We recently took an exclusive look at the new quartet of French-built La Mancelle vans now being brought into the UK by dealer giant Marquis Leisure, and now, we’re stepping inside the larger of the two Fantaisy models – the four-berth 440 CL – to find out exactly what it can offer British caravanners.

Pitch and set-up

With their white-and-brown exteriors, the La Mancelle Fantaisy models look smart and certainly stand out on site. The quirky ‘porthole’ windows towards the rear are another stylish touch.

Porthole-style windows
Porthole-style windows look smart and stylish

The Fantaisy caravans feature an Al-Ko AKS 3004 stabiliser, for increased safety on the road, and heavy-duty corner steadies will help with stability when you’re pitched up.

On the exterior you’ll also find the filling point for the on-board water tank, as well as a barbecue and 230V mains point (see our caravan barbecue guide if you’re looking for one).

Note that the La Mancelle models at Marquis currently have their door on the Continental side (the UK offside).

Lounge in the La Mancelle Fantaisy 440 CL

A pair of facing sofas at the front of the caravan make up the 440 CL’s lounge; they’re longer than those in the model’s 360 CL sibling, and we think they should be more than comfortable enough for four on tour.

Table and seating
Table is plenty big enough for four to dine in comfort

The interior of this island bed caravan is smartly dressed in cream and green fabrics, which look and feel very hardwearing. Three large windows – all of which feature Seitz flyscreens and blinds – around the lounge help to flood the area with natural light. Up above are light-oak and cream lockers with soft-close catches.

Kitchen in the La Mancelle Fantaisy 440 CL

There’s not a huge amount of workspace in the kitchen – a lift-up flap at the end of the galley would help here – but if you make use of the glass hob and sink lids, it should prove practical enough, useful if you want to take a caravan kettle on tour with you.

Pleasingly for a Continental model, there’s a combined gas oven and grill, located beneath the deep sink; there’s also a two-burner gas hob to the left of the latter.

Your food is kept cold by the Webasto Isotherm 85-litre fridge, which also features a handy freezer box. A very useful addition to the kitchen in this four berth caravan is the Dometic extractor hood – ideal for keeping your caravan free from cooking smells – which also features a light and a digital clock display.

Washroom in the La Mancelle Fantaisy 440 CL

The fully lined washroom in the 440 CL is relatively compact – in part because of the large amount of footprint taken up by the rear island bed – but the space within it has been cleverly used. A swivelling electric-flush Thetford C262 toilet sits to the right, with an opaque window above. The base of the toilet is within the shower floor, but the latter features a pair of plugholes, so any water should drain away quickly.

Washroom toilet and basin
No separate shower in washroom, but the compact space is well designed

The handbasin is oval and large, and neatly designed to swivel around out of the way when you want to use the shower; the showerhead doubles up as a mixer tap for the basin.

The washroom lies opposite the kitchen, but there won’t be any issues when opening the washroom door – it has a tambour/sliding door.

Beds in the La Mancelle Fantaisy 440 CL

The star of the 440 CL’s sleeping arrangements is the longitudinal island bed at the back of the caravan. It’s a good size, at 1.85 x 1.40m (6’1” x 4’7”), and features a smart headboard.

Each occupant gets their own spotlight – perfect for reading before sleep – and the cubbyholes on either side of the bed are fitted with one mains and one USB socket, making them ideal for charging your devices overnight.

Rear island bed
Rear island bed is comfortable and well lit, thanks to a plethora of lights and plenty of natural illumination

The second bed in the 440 CL is made up from the pair of sofas in the lounge. This is very easy to do – you simply drop the table leg, slot the unit into the resulting space and rearrange the sofa cushions. Once it’s made up, the bed in the lounge is even bigger than the one in the rear, at a generous 1.90m x 1.40 (6’2” x 4’7”).

Storage in the La Mancelle Fantaisy 440 CL

The Fantaisy 440 CL provides a whopping payload of 349kg, and there are loads of storage solutions within to help you make the most of it, giving you plenty of room for taking caravan essentials.

The biggest area is below the island bed (although you’ll want to reserve this for light items), but otherwise, there’s a large wardrobe, narrow shelved units either side of the rear bed, lockers all around the van, and multiple cubbyholes, shelves and drawers – you won’t be short of storage, even with four on tour.

Verdict

La Mancelle has been building caravans since 1960, so has a long experience of construction – the Fantaisy 440 CL, like its brand siblings, feels solidly built, with high-quality materials.

There’s not a huge amount of work surface in the kitchen in this model, but otherwise the level of kit throughout is good. If you’re a couple or four on tour, and you can live with that smaller kitchen area, the 440 CL will definitely be worth considering.

You can also take a look at our review of the La Mancelle Liberty 490 SA, a luxurious four-berth tourer.

Reason to buy:

  • Great level of kit, massive payload, quality materials

Reason to avoid:

  • Kitchen work surface limited, no separate shower cubicle

Technical spec

  • Price: £29,995
  • Berths: 4
  • MTPLM: 1420kg
  • Payload: 349kg
  • Overall length: 6.41m
  • Overall width: 2.05m
  • Overall height (exc TV aerial): 2.58m

Spec list

  • Al-Ko AKS 3004 stabiliser
  • Heavy-duty corner steadies
  • Exterior gas BBQ point
  • Two-burner gas hob
  • 85-litre fridge
  • Truma iNet X control panel
  • Combined gas oven and grill
  • Onboard water tank
  • Flyscreen door
  • Rear double bed: 1.85 x 1.40m
  • Front double bed: 1.90 x 1.40m

Or you could try:

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