In the age of COVID-19, it seems that the only type of trip we can responsibly get away with is camping. Since it’s such a specific way of traveling and new to many of us in 2020, it’s helpful when our budget permits the use of luxury camping vehicles like teardrop caravans. Newer caravan designs such as La Carapate from the French manufacturer, Carapate, were conceptualized a few years before the quarantine of 2020, but with camping’s popularity only surging, they already stand the test of time.
While the caravan was not designed to resemble a teardrop, but rather a trapezoid, the makers behind it still call the final design a teardrop caravan. La Carapate has many features that set it apart from other caravans on the market. For instance, instead of a swinging door, you might expect to see on a classic caravan, La Carapate’s door functions as a sturdy flap, which locks into place by means of gas pressure swings, in order to provide campers with ample shade and easy access to both the caravan’s interior and the outdoors. Adjacent to La Carapate’s flap door is a drawer that converts from handy indoor storage space for cookware to an exterior cooking unit that could also extend into a table for further use as an outdoor dining area. The true appeal of this camper lies in its trapezoidal shape and the blue and yellow nautical color scheme. The rounded edges with a bold yellow trim and the unique side-door that swings open to reveal the surprisingly spacious interiors – it brings to mind the wooden interiors seen in older cars and the result is touchingly nostalgic.
Users have the option of purchasing a fully-operative kitchen which includes a gas cooker, sink, set of tableware, and additional saucepans. A simpler version could be purchased for less, which includes all you need for camping: a gas cooker and a 12-liter sink. The main part of the caravan comes with mattresses that provide lots of space for all the campers using the caravan – a big upgrade from sleeping in tents. Equipped with a solar panel, La Carapate is manufactured and utilized in an ecologically responsible way. Everything from the material used, to the compact size of this caravan, and the hyperlocal approach to sourcing and manufacturing speaks to the founders’ commitment to ecotourism and sustainable travel.
La Carapate comes fully functioning with panoramic views and miniature living space. Camping doesn’t necessarily require prerequisites, but it typically brings together those who feel passionate about traveling, alternative accommodation, and the natural world. For the founders of La Carapate, these passions came together and inspired their own interpretation of the teardrop caravan. La Carapate is filled with lots more exciting, hidden features: skylight, mosquito net, blackout shades, fire extinguisher, CEE plug, cigarette lighter, some 220 volts outlets, USB ports, vanity mirrors, and many more. Scroll through the photos below and find out for yourself!
Designers: Fabien Denis, Jean-Marie Reymond x Carapate
