New from industrial designer Brice Ceccaldi: simple, appealing cotton canvas tents that provide protection from sun, wind, and rain during summertime idylls.
Ceccaldi has spent every recent summer on Les Îles du Ponant—an Atlantic island chain off the Northwest coast of France—with his four children, exploring the islands and going for impromptu walks, bike rides, and boat trips. The family found themselves wanting to pause at the beautiful locales they found, to play, read, nap, or have a picnic, but were often unable to find any shade. Voilà—La Tente Islaise, 0r “island tent,” Ceccaldi’s solution: a portable tent of wood and cotton canvas that it light enough to tote around while seeking out adventures, and simple enough to assemble and break down on a whim. “It is for my four children that I designed this tent,” said Ceccaldi, “but for an island it had to be named.”
Above: There are four styles of tents available, each named for a French island. Here, the Belle-Île, which is available in three sizes up to the medium size shown here; €359. The tents are made by hand in France of pine and beech wood frames and dyed cotton canvas attached with clips. They’re held together by brass fasteners and nylon rope.
Above: Belle-Île is the best design for maximum protection from the wind and sun, notes the company. It weighs about 7 kg (15 pounds), and it can be assembled in about four minutes. It’s €279 for the small size shown here. The canvas covers are 100 percent cotton, treated to be resistant to both water and UV rays.
Above: The Île d’Yeu is the best all purpose tent, says the company. It’s available in three sizes, including the medium shown here, which weighs 6 kg (13 pounds) and can be assembled in four minutes; €359. The tents are backed by a lifetime guarantee. Each individual component is numbered and can be mailed back to the company for a replacement, if needed.
Above: Île de Ré is has a traditional tent shape and is the fastest style to assemble, in less than one minute. It’s the only model that is closed on one end, so it’s ideal for napping and reading when privacy is desired. Available in one size, it’s €279. The tents “are also perfect to mark your territory on crowded beaches,” notes Ceccaldi.
Above: Île d’Oleron, available in three sizes and shown here in small, has a hexagon shape. It can be assembled in five minutes and weighs 6 kg (13 pounds); €279. Above: The tents are simple to put together, and can be assembled in one to five minutes. Above: On average, the tents weigh about 6 kilograms (13 pounds) each—light enough to tote around while seeking adventures.
