Campervan Rental: Why Roadsurfer Is the Ideal Last-Minute Road Trip Solution

What if the best trips were ultimately those we hadn’t really planned? As spring’s long weekends approach and summer holidays loom, more and more travelers are ditching ultra-planned stays in favor of more spontaneous getaways. This is where renting a converted van, or a motorhome, emerges as the ideal solution for vacationers seeking freedom, flexibility and adventure.

In this rapidly expanding world of nomadic travel, roadsurfer has established itself as the global leader in van-based journeys. Founded in 2016 in Munich, the company now counts over 10,000 vehicles distributed across nearly 100 agencies in 16 countries. Compact vans, converted campervans, or family motorhomes: the brand offers a modern, fully equipped fleet designed to simplify last-minute departures. With unlimited kilometers and a spontaneity-driven approach, roadsurfer presents a new way of traveling, where the destination matters less than the freedom to hit the road whenever the urge arises.

The spontaneous road trip for travellers seeking freedom

Setting off without a fixed program, adjusting the route according to the weather, or extending a stop by the ocean: the road trip answers a growing desire for flexibility. In recent years, travel has transformed. Holidaymakers now seek freer experiences that can adapt to their momentary wishes.
Renting a converted van fits perfectly with this trend. In just a few clicks, you can book a equipped vehicle and hit the road a few hours later. An ideal solution for off-the-cly weekend getaways as well as last-minute summer holidays.

roadsurfer has precisely built its offering around this spontaneity. The brand relies on recent, comfortable and fully equipped vehicles, with unlimited kilometers to travel without constraint. Compact vans for a duo getaway, converted vans for several weeks on European roads, or family motorhomes — each traveler profile can find the model suited to their adventure.

To simplify organization even further, the platform also offers detailed practical sheets to help travelers choose the vehicle that matches their project. A surfing weekend on the Basque coast, a crossing of the Alps, or an improvised loop through Tuscany do not require the same needs. roadsurfer thus turns motorhome rental into a simple, fluid, and immediately accessible experience.

Offices across France and Europe for last-minute departures

One of roadsurfer’s major advantages lies in its wide network of agencies, designed to facilitate spontaneous departures. In France, travellers can pick up their vehicle near major cities and airports: Paris, Lyon, Aix-Marseille, Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Lille, Nice or Strasbourg are among the main starting bases. The Geneva agency, located in the Pays de Gex, also makes a quick escape to Switzerland or the Italian Alps feasible.

This strategic presence greatly simplifies last-minute departures. Quick spell of good weather forecast ahead? A long weekend on the horizon? It is enough to book a vehicle and head toward the destination of choice.
All of Europe becomes a playable field. Thanks to the numerous roadsurfer agencies across the continent, travelers can easily imagine a road trip spanning several countries: along the Portuguese coast, exploring the Scandinavian fjords, crossing the Dolomites, or sleeping by Croatian lakes. This improvisational freedom is now one of the main attractions of renting a converted van.

roadsurfer spots: the platform that makes spontaneous wandering easier

To improvise a road trip also means being able to easily find where to sleep. It is precisely to answer this new way of traveling that roadsurfer developed roadsurfer spots, a platform for booking unusual sites across Europe.
The concept is increasingly appealing to nomadic travel enthusiasts: spontaneously booking a unique spot at a farm, a winery, a natural space, or with a private individual, often close to preserved landscapes. Available notably in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, the platform makes it easy to combine itinerancy and lodging without having to plan every step weeks in advance.

This approach reinforces the sense of freedom that accompanies motorhome rental and van rental. A sunset facing the Atlantic, a night amid Italian vineyards, or a wake-up in front of Austrian mountains can now be improvised on the fly of the journey.

More than just a vehicle rental company, roadsurfer thus positions itself as a true facilitator of spontaneous travel. A brand capable of turning a last-minute urge for escape into an immediate adventure, with this promise that has become rare: the ability to still depart without planning every detail, simply because the road calls.

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Sponsored article by Roadsurfer. The editorial team did not participate in the production of this article.

Hotel vs Short-Term Rental: French Preference Depends on Price


Hôtel ou location de courte durée : l'arbitrage des Français dépend massivement des prix, Despositphotos.com

Dream Yacht


Face au durcissement de la réglementation sur les meublés touristiques, près des deux tiers des utilisateurs se disent prêts à modifier leurs habitudes de consommation en cas de hausse des prix des locations.

Cette étude publiée par Catella démontre que la fidélité des Français aux plateformes de courte durée est loin d’être acquise, ouvrant la voie à un retour vers l’hôtellerie traditionnelle.

En cas d’augmentation des tarifs des meublés de tourisme, 34 % des sondés affirment qu’ils se tourneraient directement vers l’hôtel, tandis que 29 % adapteraient leur choix selon les situations.

Only 10% would stay loyal to the rental regardless of price level. This volatility is even more marked among CSP+ (74 %) and in regions with strong tourist pressure, such as the Southeast, where 71 % of respondents are considering an hotel alternative.

Cette tendance pourrait s’accélérer sous l’effet du nouveau cadre législatif, notamment la loi Le Meur, qui réduit les avantages fiscaux des meublés touristiques et renforce le pouvoir de régulation des municipalités.

À Paris, les premiers effets se font déjà sentir : les annonces sont passées d’un pic de 79 000 à l’été 2024 à une stabilisation autour de 54 000 en octobre 2025 selon l’APUR, ce qui pourrait mécaniquement pousser les prix de la location à la hausse.


The price factor, the primary obstacle to accessing hotel establishments

The survey also reveals a massive renunciation of hotels, affecting one in two French people.

This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in the Paris region (59 %) and peaks at 70 % among young professionals aged 25 to 34. For 32 % of all respondents (43 % of those aged 25-34), the tariff constitutes the main barrier to entry.

This renunciation translates into trade-offs directly linked to the broader constraints on purchasing power and housing rather than a disinterest in the traditional hotel model.

Public opinion is also favorable to a better structuring of the market. Nearly half of French people (46 %) express the desire to see the regulation of short-term furnished rentals tightened.

The expectations are particularly homogeneous in the Southwest (50 %), Southeast (50 %) and Northeast (49 %). The economic stake is sizeable, since these furnished rentals generate, for instance, 585 million euros in revenue outside the hotel circuit in Paris, where they represent 3.5 % of the residential stock.


Towards a hybridization of hotel offerings to capture new usages

The hotel is now perceived as an opportunistic and pragmatic choice. Guests use it for short stays (33%), for price-driven opportunities (32%) or for the quality of included services (28%).

Expectations vary by generation: those over 55 prioritize brevity of stay (39%), while the 25-34 age group targets price competitiveness (40%) or the lack of availability of alternative rentals (24%).

This shift in behavior opens opportunities for the development of hybrid structures capable of combining traditional lodging, coworking and long-stay stays. This versatility responds to a growing acceptance of mixed audiences.

Indeed, 46 % of respondents believe that the cohabitation between business travelers and leisure travelers has no negative impact on their experience, and 13 % consider it even an asset for the vitality of the establishments. This stance is even stronger among the youth and in Île-de-France, sending a clear signal to investors for the creation of multifunctional hotel assets.