This trip promises to be rich in memories.
The Crespel family, who live in Herblay, are preparing to tour Europe and the Middle East from July.
Astrid, Jean-Christophe and their five children aged 5 to 16 (Maya, Malo, Ceylian, Olympe and Opale) will travel sixteen countries for fourteen months, on behalf of the NGO International impact, on board a bus double-decker, that is to say on two levels, fully furnished.
“The idea is to show a family that asks itself questions about water, energy and waste and that tries to find answers,” explains Jean-Christophe Crespel.
Solar panels, rainwater collector, ecological toilets: the whole bus is designed so that its occupants have the lowest possible impact on the environment.
Travel to Iran ...
This trip is a project of International impact, of which Jean-Christophe Crespel is the general manager.
This structure helps other NGOs in different fields.
“For example, we can support a school that wants to become more ecological, or an NGO that wants to integrate children with disabilities or psychological difficulties, or allow organizations to access funding,” quotes Jean-Christophe Crespel.
After having developed actions with partners in different countries for twenty years, International Impact wanted to see on the spot what they had given rise to.
"We are going to go and check on the ground that it is effective and forge new partnerships," adds Jean-Christophe Crespel.
They will go to Eastern Europe, the Balkans, then across the Middle East, to Iran - hopefully and sanitary conditions allow.
The Hallyday, Sardou or Jennifer tour bus
To travel, the NGO chose a fully equipped bus which was used for tours by musicians.
From 1986, he served Johnny Hallyday, Michel Sardou, Jean-Michel Jarre, Vanessa Paradis and Jennifer.
A Johnny Hallyday sound engineer then bought it from a touring bus company and modified it to conduct renewable energy awareness tours.
“When we bought it, it hadn't worked for ten years,” says Jean-Christophe Crespel.
We are going to give it a second youth.
The vehicle is undergoing some repairs at the Paris-Pontoise HGV garage in Herblay.
A water filtration system
Electricity is obtained by the 30 square meters of photovoltaic panels installed on the roof. The energy is stored in batteries and feeds the kitchen appliances, behind the cockpit. Upstairs, a corner with seat and tables is installed at the front. “This is where we will have our meals,” says Jean-Christophe Crespel. Behind are two compartments, each with a double bed and a single bunk bed.
Then, continuing towards the rear, we have the bathroom with a small bathtub and a toilet. A system separates urine from feces. Ventilation dries the latter, which are then collected in a small bag. At the back is the parents' bedroom with a staircase that goes down lower. In the technical part, a system filters the water collected from the roof or pumped from a river. It is also possible to desalinate seawater. Two filtration qualities are provided: for drinking and for other uses.