Love this place more every trip

Love this place more every trip

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TFatC

Original Poster:

398 posts

259 months

Saturday 27th August 2016
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Left home in the north east of Scotland on Sunday, grey, drizzle and 13 degrees. Arrived at La Chatre Monday evening and 30ish degrees. Been a lovely sunny week with temperatures up to 41 one day, which to be honest is a little too warm for a Northerner like myself. One of the reasons for the trip was to bring my sailing dinghy (a GP14) down for future use down here, so had to bring a relatively boring Saab 9-3 Turbo as it has a tow bar. This car cost me the grand sum of 200 quid 4 months ago and a further 100 quid a month ago to renew the MOT.

Due to the heat I have not achieved a great deal :-) but have been made very welcome again by the locals, despite my poor French. This evening I decided to go for a little drive that developed into an 80 mile hoon. A mixture of fairly major local roads and small country lanes. In the 80 miles I over took one camper van, apart from that I was able to travel at what speed I wanted, and probably saw less than 2 dozen other vehicles. Superb fast, sweeping roads, great surfaces, beautiful countryside and no traffic in glorious, warm evening sunshine - what more could a petrolhead want? The only real complaint is that most of the bars are shut in an evening so quick half is difficult!

I know it can be more difficult living down here full time, and I would hate to try and earn a living down here but as someone semi retired I am finding myself spending more and more time here, and this evening has just emphasised why!

PositronicRay

27,534 posts

190 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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Very good, we're back off to Amboise in the next couple of weeks. Civilised area but not overcrowded.

TheDriverCom

113 posts

102 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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We have a place just outside La Chatre and agree how unspoilt it is, heading down on Tuesday for a couple of weeks.

Rushjob

1,988 posts

265 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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We're not too far away between, about half way between Montlucon and Riom.
Was only commenting on the beauty of where we live to my wife yesterday as we were driving down the Sioule Gorge.
Life here is good.
That is all :-)

Rushjob

1,988 posts

265 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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We're not too far away between, about half way between Montlucon and Riom.
Was only commenting on the beauty of where we live to my wife yesterday as we were driving down the Sioule Gorge.
Life here is good.
That is all :-)

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

262 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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Hang on a minute...

Isn't this place full of French people?

majordad

3,613 posts

204 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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We'ew still enjoying our place in Normandy near St Mere Eglise, weather helps and the warm water, and cold Sancerre.

TFatC

Original Poster:

398 posts

259 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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TheDriverCom said:
We have a place just outside La Chatre and agree how unspoilt it is, heading down on Tuesday for a couple of weeks.
I am heading back to Scotland on Thursday but if you fancy meeting up for a beer Wednesdsy I would be up for it? Maybe the Hotel de France or you would be welcome to pop round to mine

TheDriverCom

113 posts

102 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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TFatC said:
TheDriverCom said:
We have a place just outside La Chatre and agree how unspoilt it is, heading down on Tuesday for a couple of weeks.
I am heading back to Scotland on Thursday but if you fancy meeting up for a beer Wednesdsy I would be up for it? Maybe the Hotel de France or you would be welcome to pop round to mine
We'll not be there till Thursday as stopping en route to see friends...guessing we are in the 'other' La Chatre 36400 as we've not got a Hotel de France here ? But we do have a great little race circuit that has some watchable events every now and then, the town was full a few weeks ago of every type of Porsche for the Cup meeting.

TFatC

Original Poster:

398 posts

259 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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Aaah, my mistake, should not have abreviated La Chatre sur le Loir (72340)

heebeegeetee

28,969 posts

255 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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La ChaRtre (sur le Loir) has the famous Hotel de France. Where are you guys taking about?

TFatC

Original Poster:

398 posts

259 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
quotequote all
heebeegeetee said:
La ChaRtre (sur le Loir) has the famous Hotel de France. Where are you guys taking about?
How to make a fool of yourself! I abbreviated and spelt it wrong!

It is of course La Chartre sur le Loir that I am near, about 30 mins south of Le Mans

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

262 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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I got chucked oit of there once. It was an English lassie serving drinks. I only asked if she had an oily prat, FFS...

TheDriverCom

113 posts

102 months

Sunday 28th August 2016
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But anyway :-) next time you are down our way you are welcome to pop in.

RONV

595 posts

141 months

Monday 29th August 2016
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there's only 1 Hotel de France

Stuart70

3,988 posts

190 months

Monday 29th August 2016
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majordad said:
We'ew still enjoying our place in Normandy near St Mere Eglise, weather helps and the warm water, and cold Sancerre.
Just down the road from you at Gavray. Agree with the weather and the Sancerre. Good times.

heebeegeetee

28,969 posts

255 months

Tuesday 30th August 2016
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TFatC said:
How to make a fool of yourself! I abbreviated and spelt it wrong!

It is of course La Chartre sur le Loir that I am near, about 30 mins south of Le Mans
In that case I is well jealous biggrin. I first went to Hotel de F in the 80's, and ordered 10 beers.

Was served by Christophe who is still there now. Went for 18 years consecutively plus spent the occasional week in La Chartre. Love the area.


mikey77

707 posts

195 months

Thursday 8th September 2016
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RONV said:
there's only 1 Hotel de France
My advice is make the most of it. Proper Logis de France like that are becoming harder and harder to find.

tuffer

8,881 posts

274 months

Thursday 8th September 2016
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Agreed, always used to go long haul on holidays but last 3 years have driven to France and it has been fantastic. First two years in Burgundy and then this year in Burgundy for a couple of days then down to Langeudoc. Already looking forward to planning next years trip and finding somewhere new to explore on the bikes.

Rushjob

1,988 posts

265 months

Thursday 8th September 2016
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tuffer said:
Agreed, always used to go long haul on holidays but last 3 years have driven to France and it has been fantastic. First two years in Burgundy and then this year in Burgundy for a couple of days then down to Langeudoc. Already looking forward to planning next years trip and finding somewhere new to explore on the bikes.
How about this - http://en.auvergne.travel/home/menu/best-of/auverg...
We live just off the second half of day 1 of the route, I couldn't see a county council in the UK promoting anything similar...