# 16 Days in France



## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

Just back from just over two weeks in France (and one day in Bruges  )

Travelled from Calais down to Bourges for the 1st night. Found a pub to watch the opening match of the world cup - it was a bit quiet at the end when Argentina won :wink: 

From there down to Millau - the bridge is something else. A bit disappointing to drive over as you really can't tell how high you are as you can't see over the edge clearly. Still worth a go though, and Millau now has a new aire for about 30 MHs. Nice enough town too. Spent a day going to the Tarn Gorges - absolutely spectacular and will be returning to spend more time there hopefully.

From there we did some of the wonderful picturesque villages - Monesties (good new municpal campsite), Cordes-sur-Ciel, Castelnau-de-Montmiral and ended up having a brilliant night in Puycelci after just asking the locals if they were showing the rugby (they weren't) but ended up having drinks/food with them all night..

Slightly hungover, we travelled to Castres via Lautrec to pick up some of the (apparently!) famous pink garlic. Lautrec pretty enough but a bit quiet. Stayed on a campsite next to the aire in Castres as didn't fancy the aire (just a carpark basically). The campsite was 12 Euros a night including hookup and had a really nice swimming pool which was most welcome on such a hot day. Cycled into the town for the evening and had an even more alcohol-fuelled evening in a bar watching the rugby with the locals. Who said the French aren't friendly?? we found them great. Just embarrassed that we can't speak more French...

Next it was onto Carcassonne - stayed on the great aire at Trebes right by the Canal Du Midi. Well worth staying there, although the cycle ride into Carcassonne was less than pleasant - 5 miles of N-road amongst HGVs and speeding cars. Took a more pleasant route back. Carcassonne itself is stunning but far too busy for my liking but we just found a nice spot for a plat-du-jour and a bottle of wine to while away a couple of hours.

Then Toulouse for a few days. Absolutely nothing in the way of parking or aires in this city. We checked into the Camping Du Rupe (basic but adequate) campsite 5 miles north of the city centre and used the bikes to get into the centre via a ride along the canal paths. Toulouse is a lovely city, loads of bars and restaurants, good atmosphere and about the best place to watch the rugby. Watched the France v Namibia game on a giant screen in Place du Capitol with several thousand others...

After this we started on the homebound leg visiting some other small pretty towns on the way - Prayssac, Puy-L'eveque, Luzech, then onto Domme for the night (aire 5Eur per night). Lovely town. The best (well the prettiest) was St. Cirq Lapopie which was 7 Eur a night for the aire, right by the Lot river. Magnificent.

The last night in this area was spent in La Roque Gageac with it's troglodyte caves and a brief visit to Beynac. The day in Beynac was cut short due to the fact that Sandy's bike (bottom bracket) seized up so couldn't do as much as we'd hoped. It was at this point that I realised that her complaining that the cycling was difficult earlier on in the trip was quite possibly justified if something like that was indeed on its way out.....

Onto Blois for a stopover then instead of staying the last night in Calais we decided to head onto Bruges to stop on the new aire. This seems to be a habit for us as we did it last time too.. Bruges is such a lovely place though it seems a shame not to drive the extra 70 miles to get there.

So, in total about 2400 miles, average 27mpg (best 31mpg) and that's doing 80mph+ on the toll roads. 

A great holiday and would recommend the Midi-Pyrenees to anyone. It's by far the most picturesque part of France I've been to so far.

Griff.


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Thanx for that Griffly,

Always good to read about other peoples holidays. I agree with you about the Midi Pyrenees-we were there for two weeks during the summer holidays and it is a beautiful part of France. We will certainly be returning asap. We found driving over the bridge at Millau slightly disappointing because as you rightly say, its so high and the barriers are also so high that you dont get an impression of just how big it is. Fortunately there are loads of places to stop in the area and admire the bridge from a distance. 

Good luck, Caulkhead


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## Frenchlily (Sep 16, 2005)

I really enjoy reading reports of other peoples holidays,we returned last week after 10 days in the Loire, the weather was fantastic and the holiday brilliant as usual, I am always sad to come home.

You have given me ideas for next year which I am already planning!

Lesley


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## 94639 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Griff

Sounds like you had a great trip, thanks for an interesting report.
What are your opinions of the new aire at Brugge, was it busy and what is the charge per night. I have been told that it is located next to the waterway near to the old aire, is this correct. We are going over to Belgium in a few weeks time and would appreciate any information.


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Hi Griffy,

Very enjoyable. Thanks for taking the time to write it.

We haven't ventured that way yet, but it does give us food for thought.

Jock.


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## eribiste (May 1, 2005)

*Trips Out*

Thanks to griffly16 for that report. it is rather nice to read about other places to go and visit. I've been over the Millau myself, a fantastic structure. Also throught the Gorges du Tarn, some years back before the viaduct was built.

