Le Chateau des Marais, Chambord

[leefaz1797]

Could anybody please advise me of the best route to this site from Calais, in particular the best route (if there is one) around Paris. Also I would appreciate any comments about the site and any activities in or around the local area.

 

[ThePlotter]

As for the route I have always gone around the Boulevard Peripherique although others will say not to.Either way take the Autoroute to Orleans and there bear right onto the Autoroute to Bordeaux if you check a map there is an exit close to Chateau des marais.In the area is of course Chateua Chambord which is the largest Chateau in France with 400 rooms and well worth a visit(you can hire tape players in English to guide you around these and admission is very reasonable.It also houses a very rare double helix staircase which is fasinating.In the ground which are huge you can watch the wild boar from viewing towers. Nearby are several other Chateau and of course the Loire.The site is well equiped with pools restaurants etc and has 10 amp elecs if you ask for them.I have used the site many times en route to elsewhere and usually spend a few days there

 

[gillyk]

As for the route I have always gone around the Boulevard Peripherique although others will say not to.Either way take the Autoroute to Orleans and there bear right onto the Autoroute to Bordeaux if you check a map there is an exit close to Chateau des marais.In the area is of course Chateua Chambord which is the largest Chateau in France with 400 rooms and well worth a visit(you can hire tape players in English to guide you around these and admission is very reasonable.It also houses a very rare double helix staircase which is fasinating.In the ground which are huge you can watch the wild boar from viewing towers. Nearby are several other Chateau and of course the Loire.The site is well equiped with pools restaurants etc and has 10 amp elecs if you ask for them.I have used the site many times en route to elsewhere and usually spend a few days there

Hi Lee,

We spent a week on this site two years ago. The pitches were a good size and were mostly away from the static area. It has a good pool area although I don't recall it being heated. Toilet facilities were generally clean. Tennis courts and small table tennis area on site. Close by there is a local vineyard we brought back several litres it was very nice!!

Chambourd is lovely and we ventured further afield and visited Chateau de Usse - believed to be where the story of Sleeping Beauty originated from,amongst others. There is also a very good zoo about an hours drive south.

Cannot really comment on the journey as we used le havre crossing and used local roads.

Hope you have a good hols.

 

[gillyk]

Sorry Lee am new to this - see my comments on The Plotter's post

 

[John_374224558]

Lee,

Stayed here for a few days as part of a tour around SW France and the Loire Valley. Nice site and would like to return sometime.

Went from here straight back to Calais, the nearest Motorway junction is at Mer only a few miles away and that takes you straight up to Paris. What happened to us then was interesting...it was during the french holidays in August when a lot shuts down, and that is when they decided to close a whole stretch of M/way to resurface it. We got diverted onto the motorway that heads south towards Lyon for just a few miles, and then onto another one that took us around the south east corner of Paris round towards Disneyland. A bit confusing at the time but it suddenly fell into place when we saw the Disneyland/Marne le Vallee signs we knew where we were. From there it was a short hop on a couple of suburban motorways round to Charles de Gaulle Airport where we picked up the main motorway to Calais. Even with the diversion it was 330 miles (should have been just over 300) but we still did it in about 7 hours including breaks and we even caught an earlier ferry...bonus!

 

[Gafferbill]

Avoiding Paris..

Calais A16/A28 to Rouen

.....then A13 towards Paris

.....turn off on A154/N154 to Evreux

.....on to Dreux and Chartres

.... N154 to A10 to Orleans and towards Blois

.... Turn off to Chambord Exit 16

Distance 293 miles