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French retirees swap homes and hotels for campervan life

15.07.2026 10:47 1 min 2 sources
Marie France, magazine féminin FRA + 1 more
French retirees swap homes and hotels for campervan life
Original source: Marie France, magazine féminin

In Brief

French retirees are increasingly choosing campervans over traditional housing. Couple Jean-Pierre and Cathy bought a Fiat Ducato for €70,000, while Françoise Vallès sold her home and traveled 7,000 km in six months.

In France, a growing number of retirees are embracing campervan life. Jean-Pierre and Cathy purchased a Fiat Ducatoⓘ with Randger conversion for €70,000 and now spend about one week per month traveling across the country. They prefer overnight stays at designated parking areas (€12–15 per night) or campsites (€20–25) over hotels. Annual costs include €90 for a leak check and around €100 for a technical inspection.

Françoise Vallès, 72, sold her home in 2021 and moved into a campervan. In six months, she covered 7,000 km across France and visited about 30 campsites. Sociologist Hervé Marchal links this trend to an identity crisis after retirement. Key challenges include access to healthcare and postal services, but the absence of property taxes reduces expenses.

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Aggregated by OpenVan.camp from the public sources listed below, with AI-assisted translation and summary. We always link to the original source. Machine translation may differ from the original -- check the source for important details. Images and content remain the property of their respective owners. Copyright information

Story sources

French retirees travel across France in camper van instead of hotels

15.07.2026 Marie France, magazine féminin FRA Original source

Seniors increasingly choose van life for retirement

21.05.2026 CESdeFrance FRA Original source
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