How do I work out where the huge hypermarkets are in France?

[Lovage]

I'm ludicrously over-planning a holiday to France for next summer. I want to find one of those enormous hypermarche complexes with several restaurants and smaller shops as well as the enormous supermarket itself. Does anyone know an internet tool that lets you search for that? I've tried looking at the websites of big hypermarche chains, like Carrefour and E. Leclerc, but they don't seem to have store locator maps.

Or, does anyone happen to know where there is one of these somewhere between about Le Mans and Poitiers? Chatellerault would be perfect for location but the Carrefour there is a Carrefour-Market which I think is the smaller stores.

There is one called Auchan in Cherbourg, I know this isn't in your area though but could be on the way. It had a lot of smaller shops with the giant hypermarket.

Thanks. Yes, that's the type - have a bizarre desire to introduce my kids to the phenomenon cos it was such a feature of my own childhood holidays. But not in the Cherbourg area, unfortunately.

There is a complex just to the north of Le Mans at the junction of the A11 and the A28 - I think the hypermarket was Auchan. We meant to stop there but missed the junction! You can store locate on the company websites but it's a bit hit and miss.

Just checked and if you google Auchan Le Mans it's the first result

They're on the edge of most major French towns. Just looking at google maps for Le Mans suggests Route d'Alencon area (just S of A11 and A28 intersection) - hypermarche not marked, but definitely lots of other shops (and car parking space!)

I'm an over planner too and haven't found anything. However as you approach and large town you see signs everywhere.

If you have a European Sat Nav they should be on there, that's what we mainly use.

We've stayed in Poitiers several times, theres so any hotels that I don't think yd have a problem finding one.

We've always used this hotel www.hotel-bb.com/en/hotels/poitiers-2.htm?arrivalDate=31/10/2013&departureDate=01/11/2013#vue-densemble
And I'm sure you a can see a massive Auchan from the car park, it right on the edge of the hotel area for Future scope.
maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en-GB&ie=UTF-8&q=auchan+poitiers&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=auchan+poitiers&hnear=auchan+poitiers&cid=0,0,15442653003710662740&ei=XH5uUu2HJ-XP0AWuyYDACA&ved=0CDsQ_BIwAg

Thanks everyone.

Glad to hear I'm not the only over-planner! It's part of the fun for me, even when we don't end up doing what I'd planned.