# Our France Trip we are off on Tuesday



## teljoy (Jul 4, 2005)

Last year a number of you gave me a lot of advice on our France trip which was very useful. This year we are going via Eurotunnel again on June 1st for just under four weeks. We will be trying to cover the area roughly encircled by Rouen, Caen, Brest, Nantes, Rennes and Le Mans.
We have all the books for the Aires and the Municipal campsites and just need advice or tips for places to visit within that general area. We have visited the beaches Arromanche etc. and the Bayeaux Tapestry. We are looking for places to do some leisurely cycling and prefer the countryside and rivers. Haven’t seen the Pegasus Bridge yet so will try that. Aires also by the riverside sound wonderful.
Any advice or recommendations will be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.

Terry


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## rrusty (Sep 15, 2007)

Hi Terry, We done pagasus bridge last year and we wild camped down the road from the museum there is also the car park that was full of motorhomes as well. There is also a cycle path that goes into Caen.

Rusty


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

If you can manage that far south then Vannes and the Morbihan area is a gem.

I posted about it on another current thread.


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## Chausson (Oct 17, 2006)

*Re: Advice please on our France Trip*



teljoy said:


> Last year a number of you gave me a lot of advice on our France trip which was very useful. This year we are going via Eurotunnel again on June 1st for just under four weeks. We will be trying to cover the area roughly encircled by Rouen, Caen, Brest, Nantes, Rennes and Le Mans.
> We have all the books for the Aires and the Municipal campsites and just need advice or tips for places to visit within that general area. We have visited the beaches Arromanche etc. and the Bayeaux Tapestry. We are looking for places to do some leisurely cycling and prefer the countryside and rivers. Haven't seen the Pegasus Bridge yet so will try that. Aires also by the riverside sound wonderful.
> Any advice or recommendations will be gratefully received.
> 
> ...


Hi Terry
What time is your train, we are travelling out on 1st June at 1620 but shall be at the train about 1400. We then probably turn right onto the A16 heading for Rouen then Chartres.


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## blondy (Aug 23, 2007)

Hope you enjoy your hol, we also go on June 1 on sea france,
we are away about a month.


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## Dinks123 (Apr 20, 2010)

I want to be going away as well.....but instead...to work I go! Maybe that changes tonight...have bought a Lotto ticket!


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## LisaB (Apr 24, 2009)

We are xing 1150 1st June headed south, anyone out there ? :wink:


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## colpot (Jun 9, 2008)

We are going P&O on 29th May - heading down to the Loire Valley


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## cater_racer (May 1, 2005)

Hi Terry, Port Louis in Morbihan has a super aire over looking the petit mare de gavre, 7 euros for full service!!! Fabulous.


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## teljoy (Jul 4, 2005)

*Re: Advice please on our France Trip*



Chausson said:


> teljoy said:
> 
> 
> > Last year a number of you gave me a lot of advice on our France trip which was very useful. This year we are going via Eurotunnel again on June 1st for just under four weeks. We will be trying to cover the area roughly encircled by Rouen, Caen, Brest, Nantes, Rennes and Le Mans.
> ...


Hi

We are booked on the 10.20 am (good old Tesco vouchers) probably be allowed on earlier. 
We did Rouen to Chartres last year on our way to Souillac and Rocamadour. 
May see you around. We've got the Autosleeper Nuevo with the MHF sticker front and back.

Have a good time.

Terry


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

We stopped at a site in Gourec,central Brittany,it is right next to the Nantes/Brest canal and has miles of easy cycling along the towpath in lovely surroundings.

The site is run by a very helpful English couple who were excellent hosts.

Gouraec

Fairly basic site but has a good shower/toilet block and cost about 10 euro p/n without electric.


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## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

http://www.baiecyclette.com/En/Pistes-Circuits/CarteDecouvertes.php

If you ever get near Le Crotoy these are lovely cycle routes to do, you cans stay in the Aires there and catch the train with your cycles across to the other side and do the circuits there too.

None of them are hard work , just country lanes and wildlife.

We had a lovely time doing them.

Mandy


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## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

I cut and kept this and cannot tell you who put it on here but you may find it useful, we had planned on going last year and trip changed, and the same this year, we will get there one of these days.

Hope it helps, thanks to whoever it was!!

First three-day campsite at Josselin, a really delightful and interesting town with the municipal campsite right on the banks of the canal.
A short ride toward town to pick up the towpath, which is tarmac or good hard gravel for miles.
Great cycling in either direction, and the walk into town takes only 15 minutes either along a grassy path by the canal or a quiet road.

Camping Municipal les Bas de la Lande
Lat = 47.952752
Lon = -2.572936
www.campingbasdelalande.wanadoo.fr
Tel. 02 97 22 22 20

Next stop was at Le Lac de Guerledan at a campsite on the Beau Rivage, and it certainly is "beau"! Lovely pitches - some right at the lake edge.
Large swimming pool with "underwater" observation windows, a sauna, a gym, several microwave ovens, tennis courts, etc.
Not too expensive either for all that, at €20 including leccy.

A lovely walk along the lake edge from the "back gate" of the site leads to the leisure area with swimming beaches, 
motorboat launching, jet skis etc., plus several very nice and surprisingly inexpensive bars, creperies and a small restaurant.

Unfortunately it's not possible to ride by the lakeside in parts as the forest goes right to the water, but the walk is something special. 
There is plenty of riding anyway, and we went to see the hydroelectric plant (unspectacular from below) and had a picnic on the rocks
overlooking the barrage and lake (wonderful views and scenery!)

