Combi-Van Aventure / CombiVan Aventure
Compact campervan
- Seats
- —
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Portable
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- —
Hire your motorhome in France from €70/day
AVIS explore review
AVIS explore brings compact pop-top vans and larger touring motorhomes together in a French rental network that also reaches Corsica.
Profile reviewed and updated on
Background
Company overview
Car-Away, the company behind AVIS explore, traces its rental business to 1979 and its Avis motorhome franchise to 1985. Today it is a subsidiary of Groupe Pilote, with a recreational-vehicle offer spanning small vans and larger motorhomes.
The business operates through an Avis/Pilote dealer network. Its French pickup locations serve several major city regions as well as Corsica, while the rental category determines the type of vehicle supplied. A manufacturer or model shown as an example does not guarantee that exact vehicle at collection.
Our verdict
Editorial review
AVIS explore makes a convincing case for choosing the vehicle around the trip: its range accommodates quite different priorities, from a small footprint to separate living and sleeping areas. The offer becomes less straightforward when the route and rental arrangements grow more ambitious. Long-distance mileage, foreign driving and returning elsewhere each have their own pricing mechanism, so the base rental price is only part of the comparison.
The service evidence is encouraging around collection. Praise for reception and explanations recurs in selected independent customer accounts, alongside reports of preparation, substitution and support problems. That mixed picture supports taking time over the handover; it does not establish a uniform experience across the network.
Good points
- Useful choices beyond party size..Twin-bed vans, larger lounges and several motorhome layouts let a couple choose more space without moving to a vehicle designed chiefly around extra sleepers. Six-seat, six-berth models also give larger groups an option within the same range.
- More than a return-to-base rental..One-way hire and requested-address collection can accommodate a trip ending elsewhere. Both depend on an agreed proposal, giving flexibility to a planned itinerary without implying that every route is available.
- Several everyday extras are included..A second driver, personal-car parking during the hire and kitchen utensils on request reduce the number of small additions to organise. Pets are permitted without a surcharge, although damage caused by them is outside the operator's insurance cover.
Things to consider
- Route flexibility can be expensive..The published Paris–Nice one-way example adds €1,150 for that route alone. Foreign driving is a separate €7.90-per-day option charged across the whole rental, rather than only the days spent abroad.
- Reduced excess still leaves substantial exclusions..Tyres, mirrors, negligent interior damage and damage caused by misjudging clearance above two metres remain outside protection even when the damage excess is reduced. Winter use also needs care: the renter pays for freeze damage, and the vehicles are not intended for extreme cold.
Vehicle categories
AVIS explore fleet
Van Aventure 2 places - compact
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 2
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Manual
Van Aventure 2 places
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Manual
Van Aventure lits jumeaux
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Automatic
Van Aventure 4 places - Toit relevable
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Manual
Van Aventure 4 places - lits superposés
Panel van camper
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Manual
Profilé Classique 2 places
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 3
- Sleeps
- 3
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Manual
Profilé Grand Salon - 2 places
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Manual
Profilé Classique - 3 places
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 3
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Automatic
Profilé Grand Salon - 4 places
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Manual
Profilé Classique 4 places P726 FC
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Manual
Profilé 4 places - Compact
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Automatic
Profilé Classique - 4 places - Lits Jumeaux
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Manual or automatic
Profilé 5 places - Lits Jumeaux
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 5
- Sleeps
- 5
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Manual
Profilé Classique 5 places P726 P
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 5
- Sleeps
- 5
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Manual
Profilé Prestige - lit central - 4 places
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
Intégral Prestige 4 places / Boîte Manuelle
Fully integrated motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Manual
Profilé Classique - 6 places - lits superposés
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 6
- Sleeps
- 6
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Manual
Intégral Prestige 4 places - lits jumeaux
Fully integrated motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Automatic
Grand Intégral Prestige 4 places
Fully integrated motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
Profilé Classique - 4 places - Lit central
Low-profile motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
AVIS explore's range runs from roughly five-metre pop-top vans to fully integrated motorhomes approaching seven and a half metres.
Small vans and indoor facilities
The Combi is the compact end of the range, combining four sleeping places with a pop-top roof and kitchenette. Its portable dry toilet and the outdoor shower on the four-seat variants provide a different setup from the indoor facilities in selected Van Aventure models.
