Places to stop in La Rochelle and Bordeaux in October

[mossa]

Heading down to spain and would like some recommendations for larochelle and bordoux please

 

[DBK]

Not the cheapest but given the time of year you might want to have a look at the CCP aires in that region. They don't all have hard standing but many do and EHU too if you need it.

Inland the small aire at Prahecq is a gem, completely free and with free electricity when we visited. There was an excellent restaurant in the town centre too - but whether it has survived I don't know but hope it has.

 

[jongood]

The Aire in La Rochelle is pretty good, short walk to centre and not too bad to access. Ive never found one close to the centre of Bordeaux, so usually stop at Blayes or Bourges.

 

[mossa]

Thanks for the info , I will have a look

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

There is a nice aire just outside Bordeaux ,at Blaye, a nice citadel to have a look around ,right on the river. There are 3 Aires,one in the town by the river, which is a pay machine when its working, the chateau marquis verbanne aire,and a new site opposite the chateau aire.
The chateau aire is free with all services plus they do wine tasting .

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[varaizian]

There is a nice aire just outside Bordeaux ,at Blaye, a nice citadel to have a look around ,right on the river. There are 3 Aires,one in the town by the river, which is a pay machine when its working, the chateau marquis verbanne aire,and a new site opposite the chateau aire.
The chateau aire is free with all services plus they do wine tasting .

The central aire by the river was shut when we went there last year so we moved up to the new one.

 

[15edward]

When we pass Bordeaux on the way to Spain we head for Sanguinet - couple of nice Aires by the lake

or Cap Breton

 

[jongood]

When we pass Bordeaux on the way to Spain we head for Sanguinet - couple of nice Aires by the lake

or Cap Breton

Love Capbreton, been there many times but tbf its a bit of a hike to Bordeaux

 

[15edward]

Ah yes- we just mosey on down to Spain!

 

[mossa]

We would like to see a few towns cities or interesting places while we drive to Spain , it would be a shame to fly past these places

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[varaizian]

There is a nice aire just outside Bordeaux ,at Blaye, a nice citadel to have a look around ,right on the river. There are 3 Aires,one in the town by the river, which is a pay machine when its working, the chateau marquis verbanne aire,and a new site opposite the chateau aire.
The chateau aire is free with all services plus they do wine tasting .

Thinking about it we are planning a few days away in the Medoc, it is only 90 minutes from us to Blaye, and we could check again; but it did look very shut last time. Probably explains the new aire. Perhaps they are trying to get the river cruises going again and need the space for coaches.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

We would like to see a few towns cities or interesting places while we drive to Spain , it would be a shame to fly past these places

Biarritz is an interesting town and the milady aire just south of the town was around 12 euros with EHU water and dump and a short walk albeit uphill to Biarritz .Close to the site is a very nice beach with cafe a, restaurant .just a short walk under the adjacent roadway underpass.

 

[mossa]

Biarritz is an interesting town and the milady aire just south of the town was around 12 euros with EHU water and dump and a short walk albeit uphill to Biarritz .Close to the site is a very nice beach with cafe a, restaurant .just a short walk under the adjacent roadway underpass.

Biarritz is on our list , thank you for the advice

 

[ChrisL]

If you're going to La Rochelle, you could pop over the bridge to il de Ré, there are several Aire's and campsites on the island some great seafood restaurants a walled town and a ruined Abbey. I love the place I've been three times now. With regard to Bordeaux there is the Dune de Pilat there are several sites and Aire's around that, further down there is a seaplane museum at Biscarosse by the lake, there are a number of Aire's around the lake.

 

[jongood]

i like Milady but wife finds it noisy.

Biarritz is an interesting town and the milady aire just south of the town was around 12 euros with EHU water and dump and a short walk albeit uphill to Biarritz .Close to the site is a very nice beach with cafe a, restaurant .just a short walk under the adjacent roadway underpass.

