Where to spend a week in August?

[Robert Clark]

We've got a spare week at the beginning of August, and will be using Eurotunnel to cross to France.
Would appreciate any suggestions for places to visit within a days drive of the Calais that won't be too crowded, offers good scenery or an interesting town, cycling, eating etc.
Thanks guys

Robert

 

[Popeye]

Gotta be Brugge then surely, fabulous cycling, all level and so many interesting buildings shops museums, boat rides, Horse and Wagon even Segway tours.

 

[Hollyberry]

I was going to suggest Bruges too. At the very least East of Calais. I think the Normandy town like Honfleur and Bayeux will be heaving.
Canal boat trip round Bruges is good too.

If you prefer rural maybe look at campsites down French Eastern border?

 

[Judge Mental]

If you get an evening tunnel, and don't mind a bit of night driving, you could be in southern brittany sometime next morning...lovely area

when working this is what we would do with family on board, everyone would sleep and I would drive until 4'ish am, get head down for few hours and carry on to destination. This way I could be in Loire, Vendee, southern brittany quickly

 

[Robert Clark]

Thanks guys Bruges sounds like a plan - can almost taste the Belgian beer!!

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[FIDGET]

Loire river , Saumur, Amboise, Orlean's, Sully & Briare. all about 350 miles may be a bit far .

 

[chopper602]

Ghent is a lovely city and very often overlooked (not as touristy as Brugge).
The coastal road that goes south from Calais goes through some nice bits of countryside (Boulogne, Le Touquet, Berck sur mer etc.)

 

[magicsurfbus]

A day's drive gets us from Calais to Poitiers. Another half day gets us to the coast at La Palmyre. We did that one Easter - long drive on Good Friday (which isn't a French Bank Holiday), shorter drive on Easter Saturday, and all set up for a long weekend on the aire by mid-day.

That said, this August/Sept we're sticking to NE France/Belgium/Germany so all suggestions here are of interest. Ghent's already on the list.

 

[wizzer59]

Thanks guys Bruges sounds like a plan - can almost taste the Belgian beer!!

@Debs has just come back from there, maybe she can give you a bit more insight into the place

 

[Fenman]

Just be aware that the first weekend in August is the nightmare for driving as so many French start their hols and head for their second homes. Usually miles and miles of traffic jams.

And this year that weekend is the 1st and 2nd of August.

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[mitzimad]

if you like beaches and bars the coast north of dunkerque up to ostende is beautiful there is a 40 mile tram track all the way along which you can get day or week passes for we stayed on an aire in westende which is central think it was 10 euros a night right on the beach at the end of the prom we was there in late september and it was nice i suspect in august it may be quite busy there were plenty of sites along there as well ostende is worth a visit especially if you like shell fish lots of stalls all along the front and lots of shops and bars
might be worth a visit and within range of brugge