September 2019outandaboutlive.co.uk 189BUYING
Secondhandchoice
French bed motorhomesand camper vans
As one of the longest-running ixed bedversions, there is plenty of choice on the
used motorhome market, although it is a relatively new layout for campervans
LAYOUTVARIATIONS
Most motorhomersagree that a
ixed bed is the ultimate in comfort,
and there aremany types of instant
double bed available.
Transverse beds aregreat and
ofer large garages – butone person
hasto climbover the other to get to
the washroomin the night.
Drop-downdoublesare brilliant,
buttheynecessitate anaccess ladder
and usually restrict the use of the
loungewhen in place.
Frenchbeds– those that run
lengthways downthe motorhome’s
side– may often need a longer
bodyshell to avoid squashing the
other ‘rooms’, butprovideplenty of
storage space beneath that can easily
beaccessed frominside..
hingsto lookoutfor include
ensuring there’s apadded headboard
if you liketo sit up in bed – although
’vanconversions often havea
windowonthe rear wall/twin doors
that, if you leanagainst, could likely
result in damaged blinds.
here should alsobea side-
opening windowand aroof vent forWHATTOWATCH OUT FOR
maximum ventilation, along withsome
high-level cupboards. his isn’t abad
place to site the TVaswatchers can
lazehere without interruptionwhile
the chef preparesthe table f ordining
orcanreadthe paper in peace (long-
cabledheadphonesforthe television
are agreat pre-trip purchase).
Other thingsto watch outfor are
gas struts onthe bed frame sothat
this caneasily beraisedwhenyou’re
delving into the storage area.
Often access to the washroomis
hamperedbythe bed’s corner sothebase of the mattress canbecut
diagonally, which could leave one
occupant’s feet danglingat night.
Washrooms canbefoundwithor
without separate shower cubicles;
smaller vehicleswill havelittle but a
toilet and lip-up washbasin, while
larger oneshavea large washroom
that runs across the rear of the
motorhomebehind the bed.
Manylayouts havea half-dinette
upfront, sometimes witha single
sidesettee, too, and anL-shaped
kitchen behind.Relaxing space
A side settee in a frontlounge is always
welcome when combined with the usual
half-dinette
Cooking
L-shaped kitchens provide excellent
worktop and cupboard space
Washing
The smaller the’van, the smaller the
washroom, so check the facilities firstSleeping
Domestic-style mattresses providethe
comfort but check thecorner cut-off
Stowage
You won’tget your bikes on board, but
plenty of other gear can bestore d
beneath the bed
Shapeand chassis
Larger campers to A-class motorhomes
all offerFrench bed layoutsWANTTOKNOW MORE?Find 131 reviews of French bed models
online at outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/reviewsOverall lengths:From 5.99m
to 7.50m(19ft 8into 24ft 7in)