France from Calais to Narbonne

[Suda]

Any suggestions please for leisurely route south from Calais to Narbonne. We have been via the free motorway from Claremont Ferrand and Millau Bridge and hoped that some of you might share a few scenic Aires on a different route down to the Mediterranean for a drop of September sunshine. Thankyou

[mel wood]

Suda - 2012-08-10 9:57 PM

 

Any suggestions please for leisurely route south from Calais to Narbonne. We have been via the free motorway from Claremont Ferrand and Millau Bridge and hoped that some of you might share a few scenic Aires on a different route down to the Mediterranean for a drop of September sunshine. Thankyou

 

We don't know your interests, places you may like to visit or how long you wish to take. It is difficult to make suggestions because we all have different ideas as to what isdesirable/enjoyable/good/distance to drive in a day etc.

 

My suggestions would be that you obtain (if you don't already have them):

a large scale atlas of France - eg AA atlas

a guide book to France - eg "Rough Guide"

"All the Aires France" book

"Camperstops" book

ACSI Discount Card and book

Another good campsite guide to France - eg The Caravan Club publication.

 

Then you will be able to spend some time before your trip looking at a possible route with places to visit and possibe overnight (or longer) stops. At that stage you may wish to return to the forum and ask if people have any views on the aires and campsites you have identified. However, as you may already know, what one person thinks is an excellent stopover, someone else may think it is OK whilst someone else may not like it at all! This can also be true regarding campsites.

 

 

 

You will be able to decide what appeals to you. Jan and I find it good to have a rough idea of a route and possible towns/sights/aires/campsites etc then be flexible. For us one of the delights of motorhoming, especially in France, is the opportunity to decide en-route what we are going to do, responding to circumstances, weather and things/places that appeal.

 

Whatever your route, best wishes for an enjoyable trip.

[tonyishuk]

Given you have enough time. I would go Calais - Rouen - Chateaudun - then down the freebie Auto route as far as possible cut across to the freebie Auto route on the otherside of France then across to Narbone.

 

Rgds

 

 

[robertandjean]

Leave Calais on free section of A16, then N1 (now D901 etc) to join free section of A28. Take N29 towards Yvetot and then on to first stop at aire on banks of Seine at La Maleraye-sur-Seine (5€/night).

Second day swing south of Rouen in direction of Dreux to stop at aire at Brezolles set in old walled garden (free overnight and services).

Third day head past Chartres joining N154 then N20 towards Orleans. Turn off Orleans ring road onto N152 Blois road for short drive to aire at La Chapelle St Mesmin. This aire, an old camp site, makes a nice stop for a couple of days with opportunity to visit Orleans by bus. Cost for two nights is 9€ including hook-up. Not sure if in "All The Aires" but is well signed in town and details are on Camping-car infos web site.

After a two day stop then alonger run is in order! Re-join N20, then onto free section of A20 as far as aire in small village of Sadroc, just north of Brive. This is a nice little aire behind school and village shop(free overnight including hook-up). If this is too far then break journey at Bessines-sur-Gartempe. This is a car park aire but nice enough, right in centre; again free included hook-up.

From Sadroc we then continue on A20/N20 to Toulouse to join N113 to spend a couple of days in Carcassonne. In past have stayed on aire here but this now moved so not sure what new aire is like.

From here on to Narbonne

Hope this helps.

[mondo]

robertandjean - 2012-08-12 9:50 PM

 

Leave Calais on free section of A16, then N1 (now D901 etc) to join free section of A28. Take N29 towards Yvetot and then on to first stop at aire on banks of Seine at La Maleraye-sur-Seine (5€/night).

Second day swing south of Rouen in direction of Dreux to stop at aire at Brezolles set in old walled garden (free overnight and services).

Third day head past Chartres joining N154 then N20 towards Orleans. Turn off Orleans ring road onto N152 Blois road for short drive to aire at La Chapelle St Mesmin. This aire, an old camp site, makes a nice stop for a couple of days with opportunity to visit Orleans by bus. Cost for two nights is 9€ including hook-up. Not sure if in "All The Aires" but is well signed in town and details are on Camping-car infos web site.

After a two day stop then alonger run is in order! Re-join N20, then onto free section of A20 as far as aire in small village of Sadroc, just north of Brive. This is a nice little aire behind school and village shop(free overnight including hook-up). If this is too far then break journey at Bessines-sur-Gartempe. This is a car park aire but nice enough, right in centre; again free included hook-up.

From Sadroc we then continue on A20/N20 to Toulouse to join N113 to spend a couple of days in Carcassonne. In past have stayed on aire here but this now moved so not sure what new aire is like.

From here on to Narbonne

Hope this helps.

 

This is the route..well more or less that we took when we went down to Spain a couple of years ago..some nice scenery on the way..I think on our second night we used the aire at Mery ser Cher near Vierzon..and on day 3 we used the aire at Alessac...still it's your call..get a large scale map of France and work out a route as has been suggested by Mel..