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French camping vocabulary: tents, awnings and sleeping kit in pictures

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Recognise twelve French shelter and sleeping-kit words. Picture cards distinguish a flysheet, guy rope, awning, sleeping bag and different camping mats.

In short

A tent is une tente, a sleeping bag is un sac de couchage and an inflatable mattress is un matelas gonflable. The shelter pieces have their own names: le double-toit, les arceaux, les piquets and les haubans.

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A green tent with sleeping kit at a wooded lakeside campsite.
A tente and sac de couchage make a simple camping shelter. Illustration: Atelier

The tent and its supports

la tentetentLa tente a deux places.
le double-toittent flysheetLe double-toit recouvre la tente.
l’arceau (m.)tent poleCet arceau est formé de plusieurs segments.
le piquet de tentetent pegLes piquets de tente sont dans un petit sac.
le mailletmalletLe maillet a une tête en caoutchouc.
le haubanguy ropeLe hauban relie la tente au piquet.

Extra shelter and sleeping kit

la bâchetarpaulinLa bâche est pliée près du sac.
l’auvent (m.)awningL’auvent forme un abri devant la tente.
le sac de couchagesleeping bagLe sac de couchage est ouvert.
le matelas gonflableinflatable mattressLe matelas gonflable a une valve.
le tapis de sol en moussefoam sleeping matLe tapis de sol en mousse se roule.
l’oreiller gonflable (m.)inflatable pillowL’oreiller gonflable prend peu de place.

Choose the shelter piece or sleeping item

Three pieces of fabric, three roles
FrenchMeaningLook for
le double-toitflysheetThe outer cover fitted over an inner tent.
l’auventawningA small roof extending in front of the entrance.
la bâchetarpaulinA separate waterproof sheet with eyelets.

The word gonflable means inflatable: both le matelas and l’oreiller can be gonflables. The foam mat in the pictures is solid foam. In camping, tapis de sol can also name a tent’s groundsheet; the full phrase tapis de sol en mousse makes this sleeping mat clear.

Dans le sac de camping
  1. Jules

    Tu as pris le sac de couchage ?

    Have you packed the sleeping bag?

  2. Ana

    Oui, et le matelas gonflable.

    Yes, and the inflatable mattress.

  3. Jules

    Où sont les piquets de tente ?

    Where are the tent pegs?

  4. Ana

    Dans le petit sac, avec le maillet.

    In the little bag, with the mallet.

L’auvent est devant la porte ; le double-toit recouvre toute la tente.

The awning is in front of the door; the flysheet covers the whole tent.

Question 1No account needed
Choose the outer cover.C’est la toile qui recouvre la tente intérieure.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

le double-toit. The cover fitted over the inner tent is le double-toit.

Question 2No account needed
Which object is described?C’est une corde tendue entre la tente et un piquet.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

le hauban. Le hauban is the guy rope connecting the tent to its peg.

Question 3No account needed
Choose the sleeping item with air inside.Ce matelas a une valve pour le gonfler.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

le matelas gonflable. The valve identifies le matelas gonflable, rather than the solid foam mat.

Question 4No account needed
Which shelter extends from the entrance?Ce petit toit forme un abri devant la porte de la tente.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

l’auvent. The roof extending in front of the tent entrance is l’auvent.

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