Route ideas in France
We are booking our first French tour and have booked the ferry in August from Newhaven to Dieppe. On looking at the map we feel our first stop could be around Le Mans, which should be about a 3 hour drive, however we are looking for suggestions as to which regions are good. We thought about going to the Dordogne but only as we have some small knowledge of the area. We are not bothered about the coast and would prefer quaint villages, rivers etc. Any advice would be good.
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The first thing I would ask is when you are going (dates), for how long, and do you have children with you. This all helps to recommend sites, areas, and routes. If you have children, just two weeks in peak season, and want to get somewhere quickly then using the autoroute networks make sense. If you're going outside the four peak weeks in mid-July to mid-August, don't have children, and have a six week holiday planned, than it may make sense to combine autoroutes with a few 'meanders' off the fast roads and into the French countryside.
The Dordogne is a lovely area - fantastic villages, beautiful buildings, and mostly slow-flowing rivers - but in peak season it may be too busy for some people.
Finding out just a little more about your plans and hopes will help provide useful information.
Our first ever camping trip in France was to St Leon sur Vezere (Le Paradis - a lovely site) and we loved France, and French campsites so much that we're still going to France thirty-six years later! Our route was from Dieppe and Le Mans was our first overnight stop! It's a good route, with no real problems.
Read the first thread in this section - First Time Touring Overseas which contains absolutely loads of advice, including most of the following:
If you're going outside peak season then there are also 'discount' schemes which might help find good sites at lower prices. Some sites run their own - such as FranceLoc and Les Castels, and then there is the ACSI Card or Camping Cheques. There are also 'municipal sites' run by the Mairie in towns and villages, and then Camping A la Ferme or Aire Naturelles. Of course there are also thousands of other sites which are none of these - everything from five star all-singing sites, to five caravans in a field with just a sanitary block.
Outside of peak season you don't need to book either overnight sites, or 'destination' sites, unless you have particular requirements which must be met.
Fuel in France is cheaper in supermarkets, and sometimes by a significan amount, so one tip would be to fill up when you've found an overnight stop Do minimal set-ups for your overnight stop - on some sites it's even possible to stay hooked-up to your towcar for a quick getaway. Don't be like one couple we met who spent their time putting up a full awning, including curtains, only to take it down the following day!
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Hi Quilters. Ferries arrive at Dieppe in the summer at 0400, 1530 and 2100. Which one are you planning to take?
If it's the first then you will get much further than Le Mans on day one. If it's the second you will not get to Le Mans until 1930 and an earlier stop might be preferable unless you make a site booking. If it's the third you will have a problem finding somewhere near the port to sleep that night. Decisions, decisions.
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If you go to The Works (cheapo bookshop) they often have the Dorling Kindersley 'Eye Witness Travel' guides going for a fiver - yes, they are basic but beautifully presented on glossy paper with loads of information and colour throughout. Well worth a purchase
and easy to negotiate your way through to give ideas for places to visit.0 -
If you can make it as far as Le Mans then to the east of Le Mans, just off the A28 junction is Camping Pont Romaine, at Yvre l'Eveque. Its in the ACSI book and is excellent for an overnight stop.
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I believe the OP said they were going in August so that rules out ACSI. Agree with ValDa, the Dordogne is excellent for first timers. Lovely villages, great river activities and the gastronomic centre of France (although several places claim this!). The best place to start is probably Sarlat as it is an excellent market town. Don't miss Rocamadour, Domme, Les Caves.
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we revisited Sarlat this year and the best part of it is the road out! it is just a tourist trap as are many of the towns mentioned.
Find a site around Beaumont in Perigord, lovely villages and vineyards within an hours drive, plus good cheap resturants and local produce to be had.
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Well, the Dordogne area in general is a tourist trap and full of English but if you've never been you could hardly ignore Sarlat as a starting point.
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thank you all so far, some more information, we are a group of 4 adults, one of who works in a school hence taking a holiday in August, we are only away for 19 days. We should arrive in Dieppe around 2.00 ish as the ferry from Newhaven is 9.00 am, of course
we do rely on everything running to time!!!0 -
If the two families would like a gentle introduction to France after landing at Dieppe there are pleasant alternatives to driving through Rouen in convoy and battling with the early evening traffic on the Le Mans ring road.
If you cross the Seine on the Pont de Brotonne there is a pleasant campsite by the river on the left - Camping du Parc at La Mailleraye sur Seine. Google has photos. It's just about 50 miles from Dieppe and you can settle down by 4 pm, have a drink, take a stroll in the village, and read the restaurant menus. It's the start of the holiday.
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If you are a "convoy", I suggest that approx. 45mph would be about right, especially caravanning. Anything above is a bonus.
Depending on route, I can suggest on E402/A28 municipal campsite at SEES, This is a good site with nearby facilities, petrol,diesel shopping etc. About 120 mls from Dieppe.
Then west of Dieppe on N154 . camping municipal at Nonancourt. About 100mls drive. Again with facilities near by.
Have used both sites and found them to be very good. We enjoy municipal sites. I plan my route, give myself time/mileage then look for nearest municipal, then use France caravanning book to see what is about, then google it.
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