ekka Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 We love the Motor-home way of life that was a revelation to us going to France for the first time just a couple of years ago, their system of Aires was like finding gold. We have enjoyed Normandy for the obvious reasons, dabbled a little in Brittany, done most of the Loire. Looking forward to this coming trip where would some of you well travelled folk recommend from experience for a trip covering say 6/8 weeks. Looking for country areas, open skys, and a more varied landscape to that we have experienced so far. All tips gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Tarn Gorge, Rocamadour..............providing you dont mind heights :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 France has lots of interesting areas being so vast...the south for better weather, Alps and lakes for scenery. The west coast and south coast for beach life and Mediterranean magic. Then there is the Dordougne, Bordeaux and Alsace regions all have there charm and worth a visit, the choices endless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 The area around Avignon, a must to see would be Pont Du Gard an awesome achievement of Roman construction. Then down to the Pyrenees with a look around Carcassonne. Then if you are feeling really brave, over into Andorra. After you have left the French side, knock the van out of stick hoping the barriers are up on the Spanish side it should get you to Gib without fueling up :-D (all downhill)Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I have the new Aires book on order and we will be across for the same time in June/July so may get a few tips from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 many thanks to all of you so far, we have to date arrived at Calais then just turned right with no particular place in mind, so I'm sure these replies will help me as well as other newbies to the vastness of France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Ditto Carcassone :-D The Aire has moved to the top of the hill, but you can still walk to walled city in less than 10 mins.......................its on our revisit list :-D Picture of Aire attached, and as you can see its huge :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Thanks Pelmetman, has anyone had experience of Bastille day when I believe there are some fantastic celebrations there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 nowtelse2do - 2011-01-30 4:16 PMThe area around Avignon, a must to see would be Pont Du Gard an awesome achievement of Roman construction. Then down to the Pyrenees with a look around Carcassonne. Then if you are feeling really brave, over into Andorra. After you have left the French side, knock the van out of stick hoping the barriers are up on the Spanish side it should get you to Gib without fueling up :-D (all downhill)DaveSounds fantastic, many thanks. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickt Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Try the aire at DUILHAC SOUS PEYREPERTUSE in the Pyrenees. All services free , great location , fantastic old village with a couple of rustic type bars. Not far from Carcasonne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarian Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Hi ekka, All the following can be found on Google, with directions. Rocamadour is a town built into a cliff with spectacular views. There is an Aire with fresh and waste water disposal at Alvignac not far away. Lourdes, has a very large Aire (with a toilet block) within walking distance of the Castle and Cathedral. Mont St-Michel, a huge Cathedral & Town in Northern France. Can't recall the year we went but we paid 8 euros for a 24 hour parking ticket, no facilities (then) but overnight M/H parking included in the ticket price. Oradour-sur-Glane, is the spookiest place I have ever visited. On 10 June 1944 German Soldiers surrounded the village and killed the entire population, all but 2 escaped, all the buildings were burned. The village has been left as it was that day with cars rusting in the street. A terrible tragedy for France. When we went there was not a bird in the sky and so quiet. There is a fee but that is for maintenance of the site. Cannot recall the name but as you leave there is a sign for an Aire de Repose, we followed the signs for about 2 miles and found the Aire with toilets available, about 8 spaces, no charge. Hope this is of some use, have a great trip. barbarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Barbarian - 2011-01-30 6:06 PM Oradour-sur-Glane, is the spookiest place I have ever visited. On 10 June 1944 German Soldiers surrounded the village and killed the entire population, all but 2 escaped, all the buildings were burned. The village has been left as it was that day with cars rusting in the street. A terrible tragedy for France. When we went there was not a bird in the sky and so quiet. There is a fee but that is for maintenance of the site. Cannot recall the name but as you leave there is a sign for an Aire de Repose, we followed the signs for about 2 miles and found the Aire with toilets available, about 8 spaces, no charge. barbarian The Aire for Oradour is in the town itself, about 20 mins walk from the ruins. It can take 27 vans in marked spaces, with room for more in unmarked areas. There is no charge for using the Aire and it includes toilets and a cold water veg prep area. There is a borne with dumping falilities and for €1 you can get about 80 litres of water. For more details see: http://www.oradour.info/images/aire/aire1.