Within the panel-van range, the 5.4-metre compact model has two travel seats and two sleeping places. The six-metre Van Aventure 2 places adds a fixed toilet and indoor shower, while the four-berth pop-top Van Aventure also has an indoor shower. The automatic twin-bed van offers another layout for two sleepers. Choosing among these vehicles involves more than the shared Aventure name: bathroom provision, seats and bed arrangement each matter.
Motorhomes for space or extra sleepers
The Grand Salon models put living space at the centre of the choice. The two-berth version has a large lounge within a six-metre body, while its four-berth counterpart combines a drop-down double with a convertible rear lounge.
Larger low-profile models cover four, five and six travellers, with central beds, twins or bunks depending on the category. Some sleeping arrangements use the lounge as a bed, so the maximum sleeping capacity is not a count of permanently available beds. For four people, the fully integrated range offers another body format, including manual and automatic categories with separate indoor showers in the specified versions.
Locations
AVIS explore pickup locations
Open each country to see its pickup locations.
France
-
Aix/Marseille 1340 avenue des Chabauds, D8N, 13320 Bouc-Bel-Air
-
Ajaccio Route de Cargèse, 20167 Alata
-
Bordeaux 26 Passage du Parc, 33240 Saint-André-de-Cubzac
-
Lyon — Camper Service 26 rue d'Arsonval, 69680 Chassieu
-
Montpellier 55 Av. de l'Industrie, 34820 Teyran
-
Nantes 90 route des Sorinières, 44400 Rezé
-
Nice 380 route des Vespins, 06700 Saint-Laurent-du-Var
-
Paris 89 rue du Colonel de Rochebrune, 92500 Rueil-Malmaison
-
Strasbourg 32 rue Ampère, 67120 Duttlenheim
-
Toulouse 20 route d'Albi, 31180 Castelmaurou
Before booking
Practical facts
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Indicative weekly prices | The 2026 price guide gives compact vans at €600–900 per week in low season and €900–1,300 in high season; fully integrated motorhomes range from €1,200–1,800 and €1,800–2,800 respectively. Low season means winter and periods outside school holidays; high season covers summer and school holidays. These are indicative vehicle-type ranges, not a quote for a particular station, date or package. |
| Included administration fee | The €44 administration, preparation and platform fee per rental is already included in the displayed rental price, including VAT. It is not another €44 to add to that price. |
| Booking payments | For bookings more than 30 days before departure, at least 30% is paid when reserving and the balance is due 30 days before departure. Bookings made fewer than 30 days ahead require full payment. |
| Mileage options | The unlimited-mileage option costs 20% of the eligible rental amount, with a minimum charge of €250 per rental. A weekend package includes 600 km. The unlimited option is a rental-level charge, not a daily supplement. |
| Additional drivers | The second driver is included. A third driver costs €50 for the rental and must meet the applicable eligibility requirements. |
| Young-driver option | Some drivers under 23 can be accepted with at least one year of licence history through the young-driver option. It costs €7.90 per day per qualifying driver and carries a damage excess of €5,200, or €2,000 with the reduction option. Acceptance must be arranged for the individual driver. |
| Licence and documents | Bring an original valid driving licence and proof of the main driver's address less than three months old. A foreign licence must be in French, officially translated or accompanied by an international driving permit under the operator's stated requirements. |
| Foreign driving | Travel to an authorised foreign country requires the €7.90-per-day option for the entire rental, arranged before departure. Permitted destinations include Spain, Italy, Germany, the UK and Switzerland; Romania and Bulgaria are excluded. Driving abroad without the option incurs the whole-rental option charge plus a €240 penalty. |
| One-way rentals | Returns to another location require an agreed route and availability. Published route-surcharge examples are €1,150 for Paris–Nice, €950 for Paris–Marseille, €700 for Paris–Lyon and €350 for Marseille–Nice. These are separate route charges, not vehicle rental prices, and do not establish prices for the reverse direction. |
| Digital security arrangement | An emailed digital guarantee process is offered before departure. On that route, the card commitment does not require an upfront debit or blocked funds; liability for later charges remains. The security arrangement specified for the individual booking applies. |
| Damage protection | An optional reduction can bring the ordinary damage excess from €2,600 to €1,000, subject to exclusions and the separate young-driver terms. Tyres, mirrors, personal belongings, negligent interior damage and damage from misjudging height above two metres remain excluded. The excess is potential damage liability, not a rental charge. |
| Cancellation without a plan | Written cancellation more than 45 days before departure retains €120; cancellation 16–45 days before departure retains 30% of the rental amount; at 15 days or fewer, the full amount is retained. |
