We did 5 weeks last year - no plan other than to get to Calais & turn right. We drove along the coast and cut down from the Cherbourg peninsula then from Granville down to Vendee and back up along the coast of Brittany. Absolutely the best holiday ever apart from a road trip in Oz! Brittany is the most beautiful part of France, which I have discovered after 15 years of heading South. Don't bother with an awning as you won't need it. We used the aires and a combination of wild & sneaky camping. Imagine Scotland with sunshine! That is Brittany. Light houses, beaches, tiny ports, Honfleur, Dournanez, Orient, Quimper. We ran out of time - never mind though, we loved it so much, we have just bought a property there as there is so much to do & see. Take your bikes, your camera & your time!
Ralf85 wrote:Brittany/Normandy are nice places, but not in the Summer. If you want to get away from the 'bed & breakfast' signs, 'creperie' signs and hordes of UK drivers behaving badly on the roads, then grab a taste of real France by driving South of Paris and potter (seriously, in the Summer time up there it is a bit like being in Cornwall up there - but well worth visiting at non-holiday times)
Then head left or right or go further South, but do explore. Not too much driving each day and maybe chill out when you find somewhere you really like. I think a first trip of this kind should be all about discovery. Then next year a bit more exploring and so on. I thoroughly recommend it. No doubt you will eventually find a bolt hole like we have (after 20 years of exploring) in SW France, where time stands still. Escapism with a capital E and no UK newspapers or TV, so no bad or miserable news to spoil the fun!
Has anybody else noticed how the news back home (usually depressing) is the same when you get back as when you went away on holiday. Why is that?
Ralf85 wrote:Brittany/Normandy are nice places, but not in the Summer.
Escapism with a capital E and no UK newspapers or TV, so no bad or miserable news to spoil the fun!
Has anybody else noticed how the news back home (usually depressing) is the same when you get back as when you went away on holiday. Why is that?
I would advise to move down south a bit because the weather is much better ,take a break from watching the news ,read a book ,you will soon feel like you do not need it...
The news programs/papers can do good news all the time [Olympics] but it just does not sell as well as the other stuff ....
I didn't pay the price on this advert though - about £10ish so may be worth shopping about. Although primarily in French it is easy to understand. We normally plan a general route then see how long it will take us and depending on how we feel then find somewhere to stay using a map and this book!
What we have found is that in the busy summer months if you are prepared to travel, for example a few miles in land (if near the coast) then there are lots of choices of sites available.
in my experience of talking to people on campsites in france, the ones who've bought a guide book have thrown it away after they realise it only lists the right feckin expensive ones.
oorwullie wrote:in my experience of talking to people on campsites in france, the ones who've bought a guide book have thrown it away after they realise it only lists the right feckin expensive ones.
oorwullie wrote:in my experience of talking to people on campsites in france, the ones who've bought a guide book have thrown it away after they realise it only lists the right feckin expensive ones.
I might put my rates up...
Well I've been using these for nearly 30 years and the people you've spoken to clearly don't use them sensibly. The Michelin one doesn't only list expensive ones. The sites have to achieve a good standard and are checked by Michelin on a regular basis. I have seen sites dropped from the guide when they don't meet the standard. It gives you choices - some are expensive especially in Normandy/Brittany and along the Med - and lots of others are not. If the bozos you've met use their eyes and look at the prices alongside the sites they can choose. I suspect the same people can't use a map properly either. Often you can find a number of sites close to each other with very different prices.
Here's an example at random, of a lovely campsite listed in the Michelin that we stayed at last year at Masseret in the Limousin region. Prices: 2.50 euros per person and 1.80 euros for a vehicle. Our comments: 'Nice lake, toilet paper provided, nice hot showers and hot food in restaurant on site - lovely' What does cost over there is electric hookup which is usually 3-4 euros a night. That is fine for us as everything we use other than the stove is electric eg kettle, toothbrushes, phones, hair straightners etc.
The AA one is good too and is compiled from campers experiences. I use both. My advice - never travel without at least one of these.
Ralf85 wrote:
Here's an example at random, of a lovely campsite listed in the Michelin that we stayed at last year at Masseret in the Limousin region. Prices: 2.50 euros per person and 1.80 euros for a vehicle. Our comments: 'Nice lake, toilet paper provided, nice hot showers and hot food in restaurant on site - lovely' What does cost over there is electric hookup which is usually 3-4 euros a night.
that is mon cher....
I thought campsites like that was a thing of the past...
,part one of swimming pool is done,just need time off to finish it... 
boat is still oar power...
....
