Vans with French Beds? but not over 6m. (1 Viewer)

[Mark12]

Need help choosing a van!
Can you help us with any suggestions for what vans are out there with 'French beds' but without going over 6metres in length? Coach built that is.

With a budget of about 30k it'll have to be second hand.
So far I've seen:

Hymer Tramp Classic 574 (2006). 5.99m.Nice but seemingly rare!
Dethleffs Globebus T2 also nice but rare!
Rapido Le Randoneur 709f very nice but probably a bit old? oh and rare!

Any others I could think about?

We are trying to decide on what van to get and quite like the idea of a french bed because it's lower down and easier to get in and out of in the middle of the night than a transverse bed with it's ladder or steps.

We are both in our sixties and although reasonably fit I've noticed it ain't getting any easier as regards getting up several times in the night lol.

We have looked at Adria Twins and Adria coral Compacts and as far as Transverse beds go, we probably could manage but have to say I fancy the idea of a French bed, I reckon it would be easier.

Need fixed bed and fixed dinette, hate rear lounge layouts, like foreign vans with front dinettes.

We've always shared the driving 50/50 with our VW Transporter and my OH wont take kindly to going suddenly from just 5m to over 6m when it comes to maneuvering in tight spots.

The above vans have very similar layouts and would be fine but I can't find one yet and I don't know if there are others I should consider that are also properly winterized
Be interested to hear what you think, thanks.

 

[EX51SSS]

It's probably me but what do you mean by a French Bed?

 

[Paul and Kate]

Oops double post sorry

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[pyro]

Chausson 515, fixed French bed, FIAT base hard to get in the UK, Ford fairly available, but very pleased with ours

Chausson 514, also good choice

Just under 6M, decent payload (around 800Kg), won loads of awards, see and you'll like

 

[Paul and Kate]

It's probably me but what do you mean by a French Bed?

View attachment 163217

It's probably me but what do you mean by a French Bed?

 

[EX51SSS]

Ah, a fixed bed. Excuse my ignorance.
Or rather, an odd shaped fixed bed. Can you get sheets for them or just make do with poor quality English ones?

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[Langtoftlad]

My first van was a 2004 Ace (Swift) Modena with a French Bed at 6.16 metres
They did Ace, Swift & I believe Burstner versions.
For me, it seemed nicely proportioned.
Taken in part-ex for my new Wildax PVC - it's on their site, if you want to take a look.

 

[Pilote87]

What vans are out there with 'French beds' but without going over 6metres in length?

We are both in our sixties and although reasonably fit I've noticed it ain't getting any easier as regards getting up several times in the night lol.

We've always shared the driving 50/50 with our VW Transporter and my OH wont take kindly to going suddenly from just 5m to over 6m when it comes to manoeuvring in tight spots.

The above vans have very similar layouts and would be fine but I can't find one yet and I don't know if there are others I should consider that are also properly winterized
Be interested to hear what you think, thanks.

We have a 2006-reg Pilote Aventure P600 (actually listed as 5.99 metres) and have run this since 2013. We are somewhat older than you and don't have any problems getting in and out of bed. The only real storage is under the bed and can be accessed by lifting the bed or via a rear locker door. Although I cannot honestly say it is winterised ( the unheated grey water tank is external) we don't limit our travels to the warmer times, having participated in the New Year celebrations between Tours and Vierzon every year since 2008. So, perhaps another one to think about.

J

 

[sylvester1954]

Auto sleeper Kingham, fractionally over 6m , great bed and cracking van.

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[pyro]

Well, we all like what we are familiar with, and you have a much wider range than originally

I wouldn't write off some of these more modern electric drop down beds, they are at normal bed height

I wish you well with your hunting.

 

[Minxy]

Rapido also did the 740F which was a slightly longer version of the 709F, possibly just a touch over 6m, but give a bit more room - we had a 709F for nearly 4 years and it was brilliant but it was a bit tight in the kitchen department, the unit was even smaller than the ones in our panel van conversions! There was also the 741F too.

 

[Theonlysue]

There are now 6m coach built vans where the bed drops low over the seats, so no need for a ladder.
Rapido 604ff
Burstner ixeo 586
Chausson 530

http://www.camperuk.co.uk/used-moto...-coach-built-white-manual-diesel-id_7324.aspx
You could get it reupholstered and still have change

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[Barclaybasher]

It's probably me but what do you mean by a French Bed?

 

[Mark12]

Chausson 515, fixed French bed, FIAT base hard to get in the UK, Ford fairly available, but very pleased with ours

Chausson 514, also good choice

Just under 6M, decent payload (around 800Kg), won loads of awards, see and you'll like

Thanks Pyro, I'll look at those.

 

[Silver-Fox]

View attachment 163238

Nice legs, but then its French

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[Barclaybasher]

Nice legs, but then its French

Hope they're shaved .......

 

[Mark12]

There are now 6m coach built vans where the bed drops low over the seats, so no need for a ladder.
Rapido 604ff
Burstner ixeo 586
Chausson 530

http://www.camperuk.co.uk/used-moto...-coach-built-white-manual-diesel-id_7324.aspx
You could get it reupholstered and still have change

Thanks for that, I'll take a look, not sure we'd get on with drop down bed. Puts the dining area out of bounds until both out of bed.
Love the Rapido 741, just a tad long though.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Thanks for that, I'll take a look, not sure we'd get on with drop down bed. Puts the dining area out of bounds until both out of bed.
Love the Rapido 741, just a tad long though.

Are you stuck on length because of where you are going to park it?

