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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Driving to Vendee - stopover?

36 replies

adifferentwoman · 29/06/2010 20:45

We'll be driving down to the Vendee in July - looking through the previous posts on mumsnet, it looks as though the novotel in rouen sud is the best option to stay over. Anyone been there recently? Anyone know any other places to stay - any french B&Bs who do evening meal? Have found some near Avvranches, but not near Rouen. Thanks so much!

OP posts:
mummytime · 29/06/2010 20:56

Which channel port are you going from? We've done Caen to Vendee in one day.

Chaotica · 29/06/2010 21:02

We did Calais to vendee in one day too.

Ruthiebabes · 29/06/2010 21:57

We are staying here on route to Charente Maritime... www.lalunelake.co.uk. Its just outside Le Mans, might not be the right area for you.

They have a splash pool and serve dinner and wine. Cant wait!!

GeekOfTheWeek · 02/07/2010 11:53

I wouldn't bother staying over. We did Calais to south vendee in one day. Didn't take long at all, 7 hours ish inc lunch break, 2 toilet breaks and getting lost!

DrSpechemin · 02/07/2010 11:56

Agree - easily do-able from Calais in a day. We did it overnight so dc's asleep for most of it so less whining.

Am considering an in-car dvd player this year though.

Original poster
adifferentwoman · 04/07/2010 15:06

Thanks everyone. We looked at the ferry option but is seemed so expensive, so we're doing Eurotunnel. A dvd player does seem to be the way to keep a toddler amused!

OP posts:
ChasingSquirrels · 04/07/2010 15:15

also done it in a day a couple of times (once from Surrey, once from Cambs).

Chinwag · 04/07/2010 15:41

We did Yorkshire to Vendee with no sleep over. NEVER AGAIN!!!!!

said · 04/07/2010 15:52

Depends where you're coming from in the UK surely? If the South East, it's easily doable. We stopped in Rouen when we went - I can tell you where not to stay

MmeRedWhiteandBlueberry · 25/07/2010 19:26

This is late, but just for the record in case anyone else is looking.

The Vendee is an easy drive from the Normandy ports - easily 4 hours without stops
However, we took the Brittany Ferry arriving in Caen at 3pm the day before our camping started. We stayed in Le Mans in a wonderful B&B/hotel called Le Pommeraie. This is a family-run place with about 8 rooms including family rooms (sleeping four). They have a large garden with plenty of play equipment for the children and loungers for the adults. They also keep their own chickens.

They don't serve dinner, but are only a five minute drive from Centre Ville. The breakfast is as good as you get in France (with their own eggs).

Leslaki · 26/07/2010 21:43

ADW - yes the Novotel Rouen Sud is a fab place to stay!!! Thoroughly recommend it!! Enjoy the break!

Notquitegrownup · 26/07/2010 22:45

Can I join in. We are off on Sunday to the Vendee too.

Are there any car seat regulations we ought to know about?

And how is the weather at the moment? We're off to St Jean des Monts this weekend

AgentProvocateur · 26/07/2010 23:55

I'm just back, and I'm very of anyone who's still to go.

We had fabulous weather (apart from one very wet, very windy day), but it seemer colder than usual at night this year.

We drove from Zeebrugges in a oner, but it was a long drive, and there are roadworks on the peripherique (sp?) so there was a couple of hours hold-up there.

The other thing I noticed was that the tolls are becoming more mechanised, and there are fewer booths to pay money to a person - more and more are card only (CB on the overhead display).

Have a great time, everyone!

JemimaBobbins · 27/07/2010 10:14

We just stayed at Novotel Rouen Sud. Great stopover with pool and secure parking ( fab if you have bikes on car)

slalomsuki · 27/07/2010 23:08

We are off to st jeans de Monts too this weekend. Going Saturday. Weather is looking good and better for the following week. Going to do the drive in one go

have fun notquite grown up. Where are you staying?

ponceydog · 27/07/2010 23:23

agent, we're just back too. Great weather. Couple of overcast days but it meant we could do more sightseeing then.

Notquitegrownup · 29/07/2010 20:13

Slalomsuki, we're at Clarys Plage. You? (Haven't got a MN T shirt to wear, so I'll just have to look at everyone and wonder!)

Ponceydog, what were your favourite sightseeing days on cloudy days then?

ponceydog · 30/07/2010 13:49

We had a day at puy du fou - the historical re-enactment theme park - which was fantastic. I started off feeling a little grumpy at the cost but it was well worth it. We all thought it was great.

We went to la rochelle but the drive was too long really, with a permanent jam at one section which meant sitting in traffic for 45 mins. But the town and the Towers were very interesting and attractive.

We visited a couple of the nearby towns such as Les Sables d'olonne, looked around the market, sat in a cafe, that sort of thing.

We had half a mind to go on a salt marsh tour in a horse and cart at St Hilaire but never got round to it.

There was a sheep festival on at the next little village - dog obedience, sheep shearing, trad music, fantastic french food and a bar - not that dissimilar to a british one apart from the food.

Pick up the What's On guide for the local area. Loads of great ideas.

ponceydog · 30/07/2010 13:51

And when I say overcast, it had always cleared by the afternoon.

Oh, the town Challans has a Festival of Bygone Days (1910), 2 Thursdays in August. We went there on an overcast day. It was fabulous. Do go!

AgentProvocateur · 30/07/2010 17:33

Agree with Ponceydog - Puy du Fou is well worth it. We went a couple of years ago, and it was brilliant.

On our overcast day, we went canoeing on the salt marshes.

We were staying a short cycle ride from Les Sables, and it was a lovely town to wander round and people watch.

There's also a lovely stately home nearby that we went to a couple of years ago when the children were younger. There was a quiz trail in the grounds, with loads of clues and tasks. It was brilliant, but I can't remember the name of it. The leaflets for it are green, and they have a boy and a girl with magnifiying glasses on the front. There will probably be one in the reception of your site. The clues were in various languages, and it was really well done. Ponceydog may be younger than me, and have a better memory!

ponceydog · 30/07/2010 21:35

oh yes. I think it calls itself Chateau des Aventuriers and I forget the proper name of the chateau.

ponceydog · 30/07/2010 21:36

The dds are too old for that sort of thing now but we would definitely have gone there if they were younger.

ponceydog · 30/07/2010 21:36

oo, there is a brilliant cycle route right along the coast so worth hiring bikes if you';re into that sort of thing.

MmeRedWhiteandBlueberry · 31/07/2010 09:49

We are just back this morning, having taken the overnight ferry.

We stayed at Sable d'Olonne, which was very nice, on the Dunes des Sables campsite (right next to the canoeing on the salt marshes). After the shock of how small our caravan was, we ended up loving the site, particularly because of the holiday reps and how well the children made friends and just got on with it (leaving us to our books and wine).

We came back via Puy du Fou and, like everyone else who has been, thought it was absolutely fantastic. I'm still getting over the Mousquataires show, though - what was that all about?

ponceydog · 31/07/2010 17:48

oh yes, blueberry, we were all a bit dumbstruck by the musketeers show. All that water, the constant dancing, people popping out of urns. Very bizarre.

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