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[jongood]

We would like to see a few towns cities or interesting places while we drive to Spain , it would be a shame to fly past these places

there are lots of nice places, does depend on your route though and of course what you like. I vary our route almost dvery time and still find new things.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Another interesting place is Carnac, its just across from Mont St Michel, but north of la Rochelle, its the equivalent of a French Stonehenge. Lots of small standing stones in rows, hundreds of them.
There is a free Aire there also but a bit busy and as I recall no services. You are allowed to walk around the stones but some areas are off limits.
Lots of tourist boards to advise the history of the place.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Cognac is an interesting town but the town aire is on the edge of a parking area by the river,just inside the town across the river from the Hennessey Cognac distillery and there are only a couple of spaces ,but we managed to park up and have a walk around the town.
The distillery tours are quite expensive and we bought a couple of bottles of local cognac for the cost of the tour,much more satisfying..
We didn't overnight in Cognac as we were in the way to twin lakes at the time which is quite close. Twin lakes is a small campsite with carp ponds. A bit run down when we went 3 years ago but hopefully improved now.

 

[scousebird]

With regard to Bordeaux there is the Dune de Pilat there are several sites and Aire's around that

A lot of the sites at Dune de Pilat were destroyed recently in the wild fires. A friend of mine had to evacuate the site they were on.

 

[chaser]

Not the cheapest but given the time of year you might want to have a look at the CCP aires in that region. They don't all have hard standing but many do and EHU too if you need it.

Inland the small aire at Prahecq is a gem, completely free and with free electricity when we visited. There was an excellent restaurant in the town centre too - but whether it has survived I don't know but hope it has.

Got to second Prahecq

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[varaizian]

An alternative plan is to dodge Bordeaux and cross the Gironde Estuary from Royan to Le Verdon sur Mer on the ferry and travel down through the Medoc visiting places like Soulac sur Mer and Montalivet les Bains en-route. If instead of following the coast you take the eastern side it is like driving through a posh wine cellar! You eventually reach places like Hourtin and Hourtin Plage, Carcans and Carcans Plage, Lacanau and Lacanau Ocean. Some of the roads in the latter part of the trip pass through pine forests which can be a bit boring and it involves detours to get out to the coast but you wouldn't do it all at once. I would not recommend visiting Arcachon in a MH but Biscarrosse to the south of it is fine. Our usual first stop from home en-route to Spain is at nearby Parentis en Bourne.

 

[happycamper68]

Heading down to spain and would like some recommendations for larochelle and bordoux please

Dune du pilat just outside Bordeaux to the south, totally awesome place, think there are places for campers to park

 

[mossa]

Dune du pilat just outside Bordeaux to the south, totally awesome place, think there are places for campers to park

Thanks I will have a look

 

[MR BLO]

Hello mossa
If travelling between La Rochelle and Bordeaux and looking for interesting places I assume that you are keeping off the A10 péage? If so my favourites have been Saint George de Diddonne, Talmont St Hilaire and Mortagne sur Gironde - all on the Gironde estuary. The aire is beach side and both beach and sunset at St George are most excellent. A pleasant 2 mile bike ride south to Suzac where you will find the Beach House. Nice seafood nosh.
Talmont is built around a coastal church and La Brise restaurant is does an excellent moules mouclade. Mortagne is peaceful with a nice shack type restaurant called the Cabin. We went in August so it may be a takeout in October. Very fresh oysters when I was there.
My hidden gem is St Dizant du Gua. Here the Forge restaurant is nicely rustic and the Château de Beaulon is worth a visit because they distill my favourite cognac and a really great Pineau up the road in Lorignac. It’s quiet even in August. The opening hours may be worth checking in October.
We travel by our stomachs if you hadn’t noticed by now, so Le Cheval Blanc at St Ciers du Taillon has a car park next to it that we overnighted at. Small seasonal menu done really really well.
The Gironde estuary is a great area to spend a few days eating. Safe travels.

