Motorhomes are back in favour!
A quick look back in pictures at the meteoric rise of the motorhome.
In the age of nomadic living, more and more people are hiring or buying a motorhome. But where does this surge in popularity come from?
A few figures on motorhomes
The Covid-19 crisis seems to have pushed some people into buying a motorhome. In the space of a year, from March 2020 to March 2021, new vehicle registrations in France rose by 21.81%. That is more than 30,000 new units sold, and almost twice as many bought second-hand in the same year!
If you think that is a big jump, consider this: over ten years, the market has grown by more than 60%!
Once seen as old-fashioned and out of style, the motorhome is clearly back with a vengeance!
Why young people love it
Travelling with no strings attached, living wherever you like with no rent to pay... It is a way of life that appeals to more and more people. Especially since the Covid crisis.
So we are seeing plenty of young people buying mini vans or camper vans, and building their own home on wheels out of a panel van.
Freedom therefore seems to be the watchword, but it is not the only one. The environmental side also plays an important part, as does meeting other people. With a motorhome, you are closer to nature and you meet far more people! And so, from a car used to head off on holiday, we are increasingly moving towards a home on wheels!
What about you, what do you think? Does this way of life appeal to you?
And for anyone hesitating about going camping this year, here is why you really should.
The camping-car market has grown steadily over the past decade, with the pandemic accelerating the trend.
| Period | New vehicles | Second-hand vehicles | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2020 to March 2021 | +21.81 % | Nearly double new sales | Pandemic-driven surge |
| Ten years (long-term data) | +60 % growth | Trend predates the pandemic | Underlying shift |
| Minivans and combis (younger buyers) | Purchase or DIY conversion | Primary residence, not vacation transport | More flexible parking than full RVs |
| Main motivations | Travel freedom, no rent required | Closeness to nature, meeting people | Stated reasons, not measured impact |
Frequently asked questions
Why are motorhomes popular again? Long seen as old-fashioned, the motorhome now answers a desire to travel without constraints and to live wherever you like without paying rent. The covid-19 crisis sped things up: people want to be closer to nature and to meet others somewhere other than a hotel lobby. Freedom remains the first argument put forward by those who take the plunge.
How many motorhomes are sold in France in a year? Between March 2020 and March 2021, new vehicle registrations rose by 21.81% in France, which means more than 30,000 new units sold. Over the same period, the second-hand market accounted for roughly twice as many. New registrations therefore tell only part of the story.
Is this boom just a covid effect? No. Over ten years, the motorhome market has grown by more than 60%, well before the epidemic. The health crisis mainly sped up a trend that was already there, pushing some buyers to act earlier than planned.
Why do younger travellers go for vans and campers? Because they often build their rolling home themselves, starting from a panel van, a small van or a classic camper. The vehicle stops being a car you take out for the holidays and becomes the home itself. It also parks almost anywhere, which a large motorhome does not.
Is travelling by motorhome really greener? It is one of the arguments put forward by people who make the switch, alongside freedom and meeting others. Let us be honest: it is a stated motivation, not a measurement. What we do know is that you sleep closer to nature, which is not the same thing as a carbon footprint.
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