What is Vanlife today?

The followers of Vanlife are more and more numerous in France these last years. The return of the vintage Volkswagen combi, the evolution of comfort in the most modern motorhomes and the desire for a return to basics and closer to nature are making new people envious. Vanlife is the work oflive or live for a determined period of time in a converted vehicle. You can do it alone, as a couple, with friends or with family! Discover the history and the clichés of life in a van, its state of mind and what are the profiles of vanlifers today.

History and photos of Vanlife

It was at the very end of the 40s that the famous German car brand Volkswagen released its first “Combi”. The iconic T2 was produced between 1947 and 2014 (1990 in Europe) and allowed to transport up to 8 people but above all to convert the benches into a bed very easily. The hippie movement in the 60s contributed to its development.

The Combi

Life in a van on the road perfectly matched the rejection of traditional values, the consumer society and the way of life of the elderly. Synonymous with freedom, the Vanlife of the time is « peace and love », the playsuits are adorned with brightly colored paintings and floral motifs: it is the era of "Flower Power"! Other clichés emerged in the 90s and 2000s: on the one hand we find “marginalized” living in vans and on the other retirees in camper vans finally enjoying life.

Vanlife, a state of mind above all

If everyone has their own opinion about what the "real" Vanlife is, all more or less agree thatit is above all a state of mind. Whether you're behind the wheel of a station wagon which accommodates a mattress in the back, a van fitted out yourself in a spartan way, a larger van equipped with a small kitchen or a comfortable motorhome , the drivers have often the same desires and reasons to opt for this lifestyle or way of traveling:

• Feel more free;
• Live differently;
• Go out of a certain standard;
• Travel or live more economically ;
• Break your sedentary routine;
• Être closer to nature ;
• No longer burdening yourself materially;
• Get back to basics;
• Live more simply;
• Fill his desire for discovery and meetings.

For life or for vacation, with a rented or purchased van, Vanlife is based, first and foremost, on shared values.

Living in a van during the holidays

It is possible to travel by van, even living in a sedentary manner in a comfortable house and having a stable job that cannot be done remotely. If you opt for the purchase, the van will allow you to go from point A to point B without worrying about different anticipations such as accommodation reservations or vehicle rental: room for spontaneity !

PRACTICAL TIPS : Where to sleep in a van: how to find the best spots?

Take the road

You will be free to go for a weekend, a week or two of vacation or even a whole summer. Not everyone is ready to quit their tidy life. So going on vacation allows you to satisfy occasional desires of escape. But this also allows to experiment for those who plan to live in a van for a long time. And then you will see that in Vanlife what matters is rarely the destination but the experience of the trip itself!

Life in a van for an indefinite period

Some people have chosen to leave everything to live exclusively in their mobile home  ! Others experience this way of life on long journeys, during a world Tour or an entire country like New Zealand, Australia or Argentina. Finally, still others have chosen to alternate between sedentary periods and roaming trips. Among these are the seasonal workers working in agriculture, hotels or restaurants.

A campfire in nature

And in these three possibilities the digital nomades also occupy a large place. Being able to work from anywhere in the world has become accessible to any individual! It is enough just to have skills in the trades of the web and other activities, allowing to be carried out remotely. The passage to the act is obviously facilitated by increasingly modern and well-equipped vehicles : solar panels to power a computer, refrigerators, and sometimes even a shower!

Work from your van

A thirst for freedom ...

Today's Vanlife is therefore far from the first pictures. Anyone can get started, on an ad hoc or indefinite basis. All are driven by a thirst for freedom and a taste for a lighter life. And sometimes, the experience of life in a van leads to interest in other mobile housing alternatives. If you are one of them, go read Max's experience in a tiny house!