# Routes to South of France etc



## Paul1234 (Nov 7, 2006)

Could anybody please help with the planning of our next year’s holiday to France in our new motorhome?

We have to travel in July/August on our two week holiday and would like to spend a week in the South of France and our queries are

•	We have been told that an overnight ferry is best as it allows a full day for travel, any comments and possible suggestions for a crossing (we live in Wales)?
•	What is the best route that it is both scenic/interesting and is reasonably quick preferably missing toll roads?
•	We are assuming the journey can be done in two days easily and we would like to break the back of it on the first day but with a nice site to stop for the night. ideally located adjacent to a small town or village so we experience some of real France, any suggestions?
•	Following about a week say in the South we would like to travel back via a different route possibly costal, again any ideas for a route and some nice sites?

Lots of questions I know but any help you can give would be greatly appreciated


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Welcome to the site Gurt. You don't say whether you're going to the Med. coast south of France or the Atlantic side.

From Wales your closest crossing is the Portsmouth one but that is pricey and there are only one or two per day. If you can stand the awful trek to Dover then a lot of us favour Norfolkline to Dunkirk. You have to get on the internet to book as that way you can see alnd compare all prices and tweak the differences in price between unsocial hour but cheap sailing and better time but more expensive sailing.

If you have a limited time then bluntly I'd go on a toll road south. The RN are more interesting but not entirely free as you do use more fuel skirting each town and going through every village. It also is more tiring to drive and, if you are going for speed south, then the sort of distance you have to drive if you are not used to it will leave you dangerously tired.

There are masses of route suggestions in one of the threads on the site - see Continental Travel section. If you look at the campsite database section there are some excellent night stops that fit your bill. 

Someone will be on with a more specific suggestion I'm sure....!!

G


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Hiya, Gurt, and welcome to MHF.

You don't say whether you have children with you. That can affect both how many miles you travel in a day and the sort of campsites you may want to stop in. Also - have you driven in France before (i.e. are you used to continental touring?). This may affect the route suggested too.

I personally think you're pushing it a bit to make the South of France via non-motorways in two days, especially travelling from Wales. And you won't experience much of France is you're flying through at 90mph. Is this your first trip to France? It sounds like it.

If this is your first trip, and you're stuck on two weeks maximum, I'd suggest looking at Normandy / Brittany, or maybe a bit further south, perhaps to Western Loire or Poitou Charentes. There's some lovely places to see down there.

In short, I think you should decide whether you want to see 'the real France', or holiday in the South of France. Or use more holiday :wink: 

Gerald


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## Paul1234 (Nov 7, 2006)

Thanks for the response

We are aiming initially for the Med but will return close to the Atlantic coast

Assuming motorway driving how far do you think it is practical to drive in one day (2 adults no children) and what bis the best route



gerannpasa said:


> Welcome to the site Gurt. You don't say whether you're going to the Med. coast south of France or the Atlantic side.
> 
> From Wales your closest crossing is the Portsmouth one but that is pricey and there are only one or two per day. If you can stand the awful trek to Dover then a lot of us favour Norfolkline to Dunkirk. You have to get on the internet to book as that way you can see alnd compare all prices and tweak the differences in price between unsocial hour but cheap sailing and better time but more expensive sailing.
> 
> ...


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Gurt...It's hard to say what is a sensible mileage. We don't go far in a day - max 200 -250 miles often a lot less. There is so much to see !

The Ariege region between the two coasts, on the French side of the Pyrenees, is a little-known but lovely region. We like the route:

Dunkirk - Paris ( if you have SatNav or a confident navigator) - Orleans - Bourges - Clermont Ferrand - Perpignan. This take you over the wonderful Millau viaduct on a free motorway.
Coming back we go up the Atlantic coast stopping off in Biarritz, Arcachon, La Rochelle, Somme estuary and a thousand points as well and back to dreary old Dunkirk and the ghastly M20.

If you go to Normandy then we like Camping Municipal St Nicolas at Le Bec Hellouin. On the Loire you could do worse than Camping Le Sabot at Azay le Rideau. Another site we love in the Charente region is Camping Municipal Bourg-Charente. I've put all three in the MHF campsite database.
The latter one we only intended as an overnight stop but nearly took out citizenship there ! Not a fancy site but so friendly and pleasant.

One book you might like to look for is Susie Kelly: A Perfect Circle. It's the story of her trip, with her husband 10 000km round the coast of France in a motorhome called Tinkerbelle. She goes into the history of so many places as well as talking about the sites she stayed at. We've used her routes and recommendations several times Good read too !

G


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## Paul1234 (Nov 7, 2006)

Thanks just purchased the book from Amazon
"]Gurt...It's hard to say what is a sensible mileage. We don't go far in a day - max 200 -250 miles often a lot less. There is so much to see !

