Places to wander through - Dinan to La Rochelle (1 Viewer)

[Baileysbus]

We're offski for a month starting next Monday when we head south and spend a few days with my daughter and granddaughter
We're then heading across from Poole to Cherbourg and are planning to head for Dinan. We've got 3 weeks in France and are planning to spend some time in Île-de-re before going east through Périgord and Limousin heading back up through the Loire to do some chateau bashing on the way home. Planning to stay on aires and the occasional campsite and we're in no particular hurry to be anywhere specific.
However, the run through Brittany from Dinan to La Rochelle we're less familiar with and we'd like to stop off and visit interesting places on the way.
Are there any recommendations from fellow funsters for must see villages/aires on the way through in that part of France?
Your thoughts and suggestions much appreciated.
Cheers
Bob

 

[FIDGET]

Fougere is great , aire (free parking & Water ) is beside the castle
gps 48.355196, -1.211282
Evran just south of Dinan , nice aire bit out in the sticks lakeside.
gps 48.381418, -1.998961 free parking & Water

 

[2657]

Golfe de Morbihan area and the alignments at Carnac.

Presqu'ile de Guerande, coastal towns of Le Croisic, La Turballe, Piriac sur Mer and the Medieval walled C

ité of Guerande, lots of aires the pick of the bunch being Aire de Brambel between Piriac and Quimiac.
Campercontact 42982



Pic taken at the annual Fete Medieval in June

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[FIDGET]

Must agree Brambells aire very nice ,gets busy ,beach side.
gps 47.396324, -2.513285 nr Piriac sur mer.
great for collect moules at low tide.

 

[Baileysbus]

Thanks muchly @FIDGET and @matamoros. That's just the sort of info I'm looking for
Golfe de Morbihan definitely on the visit list and thanks for the ref to Brambells aire. I'll keep those details handy.

We are sooooooo looking forward to the trip. It's our first run through France in the motorhome and just having the freedom to go with the flow and take our time going places and seeing the sites will be just great.

First time abroad with the hound too so that'll be an experience!

We'll hopefully have our Funsters sticker by the time we go so will keep an eye out for fellow travellers.

 

[WynandJean]

If you wander a little further, between Nantes and Cholet you will find Puy Du Fou. I can highly recommend paying a visit if you can. It's like nothing I've ever seen. You will not do it justice in a day so allow two days. They have a huge aire adjoining the area. Be prepared to be enthralled. If you purchase tickets in advance it is cheaper than on the gate. Try to spend an evening at the ScenieCine if you can.

http://www.puydufou.com/en/

Wyn

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[Teuchter]

Chateaux bashing

We're offski for a month starting next Monday when we head south and spend a few days with my daughter and granddaughter
"Through the Loire to do some chateau bashing on the way home. Planning to stay on aires and the occasional campsite and we're in no particular hurry to be anywhere specific.
Your thoughts and suggestions much appreciated.
Cheers
Bob

Château de Chenonceau

http://www.chenonceau.com/

Near Vouvray (fine Loire Valley wines) good riverside campsite within walking distance of Chateaux :-

Camping Le Moulin Fort

http://www.lemoulinfort.com/

Well worth a day or even two day stop

 

[Baileysbus]

If you wander a little further, between Nantes and Cholet you will find Puy Du Fou. I can highly recommend paying a visit if you can. It's like nothing I've ever seen. You will not do it justice in a day so allow two days. They have a huge aire adjoining the area. Be prepared to be enthralled. If you purchase tickets in advance it is cheaper than on the gate. Try to spend an evening at the ScenieCine if you can.

http://www.puydufou.com/en/

Wyn

Cheers @WynandJean. That looks a really interesting place to go to as well. I'll research it a bit more in the morning

Chateaux bashing


Château de Chenonceau

http://www.chenonceau.com/

Near Vouvray (fine Loire Valley wines) good riverside campsite within walking distance of Chateaux :-

