Stop Off Point In France

Pross

I've just booked a camping trip in Domme on the Dordogne in August. The intention was to drive down from Dover on the Saturday with possibly a one night stopover but we couldn't book into the camp site until the following Tuesday so we can either have a shorter trip following the original plan or have three nights somewhere en route. Can anyone suggest a suitable place to stop for a family of 3 (14 year old daughter)? I'd considered Brittany or Normandy but it would be a bit of a detour, Limoges but that's a bit close to the final destination and Bourges but unsure if there's enough to occupy us for three days.

webboo

Poitiers as far as I remember is worth a visit, part of the very old English empire.

narbs

We stayed in Chartres on the way back last year, similar journey. Lovely city, good family friendly restaurants.

If you're looping east Reims is a good bet.

DeVlaeminck

Near the Puy du Fou theme park? It's not a uk thrill rides type theme park you watch little plays - hard to explain but you could easily spend 2 days there - you can barely rush round everything in one - and we thought it was really good and our youngest were 14 I think.

When I say little plays I'm probably under selling it a bit! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tddUjg6DlTU

surrey_commuter

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Near the Puy du Fou theme park? It's not a uk thrill rides type theme park you watch little plays - hard to explain but you could easily spend 2 days there - you can barely rush round everything in one - and we thought it was really good and our youngest were 14 I think.

When I say little plays I'm probably under selling it a bit! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tddUjg6DlTU

Paris?

rick_chasey

Tours is lovely for a day or two.

briantrumpet

A friend has stopped overnight in Troyes a couple of times, and says it's amazing - lots of half-timbered houses.

ugo.santalucia

Somwhere in the Loire valley... Saumur to name one... plenty of fairy tale castles to visit

PS: Tours is not that lovely and Troyes isn't either

rick_chasey

Ha ok

Frank Wilson

Please remember if driving through Paris (and a couple of other French cities) you will need to display the new Emission Sticker or face a fine.

Pross

Thanks everyone, somewhere in the Loire is looking favourite. I would have gone to Paris but we had a few days there last year and my daughter is going there next week.

briantrumpet

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Somwhere in the Loire valley... Saumur to name one... plenty of fairy tale castles to visit

PS: Tours is not that lovely and Troyes isn't either

I must admit that, other than the dish of rabbit I ate in Tours, I wasn't overly impressed. And thanks for the info on Troyes - maybe it's just a small part that impressed my friend.

Pross

I managed to book a room in a chateau near Saumur at a good price in the end. Should be a nice surprise for the wife and daughter.

ugo.santalucia

Pross wrote:

I managed to book a room in a chateau near Saumur at a good price in the end. Should be a nice surprise for the wife and daughter.

Gonna be very nice... the various wine producers caves are worth a visit, as well as stocking up on wine, if you can keep it cool for the rest of the journey. I find Ackerman's bubbly as good as Champagne and at 6 Euro a bottle is a total bargain.

Among the castles, Villadry is my favourite for the gardens, but if you have kids, you have to go to Usse ... sleeping beauty and all of that

davesnothere

Frank Wilson wrote:

Please remember if driving through Paris (and a couple of other French cities) you will need to display the new Emission Sticker or face a fine.

Does this apply if you are just skirting round the peripherique at 1 in the morning? My usual route south takes me that way

Frank Wilson

DavesNotHere wrote:

Frank Wilson wrote:

Please remember if driving through Paris (and a couple of other French cities) you will need to display the new Emission Sticker or face a fine.

Does this apply if you are just skirting round the peripherique at 1 in the morning? My usual route south takes me that way

The best time to drive the dreaded P Dave!

Not sure how far out of town it goes, info here

https://www.autovolo.co.uk/latest-news/ ... 7QodCVgPvg

Appears to be only during certain hours so you should be fine

http://urbanaccessregulations.eu/countr ... ance/paris

davesnothere

Thanks

mamba80

We ve stopped of in the vendee enroute back from Pyrenees right now ! great food beaches etc but where you ve booked is great too.

tlw1

Good choice in destination

We are there as soon as the rugrats finish school

Mikey23

Another vote for Saumur. Cycled along the Loire from Nantes a couple of years ago and had a fabulous week there. Lovely town, good restaurants and plenty to do and see

mercia_man

DavesNotHere wrote:

Frank Wilson wrote:

Please remember if driving through Paris (and a couple of other French cities) you will need to display the new Emission Sticker or face a fine.

Does this apply if you are just skirting round the peripherique at 1 in the morning? My usual route south takes me that way[/quote

I've got one of those windscreen stickers for my camper van stating what emissions class it is in. You obtain them online for a small fee via https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/

You are fine to use the Paris peripherique at any time without one. But if you venture inside the outer ring you can be fined if you don't have one. Lyon also has the same clean air rules in the city itself but you are OK to use the A6 motorway route through the city alongside the Rhone. The problem city is Grenoble where you must display the sticker even on the motorway through routes A51/48/41.

More French cities are due to introduce the same rules. I felt it was worthwhile to obtain the Crit'air vignette as I drive in France a fair bit and often go home via Grenoble.

Pross

The Tour literally went passed the entrance to my campsite yesterday. Why can't they change the dates to be in the school holidays?

tlw1

Pross wrote:

The Tour literally went passed the entrance to my campsite yesterday. Why can't they change the dates to be in the school holidays?

Yep

eric_draven

Pross wrote:

The Tour literally went passed the entrance to my campsite yesterday. Why can't they change the dates to be in the school holidays?

I don't have kids,but the company I work for has a shut down in the first 2 weeks of August,I tend to think the same would defo go more to see it in different areas of France and not just the alps

narbs

We're off at the end of August, just north of La Rochelle. Opening two weekends of the Top14 so was planning a trip to watch the rugby - slight problem being Stade R are away for their first two games.....

secretsam

Loire valley, Lot, round there. Rocamadour is fun, bit touristy. Sarlat nice.