Driving to France & where to stay

burnard5

Hi,

Me and my partner fancy a trip to France this summer around early July for a week.I would like to drive down from Yorkshire so the car is available for the odd day trip. I was thinking maybe a static caravan might be good value but open to any suggestions although the other half isn't really in to camping in a tent.

Basically just after nice scenery, good food and any historic chateaus and possibly a beach.

Never been to France before so I have no idea where to go.

Any ideas much appreciated.

Thanks
Darren

aberamanboy

I've stayed in a few 'Formule 1' hotels here and there. Very basic but very cheap; if I remember right they have shared bathrooms but I don't remember this being an issue. Most of them are near to main towns and cities.

http://www.hotelformule1.com/gb/home/index.shtml

monty100

It depends on how much driving you want to do and what sort of weather you want! We also go from Yorkshire area, and that's almost one day taken up driving down to ports and crossing to France, and then onwards. (we are not speed freaks!)

We have been to, and enjoyed, the following:

Brittany - a bit 'Cornwallish' but nice places and great coastline. Weather in summer variable, a bit like UK in the summer.

The Vendee, around Sables D'olonne or St Jean De Monts, great beaches. Potentially nicer weather here in the summer.

The Loire valley - heaps of history, chateaux galore. Generally hotter, with the odd, wonderful thunderstorm thrown in for excitement.

We used to do Canvas/Keycamp holidays with the kids -first in tents, then in mobile homes. Now we try to find gites/apartments.

We tend to use the toll motorways to move around - much much faster than using the 'A' road network, and remember that France is a huge country compared to ours.

There's loads on all the different regions on the t'internet, but hope this gives you a start.

MOLLYBRUSH

Hi

You could travel down through the Loire Valley and go over to Ile de Re, where I had friends do posh camping near the beach. Like caravans but quite upmarket. Think it was at Le Bois Plage.:)

judy2357

We stayed here, lovely area, loads to see and great beaches

http://www.matthewsfrance.co.uk/royan.html

This area I understand has Med temperatures too, it was 37 degrees when we went in July.

knightstyle

Hi, It all depends on what you want, I am sure there will be lots of large noisy sites with activities etc to choose from which will be recommended on this site, fine if that is what you want. There are lots of small quiet municipal sites as well with minimal facilities and generally good for a day or two if you know where you want to go.
I would recommend a site just up the road from us in France, it is within reach of Futuroscope and Puy du Fou which are worth a visit and close to the medieval town of Parthenay. The site has recently been leased to a company who are making lots of improvements and campers get free access to the large outdoor pool adjacent to the site. It is very quiet and hardly any UK visitors stay there, there are some free, organised activities, a friend teaches line dancing once a week there for example.
Here is the type of accommodation available, http://www.campinglemoulindeseffres.fr/Les-hebergements if you need more ask me. We use Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to get there, no road charges via Rennes and Nantes, the ferry is more expensive than the short crossings but if you decide to use Brittany Ferries PM me and I will give you our number and you will save 10% as our guests.
Nearly forgot, there are lakes with beaches quite close, you pay to go, 1.5€ last year but they are clean, with showers and lifeguards.

brodev

http://www.day-tripper.net/hotels-in-france-budget.html
the above gives a good range of budget hotels all over France. I like Premier Classe, similar to Travelodge.

keycamp-reveller

burnard5 wrote: »

Hi,

Me and my partner fancy a trip to France this summer around early July for a week.I would like to drive down from Yorkshire so the car is available for the odd day trip. I was thinking maybe a static caravan might be good value but open to any suggestions although the other half isn't really in to camping in a tent.

Basically just after nice scenery, good food and any historic chateaus and possibly a beach.

Never been to France before so I have no idea where to go.

Any ideas much appreciated.

Thanks
Darren

Fonatainbleu is a beautiful part f France and one of my favourites:

http://www.uk.fontainebleau-tourisme.com/pays-fontainebleau/town-and-history/fontainebleau.asp

They have statics (and tents) here http://www.les-courtilles-du-lido.fr/ Can personally recommend it as we have stayed here twice now and never been disappointed. Very quiet, although close to a train station, near the river and some nice restaurants nearby too