Calais to Clermont Ferrand (1 Viewer)

BJKD

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Sep 21, 2011
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First week in September we begin our 8 month Winter trip.We will be travelling a different route South.Our planned route is via Bethune -St.Quentin-Epernay -Troyes -Nevers -Clermont Ferrant.Any recommendations regarding nice Aires and places to visit would be greatly appreciated.We intend to then head via Millau(where we have visited before) and to windsurf in Leucate as normal. Any ideas regarding the trip from Calais to Clermont would be great.Many thanks.
 
Sep 29, 2014
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We are planning a route from Calais to Clermont Ferrand and Millau, so would also be grateful to hear from anyone with good advice for the route, and any Aires on the way.
 

glenn2926

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Sep 11, 2012
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We are as well but in January . Hope someone who has used this route answers soon.

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jumartoo

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Oct 19, 2015
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Keith

This mountain bike guide is available in France. You can sometimes get them there or google sitesvtt.ffc.fr

We use this in conjunction with Camper Contact to plan our route.

IMG_20160827_173239252.jpg

IMG_20160827_173301540.jpg
 

Puddleduck

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Can't help you with aires etc but we had a tyre blow out it Clement-Ferrand..... right near the Michelin factory. If it had to happen that was the place as we got it fixed very quickly.
 

magicsurfbus

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Oct 11, 2010
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At Saint Quentin overnight MH parking is tolerated in the parking area opposite the Police Station here. Only source of likely disturbance is Police personnel changing shifts at silly 'o' clock. The basilica there is impressive, although almost totally rebuilt after being shell damaged in WW1.

Not far from Troyes at Mesnil-Saint-Pere you can park a MH overnight for free very close to the lake, but there's no services. The car park is here.

Near Clermont-Ferrand you have the volcanic mountain Puy de Dome with overnight MH parking here and an electric train to the top. Nutters can hike or bike up it, and even bigger nutters can hitch a lift back down in a tandem parapente, assuming they didn't bike up. We took the train both ways. Nice views on a clear day, and other stuff to amuse you on the summit. Geologically speaking the volcano is still active, having last erupted a mere 9,000 years ago.

Not far from there is the Volcano-themed visitor attraction Vulcania, which has its own aire. It's a bit different to most.

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jumartoo

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Oct 19, 2015
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At Saint Quentin overnight MH parking is tolerated in the parking area opposite the Police Station here. Only source of likely disturbance is Police personnel changing shifts at silly 'o' clock. The basilica there is impressive, although almost totally rebuilt after being shell damaged in WW1.

Not far from Troyes at Mesnil-Saint-Pere you can park a MH overnight for free very close to the lake, but there's no services. The car park is here.

Near Clermont-Ferrand you have the volcanic mountain Puy de Dome with overnight MH parking here and an electric train to the top. Nutters can hike or bike up it, and even bigger nutters can hitch a lift back down in a tandem parapente, assuming they didn't bike up. We took the train both ways. Nice views on a clear day, and other stuff to amuse you on the summit. Geologically speaking the volcano is still active, having last erupted a mere 9,000 years ago.

Not far from there is the Volcano-themed visitor attraction Vulcania, which has its own aire. It's a bit different to most.

Keith will be biking then!!!
 
Mar 18, 2015
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We went to the Auvergne in 2014, the last trip with the caravan. We stopped at:
Peronne - about an hour and half in from Calais. Camping du pont Plaisance. Good overnighter but Peronne itself is worth a visit.
Auxerre - Municipal site opposite the Football ground. Easy walk into town
Ceyrat - Municipal site nr Clermont Frerand used this as a touring base. Pool, but facilities pretty basic.
Melun - South of Paris, can take the train into Paris. (a "no appointment" vet about a mile away if taking a dog)

Things to do:
On way down visit Guedelon. They are building a medieval castle using medieval techniques
The Volvic Water exhibition
Puy de Dome
May have finished by the time you go, but they usually have an "art feature" with large works of art "hidden" across the auvergne region, and you can tour the area finding them.
Auvergne Cheese route

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Jul 4, 2010
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Maybe try this as an alternative, our preferred route if not travelling for business -

Make your way to Le Mans several alternative routes, great motorsport museum right by the circuit. From Le Mans take the D938 to Tours (Loire Valley and Chateau), from Tours take the D943 to Montlucon where you can connect into the A71 to Clermont Ferrand and then the free motorway to Beziers. It's unvisited France with a good number of Aires on or near the route. It's possible to travel from Montlucon to Clermont on D roads which are pretty too. Very satisfying journey but apart from the Tours region no major sights which is our preference (major sights = tourism).
 
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BJKD

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Sep 21, 2011
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Thanks for all your input to date-please keep them coming.Raining again here in South Wales!!Regarding the Le-Mans -Tours journey that is our usual route so will be giving that side a miss this time.
 

Griffs

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Aug 15, 2007
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First week in September we begin our 8 month Winter trip.We will be travelling a different route South.Our planned route is via Bethune -St.Quentin-Epernay -Troyes -Nevers -Clermont Ferrant.Any recommendations regarding nice Aires and places to visit would be greatly appreciated.We intend to then head via Millau(where we have visited before) and to windsurf in Leucate as normal. Any ideas regarding the trip from Calais to Clermont would be great.Many thanks.

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Griffs

Free Member
Aug 15, 2007
311
121
SOUTH WALES
Funster No
105
MH
a class
Exp
since 2007
First week in September we begin our 8 month Winter trip.We will be travelling a different route South.Our planned route is via Bethune -St.Quentin-Epernay -Troyes -Nevers -Clermont Ferrant.Any recommendations regarding nice Aires and places to visit would be greatly appreciated.We intend to then head via Millau(where we have visited before) and to windsurf in Leucate as normal. Any ideas regarding the trip from Calais to Clermont would be great.Many thanks.

WE always go via Rouen and Orleans ,a nice aire at Lamotte -Beuvron we have then gone down through the Tarn gorge and come out the east side of Millau.

We have done the Nevers route but would always favoure the Rouen way , and a nice run down to Spain.
 
Jul 4, 2010
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Thanks for all your input to date-please keep them coming.Raining again here in South Wales!!Regarding the Le-Mans -Tours journey that is our usual route so will be giving that side a miss this time.

Upper Burgundy can be stunning at the beginning of Autumn as the leaves change. On the way down Laon on the right of the A26 is situated in an unusual setting, Epernay is perhaps more interesting than Reims? Auxerre is stunning with the cathedral set on the river, there is/was an aire just upstream from the cathedral on the opposite bank, fabulous river views.
Montargis, Avalon, Vezelay, Clamecy and Chateau Chinon are all worth a visit. The area is very beautiful in good weather as is the Morvan Regional Park, but you need the weather.
 

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