Driving in North East/Central France

[RacingSnake]

Hi. I know there are similar threads about, but I want to go to a slightly different area of France, so I was hoping that someone would have some tips.
We will be driving down from Calais to the Lyons area at the very end of July, then across to friends near Pau, then back to Calais via friends near Tours. We are travelling with DD (3) and (DH) hates being in the car, so I need to find some nice stop overs which are quiet and interesting, to break the journey.
Any ideas?

I can't find a map of France all on one page and have a poor grasp of geography, but will any part of your journey take you close to Beaune? It's beautiful and quiet and Wriggle might be amused by the land train which takes you around the vineyards.

Well I agree that Beaune is lovely and well worth a visit. But surely you mean North West France?

How close to Tours are your friends? Saumur is a very pretty little town on the Loire but is halfway between Tours and Angers so may not be practical.

On the way up from Pau have you considered an overnight near La Rochelle or do you prefer to do it in one go. (Not that far, probably about 5.5 hours from Pau-Tours, without stopping)

Well looking at Google maps and planning in your itinerary, then Beaune is a distinct possiblilty on the way out. Or Dijon.

Lyon to Pau is a treck! The motorway route seeems to take you past Montpellier - lots nearby. Between Pau and Tours you would pass through the Dordogne.

Need more info on how much time you have.

oooh - sounds like a nice adventure!!!! I wil chat with dh and see if we can think of any advice. Will you be in Paris at all???

I'm too scared to drive through Paris - I have never driven on the right at all.

I had forgotten about Beaune; went there years ago and walked round the hopital, which was amazing.

Given my lack of confidence driving, I think I am looking for smaller places, though, such as bird parks, swimming lakes with sandy beaches, land trains around vineyards, etc, with chambres d'hote or small hotels nearby. Your ideas are certainly helping me to refine my ideas.

Timing depends a lot on relatives/friends with whom we will be staying. I am trying to work out an itinerary, then put it to them, then have to change the whole thing. Luckily in-laws have offered us their house in the country whether they are there or not (Hoping for not)

Have given us four days for Calais to Belleroche near Lyon, two days for the leg to somewhere-near-Pau and three-fours days for up to somewhere-near-Tours. Think it would be better not to try and drive South straight away on the first weekend of August, due to its reputation as driving hell, which is why I have given us time to hang about.

And yes, obviously, North West. Although I would love to visit Alsace one day.

I am too scared to drive in Paris too.

I am too scared to drive on the right. In all our time in France I have driven about 50km.

Will you be doing all the driving, Racing? If so, I think it's especially important to have lots of lovely breaks. We generally use Logis de France as they seem more French (if you see what I mean) than Ibis and Campanile and similar hotel chains.

How straight a line are you drawing between Lyon and Pau? Avignon and Nimes are both lovely, if you're planning to dip south. Other lovely places that may be nowhere near your route are Arras and Laon. Both have land trains (an important consideration in the SmallHome).

Yes, this is why I am planning breaks, and not particularly a straight line. I know Avignon - reminds me of Bath - and Nimes is lovely, you are right. Full of Roman ruins with no tea shop/gift shop/H&S regulations.

I don't know Arras and Laon; I will do some googling. Will also check out Logis de France.

RacingSnake, we did a similar thing a few years ago when we took 3 days to go from northern France to the Drome when DCs were one and three. I used a couple of web sites where local parents post reviews of paces to go with young ones. Do you read French? I could post the links if so.