# Travelling back through France from Spain



## VenturerDave (Oct 2, 2009)

Hi

We have booked our ferry out to Spain in early January and three sites to take us through to about mid April when we leave Vilanova Park, just South of Barcelona.

Instead of getting a ferry back to the UK direct from Spain we intend to meander our way back through France, taking two or three weeks to do so.

I would like to visit Carcassonne (where I believe there is an Aire very handy for the city) and Avignon but apart from those two stops I do not know of good places to stop and explore.

Any suggestions that anyone can make would be appreciated as it is the first time we have travelled through France in this way. I am hoping to avoid toll roads wherever possible and will probably cross to the UK from Calais, either by ferry or Eurotunnel.

Can’t wait to board the ferry out now especially with the grey sky we have today here in Devon.


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Where to start
Worth visiting Millau bridge and info centre 
St maliurey sur sein west of Rouen
Normandy landing beaches
To name just a few

Need to know what you are interested in.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

A good northbound route from Carcassonne is on the A20 via Limoges which is not tolled up to Vierzon. As mentioned already on earlier posts a DNM is Oradour-sur-Glane village and museum, the scene of a Nazi massacre at the end of WW2. It's near Limoges.

Travelling further north via the tolled sections through Orleans to Chartres, then on non-peage, pass through Dreux, Evreux, Rouen and another tolled section en route to Boulogne.

Bonne route!


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

The WW2 site is Oradour sur glane...

We then travelled from there north - our route is covered here:

http://paulandalisons2012tour.wordpress.com/our-route/


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## kikade (Sep 7, 2011)

If you haven't done Millau bridge it's worth doing once but will cost you 10.50€ you can go round it toll free if you just want to see it.


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Millau bridge,tallest ,longest in Europe. The French are very proud of it.
But they won't let on its British designed and built .


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## pomme1 (May 19, 2005)

Hogan,

I think the aire you're thinking of near Rouen is La Mailleraye sur Seine. I agree it's a good one.

When I was last in Carcassone, the aire was in the coach park and not great, although well located.

Roger


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## Gary1944 (Feb 21, 2009)

A place near the free Autoroute A20 is Uzerche. A free Aire with EHU and this year marked bays so a little more space. Nice place to wander round with good riverside walk from the Aire.

Gary.


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

Stick a pin in your map at Sully Sur Loire. If you're coming up via Clermont Ferrand it'll be a good stopover whether you go east or west round Paris.

Free Aire, free water & waste disposal. Nice town, stunning chateau.


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## metblue (Oct 9, 2006)

*return from Spain*

Hi, once past Clermont Ferrand and if avoid toll roads south of Chartres is a small town called Aubigny sur Nere, lovely wee place with friendly folk too.
Big bonus is the 2 free aires one in the town, right next to Aldi and a pub /restaurant !! other small way out of town (walking distance) next to three great small lakes where locals fish.
Other big bonus is the local vet if you are a dog/cat owner as unlike who rip you in or near Calais he does not !! to see our Yorky, stamp and sign pet passport we were charge 2.80 Euros !! bargain or what, we know where we will be stopping next year.


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

pomme1 said:


> Hogan,
> 
> I think the aire you're thinking of near Rouen is La Mailleraye sur Seine. I agree it's a good one.
> 
> ...


I think that the aire at Carcassone has moved a little further away but it is certainly not very nice and it is expensive for an aire. There is a campsite round the other side and it is reasonable and not so overpriced. There is a good walk into the town from it along a river bank. Good well lit path. You get into the town at the back.

On the subject of Millau. Not to be missed. if you pay the toll and drive over it you get a superb quick crossing of the gorge but see little as it has been carefully designed not to frighten the horses. If you go down into the gorge and camp at the bottom you get a real feel of the viaduct especially at night. Several excellent sites. Nearby is Roquefort of the cheese and Millau itself is well worth the diversion.


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## selstrom (May 23, 2005)

Why so much planning ahead, go with the flow.
As you are going i low season why book ahead?


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

Thanks for the spelling. 
In low season just roughly plan your route. Then around 3 pm start looking for a aire. Or even just a village square. You are never more than a 20 min drive from a safe stop over. We do this trip 4 times a year from Valencia , have never booked or paid for a camp site.


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## VenturerDave (Oct 2, 2009)

Thanks all for your replies.

We don't intend to book anywhere on the return trip as we like to be fairly flexible so if we find somewhere we particularly like we can stop a bit longer. This is unlike in the UK at present where we have had trouble finding space at our selected site even days ahead recently after returning from Shropshire last weekend.

Anyway, we just want to have an approximate route and suggestions of where to visit which is what we now have to start us off. Some of the suggestions sound really quite interesting.


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## Gary1944 (Feb 21, 2009)

VenturerDave said:


> Thanks all for your replies.
> 
> We don't intend to book anywhere on the return trip as we like to be fairly flexible so if we find somewhere we particularly like we can stop a bit longer. This is unlike in the UK at present where we have had trouble finding space at our selected site even days ahead recently after returning from Shropshire last weekend.
> 
> Anyway, we just want to have an approximate route and suggestions of where to visit which is what we now have to start us off. Some of the suggestions sound really quite interesting.


Totally agree, the best ones are usually what someone else is willing to recommend. Have fun.

Gary.


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## Gary1944 (Feb 21, 2009)

VenturerDave said:


> Thanks all for your replies.
> 
> We don't intend to book anywhere on the return trip as we like to be fairly flexible so if we find somewhere we particularly like we can stop a bit longer. This is unlike in the UK at present where we have had trouble finding space at our selected site even days ahead recently after returning from Shropshire last weekend.
> 
> Anyway, we just want to have an approximate route and suggestions of where to visit which is what we now have to start us off. Some of the suggestions sound really quite interesting.


Totally agree, the best ones are usually what someone else is willing to recommend. Have fun.

Gary.


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