I get a newsletter from Australia called "The French Affair" and today there was this fascinating article on the history of the Deux Chevaux. It's hard not to love them and the pull back top to make a sort of convertible is brilliant. And it was the only car we could pass on our first trip to Europe in 1972. We had rented the cheapest car available…a Renault 5. The gearshift was like a bubble gum machine. But we actually camped in it. You could open the trunk (hatchback type door) and we slept with our feet hanging out on little camp stools. We found we got dew on on lower legs that were hanging outside so used a shower curtain to cover them. I don't know how we managed to sleep like this…a king size bed almost doesn't seem big enough for us now…ah…to be young.
We only camped when we couldn't get a hotel for $3 a night or less. We did allow ourselves to pay $4 in Paris…after all, it was Paris. We have often stayed at the same hotel in Paris since it's in a wonderful location in the Latin Quarter and on a small quiet street. We've been paying closer to $300 a night but then there are bathrooms in the rooms (half the size because of that!), an elevator, AC, and the hall lights aren't on a timer that switches off when you're about halfway up the stairs going to your room.
Our "camper van" in 1972
http://www.frenchaffair.com.au/explore-france/tribute-to-the-2cv
