Pilote is a leading French motorhome manufacturer with over 60 years of heritage, best known in the UK for its expertly designed low-profile coachbuilts and A-class integrated models. The brand occupies a sweet spot in the market — offering premium French design and build quality at prices that undercut German competitors like Hymer and Knaus.

The current range spans three core model families, all built on Fiat Ducato platforms:

The Galaxy — Pilote's flagship A-class integrated motorhome range, reaching up to 7.49m in length. Available on standard or AL-KO chassis for enhanced ride quality, the Galaxy offers generous interior space, premium fittings and the commanding driving position that A-class models provide.

The Pacific — Pilote's most popular range and the backbone of the brand in the UK market. These low-profile coachbuilts combine elegant French interior design with practical touring capability, enhanced by anti-roll bars, wider rear tracks and lowered chassis for improved road handling.

The Foxy Van — launched in 2012, this is Pilote's entry into the growing camper van market. Available in 12 layouts with two specification levels, the Foxy Van brings Pilote's design expertise to the compact van conversion segment.

Pilote motorhomes are consistently praised for their interior design quality, with stylish French aesthetics that often feel a step above the price point. The layouts are practical, the storage is generous, and the overall ambiance is one of quiet sophistication.

Pilote was founded in 1962 when a young man created a caravan in his father's woodworking shop in western France. The company grew steadily through the 1960s and 1970s as a caravan manufacturer before a pivotal trip to the United States in the late 1970s inspired the founder to create Pilote's first motorhome — launching a whole new direction for the company.

Pilote grew rapidly through the 1980s and 1990s, becoming the French market leader in motorhomes. The company built its reputation on well-designed, competitively priced low-profile coachbuilts and A-class integrated models, with the Pacific and Galaxy ranges becoming synonymous with quality French motorhome engineering.

Pilote expanded through acquisition, forming Groupe Pilote — a portfolio of complementary motorhome brands. In 2001, the group acquired the premium French manufacturer Le Voyageur, positioning it as the group's luxury A-class and liner brand. The group also includes Bavaria, which shares Pilote's Galaxy and Pacific platforms but with different interior specifications.

Today, Pilote remains a privately owned, family-influenced business with a team of around 300 people. The company manufactures all its motorhomes in France and sells across Europe through a strong dealer network. The combination of French design flair, competitive pricing and build quality has established Pilote as one of Europe's most respected mid-range motorhome manufacturers.

Elegant French interior design — Pilote's interiors are consistently among the most attractive in their price bracket. The French design sensibility delivers contemporary, stylish living spaces with premium soft furnishings, quality worktops and thoughtful colour schemes that make the motorhome feel genuinely luxurious.

Excellent ride and handling — Pilote puts significant engineering effort into road manners. Features like anti-roll bars, wider rear tracks and lowered chassis improve stability and handling beyond what many competitors offer. The AL-KO chassis option on Galaxy models provides an even more refined driving experience.

Strong value proposition — Pilote offers premium-feeling motorhomes at mid-range prices. For buyers who want design quality and build standards that approach German premium brands but without the German price tag, Pilote consistently delivers.

Comprehensive range from one manufacturer — from the compact Foxy Van through the Pacific low-profiles to the flagship Galaxy A-class, Pilote offers a complete range. Buyers can start with a smaller Pilote and upgrade within the brand family as their requirements evolve.

French market leadership — as the leading motorhome brand in France (one of Europe's largest motorhome markets), Pilote benefits from domestic scale, strong supplier relationships and a proven design philosophy refined over six decades.

If interior design matters — Pilote's French-designed interiors are consistently more stylish and contemporary than many competitors at the same price point. If you want a motorhome that looks and feels premium without the premium price, Pilote should be on your shortlist.

If you want a well-handling coachbuilt — the engineering focus on ride quality and stability sets Pilote apart from manufacturers who treat the habitation area as more important than the driving experience. For couples covering thousands of touring miles per year, this matters enormously.

If you want French quality without French luxury prices — while brands like Rapido and Le Voyageur command premium pricing, Pilote offers much of the same design DNA and build quality at a more accessible level.

If you're upgrading from UK brands — many UK motorhomers who've owned Swift, Bailey or Auto-Trail find that Pilote represents a meaningful step up in interior quality and driving experience without a dramatic price increase.

If you want a proven, stable manufacturer — as a 60+ year-old, privately owned, family-influenced business, Pilote offers the reassurance of stability and long-term commitment to the motorhome market that corporate-owned brands can sometimes lack.

Limited UK dealer network — while Pilote has UK representation, the dealer network is smaller than domestic brands. Depending on your location, servicing and warranty work may require significant travel to a specialist dealer.

Parts availability can be slow — as a French manufacturer with smaller UK volumes than mass-market brands, sourcing specific Pilote components can take longer than for Swift or Bailey. This can mean extended downtime for repairs that require factory-ordered parts.

Fiat Ducato dependency — the entire Pilote range is built on Fiat Ducato platforms, with no Ford Transit or Mercedes-Benz option. If you specifically want a non-Fiat base vehicle, Pilote cannot accommodate that preference.

Less well-known in UK — while a household name in France, Pilote is less familiar to UK buyers than domestic brands or German manufacturers like Hymer. This lower brand recognition can affect resale values in the UK market, though knowledgeable buyers appreciate the quality.

Right-hand drive range may be limited — not all Pilote models and specifications are available in right-hand drive. The UK-available range may be narrower than what's offered on the continent.

Continental specification differences — imported or ex-continental Pilote models may have European-specification gas systems, electrical connections or heating that need adaptation for UK use. Always verify UK specification when buying used.

Verify UK specification — confirm the vehicle is genuine right-hand drive with UK-compatible gas systems and electrical connections. Some used Pilotes on the market are continental imports that may require adaptation work. Check the V5C for import indicators.

Conduct a thorough damp check — use a calibrated damp meter on all walls, around every window and door seal, along roof edges and around rooflights. French-built motorhomes can be susceptible to damp in the UK climate if seals aren't maintained.

Check the Fiat Ducato base vehicle — verify cam belt replacement history, test clutch operation, check gearbox synchros (particularly 2nd and 3rd) and look for oil leaks. The Ducato is a proven platform but has specific maintenance requirements that must be followed.

On Galaxy A-class models, check the overcab area — the integrated cab construction has different stress points to low-profile models. Look for cracks around the windscreen frame and any signs of water ingress around the cab roof joint.

Test the ride and handling — Pilote's superior road manners are a key selling point, so test drive thoroughly. Check for worn suspension components, uneven tyre wear or any deterioration in the handling that would suggest maintenance is needed.

Check dealer support locally — before purchasing, confirm that there's a Pilote dealer within reasonable distance for habitation servicing and warranty work. The smaller UK network means planning ahead for servicing is important.

Pilote provides manufacturer warranty coverage on new vehicles through its dealer network. When buying used, check the warranty status and ensure all habitation services have been maintained. The Groupe Pilote backing provides some reassurance of ongoing support, though UK-specific warranty handling depends on the local dealer network.

Given the potentially limited UK dealer presence and the cost of sourcing French-manufactured components, an independent warranty backed by the RAC is recommended for used Pilote purchases. This provides coverage regardless of dealer proximity and protects against both habitation and base vehicle failures.

OakTree Motorhomes offer up to three years of RAC-backed warranty, providing essential peace of mind on a premium French brand where specialist repair costs can be significant.

When buying a used Pilote, look for a dealer that offers an independent warranty backed by a provider like the RAC. This means your warranty remains valid even if the dealer ceases trading. OakTree Motorhomes offer up to three years of RAC-backed warranty, covering the average ownership period.