 

[ChrisL]

Thanks I will have a look

As someone posted earlier after I suggested the Dune, the area was badly effected by forest fires, I know some of the sites I stayed at in the past were in the forest so those may not be accessible for the time being.

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[varaizian]

Hello mossa
If travelling between La Rochelle and Bordeaux and looking for interesting places I assume that you are keeping off the A10 péage? If so my favourites have been Saint George de Diddonne, Talmont St Hilaire and Mortagne sur Gironde - all on the Gironde estuary. The aire is beach side and both beach and sunset at St George are most excellent. A pleasant 2 mile bike ride south to Suzac where you will find the Beach House. Nice seafood nosh.
Talmont is built around a coastal church and La Brise restaurant is does an excellent moules mouclade. Mortagne is peaceful with a nice shack type restaurant called the Cabin. We went in August so it may be a takeout in October. Very fresh oysters when I was there.
My hidden gem is St Dizant du Gua. Here the Forge restaurant is nicely rustic and the Château de Beaulon is worth a visit because they distill my favourite cognac and a really great Pineau up the road in Lorignac. It’s quiet even in August. The opening hours may be worth checking in October.
We travel by our stomachs if you hadn’t noticed by now, so Le Cheval Blanc at St Ciers du Taillon has a car park next to it that we overnighted at. Small seasonal menu done really really well.
The Gironde estuary is a great area to spend a few days eating. Safe travels.

This stretch of the estuary is where we pop to for short breaks because we are only about an hour away inland. If you are not familiar with Mechers, across the bay from from Talmont, I think you would love it. A small tidal port with leisure and fishing boats and several restaurants plus a small town only 15 minutes walk away. The aire is next to the port and there is another, perhaps better serviced, just behind.

 

[suavecarve]

If you have a pushbike or ebike then for Bordeaux I would park here
aire de stationnement camping car

aire de stationnement interdit aux camping car · Rte de Créon, 33670 Sadirac, France

★★★★☆ · Free Car Park

maps.app.goo.gl

Or here
Motorhome area

Motorhome area · 60 Bd Victor Hugo, 33670 Créon, France

★★★★☆ · Caravan Park

maps.app.goo.gl

Both are on a disused railway line which changes about 6kms from Bordeaux to plain cycle path separated from the road with easy to follow signs
There is a thread with photos of the voie vert section into Bordeaux.
I can't link from my phone but someone might.
Look up "voie vert Bordeaux" in titles

 

[ChrisL]

As someone posted earlier after I suggested the Dune, the area was badly effected by forest fires, I know some of the sites I stayed at in the past were in the forest so those may not be accessible for the time being.

Further to my last post, I had a quick look at google earth and most of the campsites on the dunes say temporarily closed, so maybe best to look further down.

 

[Camdoon]

There is a nice aire just outside Bordeaux ,at Blaye, a nice citadel to have a look around ,right on the river. There are 3 Aires,one in the town by the river, which is a pay machine when its working, the chateau marquis verbanne aire,and a new site opposite the chateau aire.
The chateau aire is free with all services plus they do wine tasting .

The aires in Blaye town now appear to be closed although there were some vans parking in the trees beside the ferry port.
The chateau is free for 2 nights with a free aperitif at 5.30 but the aire opposite charges. Difficult to know why you would choose to pay. Turn right rather than left.
If leaving on the first ferry south then if you try the baker on the corner near the waiting area he will sell a freshly baked bagette through his window.

 

[coopc]

It’s not free about €19 but is only a few miles north of Bordeaux city https://www.camping-bordeaux.com/en/
Easy bus/tram/cycle into city to explore for a day or 2. Tickets from reception
Full campsite facilities. Although possible some closed as not peak season
We had a nice few days there in August
I see someone mentioned crossing on ferry from Royan. We did it the other way round as we also had a week in Medoc relaxing by a pool and beach ferry cost about €50. So not cheap but saved over 200km driving and it was more “fun”

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