was therefore chosen to challenge the all-electric team consisting of the E.Home caravan and an Audi e-Tron. With or without the caravan, Audi announced a range of just over 386 kilometres. Without the electric assistance of the caravan, the team would never have made it to Lake Garda.

Successful challenge for dethleffs’ E.Home caravan prototype

After a six-hour drive, the Audi and E.Home Duo entered the town centre of Riva, on the shores of Lake Garda. No recharging was necessary to cover the 386 kilometres. On the contrary, the batteries of the caravan and the car still had some autonomy when they reached their destination. The journey was completed at an average speed of 62.3 km/h.

This first run of the E.Home prototype on such a route was therefore a real success and gives hope to drivers of electric vehicles. But also for owners of combustion engine cars who still lack the power to tow a caravan.

Following the success of the E.Home in the Alps, Dethleffs is now considering its production, as Alexander Leopold, General Manager of Dethleffs, explains: “Although there are still a few hurdles to overcome before reaching production maturity and homologation capacity, the E.HOME caravan developed by Dethleffs, the Erwin Hymer Group and ZF is already a practical and forward-looking solution for environmentally friendly caravanning for all.

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Five top tips

1 Flexibility is key. A toilet tent with some kind of removable groundsheet can usually also do duty for showering in.

2 Tents like this are often a bit more susceptible to windy conditions. Keep an eye on them and/or make sure they’re properly pegged out.

3 Always check out packed dimensions and weight so as you know you won’t have any transportation problems.

4 Make sure any chemicals you’re using – eg toilet fluids – are stowed out of harm’s way. It’s also always worth checking if your chosen campsite is set up to deal with any particular chemicals you’re using.

5 As ever, make sure you dispose of any waste properly – especially if you are using a toilet with chemicals.

Three of the best

Quest Instant Utility Shelter
Perfect for use as a shower and/or toilet tent, this is so easy to pitch – it should take one person less than two minutes thanks to the integral, extending frame system, called the Zero Tension Frame.
The UV-coated fabric comes with a 50+ sun protection rating. There’s also a groundsheet that can be folded back when not required, plus an integral shelf that will come in handy especially when showering.
Dimensions are 155cm x 155cm and it’s 220cm at its highest point. It weighs 5.5kg and packs down to 17cm x 17cm x 105cm.
Pay no more than £119.99
www.questleisure.com

SunnCamp Utility Lodge
This stand-alone upright tent has a maximum standing height of 210cm and a particularly waterproof (6000mm hydrostatic head rating) flysheet.
There’s a groundsheet you can remove if you want to use it as your own dedicated shower room (SunnCamp also sells suitable, solar-heated showers).
Fully adjustable guylines help make sure it all stays in one place. Its footprint is 210cm x 140cm. Other key features include: 150D Oxford polyester fabric, roll-up zipped front door, rear vented panel and steel poles. It’s supplied with pegs and guylines.
Pay no more than £165
www.sunncamp.co.uk

OlPro Blue Pop Up Shower and Utility Tent
A removable groundsheet that zips in means this tent can be used for showering as well as toileting. The pop-up design and integrated frame means it takes just a couple of minutes to put it up, and you get a full standing height of nearly 200cm.
The blue and orange polyester fabric has a 1,500mm hydrostatic head. Luminous guylines and pegs are included.
You can get this direct from Olpro (although there’s a €5 delivery charge for purchases if they come to under €150).
Pay no more than £69
www.olproshop.com

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