Update:  March 2011 -

Many people applying to have vehicles re-registered as "Motor Caravans" with the DVLA having had them professionally converted are being refused, as their vehicle does "Not look like a motor caravan from the outside".  The DVLA are then
 re-classifying the vehicles as "Vans with windows".  Apparently this is a problem for the Police and other authorities, who cannot identify converted vehicles easily from the outside.  I will update this page when new information is confirmed.

If you are converting a van to a campervan or motorhome then you need to consider whether you want to re-register the vehicle with your vehicle authority.

In the UK

In the UK you have the option of re-registering your van as a "motor caravan" with the DVLA.  It is not a requirement to re-register the vehicle.  You can continue to use the vehicle as a campervan, even if it is still registered as a "panel van", assuming you have adequate (i.e. campervan) insurance. Here at Cascade Conversions we are recognised convertors with Sureterm Direct so your vehicles insurance will be cheaper because they are familiar with the quality of our work. Therefore Change of Vehicle Classification is not as crucial knowing that you have insurance to cover all your expenditure.

If you decide that you want to re-register your van as a campervan you should contact the DVLA.

What makes a 'Motor Caravan'?

All of our conversions at Cascade Conversions comply with the permanent fixtures that must be present in order to qualify as a 'Motor Caravan' in the UK in the eyes of the DVLA. However if you are considering a self build project or buying a ready made camper, the list is as follows:

1. Sleeping Accommodation

• There must be a bed with a minimum length of 6ft or 180cms
• The bed must be an integral part of the vehicle living accommodation area
• The bed must be permanent or converted from seats (the bed can fold away during the day)
• The bed fixtures must be secured directly to the vehicle floor and/or side walls, unless it is over the drivers cab compartment.

1. Door

• There must be a horizontal sliding door or an outward opening rear or side door.

1. Seats and Tables

• There must be a seating area for diners to sit around
• The table can be fixed or detachable
• The table must mount directly to the vehicle floor or side walls
• The table mounting must be secured as a permanent feature, either bolted screwed or welded.  The table itself can be detachable.
• Seats must be secured directly to the vehicle floor and/or side walls
• The seats must be secured as a permanent fixture, either bolted, riveted, screwed or welded
• Permanently secured seating must be available for use at a table

1. Water Container

• The vehicle must have an onboard or external (e,g, under the chassis) water container
• Note: The insurer Adrian Flux requires the water container to hold 6 gallons / 27 litres.

1. Storage

• The vehicle must have at least one cupboard, locker or wardrobe
• The cupboard must be an integral part of the living accommodation area
• The cupboard must be a permanent feature, either bolted, riveted, screwed or welded
• The cupboard must be secured directly to the vehicle floor and / or side walls

1. Cooking

• The vehicle must have cooking facilities powered by fixed gas, electric hob or microwave oven
• The cooking facilities must be secured directly to the vehicle floor or side wall
• The cooking facilities must be a permanent feature, either bolted, riveted, screwed or welded
• Gas and electric hobs must have a minimum or 2 cooking rings.  Microwave ovens must have a power source (don't just fit one that can't be used)
• Gas cooking facilities with remote fuel supplies must have the gas supply pipe permanently secured to the vehicle structure
• Gas cooking facilities with remote fuel supplies should have the gas bottle, fuel reservoir secured to the vehicle structure

1. Outside

• The vehicle must have at least one side window
• New! Since 2011 the DVLA are now asking that the vehicle look like a motor caravan from the outside.  The details are yet unclear what is required.  More information will appear in the blog when available.

Camping France (with or without children)

There is no doubt that France is the best country in Europe to take the family for a camping holiday, not least because most of the resorts are tailored to meet the demands of family groups, and some tour operators have children's clubs and child minding facilities as well. Camping is great fun for the whole family and France has so many varied regions and micro climates that it is often hard to make a decision as to where to go.

St Malo

If your children are young it may be as well to get away with as little driving as possible because they get bored as we know all too well, so Normandy, Brittany or perhaps the Vendee region of France spring to mind. Pop over to France via Caen, Cherbourg or St Malo and you don't have so far to drive in France at one go. Other than that just make the Dover/Calais crossing and potter about on the northern coast.

Older children and teenagers can travel far better so your driving doesn't have to be so limited, but there again Brittany, the Vendee or anywhere down the western coast of France will provide you with a most memorable family holiday.

You don't have to cart your ancient leaky old tent with you for a camping holiday these days. Our Cascade campervan has all the bits and pieces you need such as cooker, fridge, and sleeps upto 4 people. Basically, you and your family just move in and get on with your hols.

A Family camping holiday is all about having fun, relaxation for parents as well as children, staying out later than the usual bedtime, hitting the beach whenever possible and eating when you feel like it. 

If children become used to camping holidays with family early in their lives then the concept of camping can stay with them for life, and be passed on to their own children. 

Family camping is a great way having a fun holiday and is also a crafty way of making your kids a little bit independent by alloting them some responsibility for certain jobs around camp, putting tables and chairs out or fetching bread etc from the local shop. Even though camping holidays are self catering you can spread the workload so that everyone is involved from the start.

What is the best way to see a new country? There is no doubt that getting out of the big cities and exploring smaller towns and villages is going to give you a different and arguably more authentic experience than that which many tourists settle for.

Rural France

Just as London, Cardiff, Birmingham and Manchester aren’t fully representative of the UK, the same applies in countries like France and Italy. In fact, it could be said that in these countries the heart and soul of the nation is more rural than in the UK, and that the only way to truly appreciate them is by going out to the countryside.

Once you get out of the big city the only things you are really going to miss are the conveniences such as shops and restaurants on every corner. Even this can seem unimportant once you discover where to get hold of fresh, local produce. What you presumably won’t miss is the noise, the stress and traffic of the big cities.

Of course the people are different in the countryside too, just as they are everywhere in the world. In the modern world we can state with a fair degree of confidence that the gap between country folk and city dwellers is smaller than ever before thanks to better transport links and communications technology. However, it is still in the small villages and towns where most people will take time out to speak to you and make you feel at home.

This leads us on to an essential part of any trip to a rural location; the local language. While you would expect to find English speakers in places such as Paris and Rome you certainly shouldn’t expect to get things quite so comfortable once you leave the big centres behind.

This isn’t a bad thing in my opinion. It will force you to leave your comfort zone and speak to the people using their own language rather than yours. As a visitor in their country this is a reasonable thing to expect and if you make the effort you will find that the warmth and hospitality you receive makes the interaction with locals one of the real highlights of your time.