# What's your favourite French location?



## Hezbez

Been to France twice with the van so far and loved it.
starting to think about where to go next year - 

What's your most favourite place in France to go with the van and why?

Thanks


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## autostratus

Hezbez said:


> Been to France twice with the van so far and loved it.
> starting to think about where to go next year -
> 
> What's your most favourite place in France to go with the van and why?
> 
> Thanks


Sorry but it's impossible to narrow it down to one in our case.


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## Hezbez

autostratus said:


> Sorry but it's impossible to narrow it down to one in our case.


Give me your top three then!


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## Codfinger

*france favorite*

I was just thinking the same thing, there is so much wild space in France and whats more so varied from beautiful countryside, mountains and down to the hot Med, what sort of thing do you like?


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## Grizzly

Every time I think of one I go on to think of 20 others....

Impossible question ! We've been tenting, caravanning, hotelling, living and motorhoming in France since before we were married and still it amazes and delights us.

If pressed , I love the south; not the flesh pots but little towns like Arles, Nimes, Aix en Provence and the light, sunshine, colour, pace of life .....

G


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## philsil

Things I like:-
cracking views
proximity to the sea
mountain walks
cycling
wine
hot weather
nice people
great foreign cheese (English cheese is biggest and best)
near to San Sebastian's food
good site with no frills but clean


and the winner is:-

St Etienne de Baigorry


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## wakk44

We are relative novices after only one trip this year but the highlight for us was

http://www.camping-tourony.com/

a superb municipal site in Northern Brittany on the pink granite coast.

Can't wait to go back next year-this time for longer


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## geraldandannie

Just tour around. We had some great times in the hills and by water recently.

Gerald


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## Gazzer

Nice pictures but where were they taken Gerald?


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## geraldandannie

Gazzer said:


> Nice pictures but where were they taken Gerald?


  Sorry - added descriptions now

Gerald


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## Jented

Hi.
Gein? and the Orleans forest,Parc Natura,camping ,near Argeles Gazost,and the ....thirds,are to many to mention,love it all.
Jented


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## peedee

Gazzer said:


> Nice pictures but where were they taken Gerald?


Got to agree, great pics. I'm not a great lover of France, there are better places. When thinking about where to go next it is not the first place which springs to mind but I do remember Annecy with affection. I guess it all depends on what your tastes are!

peedee


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## teemyob

*Cavaliere*

Cavaliere

Aire at beach, 100 feet from Med.

TM


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## autostratus

Grizzly said:


> ...If pressed , I love the south; not the flesh pots but little towns like Arles, Nimes, Aix en Provence and the light, sunshine, colour, pace of life .....
> 
> G


Pressed for three areas I would add to Grizzly's with Alsace and the Vosges with my third being probably the northern and eastern part of the Dordogne.

Having said that I'm struggling to prevent Burgundy with the neighbouring departments of Doubs and Jura pushing one of the chosen three out.

Can I nominate four please?  
Never mind, in no time I'll want to be increasing that to ten or so. :roll:


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## loddy

My top three

Calais waiting for ferry
border into Spain
Annecy


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## greenasthegrass

Been three times so liked La Rochelle, Loire Valley and then Charleville Mezzieres think its spelt like that but then next year we are going to Paris so that will probably go on list.

Fave for film view was Dinant but that's in Belgium sorry that is cheating.

Greenie :lol:


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## rolla

loddy you miserable bugger you!


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## rugbyken

anywhere discovered with the word's "let's stop here for lunch" ,
its the unexpected little gem's you find [however you find them] that really please me places, that are well worth a day but wouldn't make it on a list of must visit ,
i suppose that is really what a m/home does so well and why it is so popular over there!!


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## tonyt

rugbyken said:


> ......................
> its the unexpected little gem's you find [however you find them] that really please me places..............................


............ and one of the best ways of finding them is to set your sat nav to "shortest route" - you'll be taken to places you would never have ventured to - some you may regret but most are memorable


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## rupert1

Blimey Grizzly, Nimes, place is a nightmare worse traffic than the M25 on a bad day. Hard to pick three best but we have returned to Tarn Gorge, great place for lazing around, walking, wandering around the small villages. Garvinie and surrounding area, Verdon gorge and surrounding area.


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## mygalnme

We have been going to France for 20yrs+, but didn,t start to really see the best parts until we got the MH then came across places by accident or on the way to... and that is the beauty of having one. Couldn't possibly pick a favourite but love the Loire,Provence and Vendee areas. My hubby sits for hours planning routes but we never get to stick to them :lol: best paln just go and enjoy..
Happy motoring ,Margaret  
ps our Avatar pic was on the back of the ferry going across to st.Tropez this year when we did the south for a change.


