Van di Jean Baptiste

Brigitte, a warm little hideaway built for adventure, sleeps 2

Brigitte isn't a factory-built camper. I designed her for my own adventures, with real comfort for the moments you actually spend inside. She's well equipped, and I can lend you extra gear on request. The result: a warm, cabin-in-the-mountains feel, with LED strips hidden behind the wood panelling.

VW T6, 2017, 2 seats, in the L2 version — 40 cm longer than a standard van. Those 40 cm change everything: you can cook standing up without treading on each other, keep a full-size sleeping area, and move around inside without folding everything away. At 5.30 m overall, she still parks in town like a car.

Real independence, for water and power alike

The fresh water tank sits under the chassis, not inside a cupboard — a rare choice on a van this size, which makes room for 60 litres. Enough for several days without hunting for a water point, and the interior stays completely free. 20 L grey water tank, indoor sink, retractable outdoor shower.

Same logic for the electrics: a 1200 W lithium battery, managed from a Bluetooth-connected app, recharging from mains or while driving via a booster charger. 12 V and 220 V for your laptop or remote work, LED lighting behind the panelling, charging sockets at the bedside lamps. You set off, and you stop thinking about it.

Her party trick: a bench seat that opens on both sides

The fold-out bed unfolds inwards and outwards. In practice: you open the boot, switch the bed to sofa mode, pull out the one-metre drawer, set the table on top — and there you are, facing the sea or the mountains, beer on the bar.

Built to go far, and stay out long

A deep storage bay under the benches swallows bulky kit (skis, boards, bags, crates), backed up by the big sliding drawer. Loading is easy, no Tetris required — you arrange the space however you like.

A proper kitchen, even in the rain

The two gas burners (with safety cut-off) are inside, so when it rains you cook in the warm without stepping out. Fridge in full working order. A hatch links the cab to the living space — handy for moving between the two without poking your nose outside.

Everything else, in short

• 195 × 130 cm bed, converts to a bench seat

• Blackout curtains on every window, multiple vents

• Air conditioning in the cab, rear parking sensors, hill start assist

• Camping chairs and table on request

• Extra gear on request (storage crates, blankets, packraft, paddle, cool box, backpack, torches…)

• Pick-up 10 min walk from Annecy train station

Full transparency

Brigitte is a hand-built conversion, designed for freedom and simplicity rather than push-button comfort. A few things worth knowing before you book:

• No heating, and the air conditioning only works in the cab, not in the living area. The wood panelling insulates well, but bring a good sleeping bag out of season.

• Switching from table mode to bed mode takes a bit of handling — two minutes, once you've got the knack.

• Some of the catches, particularly on the bench seat, can be temperamental. I'll show you the trick when I hand over the keys.

• The components (hatches, bed, storage) slot together, so they need positioning properly rather than forcing. Nothing complicated, just a little attention.