Camping Le Moulin Fort

http://www.lemoulinfort.com/

Well worth a day or even two day stop

Liking the look of Le Moulin Fort @Teuchter. Remember visiting the winery at Vouvray and also some fine restaurants in Chinon. Chenonceau is definitely on the visit list as is Villandry, Azay le Rideau and Saumur but I reckon a decent stopover at Le Moulin Fort could well be a plan

 

[sedge]

Azay le Rideau is literally just an old, completely, empty edifice, unless there happens to be an exhibition on of something they've brought in from somewhere else completely. There isn't a 'town' only a small 'village' consisting of touristy shops, cafes, restaurants, art galleries. No butcher, baker or candlestick maker.

Nice outdoor lido adjacent to the aire and campsite which I can recommend - but not the house or the place itself.

It isn't ALL 'Well - you've been spoiled by visiting NT properties of course' - but because there just wasn't anything to tell you anything - Fougeres castle, you get an audio guide and a written one; same as you do at Amboise - and we went round an ancient fort once, years and years ago (think we were on one of the bikes?) which we found quite by accident and was really interesting and they were in the course of setting up the period infrastructure - ie the blacksmith, carpenters, basket weaver, bakery etc appropriate to the period of the place. Can't remember where the heck it was ........

Foires Medieval are brilliant to visit if you get the chance, absolutely anywhere. Again years ago we went to one we found again by accident - a complete tented village with instruments of torture, birds of prey etc on display, complete with the hunchbacked village idiot - all in French and mime - but absolutely hilarious - and it also happened to be the last day and it ended with them letting off real cannons - which banged like hell but only fired bits of torn up newspaper! Totally brilliant. That was a place just SW of Autun that if I looked on a map - I have - Le Creusot - halfway up the hill the tourist 'petit train' goes up, think the aire is up there now.

We also visited the only chateau left standing in the Vendee many years ago, and they'd nearly finished doing up the roof, so there was a commentated visit to the roof space, and amazingly the chap spoke English too - and it was honestly really interesting! LOL

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[GeriatricWanderer]

In Dinan, not far from the aire, there's a restaurant called something like Terrasse, overlooking the river, that does a mean Moules au Curry. Ask for extra bread to soak up the juices when all the moules have gone.

 

[Baileysbus]

Thanks @sedge. Think it was the late 80's when I was last at Azay and come to think of it, I think there was a fireworks and music show on the outside walls ..... can't recall being in it but it was a long time ago!

In Dinan, not far from the aire, there's a restaurant called something like Terrasse, overlooking the river, that does a mean Moules au Curry. Ask for extra bread to soak up the juices when all the moules have gone.

That sounds right up my rue @GeriatricWanderer . Love the old port area of Dinan. Lots of lovely bars and restaurants!

 

[sedge]

Aaah - there was a laser light show on in the evening when we were there - which we watched from outside the front gate and was the best thing about our visit.

Liked Dinan - but that HILL up to the town !!! Eeek !

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[FIDGET]

If staying in Dinan aire ( I don't think there are services there) but a mile or so in Lehon which is just south of Dinan free water etc & overnight parking.
gps 48.442017, -2.042170

 

[DBK]

If you have time to read it this account of our last trip to Brittany might give you some ideas.
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/two-go-to-france.115155/

 

[Baileysbus]

Thanks @FIDGET. I'm going to try and get into the aire at Dinan first ...... I gather it's a bit tight and often busy but it's really handy for the old port. If there's no room then I'll give the one at Lehon a try.

@John Laidler thanks for the link to your travel blog. I'll give it a good read through. I'm fairly familiar with the st malo/dinan/dinard/st brieuc area from holidays past ....... albeit that was in the 90's! It's the other parts of Brittany I don't know so well.

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[magicsurfbus]

I'd second the recommendation for a full day at Puy du Fou, but remember the Ciniscenie spectacle only runs on certain nights (see http://www.puydufou.com/en/calendars) and is best booked in advance.