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## teemyob

*Doing France*



mygalnme said:


> We have been going to France for 20yrs+, but didn,t start to really see the best parts until we got the MH then came across places by accident or on the way to... and that is the beauty of having one. Couldn't possibly pick a favourite but love the Loire,Provence and Vendee areas. My hubby sits for hours planning routes but we never get to stick to them :lol: best paln just go and enjoy..
> Happy motoring ,Margaret
> ps our Avatar pic was on the back of the ferry going across to st.Tropez this year when we did the south for a change.


"ps our Avatar pic was on the back of the ferry going across to st.Tropez this year when we did the south for a change"

OMG! What did you do to it!?

TM


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## Gazzer

peedee said:


> Gazzer said:
> 
> 
> 
> Nice pictures but where were they taken Gerald?
> 
> 
> 
> Got to agree, great pics. I'm not a great lover of France, there are better places. When thinking about where to go next it is not the first place which springs to mind but I do remember Annecy with affection. I guess it all depends on what your tastes are!
> 
> peedee
Click to expand...

Come on then peedee don't tease us where are these better places? :wink:


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## mygalnme

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: TM that would be telling


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## loddy

rolla said:


> loddy you miserable bugger you!


I'll take that as a compliment 

Loddy


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## Bob45

*Best place in France*

One of the best things about France is that there are so many places that are lovely to be in at any particular time.

I like Paris as a large capital city with so much to see.

I like Brittany for its variety and interesting coves and beaches.

Our favourite currently is an area south of Avignon call the Alpilles and Maussane les Alipilles in particular. Great municipal campsite on the edge of town with abundant restaurants in town. Good walking country, great olive oil etc.

..and then there is the food.....

Bob


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## peedee

Gazzer said:


> peedee said:
> 
> 
> 
> Come on then peedee don't tease us where are these better places? :wink:
> 
> 
> 
> Well, in no particular order, I would put Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Croatia all in front of France. There are places in these countries which for me are far more memorable than those in France.
> 
> Ooops....nearly forgot Norway, fabulous but the getting there is the problem.
> 
> peedee
Click to expand...


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## Sprinta

loddy said:


> My top three
> 
> Calais waiting for ferry
> border into Spain
> Annecy


I'll add these

border to Belgium
border to Switzerland :lol: 
border to Germany :lol:

I've had enough bad experiences of France to wish there was a shortcut that bypasses France totally and allow me to get to a sensible civilised part of Europe. :evil:


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## arturusuk

*your favourite French location?*

You have asked one helluva question!Many answers have been written about places to go.
I've got my favourite places--and I return to them more often than I should but I could not categorise them as they are beautiful in their own way and often it is the memories that they hold.
Cross the channel and go where your fancy takes you.
You will find gems within a few miles or a few hundred miles.
These gems will be yours--not garnered second-hand.
When you find a gem be it an aire,campsite,restauant or what have you it will be a personal discovery---it will be yours.
Just think --discovering all there is on your own--serendipity--without being directed, 
Switch off your satnav and drive where the fancy takes you.
BrianM


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## barryd

Its a hard one this but my favourites are probably

The Rhone Alps 
Pyrenees (the big high bits)
Brittany
Dordogne / Lot / Tarn

There are loads of places though that you just sometimes come across that are great when you least expect it.
I love the spectacular mountains and I really enjoyed the solitude and peacefulness we found in the Pyrenees in April this year but equally last summer we enjoyed the party atomosphere around the Lake at Annecy on Bastile Day 14th July.
Brittany is just lovely, pretty much all of it and it just feels like it belongs to Motorhomes.
Love the Dordogne and Lot valleys and of course the Tarn and that area. Could spend months in that area and probably will sometime.

Anyway. Ive been to all the places on Gerald pics but his are much better than mine!

Quiberon, Brittany. Sunset behind the van on the Aire










Annecy (Rhone Alps area, might keep Loddy happy. It was him that told me to go there)










Gavarnie, High up in the Pyrenees



















Rocamadour, Lot / Dordogne. Photo doesn't do it justice.










PS Gerald. Cahors Market was one of the best I have been to. We spent a fortune and I had to be dragged away. Lurverly!


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## Hezbez

Thanks for all the suggestions - it's becoming quite clear that it's impossible to whittle the favourite places down to just a few!

The posts which include photos are just fab - a picture really does paint a thousand words.

Keep em coming!


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## anjasola

The bit just south of Paris and north of Nice.


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## CaGreg

Annecy has already been mentioned and with good reason. We voted it our favourite place this year. 

We love Ile d'Oleron but it has been out of season both times we were there and it was lovely and quiet, I know it gets crazy during the summer.

We are planning to spend the month in Brittany next year unless the weather is really bad.


Ca


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## CatherineandSteve

Hezbez said:


> What's your most favourite place in France to go with the van and why?
> 
> Thanks


Hi Morag,

That,s easy the port of Roscoff, we have arrived.......... :wink: :lol: :lol:

Cheers Steve.............Juicy... :wink:

Regards to Andy.


