LordThornber Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 We'd very much welcome any comments about our loose plans for next year. We usually go to France in May then for another longer stay in Jul/ Aug, this is largely due to Lady T's work commitments. We're planning to go in June then again in mid September. In September for a stay in the Loire and or Dordogne and then down to Spain for a Bilbao sail home. I'm aware the French sites (we're municipal fans) will be drying up by then, but have no idea about anywhere in Spain in terms of how busy and or weather. We won't want to be doing hundreds of miles from France into Spain so is it worth our while? We're not ruling out our 'usual ' format. Any helpful responses welcome, the insults can wait until later :D Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 Found a nice little municipal in the Loire region last September. It was in the village of Drain, south west of Ancenis but can't recall the closing date. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 The Loire valley in September is generally very pleasant Martyn, warm but not too hot and with diminishing crowds it is a bit easier to get around with most, but not all, attractions seemingly open until at least mid Sept. and towards the end of Sept when many things seem to shut down for the winter. However many French camping carists also understandably seem to love the Loire valley and whilst I don't know anything about sites the Aires in busy places can be - er - busy whilst off the beaten track they are often very quiet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 We spent a few days in the Loire in September this year, everything still open fairly busy but not overcrowded never had any problems finding space on Aires. For the few days we were there temperature was between 28 to 31 deg. Similar temperature when we traveled through the Dordogne a few days later, but it was a lot busies there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 We've used the municipal site at Chateaudun in May and September for the past couple of years and the weather has been mostly lovely. Riverside location, nice walks but a drive to the Town or supermarkets unless you are athletic. Inexpensive too, less that €10 pn inc 6 or 10 amp electricity. We've stayed there for a couple of weeks at a time. Riverside pitch usual available and plenty of elbow room. It closes end of September. There is a nice-looking but small Aire below the Chateau walls at Chateaudun too, and a bigger Aire in the adjacent St Dennis les Ponts, which has a Leclerc (and a Vet) nearby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 LordThornber - 2014-12-12 1:28 PM I'm aware the French sites (we're municipal fans) will be drying up by then, but have no idea about anywhere in Spain in terms of how busy and or weather. Martyn We use the Caravan Club Caravan Europe guides and not had much of a problem over the last 14 years. We too go to France / Spain in September and it is quite true that one can arrive at the firmly shut gates of a site that the guide books says is open (stopped the night outside on a few occasions). Armed with the CC guides and a good Aire book, you will not have a problem (if you are in the scheme ACSI is a good source of inspiration and possibly a bit more reliable as to opening dates). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 We found a lovely municipal at Eymet and a cracking aire at Duras this September B-) ............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 The Loire valley, is a misnomer, as far as I'm concerned a rather underwhelming part of France, largely flat and rather boring with a wide river, and a few empty Chateaux and not much else AFAIC. Dunno if you've done Cathar country or taken a look at Carcassonne but that's where I'd head for, then into the foothills of the Pyrenees, making your way to the Bielsa tunnel through to northern Spain, truly fantastic scenery, and quiet roads, although quite tight in spots in the mountains. We eventually ended up in San Sebastian, another lovely city, and beautiful sea front and spotless beach, although the Basque style of driving around there was fun. Of course there is no guarantee of weather but we did this in September/October and the weather was fabulous, wilding and swimming in a lake up in the mountains with not a single soul in sight, and the only sound the tinkling of the Cow and Sheep bells was magical, as was seeing many Eagles ...............wish I was there right now, beautiful part of the world............but would probably need skis. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 Stayed at Chaumont Sue Loire this year, chateau, sculpture park and garden festival open until October. Quiet municipal by the river. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted December 12, 2014 Author Share Posted December 12, 2014 Absolutely brilliant responses. Truly, everyone, a huge thankyou for your efforts. Carcassonne is a happy curve ball we hadn't considered at all. Doubtless more may come along but so much inspiration already. Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 We always stay in the Loire during our September / October holidays to France and usually stay 2 to 3 weeks on one particular site where we meet up with friends we have made over years yet only see them once a year. There are some great ACSI sites in the region as well as Aires and in September it is much more quiet. There are a great many beautiful chateaux to visit and if you tried to visit one every day you would be 'chateaued' out - September is a great time to visit them as it is much easier to get around without too many children about. The weather can be quite hot and for the past 2 years we have had hot and dry weather for the time of year and in the high 20's although early mornings can be a bit cold. Other years we have had dull and colder weather. We stayed on the Aire at Azay Le Rideau which is a very short walk to the chateau and the local shops and many restaurants - it was very peaceful and pretty. A couple of ACSI sites we use are Le Moulin Fort near Chenonceaux and Coulers du Monde at Mont Richard which are pretty central to visit many of the Chateau in the East. The Loire is the largest and widest river but there are many prettier rivers such as the Cher and Indre which have beautiful villages along them, not to mention the vineyards which surround the area. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwendolyn Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 We have had lovely, and memorable, tours along the west coast of France, through September and into October. The trips meandered around the west coast islands, and up through Brittany, exploring creeks and buying oysters from tanks and langoustines from small boats tying up at tiny slipways. Had a lovely lunch at an oyster shack in Brittany - totally unpretentious. It really was just a shack! Just a few iron tables and chairs, under trees, and the dishes were brought to us along with some pretty rough, but delicious, local cider. Glowing cider; glowing autumn colours. To begin with....there is a municipal, which we have used a number of times, on the Ile de Noirmoutier, and which stays open well into October... that's for starters. If you want to know more, I have a log, somewhere, and could look up details. Alternatively, what about the Alsace area and the Oktoberfests? Had some lovely times there too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 LordThornber - 2014-12-12 1:28 PM We'd very much welcome any comments about our loose plans for next year. We usually go to France in May then for another longer stay in Jul/ Aug, this is largely due to Lady T's work commitments. Martyn By "work commitments", I assume you refer to the couple of hours a month she has to turn up to the House of Lords for a snooze? Absolutely appalling that the nobility are treated in this shabby way. My sympathies. Anyway, we went on our first ever foreign venture this year. Mid-August to early October. Tracked along the Loire from Gien to Saumur, then to Ile de Re, then Bordeaux, then inland to the Rocamadour area, then South towards Cahors. Mixture of ACSI sites, Municipals, Aires and France Passion. Nothing booked ahead, no problems at all. Best holiday ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 candapack - 2014-12-12 11:09 PM we went on our first ever foreign venture this year. Mid-August to early October. Tracked along the Loire from Gien to Saumur, then to Ile de Re, then Bordeaux, then inland to the Rocamadour area, then South towards Cahors. Mixture of ACSI sites, Municipals, Aires and France Passion. Nothing booked ahead, no problems at all. Best holiday ever. We'll we keep trying to tempt people to cross the ditch B-) ................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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