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[mjltigger]

Ah, a fixed bed. Excuse my ignorance.
Or rather, an odd shaped fixed bed. Can you get sheets for them or just make do with poor quality English ones?

We have bought ordinary domestic bedding for our french bed. So far all good...


Mind you, we've only had it a couple of weeks and managed one night so far.

 

[Spidey]

Thanks Pyro, I'll look at those.

Also Chausson 510 or 10 is worth a look. Great layout and drop down bed.

 

[mikebeaches]

Have a look out for a Chausson Flash S2, manufactured in 2010 and 2011. We had one from new for five years and thought it was a cracking van - just like a 'tardis' inside. 5.99m long, huge bathroom/shower across the back and great storage. Fixed French bed had a very clever twist - the foot of the bed folded up to become the dinette backrest! Bedding just folded over in one second and the backrest lifted and adjusted to any angle (like a cab seat) in 2 seconds!! Travelled over much of the Continent in it. Should be well within your budget now if you can find one.



https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/m...hausson-flash-s2-2011-motorhome-review/898948

https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/m...hausson-flash-s2-2010-motorhome-review/899158

Just google for more images.

We had a Rapido 709F before that, which was indeed good but bijou.

Now have a 6.36m panel van conversion with fixed twin single beds in the back - Rapido V68.

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[Stretto Boy]

Auto sleeper Kingham, fractionally over 6m , great bed and cracking van.

Looks a great van and probably the one I would recommend, except that it is not a coach built which is what the OP wants. As suggested by @Pilote87 the Pilote P600 seems to tick all of the OP's boxes.

 

[Kingham]

........Can you get sheets for them or just make do with poor quality English ones?

We have bought ordinary domestic bedding for our french bed. So far all good...


Mind you, we've only had it a couple of weeks and managed one night so far.

I eventually got sick of normal bedding moving around and rumpling up every night in my caravan, which was the first French bed I'd experienced. The overhang of surplus duvet used to drag the duvet down during the night and got in the way a bit during the day, so ended up getting specific 'tapered' bedding from Jonic.

Before I took delivery of my Kingham, I had already taken delivery of a 'tapered' mattress protector, fitted sheet, duvet and duvet cover from Jonic. They're not cheap, but they haven't moved in 20 nights of use.

 

[CWH]

Can you get sheets for them or just make do with poor quality English ones?

We have bought ordinary domestic bedding for our french bed. So far all good...
Mind you, we've only had it a couple of weeks and managed one night so far.

'tapered' mattress protector, fitted sheet, duvet and duvet cover from Jonic. They're not cheap, but they haven't moved in 20 nights of use.

I was going to say that!
Having sold the French bedded van, I now have a left-over Jonic mattress protector and fitted sheet.

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[Deleted member 29692]

Duvalay make vehicle specific fitted sheets as well.

http://www.duvalay.co.uk/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Shaped-Bespoke-Bedding/Shaped-Fitted-Sheets

 

[Mark12]

Are you stuck on length because of where you are going to park it?

Hi, yes, that is one of the reasons. I've got to reverse it off a narrow road and it's tight through the gate with cars mostly parked opposite, not easy.
I'd have to say though, that also we just didn't want to lose that flexibility we've always had, getting in and around back streets, car parks, village streets, very twisty narrow alpine passes etc. There's only two of us and I'm sure we can manage with 6m.
Previous van was a hi top VW T5 and we usually do 3 month trips so I think it could feel a bit large for us to go over 6m.
Also cheaper on ferries although that's not a real stopper is it.
We could end up going from really enjoying the driving to simply tolerating the driving.
OH won't thank me for that.

 

[Mark12]

Also Chausson 510 or 10 is worth a look. Great layout and drop down bed.

Cheers. I just looked at at picture of one, showing french bed and also drop down. Do you have to have the drop down bed or can you just have it with the rear french bed.

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[mikebeaches]

In many respects it is the width of van rather than length that determines how easy it is to negotiate small villages and narrow lanes. A standard width coachbuilt is typically about 230cm wide (it is possible to get narrower ones these days), whereas a Fiat/Peugeot/Citroen van conversion is 205cm, so a foot narrower - it makes a big difference, in my opinion! Not to mention the long-arm rear-view mirrors which provide good visibility, but stick out so far beyond the bodywork. We 'managed' OK with the width of our coachbuilt, but find driving much more enjoyable and relaxing now we have PVC, even though it is a tad longer than the old van.

 

[Spidey]

Cheers. I just looked at at picture of one, showing french bed and also drop down. Do you have to have the drop down bed or can you just have it with the rear french bed.

These ones don't have the French bed just the drop down. I think the lounge would be very small with a French bed in a 6m van. The drop down goes all the way down. However even though we loved the layout the bed was temperamental. We have a 7 m van with a French bed and large lounge. We don't notice the extra metre when driving or parking.

 

[Minxy]

As @mikebeaches says, it's the width that will cause you mor issues than a little bit extra length, one of the reasons we down 'widthed' when we got our first PVC back in 2012, 6m long but only 2.05 wide, after having a 6m but 2.3m wide coachbuilt it was much more relaxing driving for my hubby and also for being able to get to places that the wider one would NOT have gone. Now we've still got a PVC but slightly longer at 6.36m, the extra foot of length hasn't made much difference other than we have a longer wheelbase so a slightly larger turning circle, the width is the same so we've been able to get to all those lovely little out of the way places that a standard width coachbuilt would haven't been able to.

I'd have a serious think about exactly HOW you want to use it first as this will determine how 'wide' you can realistically go and still do what you want ... there are French bed PVCs in 6m and 6.36m lengths made by various manufacturers so there is still some choice.

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