Orange Campers Trouvaille Option 2 Campervan

Now available with a shower – and an Atek pop-top…

Orange Campers has extended its line-up of 5.4-metre pop-top campervans – again! Last month we reported on its new fixed bed model (Option 3) and now here’s another new variant – the popular and proven rear kitchen layout (Option 2) but with an on-board shower for the first time.

Last time we reviewed this model, one of the few downsides we pointed out was that it offered a toilet compartment, but no shower. Orange has been working to address that, without altering the appeal of the model. 

So, now you can order your Trouvaille with a purpose-built glass-fibre shower pod, designed with the company’s usual practical, durable approach so that it won’t leak. It’s a good size, too, and as with the ‘toilet only’ version, the shower door opens out across the aisle to provide a screened-off area for drying and dressing. 

The shower compartment itself is completed with a roller screen across the doorway – no clingy curtain here. Fresh water comes from a 75-litre underslung tank, while hot water (and heating) is supplied by a diesel Truma Combi. 

Of course, the shower area also provides space for a toilet, an electric-flush Porta Potti in this case (any portable loo, including composting models, could be used) which is lifted out when showering. As with the ‘non-shower’ version, the opened door provides privacy. When closed up, the only difference between the two versions is the slightly narrower gangway here.

Optional pop-top

Based on a high-spec, medium-wheelbase Fiat Ducato, the Trouvaille still caters for families as well as couples, with the £9,999 option of an Atek pop-top on top of the standard Fiat H2 high roof. And with the roof closed, you don’t miss out on daylight as the pop-top has a rooflight over the access hatch.

As for base vehicle spec, Orange orders its Fiats with metallic paint (Artense Grey or Iron Grey), 16in alloy wheels, an electric parking brake, keyless entry, reversing camera, automatic air-con and a 10in touchscreen with sat-nav.

Lowered cab seat bases

The Option 2 layout is unchanged. There’s a pair of individual RIB seats up front, then the kitchen at the rear and the shower in the offside corner. One issue with this style of floorplan in a Ducato is the higher floor in the cab, compared with the main living area. Orange Campers minimises this issue by fitting approved, lowered cab seat bases, so when these seats are swivelled they are not too much higher than those in the back. 

There’s a neat flip-up table on the offside wall, while an island leg table caters for mealtimes. Then, for relaxing, you can turn the offside seat into a settee.

The rear seats also have Isofix and forward and sideways sliding mechanisms. The former allows the seats to recline, the latter means they can slide together to make a 6ft by 4ft double bed. 

Crucially, the beds (as singles or a double) do not use the cab seats, with feet going under the furniture towards the rear. Although, if you’re very tall, it’s possible to incorporate the front seats with a mattress topper.

Practical kitchen

That rear cabinetwork is extensive, with a kitchen that would shame many a larger campervan. A three-burner hob is standard, with a gas oven/grill or microwave available as an option, while a practical touch is a hose-style tap that can be pulled outside via the side window or back doors to hose down muddy boots, dogs or kids. 

There are lots of drawers, plus large eye-level cupboards with doors that are side, rather than top, hinged. Storage also includes a 90-litre compressor fridge, a wardrobe with shelves or a hanging rail, and even specific homes for your outdoor chairs and levelling wedges – you can just tell that Richard uses his own campervans (you can try one, too, as try-before-you-buy rental is available).

The comprehensive spec also includes a 160W solar panel, an external barbecue point, a 100Ah lithium battery, an underslung 25-litre gas tank and a five-year conversion warranty.

Orange Campers continues to offer more choice in its range of compact 5.4m campervans, with this latest derivative adding a shower without compromising the rest of the spacious interior. High spec and a high-quality finish continue to impress.