Did you know that camping was originally practiced by aristocrats and wealthy bourgeois? Or that France is today the European champion in the field, with nearly 7,000 campsites? Behind its sometimes “redneck” image hides a very rich history, which reflects certain changes in French society, such as the revolution, in 1936, of the first paid holidays, during which many workers discovered outdoor holidays. Or the technical innovations which have made this practice more and more comfortable, even luxurious, at the risk of driving up prices.
Sylvain Bergère traces these developments in this surprising documentary. The story is carried by the voice-overs of Karin Viard and Franck Dubosc, who played the unforgettable Patrick Chirac in 2006 in the film Camping, from which some cult scenes are reproduced. With a good dose of humor, the two actors offer a narration that is as informative as it is pleasant. A story reflecting the “spirit of camping” which has been perpetuated over the decades, combining freedom, the joy of holidays and conviviality around aperitifs, swimming or games of pétanque.
A taste of the holidays
To analyze the representations associated with this practice, the director relies on interviews with journalists and researchers specializing in the issue, but also on multiple testimonies from inveterate campers and campsite owners, from the Var to Brittany. Stories illustrated by their family photos and videos, as well as by reports filmed in the second half of the last century, often funny, sometimes cheeky. A taste of vacation that invites you to immerse yourself in your own camper memories.
Camping, a century of French happiness
Wednesday June 24 at 9:10 p.m., on France 3
