Western France with time to kill

Networkguy

In a couple of weeks we are off on holiday and will be staying not too far from Talmont-Saint-Hilaire halfway down the western coast.

Now we are driving down from St Malo and expect to be off the boat for 9am. The problem is that check in time is 5pm and the journey is only expected to take 3 hours passing around Rennes and Nantes according to autoroute.

So

I need some suggestions on places worth stopping on the way down. Somewhere for lunch, somewhere to visit etc. We will have a 5 year old in tow so nothing too exotic but as I figure it, i have about 5 hours to kill so all suggestions welcome.

Thanks

Reluctant_spender

This site may help - http://www.france-for-visitors.com/index.html

martindow

You could visit the island of Noirmoutier. It's a lovely place and feels quite different to the mainland. A castle to visit, salt making places and beaches
http://www.ile-noirmoutier.com/
If you time it right at low tide you can drive across the Passage du Gois (collect your own mussels) otherwise you go across the toll bridge.

ruthyjo

St Malo itself is fab for kids if you can face spending the day there with the knowlege that you will still have all the driving to do if you depart mid afternoon. We always spend a day there at the start/end of our holidays - our children now aged 12,11 and 6 insist. Just things like walking around on the cities walls are fun.

Bob63

La Rochelle is a great place to waste some time - have a nice lunch, go shopping, go round the aquarium (which has plenty of parking) etc. and the beach at La Tranche, just south of where you will be staying is superb. Depending on what you are into, the Atlantic Toboggan Water Park at St Jean de Monts is fun, especially on a sunny day.

knightstyle

Agree La Rochelle is great but if you want to stop a bit further up have a look at Chateuabriant. Lovely old town and Chateau. Best of all in this area is the Puy du Fou, just South of Cholet but you will need at least a whole day for it, why not spend a day there during your stay? It is truly amazing.

codo

Mont st Michel is slightly off your route but well worth a visit. It looks spectacular.

Vendee

Networkguy wrote: »

In a couple of weeks we are off on holiday and will be staying not too far from Talmont-Saint-Hilaire halfway down the western coast.

Now we are driving down from St Malo and expect to be off the boat for 9am. The problem is that check in time is 5pm and the journey is only expected to take 3 hours passing around Rennes and Nantes according to autoroute.

So

I need some suggestions on places worth stopping on the way down. Somewhere for lunch, somewhere to visit etc. We will have a 5 year old in tow so nothing too exotic but as I figure it, i have about 5 hours to kill so all suggestions welcome.

Thanks

Well as someone who goes to Saint Malo three times a year, I concur with the suggestions to stop there for a few hours. When you hit the first roundabout at the ferry terminal, hang a left intead of the usual right and head for the "intramuros" (old walled town).

Or alternatively, 20 minutes down the road towards Rennes is the charming medieval "Dinan".

When you get to TSH, as others have said, La Rochelle is a must. We just got back from there two weeks ago after a fantastic 10 day stay there. Also, try and visit the Marais Poitevin (Venise Verte) area of lush green canals to the south-west of TSH. Lucon is worth a visit with a lovely cool garden (Le Jardin Dumaine).

Enjoy your holiday.

ianeverton

not sure how it will fit in with your itinery but would recommend Angers,
i spent a few months there many years ago. Lovely city and just to walk along the river or have a meal around the walls of the chateau. Definitely worth looking into it on the net. I havent seen the website as the web wasnt invented when i was last there.

emay

Mont St Michel is NEVER off route, once went there when we were staying near the Loire!!!!!!!

codo wrote: »

Mont st Michel is slightly off your route but well worth a visit. It looks spectacular.

Networkguy

We actually ended up spending the morning in St Malo which as said above, is a very pretty town.

Sam had lots of fun running around the walls and playing with the cannons.

Thanks