 

[chaser]

Azay le Rideau is literally just an old, completely, empty edifice, unless there happens to be an exhibition on of something they've brought in from somewhere else completely. There isn't a 'town' only a small 'village' consisting of touristy shops, cafes, restaurants, art galleries. No butcher, baker or candlestick maker.

Nice outdoor lido adjacent to the aire and campsite which I can recommend - but not the house or the place itself.

It isn't ALL 'Well - you've been spoiled by visiting NT properties of course' - but because there just wasn't anything to tell you anything - Fougeres castle, you get an audio guide and a written one; same as you do at Amboise - and we went round an ancient fort once, years and years ago (think we were on one of the bikes?) which we found quite by accident and was really interesting and they were in the course of setting up the period infrastructure - ie the blacksmith, carpenters, basket weaver, bakery etc appropriate to the period of the place. Can't remember where the heck it was ........

Foires Medieval are brilliant to visit if you get the chance, absolutely anywhere. Again years ago we went to one we found again by accident - a complete tented village with instruments of torture, birds of prey etc on display, complete with the hunchbacked village idiot - all in French and mime - but absolutely hilarious - and it also happened to be the last day and it ended with them letting off real cannons - which banged like hell but only fired bits of torn up newspaper! Totally brilliant. That was a place just SW of Autun that if I looked on a map - I have - Le Creusot - halfway up the hill the tourist 'petit train' goes up, think the aire is up there now.

We also visited the only chateau left standing in the Vendee many years ago, and they'd nearly finished doing up the roof, so there was a commentated visit to the roof space, and amazingly the chap spoke English too - and it was honestly really interesting! LOL

Azay le rideau, has a brilliant museum of old vehicals , from bikes to airoplanes , it is also a france passion stop, but anyone can stop there, they don't ask and everyone goes home at night anyway and you just park up on the massive car park among trees.

 

[Baileysbus]

Azay le rideau, has a brilliant museum of old vehicals , from bikes to airoplanes , it is also a france passion stop, but anyone can stop there, they don't ask and everyone goes home at night anyway and you just park up on the massive car park among trees.

Ah thanks for that @chaser. I'm into old cars and planes so a look at the museum would be great and if that's a stop over as well then that's perfect ....... we've got our France Passion book too

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[denisejoe]

Dinah aire is very sloping couldn't get anywhere near level even with quatro's,
Joe

 

[FIDGET]

Hi @Baileysbus ,
If you like auto museums , this might be ideal.
www.manoir-automobile.fr/home/
At Loheac ssw of Rennes ,I believe you can stop there over night (no services)
We are planning to go there in June on our trip through Brittany.

 

[WynandJean]

If you wander a little further, between Nantes and Cholet you will find Puy Du Fou. I can highly recommend paying a visit if you can. It's like nothing I've ever seen. You will not do it justice in a day so allow two days. They have a huge aire adjoining the area. Be prepared to be enthralled. If you purchase tickets in advance it is cheaper than on the gate. Try to spend an evening at the ScenieCine if you can.

http://www.puydufou.com/en/

Wyn

Also, while in the Nantes vicinity, you might like to look in at :-

http://www.lesmachines-nantes.fr/en/

Wyn

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[Baileysbus]

Also, while in the Nantes vicinity, you might like to look in at :-

http://www.lesmachines-nantes.fr/en/

Wyn

That looks great too. Thanks @wyn We shall be visiting I expect.

Cheers

Bob

 

[Baileysbus]

Hi @Baileysbus ,
If you like auto museums , this might be ideal.
www.manoir-automobile.fr/home/
At Loheac ssw of Rennes ,I believe you can stop there over night (no services)
We are planning to go there in June on our trip through Brittany.

That looks spot on @FIDGET ...... I'm getting strange looks from SWMBO but as I'm driving, the MH will go where I point it so that's a definite visit!

 

[burtonbird]

No use to you on this trip but for any one interested who is going to Burgundy this is a good one, especially if you're interested in aeroplanes. Never seen so many in one place, not even an airport! Also hundreds of classic motorbikes.

Château de Savigny Les Baune

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