“It’s a roots man, roots that we need,” sang Tryo in 1998. And at that time, what could be more roots than going for a trip with your friends to a festival in a Renault Trafic or a Volkswagen T4? A good old converted camtar which guaranteed fairly rudimentary comfort, with a mattress placed on the floor and a small table for having breakfast (or an aperitif) inside. Enough to have fun and do it again the following weekend.
Thirty years earlier, it was the hippie movement that initiated this nomadic lifestyle aboard the famous Combi, a symbol of counterculture subsequently adopted by surfers. “It was a vehicle synonymous with freedom, travel, meetings,” says Philippe Colas, organizer from the Vanlife Expo show, which is being held this weekend in Rennes. The concept of the leisure vehicle was born before the market really took off with the boom in motorhomes, in the 1980s and 1990s.
A surge of “van life” on social networks
Faced with these behemoths, veritable houses on wheels, the vans and converted vans were then more discreet on the roads, reserved for a small circle of initiates. The trend has since been reversed, since vans now represent 60% of leisure vehicle sales in France. A wave of “van life” which really started in the 2010s, with the emergence of social networks.
Among the pioneers of the movement in France, Tifenn Butel and Kevin Laurent, aka Three Vanlifers, began sharing their van journeys in 2016. At the time, the young couple, loving freedom, had traveled across Europe for nine months aboard a Renault Trafic converted by them. “We had a hard time finding information when we started, so we wanted to share our experience,” remembers Tifenn. And it quickly caught on, with tens of thousands of Internet users who began to follow their advice and dream of a peaceful life on the road and in the great outdoors.
Sales have exploded since Covid
A trend that Covid-19 has of course only accentuated. “Everyone needed a breather and wanted freedom and nature after this imposed confinement,” emphasizes Philippe Colas. During this period we also discovered slow tourism, the act of traveling while taking your time and without necessarily going far. And for that, the van is very suitable.”
The market then went completely crazy, sales exploded and a whole host of players (developers, rental companies, etc.) appeared. “It has calmed down a little but it has become a real business,” confirms the organizer of Vanlife Expo. The camper van’s clientele has also expanded: we still see young people but also couples with children and older people. It now ranges from 20 to 70 years.”
A hype which, unsurprisingly, was accompanied by a surge in prices. Converted vans, new or used, have increased by an average of 10,000 euros between 2022 and 2024, according to estimates from Le Monde du camp-car. “It’s become a bit nonsense and some are really taking advantage of this fashion effect,” annoys Jessica Ledoult, who with her husband launched her design company Cap Ty’Van in 2022 in the Dinan region. (Côtes-d’Armor).
“Vans are now more beautiful than practical”
Vans have also moved upmarket, some offering great comfort. “The market has become gentrified,” notes Tifenn. We now design vans that are more beautiful than practical, we focus everything on decoration.” On Instagram or TikTok, we see a proliferation of videos showing rolling palaces parked in places with a “wow effect” panorama.
A vision far removed from the roots spirit still defended by some, and above all very far from the reality experienced by true followers of “van life”. “Living in a van also means horrible nights in rotten places, cold showers in the early morning or hassles on the vehicle,” says Tifenn. “Some people imagine that it’s the dream life,” says Jessica Ledoult. But it’s not so much comfort as a state of mind. And it’s clearly not for everyone.”
Before embarking on the purchase (around 60,000 to 80,000 euros for a new converted van), all experts advise starting with a rental. “Take the test of spending a week with your family in 6 m2 to see if you don’t gut yourself,” smiles Philippe Colas. And if things go well, then you are ready for “van life”. To the roots!