Club 80-90 Forums

We're planning our first trip overseas in the van down to the South of France (Toulon area) via Calais.

Could you seasoned French campers give advice on which route to take down - including any nice stopovers. Bit worried about navigating round Paris!!

We've got the Michelin map, aires guide and the France Passion book is ordered.

The aim is to get down there are quick as possible, and as much on LPG as possible. We'd probably stop off in Lyon to visit family.

Many thanks in advance

Ronnie

The natural Peage (toll road) route is the A6 Autoroute du Soleil, straight through Lyon. 726 miles from Calais to St.Tropez ... the Ardeche is worth a stop off one way or the other and there's a fine France Passion vineyard near Vallon Pont d'Arc ...


Ian

Brilliant Ian - thank you.

I do like a tipple. Anymore recommendations for stopovers?

That's exactly the route MacWilliam gave me - St-Quentin - Reims - Troye - Dijon - Chalons - Lyon - Toulon!

Hope the kids don't start getting car sick!!

ronsrecord wrote:Brilliant Ian - thank you.

I do like a tipple. Anymore recommendations for stopovers?

Can I get back to you in the morning mate, I'll have a think. I know we stopped off on an aire next to a river near Auxerre on the way back up but it's a hell of a drag from Montellimar (Ardeche motorway exit) back up. Off the bed now though.

Ian

Cheers Ian - sleep well. I'll be dreaming of France!

Ok Ron ... coming back from the south we travelled from St. Tropez (not that far from Toulon) up to the Ardèche which is 150 miles ... around 4 hours including a decent lunch break in 42 degrees . The France Passion vineyard was 'Domaine des Terriers' and it's about 3 miles from Vallon Pont d'Arc, see the photo from last night's post. They sold various Vin de Pays des Côteaux de l'Ardèche red and white and also (as usual with these places) local produce ... hazelnut nougat (what Montelimar is famous for), honey, wine vinegars, dried flowers all sorts of guff.

The Ardèche itself is a major canoeing destination, campsites are busy and there are any number of places that rent out canoes for point A to point B hire and then collect you and return to point A, varying lengths of trip (up to 8 miles ?) are available. The river is at the bottom of a limestone gorge ... here are the photos from the road which winds SW from Vallon up and along the gorge (not for the faint hearted ) The Present Mrs Hulley (God Bless Her !) was NOT amused !!







There was only us on the F.P. vineyard and it was the middle of August. I'll find my Aires book and report back directly.

Ian

Lovely! The canoeing looks great too.

Wow

Them photos look fantastic Ian

Were of to the ardeche end of july staying at L.ardechois castels chain cant wait.

John

I found I was wasting my holiday searching LPG the further I travelled down into France and so ran on petrol as was cheaper than U.K. Also I wouldnt worry about navigating around Paris just avoid it or do as I did drove straight through it and did not even realise

Away from the Peage and major towns GPL/LPG can be slightly harder to find (Brittany for example is difficult) but many l'Eclerc supermarches have it. We put a tank of Fool's Gold through The Bus coming back from Camaret last summer, I was so shocked I took a photo ...
it did it no harm and as Jew~lee says there's not the huge difference in price over there there is at home.

We had no problem in the St.Tropez area and there's a gas station at the supermarket near to the big carousel and all along the Autoroute de Provence and into Italy (they even serve you as well there ) There's gas at the services on the Peage on the way back up at Montelimar for certain and many others as well.

Ian

Good to know about the LPG. The Michelin map points out loads on the main routes. I'll try to trace down some LPG POIs for the satnav.

ronsrecord wrote:Good to know about the LPG. The Michelin map points out loads on the main routes. I'll try to trace down some LPG POIs for the satnav.

I got mine from the Tomtom homepage 'GPL Stations' but on the Peage about every other services has gas ... 75 - 82 cents/ltr last summer, petrol was ~€1.12 if I recall.

See here ... http://www.club80-90.co.uk/pages/downloads.html

Ian

Ian - that's brilliant!!!!!!!!

Can you put the Tomtom POI's on a Garmin?

Hello,


I got mine from the Tomtom homepage 'GPL Stations' but on the Peage about every other services has gas ... 75 - 82 cents/ltr last summer, petrol was ~€1.12 if I recall.


Ian[/quote]


Bad news boys and girls, 98 unleaded is at 1€70 on the motorway, Go to leclerc,

Do as the Americans say

Eat.....Shop .....Get Gas

Cordialement



PS Club visitors to central France always welcome, shade and 220volts. hookup.