Camping Nautic International
Lat = 48.206246
Lon = -3.050002
www.campingnautic.fr.st
Tel: 02.96.28.57.94
Fax: 02.96.26.02.00

Then on to Gouarec Municipal site, run by David and Marion Baxter. Lovely people, and again the site is right on the canal. 
Four huge fields with Bornes all along the edges, and only €12 per night including hook-up.

Gouarec is another very nice town, with a Casino supermarket within walking distance of the site and several excellent eateries. 
We had the best pizza outside Italy on David's recommendation, but the proprietor (being typically French!!!) decided not to open for the
evening on our first night . . . not unusual in rural France! So the next day we called in early to ask if he was going to open that evening?
"Non Monsieur - ferme ce soir" so we ate at lunchtime - and it was really good!

The cycling was the best yet. The old monastery of Bon Repos was an interesting visit and there is an very good bar nearby which does an
Omelette Simple for €3.50 for those with large appetites, and an Omelette Complet for €5.50 if you haven't eaten for a week!!

Camping Tost Aven
Lat = 48.226922
Lon = -3.182571
www.brittanycamping.com/pages/site.htm
Tel. 02 96 24 85 42

Last stop was Tregastel, near Perros Guirec on the Pink Granite coast. (Plouman 'ach to be very precise). Lovely campsite right by the bay
and port, with loads of interesting things to do, see, eat and drink!!

There's a cycling/walking route around the bay and a bit of coast which is quite spectacular, and includes a sculpture park which had a
wide range of styles that even caught my interest. There was only one heap of "Turner Prize" boulders, but the rest was well worth a visit 
- and all free.

The Moules a la Creme and Cidre Pression went down a treat (on several occasions) and the local speciality was Moules au Lard.
Moules in a lightly curried sauce with loads of fried Lardons. Very nice, but one of those dishes for occasional enjoyment -
I wouldn't want it too often.

Camping Tourony.
Lat = 48.825534
Lon = -3.491441
http://www.camping-tourony.com/en/index.htm
Tel. 02 96 23 86 61

On the way home we stopped on a lovely free Aire at La Mailleraye sur Seine (Page 269 in "All the Aires") and watched the river traffic
from the bar next door as we sampled his Pression.

It worked very well for us, and I think anyone who enjoys "Softy Cycling" would easily find loads of interest within gentle pedalling distance.

This is already a bit of an epistle so I'll stop here, but can highly recommend this as a holiday basis for like minded members.
:lol:


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## teljoy (Jul 4, 2005)

mandyandandy said:


> I cut and kept this and cannot tell you who put it on here but you may find it useful, we had planned on going last year and trip changed, and the same this year, we will get there one of these days.
> 
> Hope it helps, thanks to whoever it was!!
> 
> ...


Hi
Thanks very much for that epistle. All the stops look ideal. Just the sort of stuff us "soft cyclists" need. They will all go on our itinerary.
Once again much appreciated.

Terry


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## teljoy (Jul 4, 2005)

*Re: France Trip. We are off on Tuesday*

Thanks to all of you who posted hints and tips on here for our trip to France. We are off on Tuesday 1st through the tunnel to Calais returning on the 25th.

The following is our rough itinerary and we will try to visit some of the areas that you have suggested. Our aim is to try some Aires for a couple of nights only at a time using our battery as we do not have solar (yet) and then some nights using municipals.
We like cycling and walking, love canals and riversides. Enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside so hope the itinerary is appropriate.
We would appreciate any comments particularly those such as "don't go there it's far too crowded and noisy"

Here goes;

Calais to Le Crotoy (heard that some sites can be very noisy but must visit this area for the cycling??)

Le Crotoy to Honfleur

Honfleur to Benouville (Pegasus Bridge). (Already did the beaches and Caen)

Benouville to Mont St Michel

Mont St Michel to Gouarec

Gouarec to Josselin

Josselin to Port Louis

Port Louis to Vannes

Vannes to Rennes

Rennes to Le Mans

Le Mans to Rouen or Versailles (depending on time available)

We have copies of your previous posts and camp references but anything additional will be gratefully received.

Terry and Joy


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## teljoy (Jul 4, 2005)

*Re: France Trip. We are off on Tuesday*

Bump


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

Last year we stopped for a couple of nights at the municipal site at Pont de L'Arche, a lovely riverside location not far south of Rouen. We didn't have the bikes with us but we walked east along the river and it seemed fine for cycling. I think there was a nature reserve a little further along. Pont de L'Arche is a nice little town too.


Chris


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: France Trip. We are off on Tuesday*



teljoy said:


> Bump


Hi Terry.
Normandy has many hundreds of old railway tracks now turned into Cycling and pedestrian ways called Voies vert (Green Routes).
In actual fact they are coloured red...???

http://frenchduck.com/latest/archives/2009/06/cycling-the-green-routes-in-france.html

Ray.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

A useful Site Ray thanks- though the updated Events for this year can be found on the main Site:
http://frenchduck.com/latest/events-in-france


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## Levvo001 (Jun 11, 2009)

Great motor sport museum at Le Mans, and the medieval part of the town is well worth a visit.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Levvo001 said:


> Great motor sport museum at Le Mans, and the medieval part of the town is well worth a visit.


One of my personal pleasures is seeing out quaint old restaurants up the cobbled streets leading to the cathedral at Le-Mans.

Ray.


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