Driving / camping with a Tentbox in France - help!

[AnAdultCat]

We're planning on driving through France from Calais to the South (Nice sort of area) making stops on the way down. Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations of nice places to see / stop over on our drive please!

[MikeRafone]

Are you going to be using payage motorways?
What route are you thinking of taking?

You could drive north from calais and then across to Luxumberg (free motorways) then south down the eastern side of France.

Or you could drive down the western side of Paris to Rouen, through the loire valley and then heading on south.

Leave Calais and get on the motorway and pay all the way to Reims, on through to Lyon etc

Have you looked at the cost of the motorways - this will add considerable cost to your trip, the motorways charges soon add up to well over £100 and that is a conservative costing

Id go and see the Millau Viaduct if you can and also the Post du Gard as both spectacular. Lyon is a city worth visiting and easy camping with decent bus into city center

When are you travelling? which month?

[AnAdultCat]

Thank you for your reply!
We've not decided on the route yet, but yes, we plan to use the toll motorways and come off at anywhere we want to visit.
We leave on Saturday and have two weeks to see where we end up!
My husband has done most of the planning etc, but he's asked me if there's anywhere I want to go... And I don't have a clue! 😆
Luxembourg looks really pretty and we've been told their public transport is really good so I'd love to go there if we can.

[MikeRafone]

I did stay at a camping sight in luxemburg - but it was back in 2006, so although I can remember it vaguely I can't remember the name - on that trip we went north east into Germany.

If you are sticking to payage, then you will likely go down past Reims - its supposed to be lovely and worth a stop. As previously stated id stop at Lyon. Mulhouse if you want to visit the car museum.

I don't think you have enough time to get the sticker for automatic payage - but at this time of year you're not likely to need it.

If you come back up through the center of France on your return, then id suggest Brive La Gailarde and Rockamadore - the later being really very interesting and again at this time of year far less touristy

[MikeRafone]

Rocamadour - is the correct spelling and it is just south of Brive

[AnAdultCat]

Thank you so much! I'm going to have a look at all your suggestions, my husband will be most impressed that I'll sound like I know what I'm talking about! 😉

[stringbean]

Don't underestimate the size of France - I'd think carefully about what you want to see. Calais through Luxembourg and down the east side of France to Pont du Gard and then to Millau and back up via Brive to Calais is a heck of a journey in 2 weeks. Yes, the motorways are great and some of them are free (A75/A20) but you'll spend a lot of time in the car.

I would be inclined to stick to a smaller area - if you want to do Luxembourg/east France/Strasbourg then stick to that. Or head down the A6/A7 and go to Dijon/Beaune/Lyon and beyond maybe to Avignon. That alone will take you best part of 2 days of driving each way pretty much - from there you can visit Nimes/Pont du Gard, maybe explore a bit of Provence and make your way back up to Calais.

Bear in mind you may need a Crit Air sticker if going into major cities - details are here www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/law-change-for-uk-drivers-in-french-cities/ - plus the other items you need to carry with you in the car - warning triangle/hi-vis jackets etc.

[Twwodoorsaway]

We did a trip through France last year. Calais to Rouen, which is very pretty, then on to the Loire Valley (we stayed in Amboise which is gorgeous, and fabulous wines). We used hotels but enjoyed travelling a few hours before our next stop of a few days. We then made our way to the Dordogne area. As mentioned elsewhere we had a day trip to Rocamadour, and several other lovely towns along the Dordogne. On the way back up we stayed in La Rochelle for a couple of nights, a lovely seaside town.

My DC had a French trip last year too, camping. They loved the area round Mont St Michel, coastal so great beaches.

[stringbean]

We visited Amboise as well last year - it's a lovely part of France, loads of towns/villages/chateaux to explore in the Loire - loved Blois as well - and lots of nice simple campsites. Agree, you could easily spend 2 weeks in this region alone.

[fleurneige]

Going via Millau to go to nice from Calais (sorry) makes no sense at all.

On the autoroute down, stop at Reims, Troyes, Dijon, and Aix les Bains perhaps. Or do you want more rural locations?

[Milliways]

Lake Annecy on the way down?
Port Grimaud (near St Tropez) is beautiful
We always travel off toll road and stop at municipal sites en route, they are great value. Is a good one at Metz.
Suggest you get the Search for Sites App, and maybe ACSI if travelling outside the main school holidays.

[Scaffoldingisugly]

We drove from the North East to Portugal with a caravan. Picked sites from a small camping guide book along the way in France and Spain. .. One time during night time travel I heard a big clank on the roads.. Car seemed fine so carried on driving. Stopped overnight and put caravan legs down.... Thought it seemed really bright.. The Big Clank had been the caravan sun roof.... Oops...