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## rosalan

Not just three places for me, perhaps three areas.
Almost anywhere on the Massif Central, The Gorge de Tarne or the coast of Biscay and.... sorry! Just like all of the others there are too many to think about. This year we travelled from Aire to Aire (the free ones) and saw the most wonderful cities and sea views with no real planning at all. The French Aires are well worth the effort and when you find an area you like best, find a camp-site and do your own thing.
Alan


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## tikki

Such a hard question!

1st choice would have to be Corsica - such a long drive but visited 3 consecutive years now.
Particularly Porto Pollo and St Florent.

2nd choice would be Banyuls close to the Spanish border on the med. coast.

3rd choice - hmm - anywhere really! - wish we were there now


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## Hobbyfan

In order of desirability:

The Dordogne Valley.

The Tarn Gorges.

West Brittany.

Cathar Country.

The Alps.

The Ardeche Gorge.

The Luberon.

Gorges du Verdon.

You may guess that I love the limestone gorges - magnificent!


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## greenasthegrass

Ha! are you stuck between a rock and a hard place hobbything?

Everytime we go we like that place.

Greenie :lol:


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## p-c

*Re: your favourite French location?*



arturusuk said:


> You have asked one helluva question!Many answers have been written about places to go.
> I've got my favourite places--and I return to them more often than I should but I could not categorise them as they are beautiful in their own way and often it is the memories that they hold.
> Cross the channel and go where your fancy takes you.
> You will find gems within a few miles or a few hundred miles.
> These gems will be yours--not garnered second-hand.
> When you find a gem be it an aire,campsite,restauant or what have you it will be a personal discovery---it will be yours.
> Just think --discovering all there is on your own--serendipity--without being directed,
> Switch off your satnav and drive where the fancy takes you.
> BrianM


Beautifully put, I could not agree more. This has to be the great advantage of our "pastime". Wander and enjoy. Make the most of the time you have. Relax, there is always, we hope, next year to go to the planned bit you missed. Remember to stop and enjoy an area you find and like, rushing on to see more is not always the best.
Happy holidays
p-c


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## Hobbyfan

greenasthegrass said:


> Ha! are you stuck between a rock and a hard place hobbything? Every time we go we like that place.
> Greenie :lol:


Stuck between a rock and a wet place normally. Canoeing the Ardeche gorge with my daughter! I've canoed or rafted them all!


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## geraldandannie

barryd said:


> Ive been to all the places on Gerald pics but his are much better than mine!


Thank you. I just have a good camera.



barryd said:


> PS Gerald. Cahors Market was one of the best I have been to. We spent a fortune and I had to be dragged away. Lurverly!


We saw few markets on our Oct/Nov trip, and those that coincided with our our visit were quite poor. But Cahors was a very good one, and we came away with lots of stuff.

Rocamador - I've got a photo too!

Gerald


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## tonyt

It's that time of year again for some of us - this year's travel mostly done - time to make some decisions for next year and the usual question - where to go - so I thought I'd bump this thread to get those juices going.

Every year I plan my French trip and get as far as Dunkerque before throwing it away and just bimbling for a few weeks.

2012 will be different! I'm going to pick a destination and stick to it


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## DTPCHEMICALS

Anywhere south of Calais.

Dave p


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## Bob45

*Another favourite place in France*

This year we spent some time in the Lot Region just north of Cahors. Beautiful area high up in the hill, so peaceful and great weather.
Then on the way back we stayed just outside Limoges, Bourges and Chauvigny, exploring each one using public transport if needed. Well recommended.
Bob45


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## GEMMY

The Rhone/High Alps are our favourit areas.  

tony


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## barryd

If anyone is interested in reading the rantings of an idiot in a Kontiki my blog for this years trip is now finished and most of it is all about France at www.hankthetank.co.uk then Blog and Summer 2011. France starts about a third of the way down or so.

five months and we landed back in Blighty a couple of weeks ago but never made it home yet.

Some suprises for us were the Averyon region which is splendid and even in mid to late August we found superb Aires that were still quiet.

One suprise on the way home and something to consider as an alternitive to Calais - Dover was the Cherbourg Peninsula especially around Barfleur area. If your into Wild camping near beaches this is the place to go. Superb.

Verdon Gorges and Lac St Croix by far the most fun


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## SomersetSteve

barryd said:


> One suprise on the way home and something to consider as an alternitive to Calais - Dover was the Cherbourg Peninsula especially around Barfleur area. If your into Wild camping near beaches this is the place to go. Superb.


Now that's something I hadn't thought of - still getting used to the freedom of a MH against a caravan.

As for my favourites, I could pick 3 from Normandy, 3 from Brittany, 3 from the Loire Valley, 3 from Charante Maritime before starting on the places we haven't got to yet but want to.

