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French couple swaps rented flat for motorhome

18.08.2026 18:30 1 min 1 source РУС
Marie France, magazine féminin FRA
French couple swaps rented flat for motorhome
© © Instagram/@aventuras_joseypatri

José and Patri, a French couple, have given up renting and now live full-time in a six-metre motorhome. They say the move avoids monthly rent payments and lets them recover their investment when they sell. France's motorhome market remains strong: 26,766 new units were registered between November 2024 and October 2025, up 2.7% year-on-year. The couple also use the vehicle for work while travelling in Spain.

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French couple swaps rented flat for motorhome

18.08.2026 Marie France, magazine féminin FRA Original source

FR France — fuel prices

Updated: 19.09.2026

SP95-E10

$2.51 /l

€2.18 · £1.87/l

155 of 167

pricier than 92% of countries

SP98

$2.61 /l

€2.27 · £1.95/l

89 of 101

pricier than 87% of countries

Gazole

$2.73 /l

€2.38 · £2.04/l

153 of 166

pricier than 92% of countries

Gazole premium

$2.70 /l

€2.36 · £2.02/l

39 of 46

pricier than 83% of countries

GPL

$1.20 /l

€1.04 · £0.90/l

48 of 55

pricier than 85% of countries

Superéthanol-E85

$1.02 /l

€0.89 · £0.76/l

4 of 6

cheaper than 50% of countries

Cheapest on the map

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Best regions in the coming days

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes +22°·23 km/h
91
Pays de la Loire +23°·25 km/h
90
Brittany +21°·19 km/h
90
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté +23°·35 km/h
90
Avoid now
Corsica +27°·21 km/h
82
Nouvelle-Aquitaine +27°·37 km/h
84

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ES Spain

On the Spanish island of Mallorca, the housing crisis has forced many residents, including José, a father of a three-month-old, to live in caravans and motorhomes. The average monthly rent on the island is 1,700 euros, unaffordable for many. The makeshift camp of Son Hugo houses over 400 people in 200 motorhomes. Residents are not asking for housing but for a place to park their caravans and basic sanitation.

A French retired couple sold their house in Quimper and bought an American motorhome for 150,000 euros to live in it year-round. The vehicle is 10 meters long, 2.5 meters wide, and 3 meters high, with slide-outs that expand the living space by one meter. With a trailer, the total length reaches 18 meters, and fuel consumption is 27 liters per 100 km, with a full tank costing 300–360 euros. The couple does not regret their choice and plans to travel through Spain and southern France.

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On Monday at around 16:40 on the RN70 (northern branch of the RCEA) in the direction of Montceau-les-Mines to Chalon-sur-Saône, a truck driver misjudged the slowing traffic before the Pont Jeanne Rose roundabout. The truck collided with a motorhome and a car, triggering a chain-reaction crash involving other vehicles. Four people were injured: a 78-year-old man and woman in the motorhome, and men aged 57 and 24; all were taken to Hôtel-Dieu hospital. Traffic was cut for over an hour, causing a queue from the Pont des Morands exit to La Fiole.

In a new episode of the Vanecdotes podcast, Fiona Lauriol and her parents describe how in 2017 they removed Fiona's grandmother from a care home in the Paris region, where doctors had given her a week to live, and set off in a used 4.85-metre Hymer coachbuilt motorhome. The promised week turned into three years, three months and three weeks on the road. Inside, Fiona slept in the over-cab bed while the dinette converted each evening into a bed for her grandmother. The family now gives talks against the isolation of elderly people.

French tax authorities may demand housing tax (taxe d'habitation) from motorhome owners if the vehicle is used as a permanent dwelling rather than as a means of transport. According to Auto Plus, the tax office focuses on actual use: if a motorhome is parked long-term on a plot, connected to water or electricity and used as a residence, it may be treated as taxable housing. The specific tax on mobile land homes was abolished in 2019, but housing tax can still be levied if the motorhome is used as a second home or due to a declaration error. If a notice is received, owners should verify whether the vehicle remains mobile and, if necessary, file a complaint with supporting documents.

From 2 to 10 October 2026, Morin Loisirs will host its Journées Privilèges event at two Idylcar Valence dealerships in Soyons (07130) and Pont de l'Isère (26600). The event offers clearance sales on 2026 models and a preview of 2027 novelties, including new layouts and equipment. Both locations will be open daily from 9:00 to 18:00 without interruption.

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