It’s the ultimate experience of freedom on wheels. The Volkswagen Microbus by Westfalia won the hearts of several generations, and if you check out the reaction of the younger generation to these mythic vehicles, the love affair with these vehicles is far from over.

Except the thing is, these little fellows are quirky. Some people dream of them, but hesitate to buy. And for good reason: the most recent models available for resale in North America date back to 2003, and they’re hard to find. The others, while beautifully designed, are getting old and the inventory of Westfalias in good condition is diminishing. “Buying a Westfalia is like taking out a subscription with your garage owner,” my mechanic said to me one day.

Westfalia rental in Val-David

Luckily for the more nostalgic among us, a seasoned trekker from Val-David has launched a Westfalia rental company after having got the bug for this kind of transportation. Mike Desjardins-Taylor doesn’t do things by halves. His fleet consists of six Westfalia automatics, from 1973 to 1992, including two which are currently under renovation. Mike offers an all-inclusive formula and unlimited mileage, although I suggest not embarking on trips that are too long: traveling at 95 km/h is cool, but not for 1000 kilometres….

Road trip rescue

In addition to providing reliable Westfalias equipped for the great adventure – including dishware and camping gear – Mike makes it a point of honour to launch into the rescue of his customers, wherever they are. In a breakdown situation, he takes off to find the travelers in his SUV (a Volkswagen, of course) equipped with a trailer on which is enthroned an exchange Westfalia.

“The important thing is to find a solution. I don’t see it as a constraint…more as a rescue mission. I take off to save the vacation,” Mike emphasizes. “And it’s only happened twice in four years. It did, however, take me as far as Lac Saint-Jean,” he adds, smiling.

In the fairly near future, Mike expects to be able to offer more retro models. He also nurtures the ambition of accompanying his customers into the United States, in winter. “We’ll go as far south as necessary to leave the snow behind. It would be the point of departure for their trips. Then I would go back to fetch them,” he notes.

The DNA of a Westfalian

Truly passionate about Volkswagen Microbuses, Mike Desjardins-Taylor discovered travel in a Westfalia at the age of 21. “Our ultimate destination was Mexico,” he remembers. “I crossed it in a Westfalia after having covered the Canadian and American West and it changed my life.”

After that, Mike took off for Europe, which he criss-crossed in a Westfalia Joker 1984. His passion did not fade. Back in Canada, he left again to work in the Canadian West to finance more trips.

“I was looking for a way to fulfill myself and to share my passion for travel and the Westfalia. That’s what really got me going. I wanted to make it accessible to people who did not necessarily have the means to buy one. I had read in specialized blogs that you couldn’t borrow a Westfalia, that it wasn’t done, and that there was no company offering this kind of service. Four years ago, I decided to fill the vacuum.”

“It really thrills people,” he continues. “I get a lot of calls. So far, my customers are delighted and some of them are repeats. It’s magic. When I clean a truck, I’m happy; when I see people all excited and their children filled with wonder, I’m happy.  It’s not work; it’s just magic,” he concludes.

A tip from Tremblant Express: When you return, it would be a shame to miss Val-David’s superb cafés, including the all-new Funky Art Cartel gallery, where – as well as having a good cup of coffee – you can briefly extend the magic of a trip taken as if in an earlier time.

westfalialocations.com