Recomendations for places to go in France in Motorhome
Discussion
Morning Happy Campers.
Im plannng on taking 3-4 weeks off next year and taking my wife and son for a French road trip. The idea would be to start at Le Mans on the 19th June and take in a couple of stages of the TDF as well as some lovely french places before heading back.
So, the question is. where is a good place to go and watch the TDF and any tips? Id like to be one of those camper vans parked up on the side with a great view. Not worried about it being a particularly busy stage, in fact easy in and easy out would be ideal.
Also, other recomendations in western france for places to go would be great, I would like to take my son (4) out in a kayak somewhere lovely.
Thanks
Im plannng on taking 3-4 weeks off next year and taking my wife and son for a French road trip. The idea would be to start at Le Mans on the 19th June and take in a couple of stages of the TDF as well as some lovely french places before heading back.
So, the question is. where is a good place to go and watch the TDF and any tips? Id like to be one of those camper vans parked up on the side with a great view. Not worried about it being a particularly busy stage, in fact easy in and easy out would be ideal.
Also, other recomendations in western france for places to go would be great, I would like to take my son (4) out in a kayak somewhere lovely.
Thanks
All of france is motorhome heaven compared to the uk,dunno how far west you are going but the il de re just off la rochelle is motorhome city,a flat island perfect for cycling and loads of campsites.
Depending on where you are coming back from arromanches on the normandy coast has a campsite in the centre of town,is a lovely place and its on juno beach where we landed on d day so lots of interesting stuff.
Depending on where you are coming back from arromanches on the normandy coast has a campsite in the centre of town,is a lovely place and its on juno beach where we landed on d day so lots of interesting stuff.
Millau viaduct and Corniche des Cevennes for epic scenery.
Good luck finding quiet stages of the TDF - they were all mayhem when we tried getting close.
Pyrannees south of Pau are worth a visit too. I am looking forward to sitting at the top of a couple of passes for a few days next year in our new van.
Good luck finding quiet stages of the TDF - they were all mayhem when we tried getting close.
Pyrannees south of Pau are worth a visit too. I am looking forward to sitting at the top of a couple of passes for a few days next year in our new van.
If you like mountains lakes and wine then I know a mega site we go to with our 12m Eagle its called Gimmel la Casscades the camp site is next to Lake Ruffo also 12K from Marcillac la Croisille mega lake 206 hectares with windsurfing kayaks water skiing, sailing ,swiming, beachs if its in the area you want to go I will get you a number for the camp site.
+1 Another fan of Ile de Re and Ile de Oleron. Never taken a cmpervan there but been camping in a tent plenty of times around that region. St Jeans de Monts is good (if you want a beach and a bigger metropolis) and we also recently visited Tranche sur Mer which was good.
I have never really seen the TDF, other than getting caught with it around Paris in 1997. We were trying to get to Koln and the race delayed us by six hours because every exit road was shut/ closed.
Other pleasant areas I have visited in the summer months are La Clusaz and Chamonix area.... but as others have said pretty much all of France would be good in a motorhome next summer!
I might even take our T25 there in a couple of years but wifey is pregnant at moment and taking a baby and toddler in the T25 might be a little too much for us to handle......
Mike
I have never really seen the TDF, other than getting caught with it around Paris in 1997. We were trying to get to Koln and the race delayed us by six hours because every exit road was shut/ closed.
Other pleasant areas I have visited in the summer months are La Clusaz and Chamonix area.... but as others have said pretty much all of France would be good in a motorhome next summer!
I might even take our T25 there in a couple of years but wifey is pregnant at moment and taking a baby and toddler in the T25 might be a little too much for us to handle......
Mike
Carcassonne is well worth a visit if you're heading that far south.
Beware watching the Tour on "open" stages, i.e. the flatter ones. It's a good party atmosphere in small villages on the route, but it's a blink and you'll miss it event. You'll see a couple of people in a break away go by at 30mph, and then a few minutes later the peloton will blast past in 30 seconds and that's it.
See if you can get to one of the longer time trial stages for a more prolonged spectacle, good luck getting on a hill climb, you'll have to be up early and stay for a long day to compete with the mental french types!
Beware watching the Tour on "open" stages, i.e. the flatter ones. It's a good party atmosphere in small villages on the route, but it's a blink and you'll miss it event. You'll see a couple of people in a break away go by at 30mph, and then a few minutes later the peloton will blast past in 30 seconds and that's it.
See if you can get to one of the longer time trial stages for a more prolonged spectacle, good luck getting on a hill climb, you'll have to be up early and stay for a long day to compete with the mental french types!
I've holidayed at a few places up and down this section of the coast:
https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=46.498392,-0.933838&...
It's all very cycling friendly (fantastic cycle paths everywhere) and has many motorhome parks, often right overlooking the beach/sea.
https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=46.498392,-0.933838&...
It's all very cycling friendly (fantastic cycle paths everywhere) and has many motorhome parks, often right overlooking the beach/sea.
Take a look at http://www.chateau-de-chanteloup.com/
It's a lovely stop for the way down or the way back to the ports. Just north east of Le Mans, so an easy trip in to see the circuit and museum too.
It's a lovely stop for the way down or the way back to the ports. Just north east of Le Mans, so an easy trip in to see the circuit and museum too.
TDF. Passing through La Flèche and on to the Loire valley (Tours). Plenty of places to see the action but no mountains, will still be busy at the roadside though with us locals.
You can also kayak on the Loir ( no e) between La Flèche and Le Lude.
Try a search on the holiday section for La Flèche there was a really good blog about touring in France.
You can also kayak on the Loir ( no e) between La Flèche and Le Lude.
Try a search on the holiday section for La Flèche there was a really good blog about touring in France.
If you like Brandy, Cognac is good. The municipal campsite is just outside town, we stayed there for nearly a week because that's how long it took me to get round all the distlleries.
If you do go down to the south, a climb up Montsegur is quite spectacular, it was the last stronghold of the Cathars.
If you end up in the east, a vist to the Schlumpff museum at Mulhouse is a must.
If you do go down to the south, a climb up Montsegur is quite spectacular, it was the last stronghold of the Cathars.
If you end up in the east, a vist to the Schlumpff museum at Mulhouse is a must.
Don't forget the free (or car parking type fee) aires as an alternative to wild camping or a full on camp site.
http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm
The link doesn't appear to work directly, so cliquez pour entrer, then second green box down on the left, click on Chercher/ajouter une aire, then scroll down to France.
http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm
The link doesn't appear to work directly, so cliquez pour entrer, then second green box down on the left, click on Chercher/ajouter une aire, then scroll down to France.
Edited by Balmoral on Sunday 23 December 16:22
WeirdNeville said:
Carcassonne is well worth a visit if you're heading that far south.
Also camper parking is available very adjacent to the castle - it was €10 per 24 hours in 2008 (when we last visited).Lovely & historic place
- read some Kate Mosse before visiting the castle - and the rest ain't half bad either 
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