First time travelling to France

Jen2thehen

Hi All

We are looking to book our first trip to France in 2017, September time.  We plan to get ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo. In a two week holiday, realistically how far south could we aim to go? 

Thanks, Jen

 

eurortraveller

Wait and see !  

If it's fine stay and tour Brittany, but otherwise hit the autoroute and it's a day and a half to Biarritz or two days to the Med. - and that would still leave you ten.  

And you could always do a reccy in 2016 for the 2017 trip.  Don't plan  - just go and check things out. 

knilly

We are doing Portsmouth to St Malo in August like last year,off ferry 7ish in the morning 5hrs later pitched up in the Vendee  17 nights and back for one night in Brittany for 10.30 ferry in the morning.

Longtimecaravanner

I use the ViaMichelin site to plan my routes. According to them Bordeaux is just over six hours, Biarritz eight and a half using toll roads. In September you don't need to book so where do you want to go?

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cyberyacht

Getting as far down as the Med in two weeks tends to make it a bit laborious. I'd be inclined to stick to Brittany/Vendee unless you are a tarmac addict.

InaD

Yes, agree with the above of waiting until you get over and seeing what the weather is like.  If you've never been to France before, then everywhere will be new to you, so I'd stay in Britanny if the weather is good there.  Why waste precious travelling
time if you don't have to? 

In the space of a fortnight, I wouldn't want to travel too far anyway.  If you went a long way south you'd be talking 2 days each way to get there.

In September you don't need to book any site as they'll all have space, so in your position I'd have a look at different areas in Britanny and a bit further down, just in case the weather isn't as good as you'd hoped, pick a few campsites and go.

Oldgirl and Staffy

We travel regularly from Saint Malo to our home in SW France.  In the motorhome (not towing a caravan) we can get off the overnight ferry at 8.00am and be home in the Lot Valley by 5.00pm with a short stop for morning coffee, and lunch.  

If it is your first trip to France I would suggest you look at sites around the Vendee or perhaps the Ile de Re.  Maybe even as far as Royan.  The Charente has a micro-climate giving it more sunshine days than any other area of France than Provence so the weather
in September ought to be fine and warm.

We love the Ile de Re.  Have a look at
THIS site.  It is also ACSI rates after 31st August.

 

Arrivakids

Remember if you have never done this Trip before it is a  long Journey. If you plan two weeks yes you can do as much or as little as you want in that time. One site or more depending whether you want to keep moving. Our first time we drove for 7 hrs it was
too long for us. Our second and third time we stayed near Concarneau and must say the area is just as nice as the 7 hr journey we made . If your going to go again perhaps do 2 or 3 hrs driving see if you like it there i am sure you will.Check the weather before
you leave the uk. yes planning is ok but the unevitable can happen .We both work so we dont have weeks and weeks we can drive around France . I am sure your going to love what France has to offer . We did . ..

paul56

If you don't want a beach you could go down and explore the Loire valley or further south to the Dordogne. Definitely do-able and loads to see and do. Possible downside...thousands of Brits do the same...

kevstuart1957

Last year we got off the ferry at St Malo and travelled all of 21 miles to Dinan, there are some fantastic places to visit nearby and no need  to travel miles and miles. I would recommend it to anyone.

Landyrover

If you are not booked in anywhere then just keep moving south until you hit the good weather,which might be in Brittany/ Normandy, perhaps on the Loire or further south on the Dordogne. It isn't necessary to go all the way to the Med.

rovinmad

You've been given some good advice in the previous posts.  You will find that everything is just so much easier once you land in France.  So take it easy and relax.  Keep an eye on the weather forecast and find somewhere that suits you.  Nothing is guaranteed
weatherwise however far south you go.  I remember being in Carcassonne in June and it being horrendously wet.  About thirty years ago one of our neighbours lost his car and caravan and very nearly his wife too in a flash flood down in Provence.  Summer weather
tends to be more reliable once you get south of Paris but you can have glorious weather anywhere.  We particularly like the High Auverne.

Batleygrimmy

If you are starting out from St Malo one steady day and another half day of steady driving including and an overnight stop inbetween will get you down to Languedoc as you drive down to the med you will see the outside temperature gauge steadily rise, try
Cap D Agde area its really nice camping neptune is where we usually stay

Dunclair

I suspect that most people on here would agree that you should join ACSI, assuming that you haven't already. The small annual fee you pay is quickly recovered and you get a wealth of information for planning purposes.I
am  quite happy to go where the weather is but I need to know the site options I have when I get there.

As others have siad, there is no need to book a site. Just turn up. They will be happy to see you.

You should also check out the sites Municipal. They are a brilliant resource and usually equate to the commercial sites EXCEPT the one in La Rochelle. It is absolutely appalling. I also understand that the one in Chartres is not much better.

Jen2thehen

thanks everyone! Some great advice, hints and tips.  Much appreciated. Will keep you posted on our trip!