French choose vanlife: savings and freedom in motorhomes

About 40 caravans of travelers illegally occupied a sports field in Roche-lez-Beaupré; the mayor demands eviction. In Saint-Grégoire, the food truck La Dérive opened in a vintage caravan.

On May 11, a head-on collision between a motorhome and a van on the RD6580 in Pujaut (Gard) left three people injured. Two victims — a 73-year-old female passenger and a 63-year-old male driver — are in serious condition. Traffic was blocked for three hours.

After the 2026 MotoGP in Le Mans, several campervans were stuck on the Beauséjour car park due to heavy rain. In the Vosges, Nathalie Fournier has been working as a mobile seamstress from a converted campervan since 2017.

Nadia Gay from Echenoz-la-Méline converted a motorhome into a mobile massage salon for athletes. The project, called 'À Bras Ouverts', also offers wellness coaching. Gay is a trained nurse and currently works as a educator at the Medical-Social Support Service for Disabled Adults (SAMSAH) in Vesoul.

The 382nd issue of Le Monde du Camping-Car is now available. It features a ranking of the best motorhome service areas in France, based on user ratings per department. A special dossier covers premium motorhomes — both A-class and profile models — highlighting their finish, equipment, chassis, and manufacturing. The issue also includes a travel report from Morocco, a road test of the Giottiline profile model, a solar panel buying guide, and itineraries in Finistère and western Ireland.

French leisure vehicle manufacturer Trigano reported a 6.2% increase in consolidated revenue for the first half of fiscal 2024/25. The leisure vehicles segment, which accounts for 95% of group sales, was the main growth driver. During the period, the company sold 49,000 motorhomes, 10,600 mobile homes, and 7,200 caravans.