| Bedding and towels | A single bedding kit costs €35 and a double kit €50 per kit, with one or two towels respectively. |
| Other equipment | Tables and chairs, a child seat or a bike rack each cost €5 per day, capped at €80 for each option. Child seats use a three-point belt rather than an ISOFIX installation. Bike racks carry up to two bikes on a van or three on a motorhome, subject to a 40 kg limit. Availability depends on the equipment and vehicle. |
| Kitchen and setup equipment | Dishes, cutlery and kitchen utensils are free on request. A hose or jerrycan, levelling blocks, mains extension, European adapter and toilet product are supplied. A partly used gas bottle has no guaranteed fill level; a spare bottle must be replaced if used. |
| Pets | Pets are allowed without a surcharge. Damage they cause is not covered by the operator's insurance. |
| Airport transfers | Private transfers can be requested for Paris and Ajaccio, with a charge based on the office and passenger count. The pickup stations are separate from the airport terminals. |
| Collection and return | Allow approximately 45–60 minutes for handover and 20–60 minutes for return. Saturday returns in July and August require express agreement. Ajaccio is closed on Sundays from 1 January 2026; Nantes and Strasbourg also close on Mondays. The agreed appointment determines when to attend. |
| Support during the trip | Standard assistance is provided during office hours: Monday to Saturday, 09:00–12:30 and 14:00–18:00. |
| Cleaning and late return | Return-condition charges can include up to €240 for interior cleaning and €160 for toilet cleaning. Late return is €50 per hour. |
| Fuel and AdBlue | Fuel returned below the departure level is charged. AdBlue is paid by the renter and settled by distance, with a maximum set at departure. |
| Cold-weather use | Vehicles are not designed for extreme cold, and the renter is responsible for freeze damage. |
More about the company
Explore AVIS explore
A personalised trip book
The optional Voyage Enjoy travel-book service develops a trip plan from a questionnaire and discussion. It supplies an emailed PDF within 14 working days, covering the route, stops, an estimated budget, booking links and an interactive map.
This is a paid planning service. The links help with arranging the trip; the travel book does not itself guarantee reservations.
Quick answers
AVIS explore FAQ
Does AVIS explore guarantee the exact model shown?
No. The rental is booked by commercial category, and a named manufacturer or model can be an example. Choose the category for the travel seats, sleeping capacity and facilities you need, rather than relying on the example model alone.
Can five people sleep in a Combi-Van Aventure?
No. The Combi range has four sleeping places. Its five-seat variant can carry five people but does not provide a fifth sleeping place.
Which AVIS explore vans have an indoor shower?
The Van Aventure 2 places and Van Aventure 4 places - Toit relevable have an indoor shower. The four-seat Combi variants use an outdoor shower instead. The Aventure name spans different bathroom arrangements, so the particular category matters.
Can I collect in Paris and return in Nice?
Yes, subject to an agreed one-way booking and vehicle availability. AVIS explore gives Paris–Nice as a route example with a €1,150 one-way surcharge, separate from the vehicle rental price.
Can I take an AVIS explore vehicle from France to Spain?
Spain is among the permitted foreign destinations when the foreign-driving option is arranged before departure. The option costs €7.90 for every rental day, including days spent in France.
Does AVIS explore offer unlimited mileage?
Yes. Budget at least €250 for the unlimited-distance option; above that minimum, the charge is calculated as 20% of the eligible rental amount. The weekend package is a different arrangement and includes 600 km.
Can someone under 23 drive an AVIS explore rental?
There is a young-driver exception for eligible under-23 drivers with at least one year of licence history. It costs €7.90 per driver per day and raises the damage excess to €5,200, or €2,000 with the reduction option. The individual driver's acceptance needs to be agreed with AVIS explore.
Can I bring a dog in an AVIS explore van or motorhome?
Pets are permitted without an additional pet fee. Damage caused by the animal is not covered by the operator's insurance.
Is bedding included with AVIS explore?
Bedding is available as a paid kit: €35 for a single or €50 for a double, including the corresponding one or two towels. Kitchen utensils are a separate inclusion and are free on request.
Can I collect from Ajaccio on a Sunday?
No. The Ajaccio location is closed on Sundays from 1 January 2026. Its published opening hours are Monday to Saturday, 09:00–18:00.
What does AVIS explore retain if I cancel without a cancellation plan?
With written notice, the retention is €120 more than 45 days before departure, 30% of the rental amount from 16 to 45 days before departure, and the full amount at 15 days or fewer. These are the terms without the optional cancellation plan.
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