Real favourite? That little restaurant you've just found perhaps?


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## Scattycat

The best place in France?

That's easy. 

It's a little village about 11km from Mayenne.

Why?

'cause it's where we've lived for the past 9 years 

:lol:


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## barryd

Our next trip which may well be permanent will see us go much further afield. My worry however is I will find myself I'm France on the first day, there will be a Market where I will stock up on my favourite French cheese and bread, there will be an intermarche selling a case of leffe for peanuts and there will be a fantastic free aire so it might take a while getting to those far flung places.

It's just two weeks since we left and despite the rugged cliffs and beauty of Flamborough head where we have been parked for the last twelve days I just want to go back.

Such happy memories are priceless. What a place.


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## ThursdaysChild

Don't go looking for places.
Just drive, and they'll find you.
One after another, after another,after another.................


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## tonyt

barryd said:


> Our next trip which may well be permanent will see us go much further afield. My worry however is I will find myself I'm France on the first day, there will be a Market where I will stock up on my favourite French cheese and bread, there will be an intermarche selling a case of leffe for peanuts and there will be a fantastic free aire so it might take a while getting to those far flung places.
> 
> It's just two weeks since we left and despite the rugged cliffs and beauty of Flamborough head where we have been parked for the last twelve days I just want to go back.
> 
> Such happy memories are priceless. What a place.


If you keep going on like this you'll find that next year all those quiet secluded aires you found with be filled with MHFers!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


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## teemyob

*France*

Cavaliere

Not to be confused with Cavalaire-sur-Mer a little further along the coast.

TM


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## bellabee

Cavaliere looks lovely. Is it absolutely packed out in July/August?


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## feeblecat

*Favourite in France*

It is very difficult to narrow down but if pressed I would say the Tarn Gorge area and the Pyrenees.

However, sometimes a wild card gets thrown in! Example: A few yesrs ago we stopped for an overnigjt in the Cap D'Age region (didnt know where we were till later, just needed a stop). Hated, hated, hated it. Busy, brash, comercialised, everything I hate in a place. A couple of years later we stopped for an overnight en-route from the Pyrenees to the Ardeche. A place called Villeneuve des Beziers. Just beside the end of the canal du midi, town had a jazz festival going on, near a lovely dog-friendly beach. Loved the whole ambience of the place and ended up staying a couple of nights. I intend going back and spending a bit more time there a la Rick Stein. It was less than a 10 minute drive from the place I hated so much a couple of years earlier but worlds apart!


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## steco1958

The favorite French location, Cite Europe, I then know I have the whole of France and beyond to explore.


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## ThursdaysChild

Couldn't agree with you more, Feeblecat.
We had the misfortune of a couple of nights at Frontignan.
It was dire .


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## chubs

Beaulieu sur Dordogne stunning. Site on the banks of the river. Plus the rest of France.


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## teemyob

*july*



bellabee said:


> Cavaliere looks lovely. Is it absolutely packed out in July/August?


From around 10th July to around 14th of August, yes.

The Motorhome Aire is 50m From the Beach. Some pitches with sea views.

Just keep an eye on the webcam.

TM


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## MrWez

We love France, we first toured Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley on our honeymoon 22 years ago in my then new Peugeot 205 staying at chain hotels!

We keep going back - our favourite areas Brittany (Cotes D-Armor and Finnisterre being particular favourites for the rugged coastlines and the sandy beaches), the Vendee around Les Sables D'Olonnne (so many wide beaches) and the Loire Valley.

Our teenage kids insist on being by the seaside hence the many return trips to Brittany and the Vendee.

I've already planned next years trip - we're going to Brittany (Cotes D-Armor and Carnac - although I'd prefer the Golfe Du Morbihan) and a couple of places in Normandy - unfortunately the teenagers don't like touring too much but they do like holidays in France so there's always a compromise to be had.

On the wish list Golfe Du morbihan, more Loire Valley, the Dordogne, Tarn Valley and so much more.

Looking forward to the days when we can take the ferry down to Bilbao and bimble up through France doing the France passion thing, staying at aires and taking in the culture.

For each naysayer there's plenty of positive experiences.

MrWez


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## rugbyken

it can be not only where but when,we've just returned after 3 week's over there much later than we normally go for family reason's,left our friend's lesanne near lucon with no plan's maybe barcelona or biarritz , we have a plastized map and for a few years have been marking off routes we have travelled , of course the areas around our friend's house are plastered so we went due west to an area of unmarked map and found ourselves in "the perigord" a national park, think a large scale new forest, the combination of this in autumn splendour was stunning and we never made it to either of our planned region's, but the forty shades of green and twenty tint's of brown were magnificent , we dipped down to the top of the dordogne and over to conques, got above the cloud's on a couple of occasion's and sat outside for breakfast in november, roll on the day's when we can keep on going.


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