Winter 2026/27 · Four to eight weeks
Alpine Basecamp
Stay for the snow, not the Saturday changeover.
A warm, compact VW basecamp for two people who want to live in the mountains for a proper stretch of winter.
A different kind of ski season
Your own warm Alpine basecamp, for a month, not a week.
Wake up within reach of the lifts, cook the dinner you actually want and move when the snow does. Van Tropez combines the freedom of a road trip with the consistency of your own compact mountain home, without asking you to buy a van or fund weeks of resort accommodation.
Built for a couple or two close friends who already know the mountains, can travel outside peak weeks and value reliability over van-life theatre.
One van, properly known
Adventure outside. A capable little home inside.
Warm when the temperature drops
A programmable diesel heater, thermal insulation and electric hook-up make cold mornings and post-ski evenings civilised.
A proper meal inside
Two-ring hob, sink, running water and a Dometic fridge mean dinner does not depend on the weather or resort prices.
Compact and automatic
The 2018 VW T6 is easier to place on mountain roads and in village car parks than a full-size motorhome.
Prepared for the corridor
UK and Europe insurance and breakdown cover are included for approved drivers and routes, with toll tag and French Crit'Air sticker fitted.
Three ways to use the winter
Choose a mountain rhythm, then make it yours.
These are route frameworks, not escorted tours. We agree a sensible corridor and winter-open campsite plan before departure; you choose the powder days.
The French Alps base
Settle around Bourg-Saint-Maurice and reach Les Arcs, La Plagne, Sainte-Foy, Tignes and Val d'Isère without changing accommodation every Saturday.
- The simplest first pilot corridor
- Strong choice for season-pass holders
- Use a serviced winter campsite with hook-up
Longer stays, better economics
Price the winter in weeks.
Indicative pilot pricing rewards a longer commitment while preserving the preparation, insurance and maintenance that make the trip dependable.
The first month
£2,240–£2,520From £560 per weekA focused single-base trip and the cleanest way to test a month in the mountains.
Ask about these weeksPilot guide prices, subject to dates, mileage, driver-specific insurance and final trip approval. Fuel, campsites and travel costs are separate.
Included in your launch
- Van Tropez in tested two-person winter mode
- UK and Europe insurance for approved drivers
- UK and Europe breakdown cover
- Europe-ready document pack
- Personal Heathrow Long Stay handover
- Digital van and winter orientation
- Campsite shortlist and one route-planning call
Kept clear and separate
- Fuel, crossings, tolls and vignettes
- Campsites and lift passes
- Food and personal travel insurance
- Fines, damage bond and excess
- Unlimited mileage or unrestricted countries
From enquiry to open road
Personal service. A deliberately simple process.
Check the fit
Share dates, licences, winter-driving experience and the corridor you have in mind.
Clear the drivers
We confirm insurance, breakdown and country eligibility before making a firm quote.
Plan one sensible route
We agree mileage, winter-open campsite logic and the operating boundaries for the trip.
Collect and head south
Meet at Heathrow Long Stay for a personal handover, then launch toward the mountains.
Designed for the right trip
This is a basecamp, not a dare.
Alpine Basecamp is deliberately designed for self-sufficient travellers who will use legal, serviced winter sites. That clarity keeps the experience warm, safe and low-friction.
- Two adults in the tested downstairs winter sleeping setup
- Experienced and approved European winter drivers
- Serviced winter campsites or legal aires with suitable facilities
- A pre-agreed Alpine corridor and realistic mileage
- No promise of unrestricted wild camping or sub-zero pop-top sleeping
Good questions, answered plainly
Before you picture the first morning.
The final agreement, insurer approval and trip documents control the booking. These answers explain how the proposition is designed.
Can we sleep in the pop-top in winter?+
For the pilot, we market the warm downstairs bed for two. The canvas pop-top is useful day space and mild-weather overflow, but it is not promised as a sub-zero bedroom.
Are snow chains included?+
Correctly sized chains or approved snow socks and a fitting lesson form part of the final winter specification. Exact equipment is confirmed before booking alongside tyre markings and route rules.
Can we change resorts whenever we like?+
You retain day-to-day freedom within the agreed countries and mileage. Material route changes or a second base need to stay inside the insured, breakdown-covered corridor.
Do you book campsites and lift passes?+
No. We provide a validated shortlist and route framework; you own reservations, lift passes and weather decisions.
What happens if the van has a problem abroad?+
UK and Europe breakdown cover is included for the approved trip. You receive one fault-triage and emergency channel, with the full process covered during onboarding.
One van · one owner · one good fit
Could this be your winter?
Tell us the weeks, drivers and mountains you have in mind. We will reply personally, usually within an hour, and only suggest a call if the expedition looks like a genuine fit.