The Ariege region between the two coasts, on the French side of the Pyrenees, is a little-known but lovely region. We like the route:

Dunkirk - Paris ( if you have SatNav or a confident navigator) - Orleans - Bourges - Clermont Ferrand - Perpignan. This take you over the wonderful Millau viaduct on a free motorway.
Coming back we go up the Atlantic coast stopping off in Biarritz, Arcachon, La Rochelle, Somme estuary and a thousand points as well and back to dreary old Dunkirk and the ghastly M20.

If you go to Normandy then we like Camping Municipal St Nicolas at Le Bec Hellouin. On the Loire you could do worse than Camping Le Sabot at Azay le Rideau. Another site we love in the Charente region is Camping Municipal Bourg-Charente. I've put all three in the MHF campsite database.
The latter one we only intended as an overnight stop but nearly took out citizenship there ! Not a fancy site but so friendly and pleasant.

One book you might like to look for is Susie Kelly: A Perfect Circle. It's the story of her trip, with her husband 10 000km round the coast of France in a motorhome called Tinkerbelle. She goes into the history of so many places as well as talking about the sites she stayed at. We've used her routes and recommendations several times Good read too !

G[/quote]


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

gurt said:


> Thanks just purchased the book from Amazon
> 
> One book you might like to look for is Susie Kelly: A Perfect Circle.
> G


[/quote]

Hope you enjoy it. She's written 2 others -one about her solo walk across France from coast to Geneva, camping all the way.

G


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## tincan (Jul 31, 2006)

*whats the hurry???*

I just did a route plan on ViaMichelin.com from cherbourg and back via Nice and Toulouse, 2796 kms 26 ish hours.

In our experience touring France we tend to drive only until 4pm at the latest, otherwise you spend your hols behind the wheel.

max distance ever covered towing caravan was 480 miles in 1 day due to only 2 week holiday and a desire to get as far south as quickly as possible. It was a big mistake, we were motion sick for days and were not able to enjoy most of the first week as a result and then -- thinking about the return trip we left 3 days to cover the same distance.

In our MH this year we travelled 2100 miles in 3 weeks and that was plenty and a lot easier than tugging, no set up no hassle etc etc. Max 250ish per day and never after 4pm. If you havent been before take your time and "do" France little by little, its such a fantastic country you need to enjoy it slowly, go to markets, sit in a cafe and watch the world bustle by as you chill, use the RN network or you might as well drive up and down the M6. Put down a marker where you leave off and pick it up again next time, doesn't even have to be on next trip, you can have markers all over Europe.
Most of all enjoy your time in your wagon and relax, thats what life should be about.

best of luck
Noel


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## 96783 (Nov 23, 2005)

Many years ago we drove by solo car from Dortmund to Nice, over 800 miles in 17 hours. Both of us drive. Not surprisingly we were burned out by the time we got there. Last year we towed a large caravan some 250 miles in one day on largely empty roads in Northern Spain. Same result and two days to recover. This year we took 12 days driving round the coast of Wales - wonderful and not long enough. 

We're off to Spain again next week and the resolve is not to set foot on an autoroute except when absolutely unavoidable because we want to "experience" a bit more of France than you get from driving down the A6. With luck it'll take us at least a week to ten days to get to the Bay of Roses! The difficulty is going to be overriding the satnav with Metallic Margery persistently telling me I'm "off rout" (sic) every ten minutes or so. 

Good advice from all and sundry above


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

PhredC said:


> Good advice from all and sundry above


Yep. We normally aim to be parked up by early afternoon, lunchtime if possible. We are normally decamped by 9 in the morning, so we have 3-4 hours driving, plus a stop or a shop if we need to. As others have said, it allows you to see France a bit more, rather than blast down to one place, and blast back. Plus you avoid the possibility of getting to a campsite late, finding it full, and then having to dash about looking for somewhere to park up. Aires start to fill after 4pm too.

Gerald


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Getting there*

Hi

I think I must still have the coach industry shuttle services in my blood - chin up and foot down. I always "just want to get there".

Might be different next time though unless Oscar can master how to use the Thetford whilst on the move!

Rapide561


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Gert - it depends what you want for your hols. If it's a driving holiday then yes go for it. If it's a relaxing time in France then take note of the advice of tincan - visit the real France - not just the autoroutes and other major roads. Visit the villages and towns, take time to stop at the markets you just happen across, and stop at the cafes just because they are there. South of France is great, but it is a long way to go for only 2 weeks away. In July/August you will have every chance of good weather anywhere in France - no need to seek it in the south. 

Russell - I am sure Oscar could master the Thetford with a bit of practice, but ask him if he would be much happier with frequent stops to sniff out messages from French and Italian pooches. Interested to know his views on this. Remember soon your time is your own not the companies!

Gert - what every you decide I hope you find real France not just the one you see from the autoroute and the tourist places in the south. Meanwhile get lots of enjoyment in your MH with weekends/short breaks in this country.

Sue


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