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 We walked around Oradour with lumps in our throats, mum was in tears at the Cenotaph (Memorial place). It's hard to believe the atrocities that man can inflict on fellow humans but to murder the women and children in that church and in that way is one of the hardest things to comprehend. It is still conceivable that some of those barbarians who did it are still alive to-day. I wonder if they ever got their consciences back.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Again thanks so much for all the replies to date, they are all being printed off as a blueprint. We had told about Oradour, but was unable to get there on our last trip. We like so many I guess, were moved to tears on visiting some of the war graves in Normandy, a place that I think every politician should be sent to on at least an annual basis to see and be reminded of the carnage and dreadful loss of life war brings. Row upon row of boys for the most part barely out of school. Despite reading about and watching newsreel footage and the like, of the world wars, nothing can prepare you for the sight of those headstones, row upon row of them. And this senseless loss of life, and people being terribly maimed for life goes on as we speak, sheer madness. As to your final comment I'm sure they are but a conscience must have been completely absent, I would have sooner put a gun to my own head. I vividly remember seeing someone being interviewed about his take on children being massacred, his rationale was it was because if left they would have become adults so that in itself justified it in his eyes. Examples of man's inhumanity are all around us, I've got a few questions for that God bloke when I ( hopefully) see him at some future point. I've just re-read my original post regarding Normandy, on reflection "enjoyed" was really inappropriate to the sights we saw, I guess "educated" and "saddened" would be more fitting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cattwg Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Before every trip I do my homework and put together a suggested itinerary. I've sent you a PM of our 2009 Autumn trip to France. We did it over a period of 7 weeks. Hope it helps. Cattwg :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Very many thanks Cattwg I look forward to reading it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Nearly everywhere in France is Motorhome heaven another one to add to the growing list above is the Massif Central, lovely walking a bit steep for bikes food was the best value we have had in France. Did 3 weeks there last year looking at going back this year hopefully for 4 weeks. Some photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/lennyhb/FranceSept2010# Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 It frustrates and annoys having been to France for the first time as I said just a couple of years ago why the UK is so Motor-home unfriendly. It is a 700 mile round trip for us to Dover, with the nightmare of M4, M25, and the like. But if it was double that I would still go. I would urge anyone who like me is sitting on the fence and left it till I was 63 not to waste another second to go. On our first trip I was so full of trepidation that at Dover I nearly bottled out of driving on to the ferry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterandlinda Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 We spent 6 weeks in Eastern France in Alsace and the Jura in August and September last year and were very impressed as it was lovely scenery and not too busy. However our best recommendation for open skies and more varied landscape would be the Baltic coast of Germany especially in May/June. Lots of good stellplatz everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterandlinda Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 We spent 6 weeks in Eastern France in Alsace and the Jura in August and September last year and were very impressed as it was lovely scenery and not too busy. However our best recommendation for open skies and more varied landscape would be the Baltic coast of Germany especially in May/June. Lots of good stellplatz everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekka Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Perhaps I need to rethink from 6/8 weeks to 6/8 months, if only, thanks PeterandLinda, Germany as well, mmmmmmm interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmaggott Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 We're going at the end of april for 6 weeks, can't wait. Just going to spend a couple of weeks meandering down to the south coast, couple of weeks on a site near the beach and then a couple of weeks to get back up for the train. We only do a very, very, vague plan (as you can see) and then feel free to ask others and see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheer lunar-see Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Why not try, the isle de re, st cirque le popie, milau, orange, st flour, avignon and honfluer. Just afew of our favourite places. But it doesnt matter where you go in France, you will always find something interesting around the next bend in the road, so just keep ur eyes open. Happy hunting. Nige & Dee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryW Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 ekka - 2011-01-30 4:36 PMThanks Pelmetman, has anyone had experience of Bastille day when I believe there are some fantastic celebrations there. YES! nearly ran out of diesel traveling across France as every garage was shut!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopesy Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 We really like the Dordogne especially around around Sarlat but last year we stumbled into western Provence and stayed at vaison La Romaine. Beautiful scenery and interesting history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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