France west coast

[leefaz1797]

Finally managed to get my 3 weeks on the west coast of France for next summer booked and can't wait now. Below is the itinerary starting at the end of July. Any comments on ferry crossings, sites, routes (especially from France to Santander) would be greatly appreciated.

8.00am sailing from Plymouth to Roscoff with Brittany Ferries

4 nights at Camping L'Atlantique, Beg Meil

5 nights at La Garangeoire, St Julien de Landres

11 nights at La Vieux Port, Messanges

Drive over the border, 9.00pm sailing from Santander to Plymouth with Brittany Ferries

 

[WatsonJohnG]

We usually cross to Roscoff and have a 4 berth cabin with TV and teasmaid etc
With a disability and AD it helps not to have to climb up onto the top bunk
There is a very big car park at Roscoff where many people stay overnight
There are no facilities on the car park but there are toilets and a cafe at the Ferry terminal when its open
The roads from Roscoff are OK for towing but you usually get behind a farm tractor before long so patience is needed

Driving in Brittany is much more relaxed and the roads are good and less crowded than in UK
We have visited Garangeoire and our friends stayed there for a while
They had car trouble and the staff at the site were most helpful

 

[AdifferentJim]

Done very similar trips many times. Usually from Roscoff or St Malo to Santander via Biarritz. Or sometimes the opposite: Santander back to Roscoff.
As John has said the roads from Roscoff are pretty good and not too busy in my experiance. Around the cities, Nantes and Bordeaux in particular can be busy and therefore a bit slow but not too bad.
The RN10 south of Bordeaux is a busy but quick dual carriageway for most of the way and only becomes a paying Autoroute as you near Bayonne. However it can be slow around Bayonne and last year there was some extensive roadworks being undertaken. Should be finished by next summer I would think.
The Autoroute will take you straight to Santander and on the Spanish side the scenery through the Pyrenees is quite spectacular but there are some steep climbs. It usually takes me around 3 hours from the Spanish border to Santander.
The route into Santander is direct. The dual carriageway ends as it enters the city but continues as a main 4 lane road/street that leads direct to the terminal: all well sign posted. Diesel in Spain is usually cheaper so I refuel just before Santander.
We usually arrive in plenty of time, with some food and drink, park in the terminal on the dockside and chill out. Or leave the car and 'van after we've checked in and go for a stroll around the city.
The Pont Aven is a pretty good ferry with some great cabins.

 

[RayS]

My choice would be to get the long sea crossing over first and then gradually work back, but appreciate this is against the flow of the weather.
Unless you really like being on ferries, I would also use the shorter crossing both ways other than in winter. I woud not book sites in advance off- season and just go where you fancy. I've planned routes with two days here, three days there and invariably ended up with an overnight here and a week there - to me this is what it is all about. this is particularly true if you like CL type sites - camping a la ferme - where you go to try it for one night and end up for most of the holiday.

All this reflects my advanced years and previously hectic life-style, but give it a thought.