If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you’ll know that I’ve already got a little vintage caravan of my own. It was a £100 bargain that I renovated about 7 years ago and now it has moved to it’s final resting place in my garden. So now, if I want to go camping, we’re going to have to start looking for an alternative – hence today’s blog post about this gorgeous trailer tent.
When we moved my old caravan to our new home three years ago, I wasn’t confident that it would make it. And now that it’s here, I already know that it won’t ever go on the road again. I’m sure that someone with a lot of skills and money could get it roadworthy, but that’s not me – and I only ever intended to use it as a home-office-slash-spare room anyway.
Now it’s literally boxed-in by the garden fence now, and is sunk into a hole to make the door level with the lawn, so it would be a feat of engineering to get it out! It’s still leak-free and I love sitting in my caravan for lunch but it’s definitely more of a summer house for the garden than something to go on holiday in.
Unlike a caravan, this trailer tent folds down when not in use so it’s really compact to store in our garden. Plus, it’s lightweight enough to tow with a car. For those reasons alone, it seems like a sensible option for camping trips in the future.
While I’m not keen on the idea of camping any more (although, give me a spacious teepee or luxury bell tent and I’ll be more than happy to camp!) this trailer tent changes all that. Even though it has canvas sides, it feels so much more substantial than a tent.
For a start, it has proper beds – the ultimate glamping experience! Plus, I can carry everything with me that I need – cooking equipment, radio, even has a table, so it wouldn’t be a struggle like regular tent camping seems to be – for me, at least.
This trailer tent is a Lillebror Chateau Mobile and from my research I think it’s made by a Norwegian company. It’s certainly from the mid-century modern era, which explains the cool wooden interior. I think this is a great contrast with the greeny-teal canvas – so cool.
As a fan of the Living Big In A Tiny House channel on YouTube, I think this trailer tent would satisfy my need to own tiny home AND provide exactly the type of camping I would be happy to do in the future. If anyone knows where I can get one – even a fixer-upper – please let me know!
PIN IT FOR LATER
7 responses
Thanks for sharing your memories of the Chateau, that’s so interesting to hear about the history of it coming to the UK. It would be wonderful if they were still made today, I’d definitely want one! 🙂
Lovely to see these pics and read how you’ve been using your Chateau. My dad was Sales Manager for Easden in the 60’-70’s, and introduced the Chateau to the UK. I believe it had originally been designed for the Norwegian army, which would explain its amazingly rigorous construction. As a family we always got to test out the latest models and attended many rallies, welcoming a flow of interested owners. I so wish they were still made today. Just nothing like them.
Amazing memories, thanks for sharing! The Chateau Mobile is a fantastic bit of kit isn’t it? 🙂
Wow!!! I spent my childhood holidays in one of these, or at at least meal times when my parent’s let us inside (2 adventurous, mischief making brothers weren’t that concerned). The beautiful pictures reveal what a quality beast it was, but not the ingenuity with which the whole things collapses into a modest (grey) trailer which lives in an average domestic garage, cooker, sleeping bags and crockery all stowed on it’s floor. We were deemed to big to use the stretcher beds above the main bedding but still excited to have the job of “winching” down the stabilising legs when we pitched.
Hi Bernd, thanks for getting in touch. Sorry, I don’t have a Chateau Mobile myself but I think there’s a Facebook page for Chateau Mobile owners so you might be able to find more information there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chateaumobileowners/ Hope this helps!
looking for a awning any ideas
Are you still looking for a chateau mobile. I have one i think early 60s. it needs some work but is all there including the awning. The original canvas roof is in poor state and i had a new one made using wagon siding material but a canvas one can be made. Would be looking for around £500 if your interested.