Hi Quintin.
Very intrigued by your decision to downsize. After all the trouble you went to on the Merc, I suppose if you’re not the one who chose the interior layout there’s always a niggling desire to change something.
I still haven’t taken the plunge yet. Looking at oct 2010, which is the next time I get the right to a sabbatical year (damn I love French labour law! pity Sarko’s trying to open it up) and coincides approximately with our youngest giving up nappies (I hope)
The wife wants it all, washing machine, dishwasher, permanent beds for all (we’re 4 now), in a 6 m sub 3.5 tonne discreet looking camper.
I’ve convinced her it won’t all fit, now to keep looking…. Or persuading that older (T…T...no I won’t name it) trucks mean a lot more money is left free for diesel or conversion.

Onto your subject. Have you looked at the Nissan Cabstar? Now that Nissan is owned by Renault they’re easier to get in France. One converter has recently added the Cabstar to his model range. This one claims to be 20 ft closed container friendly: http://www.polycomposit.zoom-here.co...hr/76-1292.jpg but you need to roll it in on special disks in place of the wheels. I think it would have to have doors at each end to access for an effective tie down. It’s on twin XZL 7.5 x 16 at the back, which is pretty good, here the same base vehicle is shown with a SRW setup enabling bigger tyres and according to some, better in sand: http://www.polycomposit.zoom-here.co...76-1269-fr.jpg
As you can deduce from the links, the company is called Polycomposit: POLYCOMPOSIT PLAN 2M30 CELLULE AMOVIBLE STANDARD DOUBLE CABINE CELLULE 2M30 SUR MITSUBISHI L200 CELLULE AMOVIBLE STANDARD DOUBLE CABINE CELLULE SUR and they’re based about an hour’s drive from where I live. They install empty shells for you to furnish, or they can supply the furniture in kit form, or they’ll do the lot; so something for every budget in theory. To my shame I’ve never visited them, but each time I zoom past Valence on some other mission I say to myself that one day I’ll have the time….
When you come over (shameless plug: Chambre hote Isere-Location chalet montagne-Location charme Vercors) I would happily use your visit and your need for an interpreter (hah!) as an excuse to finally go and visit them.

So, when are you coming?

Cheers,
Luke