According to El País reporting published in 2024, French mechanical engineers Maryline and Claude left their corporate jobs near the Swiss border in 2007 to raise their first child on the road and travel the world. Fifteen years later, the family of six—including children Milika, Latika, Stanko, and Enko—is living in a converted 40-year-old former fire truck parked in the El Ingenio neighborhood of Cali, Colombia, as part of a five-year South American expedition financed primarily by savings from selling their belongings in France.
Why a French Family Traded Corporate Careers for a Fire Truck Home
Before launching their nomadic life, Maryline and Claude worked 12-hour days in the automotive industry, leaving home at seven in the morning and returning late into the evening. Faced with harsh winters near the Swiss border and the challenge of childcare for their five-month-old infant, the couple made a definitive choice. As Maryline recalled to El País, “We could always go back to work. On the other hand, our children’s childhood will not return.”
After initial visa hurdles for Australia, the family bought a second-hand camper and spent 14 months touring Europe. Returning to France, Maryline became pregnant with their second child. To fund future travels, the couple stopped going to restaurants and the cinema, bought second-hand clothes, and renovated and flipped a home. When their third child arrived, they sold everything to build a larger mobile home.
Navigating South America in a Nine-Meter Fire Engine
Once shipped from Belgium to Montevideo, the modified fire engine—named “Katsakoko” as a play on their four children’s names—spent five years traversing South America, according to El País. The family drove down to Ushuaia, viewed whales in Puerto Madryn for a month, crossed the Patagonia, navigated high-altitude routes exceeding 5,000 meters in Peru, and rerouted around social protests in Bolivia before reaching Colombia via Chile, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
Did you know? Claude and Maryline’s truck measures nine meters long and four meters high, requiring them to regularly park in truck stops and gas station lots when traditional spaces are unavailable.
Living in a confined vehicle demands strict daily organization regarding water, electricity, and maintenance, unlike a conventional house. Despite these logistical hurdles, the family prioritizes immersive slow travel over rigid itineraries. They fund their journey primarily through their accumulated French savings and small-scale handicrafts, consciously rejecting full-time content creation. Maryline noted that maintaining a YouTube channel demands too much time and risks exposing their children’s privacy for minimal financial return, preferring to keep a small archive strictly for friends and family.
Homeschooling on the Road and Temporary Life in Cali, Colombia
In Cali, the Turpin family integrated smoothly into the El Ingenio neighborhood, where neighbors watch their vehicle 24 hours a day, children play football and study, and local friends invite them to the Pance river. Mornings in the fire truck are dedicated to education, with Maryline and Claude teaching their children using the French educational system and Montessori-inspired methods. Their oldest daughter recently scored top marks on official French exams administered at the Liceo Francés Paul Dury in Cali.
Cooking serves as a central cultural anchor for the family, blending culinary traditions from Claude’s upbringing in La Reunión—such as rougali Saucisse—with Maryline’s French heritage. While the family plans to eventually continue their journey back toward Venezuela, their core motivation remains unchanged. As Maryline told El País, “We only have one life. Children grow up very fast. There will always be opportunities to go back to work, save money, and start over. But the childhood of our children will not return.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How do the Turpin children keep up with their education while traveling?
According to El País, Maryline and Claude homeschool their four children every morning using the official French educational system and Montessori-inspired methods. Their eldest daughter earned top marks on exams administered at the Liceo Francés Paul Dury in Cali, Colombia.
How is the nomadic lifestyle funded?
The family finances their journey primarily through savings accumulated from selling their property and belongings in France, supplemented by small sales of handmade crafts, according to interviews with El País.
What vehicle do the Turpins use to travel?
The family travels in a retired, 40-year-old French fire engine that they purchased at a bargain price and spent a year remodeling into a fully equipped, solar-powered home on wheels, as reported by El País.
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