French/tour hols 2015 (1 Viewer)

[StitchesnFluff]

hi all
We have just booked 21 days in France from July to mid Aug this year (governed by school hols).
We have toured utilising Aires and Metz campsite across northern France, Belgium and Germany this past year so in our second year of MH ownership want to try further south.
Q -- Do you have any suggestions for tours of France to include occasionally Lakes for a swim and maybe a bit of coast. We like Aires due to there flexibility and lack of crowds although we found a busy one at Keyserberg last year!

Thank you

 

[chaser]

A good start if you havnt already would be the ' alltheaires ' book now split into two halves , North and South, then plan your route around that

 

[mjltigger]

There is a wild swimming movement in France and they have a book that lists places to swim. I was told about it last year by a friend who had used it, combined with all the Aires could be useful

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[chaser]

The Mediterranean Coast looks good but is not very mh friendly.

 

[Pilote87]

Another possibility for swimming could be a local "plan d'eau", many of which have an imported sandy beach. There are sometimes other activities around the water. An example is our local lake, see www.espace-hermeline which as mini golf, a velo-rail, a 400m zip wire and an adventure course in the trees.

J

 

[Viennese]

Would seriously recommend Alsace (Ribeauville has storks and good wine) and the Jura has several lakeside campsites, including those round Lake Chalain. We loved it but it will be busy in July/August...

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[FIDGET]

Hi , We had a great time on the Ile de Re, great beaches , nice area, also down in the Landes region fab beaches and nice lakes & aires at Sanquinet , Gastes and Biscarrosse. While there another place to visit is the Dune du pyla a huge sand dune 110 mtrs high well worth a look from on top & a great slide/run back down.
Terry (Fidget)

 

[Judge Mental]

we pop into Alsace most years on way to Italy....great cycling area. Good overnights on the way: Aires at Hans sur lesse (lovely little town) + Tournay. even in july/august Alsace civilized..its the coast that gets rammed

http://en.airecampingcar.com/aire_camping_car_gps.php/3579-TOURNAY

http://en.airecampingcar.com/aire_camping_car_gps.php/3568-Han+Sur+Lesse+(province+De+Namur)

 

[StitchesnFluff]

Thank you very much.
We have Aires book(s) and will too plan in some of your ideas

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[sedge]

We actually visited quite a large number of aires which were on lakes - and also rivers - last year sort of going generally from Beziers-ish to the right of the Pyrenees and left of the A75 - but not in any sort of straight line. Sometimes we only went a few miles up the road - others we went 100, just depending on how we felt. And the weather !

One partic lake the aires book said there were no views of the lake from the aire and I can only conclude the person writing that must have had their eyes closed all the time they were there ! You probably couldn't see it if you were actually on the borne, as there was a large wooden boathouse-type building between it and the water - but you most definitely could see it both from the entrance 'lane' when approaching the parking and the borne and also, when parked up!

We have a large scale Michelin road atlas, and use that to look at the area we are in and what's there that might be interesting or useful etc at the time.

Before we go we watch the France weather on the internet, and decide on a general direction to head - and then play it as it turns out. No rush, no plans, no problem!

 

[StitchesnFluff]

Thank you for your route Sedge.
We have all the Aires book, bordatlas & camper contact plus a wild swimming france book.

 

[ojibway]

Would seriously recommend Alsace (Ribeauville has storks and good wine) and the Jura has several lakeside campsites, including those round Lake Chalain. We loved it but it will be busy in July/August...

A nice area to head to!
On the way you could stop off at the aire (was free last time we were there) in Giffaumont Champaubert, Latitude : (Nord) 48.55092° Décimaux ou 48° 33′ 3′′
Longitude : (Est) 4.76831° Décimaux ou 4° 46′ 5′′
There are several other aires around the lake.
There is also a nice campsite on the lake which we stayed at many years ago before there was the aire and where we sailed too: http://www.lescampingsduder.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1&lang=en
on the largest man-made lake in France. The aire is huge but it's also very busy in the school hols.. Make sure you take bikes!

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[FIDGET]

A nice area to head to!
On the way you could stop off at the aire (was free last time we were there) in Giffaumont Champaubert, Latitude : (Nord) 48.55092° Décimaux ou 48° 33′ 3′′
Longitude : (Est) 4.76831° Décimaux ou 4° 46′ 5′′
There are several other aires around the lake.

Hi , we stopped at an unofficial aire, nice spot large car park with viewing hide for nature lovers just the other side of cycle track thats runs all the way around the lake
Réserve Nationale de Chasse et de Faune Sauvage du Lac du Der-Chantecoq
France
48.568860, 4.702975 check it out on Google earth with little yellow man
there is water and drainage etc but no electric.
##########

We also stopped at Geradot aire very similar
Parc naturel régional de la Forêt d'Orient
Piney, France
48.302352, 4.335211

also stopped at Catillon sur Sambre (we met Mel Heyupluv who recommended it before we went)
nice canal side aire with electric etc 5 euro's
free aire opposite side of road ( not particularly pretty but OK )
Terry

 

[magicsurfbus]

Coast: If you want waves head south west, if you want islands head west, if you want quaint and picturesque head north west, if you want wet and windy head north, if you want steaming hot in summer head south, and if you want expensive resorts head south east.

 

[Phill D]

Lac de pareloup is a great area and has lots of sites around the lake.

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[Yorick]

We camp here every year. It's great

http://www.uk.camping-montagne.com/

 

[FIDGET]

Hi , forgot to say another nice area is the Tarn gorge or the Ardeche, great for canoeing, swimming' we stayed at a municipal site Zamenhof , right on the river at vallon pont de arc and canoed down the river under the arch then the canoe hire people collected us & canoes further down the river and took us back to c/site v.good trip including some not too bad white water.
Zamenhof c/site
40 Chemin de la Plage
07150 Salavas, France
44.397552, 4.383280

Catillon sur Sambre aire details by canal
40 Chemin de la Plage
07150 Salavas, France
44.397552, 4.383280

not so nice site
1 Rue de la Gare
59360 Catillon-sur-Sambre, France
50.076228, 3.644304

 

[Phill D]

just watch the site costs in late July to mid August they can be eye watering

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[Yorick]

Hi , forgot to say another nice area is the Tarn gorge or the Ardeche, great for canoeing, swimming'

Stay away during French holiday weeks. It's absurdly busy. Last year it was so busy, we drove out the other side without stopping.