A charabanc (pronounce sha-ra-bang) [also spelt "char-à-banc"] is a type of horse-drawn vehicle or motor coach, usually open-topped, common in Britain during the early part of the 20th century. It was especially popular for sight-seeing or " works outings" to the country or the seaside, organised by businesses once a year. The name derives from the French char à bancs ("carriage with wooden benches"), the vehicle having originated in France in the early 19th century.