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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

lit à la française

English translation:

French bed

Added to glossary by Rimas Balsys
Jul 6, 2015 13:07
8 yrs ago
6 viewers *
French term

lit à la française

French to English Tech/Engineering Furniture / Household Appliances
This is a description of a motorhome (French company selling French motorhomes in France).
The brand, I believe, is Fleurette.
I've trawled the web for clues, including pictures, etc., but find myself at a loss.
I'm a keen camper myself but this has stumped me.
Can anyone help?
Proposed translations (English)
4 +4 French bed
3 double bed with a cut-away corner
References
lit à la française

Discussion

Charles Davis Jul 6, 2015:
In short, a lit à la française/French bed typically has a certain shape, but it is not actually defined by having that shape. It is defined by its position in the space.
Charles Davis Jul 6, 2015:
I've found various references that suggest a French bed in a motorhome is by definition a bed with a cut-away corner, but this is not correct. They usually do, but the defining feature is that they are in the corner: they adjoin the rear and side of the space. The first English reference in my answer is, I believe, correct:

""A 'French' fixed bed is a rear double placed against the sidewall- usually with the washroom to one side or across the rear. This often means that the corner of the bed is cut off to make access to the washroom wider. "
Rimas Balsys (asker) Jul 6, 2015:
@ Charles & all Yes you're right (was just hoping for an easy way out :-) -- I take your point that all references imply a uniquely shaped bed -- so is it simply a French bed? cutaway bed? or French cutaway bed? ...or?
Charles Davis Jul 6, 2015:
@Wendy Thanks! Yes, my point was that even though "French bed" may be used in other senses elsewhere, in the context of motorhomes it seems to have quite a specific meaning.
Wendy Streitparth Jul 6, 2015:
Agree with Charles here. His first link with the definition of Lit à la francaise is fairly precise.
Charles Davis Jul 6, 2015:
@Rimas What makes you think that? All the examples I've seen are pretty specific: adjoining the rear and side of the interior and (usually, if not always) with a cutaway section at the foot for access to the wash area.
Wendy Streitparth Jul 6, 2015:
@ Charles: No the definition didn't apply specifically to motorhomes, but then neither does the term French bed, which was partly what I was getting at. And to be honest, I have now seen a definition that French beds vary between 115 and 140 cm. I just didn't feel that the term French bed was "special" enough to convey what is actually meant here.
Rimas Balsys (asker) Jul 6, 2015:
@ all Am wondering whether "à la française" simply means "ordinary", ie, not specifically tailored to a motorhome
Charles Davis Jul 6, 2015:
A bed more than 140 cm wide in a motorhome would be very unusual, I think. I don't think "à la française" or "French" refer to width in this context, except that they do seem to be doubles, not singles.
Rimas Balsys (asker) Jul 6, 2015:
@ all BTW - no mention of widths anywhere
Charles Davis Jul 6, 2015:
@Wendy Would you mind giving a reference to the source that defines "French bed" by width"? And are you sure that definition applies specifically to motorhomes? I see some references to French beds being 140 cm wide, but only with reference to hotel or guest house rooms. I think that's a different use of the term.
Wendy Streitparth Jul 6, 2015:
If you look at the definition of French bed, it limits itself to a bed that is 140 cm wide. In this case, lit à la francaise refers to the specific design, i.e. that it is against two walls and assumes one of you is a pygmy. Therefore I think French-style/French design bed or something along those lines would be a better option.

Proposed translations

+4
20 mins
Selected

French bed

I think the obvious answer here is the right one. There are many references to French beds in motorhomes and everything seems to me to indicate that it refers to the same thing.

"Couchages
LIT À LA FRANÇAISE, LIT LATÉRAL ARRIÈRE
Lit accessible uniquement par 2 côtés (les 2 autres côtés sont accolés aux cloisons de la cellule)."
http://www.starterre-campingcar.fr/content/41-lit-a-la-franc...

Examples here (in French):
http://www.matelas-camping-car.com/12-lit-de-cote-a-la-franc...

"A 'French' fixed bed is a rear double placed against the sidewall- usually with the washroom to one side or across the rear. This often means that the corner of the bed is cut off to make access to the washroom wider. "
http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/Motorhomes/Buyers-Guide/Mot...

"French Bed Motorhome Layouts
A French bed layout is an alternative to an island or fixed double and is better suited to those motorhomes where space is at even more of a premium than usual. With the foot-end corner cut off, French beds allow more space to get around. [...]
The French bed sits longitudinally down one side of the motorhome against a side wall. [...]"
http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/Motorhomes/Buyers-Guide/Mot...
Peer comment(s):
agree Sheri P
4 mins
Thanks, Sheri :)
agree B D Finch
24 mins
Thanks, Barbara!
agree Tony M : On Fleurette's own www, there is a very clear illustration. These things are similarly common, albeit in a slightly modified form, on boats, where the assumption is you can manage with less width at the foot end.
42 mins
Makes sense. Thanks, Tony!
agree Nikki Scott-Despaigne : "French bed" does indeed seem to be common. Some have cut-away corners as Wendy suggests, some are shorter than standard length and not as wide. I think it simply means fitted bed, as MCHD suggests in her reference post : not a foldaway bed.
1 hr
Often cutaway corner because often designed to fit beside wash area. But NOT just any fitted bed; strictly a corner one. The following makes the options clear; all are fitted/fixed: http://www.pilote.fr/en/choosing-the-right-layout/ // PS. Thanks!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
1 hr

double bed with a cut-away corner

The bedroom area is a home to a fixed double bed with a cut-away corner
http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/Motorhomes/Reviews/Caravans...

The bed is a decent size with a cut away corner.
http://www.caravansforsale.co.uk/reviews/ace-supreme_twinsta...

Sorry, no time to add more.
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Reference comments

15 mins
Reference:

lit à la française

https://www.google.fr/search?q=lit a la francaise dans campi...
= lit permanent

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2015-07-06 14:08:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

En termes de camping-cars ou de caravanes, un lit à la française est un lit qui n'est pas escamotable : il est en permanence dans l'habitacle.
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree Nikki Scott-Despaigne : fitted bed?
1 hr
Merci, oui, cela me semble mieux convenir au contexte. Effectivement, la largeur n'est pas toujours à 140.
neutral Charles Davis : Il y a plusieurs types de lits permanents qui ne sont pas des lits à la française; regardez: http://www.pilote.fr/bien-choisir-son-implantation/
4 hrs
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