I thought your report was brisk, concise and informative and just the right length

Eribiste


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## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

Hi Bricey

The old Brugge aire is now for daytime only (sorry - forgot to check cost  ). The new aire (for overnighting) is just over the road next to the coach park. Spaces for 35 MHs, but the cost is 15EUR per night (ticket/barrier/paystation system), which includes hookup (not optional). Also costs 50c to empty your toilet/grey water or fill up with fresh, which I thought was excessive on top of the already expensive charge. Also, if like our van the grey water drain valve is under the middle of the van and you can't attach a hose to it you will be unable to drain your grey water. Another (slightly) annoying fact is that the pitches are not level but slightly sloping (for drainage??) so chocks are needed.

If the aire is full then you can still park in the coach park, still get charged 15 EUR but no hookup...... :evil: 

It's still such a great place though and the 15 EUR won't put us off using it occassionally.

One thing that did occur to me though was if you get your ticket, park up and then decide to go out again for an hour or so you will effectively have to pay twice for the same day....

Griff


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## homenaway (Jul 27, 2005)

Hi Griff
enjoyed your report sounds like you had a good time

We passed through several of those places earlier in the year when the weather was a bit naff and plan to go back there another time

We didn't think much of Carcassone although I believe it's impressive in the evening. We made the mistake of following the camping-car parking signs and paid €10 to park via the barrier, not realising we could have parked overnight for the same fee, having stayed at Trebes which we found noisy with trucks on the road across the canal, but a useful free aire. 

We only stayed at Carcassonne Cite for about an hour as going early in the morning the shops were just opening and it was full of delivery vans and refuse wagons  

We liked Cordes sur Ciel though, did you stay at the aire there?

Steve


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## mota-oma (Nov 30, 2005)

Thanks for the information.....sounds like you had a great time.

We keep meaning to head this way as we have friends who moved to
Puycelci a few years ago......we have yet to get there, but are hopeful for next year. Could you tell me what the Tarn / Puycelci area would be like in a 28ft M/H ? Would a lot of places be un-accessible to us ? Any help appreciated.

Many thanks


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## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

Hi moto-oma

Some of the roads have some tight bends but there were coaches at the top of the hill in Puycelci so I wouldn't think you'd have a problem. There is a bigger carpark at the bottom of the hill (about a 10-min walk from the town) which you could park in, and also a place for camping-cars signposted on the left side of the road before the last bend into the town. Not level or marked but that's where we stayed the night.

Tarn gorge roads are narrowish, but are not single-track roads and there are plenty of reasonably large vehicles using it. Just go slowly and watch above you, not just in front - some of those overhangs of rock would do a lot of damage (see pic). Also be wary of the mad buggers driving vans towing all the kayaks - one overtook us, cut us up (obviously didn't see the car in front which is why I was going so slowly) and forced its way in-between. I just backed off and let him get on with it but wouldn't have liked to have met him coming the other way. 

All in all, definitely worth going. We didn't have time to stop overnight unfortunately but there are some great looking campsites right by the bank of the river. 

Griff


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Thanks for your trip report. It was lovely to read an account of the places we have just returned from! South West France is our favourite area and although we have been going for over 20 years there is still so much still to see. We have been to Carcassonne a few times and I now prefer the "new" town as it is a typical southern French town. The municipal campsite in Castre is also very good and at least in the summer you can get a trip into town on the river boat from the park just adjacent to the campsite. It's a great way to see bits of the town not otherwise available to you. 

We looked at the aire in Bruges, but it seemed very busy and for what you got it seems expensive. We now go to the Camping Membling site for just over 20E per day. Yes it's a bit more expensive, but you get full facilities and the bus stop is very close by. Bus every 20 mins and 1.50E a single trip (cheaper if you get a carnet covering 8 or 10? journeys) For what it's worth, it suits us. 

Delighted you enjoyed your trip. 

Sue


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## mota-oma (Nov 30, 2005)

Hi Griff,

Many thanks for the further info. Have printed it out and will take it with us when we go.

Looks fantastic (thanks for including the one of Puycelci), but as you say, we will have to watch for those overhangs....the one in the photo looks quite low, especially as ours is a coachbuilt !!

May you have many more safe and happy travels

Mary


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

griffly16 said:


> ...watch above you, not just in front - some of those overhangs of rock would do a lot of damage


We went a few years back in the Kontiki which wasn't a problem. What do you reckon the clearance is on your middle picture? I'm trying to imagine our RV getting past.

Dougie.


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## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

Can't remember exactly :-( but I would say about 3.5 - 4 metres would be the limit....


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## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

Homenaway - used the aire at Cordes but only for a few hours while we visited the town. Nice enough spot but a bit of a steep walk into the town, which isn't a bad thing as it gets you in practice for all the other medieval villages - get those hiking boots on ;-)


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## griffly16 (Jul 6, 2006)

Just found a photo that shows the height of the overhangs/tunnels.....

Looks like 3.8m is the max (for this bit at least) but don't remember seeing anything lower than this.


Griff


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