L'Etang de la Bräche, Loire Valley. Your views please.

[Moley1]

Hi everyone.

My partner and boys 14, 17 are off to L'Etang de la Bräche in August. We are looking to arrive in Calais PM on the Saturday, and stay overnight on the way. I would be interested in your chosen route, and a good place to stop for one night. We had planned the return journey to Calais in one day. In your opinion is the distance too much without a stopover. I have been to west of Loire, but have no experience of anything west of Saumur. Any good places to visit. Look forward to hearing your experiences.

Dave

 

[cris_408518]

I'm off to Germany in an hour or so. Loire Valley is a long steady drive with a reasonable tow car. We have easily done to and from Royan and Bordeaux area with a big T/A van using Auto Routes!

Take route south from Calais to Rouen, Alencon, LeMans and then Tours /Loire or Rouen , Evreux, Chartes and Orleans direction depending on where you want to be. I've tried routes to and around Paris and have regreted them!!!!!

Would make sure you do a day out to Futuroscope at Poitiers with the lads. And make sure you stay on for the evening show on the lake. A long day, but well worth while.

 

[BrianStAlbans]

Cris ,are you on some sort of exchange program with Lutz?

Have a safe and enjoyable journey Brian (",)

ps, you say you have a big twin axle but you have also said in the past you haven't got a 4x4.....IS THIS WISE how can you tow with a little car? Hehehehe !!!!!!

 

[helen_5040310]

Hi David we did this very journey last summer. Yes it is a sensible distance to do in one day as your children are the same age as mine you don't have to keep stopping as often as when they are little! We stayed overnight at guines just outside calais as we have a long drive down from tyneside so find the 20 mins drive from the ferry far enough for one day. It then took us about 7 hours the next day stopping every 2 hours for food and a rest we also avoided toll roads so this did take longer. The site your going to we visited for the day as we were staying at Parc Fierbois nearer tours, it looked really excellent and is right on the river for fishing canoeing etc. There are numerous chateaux to see if that is your thing, we got our kids to go round 2 of them!

 

[sparkes]

Cris ,are you on some sort of exchange program with Lutz?

Have a safe and enjoyable journey Brian (",)

ps, you say you have a big twin axle but you have also said in the past you haven't got a 4x4.....IS THIS WISE how can you tow with a little car? Hehehehe !!!!!!

I beleive he has a BMW 530

 

[GillC1]

Hi David we did this very journey last summer. Yes it is a sensible distance to do in one day as your children are the same age as mine you don't have to keep stopping as often as when they are little! We stayed overnight at guines just outside calais as we have a long drive down from tyneside so find the 20 mins drive from the ferry far enough for one day. It then took us about 7 hours the next day stopping every 2 hours for food and a rest we also avoided toll roads so this did take longer. The site your going to we visited for the day as we were staying at Parc Fierbois nearer tours, it looked really excellent and is right on the river for fishing canoeing etc. There are numerous chateaux to see if that is your thing, we got our kids to go round 2 of them!

Helen,

We are doing this year exactly what you did last year, we are travelling from south wales staying at guines and then travelling to parc fierbois. Can you tell me what you thought of these two sites?

Thanks

 

[helen_5040310]

Helen,

We are doing this year exactly what you did last year, we are travelling from south wales staying at guines and then travelling to parc fierbois. Can you tell me what you thought of these two sites?

Thanks

Hi Gill

We loved parc de fierbois it was great for the kids especially the pool area and the lake. Our son could fish while our daughter swam and we sunbathed. There is an excellent take away with dishes of the day you have to take your own pan and they fill it with the food we had chicken chaussaur and rice fab!

The weather was also great sun every day.

Guines is a small site with a take away and pool but we really only sleep there and try to fit a visit to the citi europe shopping for the kids to spend their holiday money. Lots of the other caravanners are also going to or from the ferry as well so there is usualy a really nice atmosphere.

 

[Moley1]

Hi David we did this very journey last summer. Yes it is a sensible distance to do in one day as your children are the same age as mine you don't have to keep stopping as often as when they are little! We stayed overnight at guines just outside calais as we have a long drive down from tyneside so find the 20 mins drive from the ferry far enough for one day. It then took us about 7 hours the next day stopping every 2 hours for food and a rest we also avoided toll roads so this did take longer. The site your going to we visited for the day as we were staying at Parc Fierbois nearer tours, it looked really excellent and is right on the river for fishing canoeing etc. There are numerous chateaux to see if that is your thing, we got our kids to go round 2 of them!

Thanks for your comments.

We will arrive in France about 5pm and will want to do a couple of hours driving. Does anyone know of a decent stopover on the route suggested Chris (cheers Chris).

Many thanks

Dave

 

[Moley1]

Thanks for your comments.

We will arrive in France about 5pm and will want to do a couple of hours driving. Does anyone know of a decent stopover on the route suggested Chris (cheers Chris).

Many thanks

Dave

 

[Le Chant]

Hi David,

route is as suggested for L'Etang, take the Abbeville/Rouen/Alencon/Le Mans/La Fleche/Saumur route. Dead easy! It'll take you around 6 hours from Calais. The site's brilliant. It's just down the road from us here and we think Brigitte is one of the nicest people around! Tell her Hi! from us and we'll see her soon!

Places to visit are many & varied, from great wine tours (Gratien & Meyer), Zoos (Doue and La Fleche), Oddities (Mushroom Museum), Horsey stuff (Cadre Noir). Do NOT under ANY circumstances miss out on the Grand Parc Puy du Fou. Spectacular, unmissable. Try & book the evening show too if you possibly can, although it may well be fully subscribed now. Just an unreal experience!

Oh, and call in to see us for a cuppa too!

 

[Fourtrack]

Dave

All the Sites round Saumur are excellent. Brigitte is a lovely person. It is a few years since we went there but you will not regret it. Another super one is Camping Chantepie up on the hill. I love that one

 

[smiley]

Hi David.

We have stayed at L'Etang de la Br

 

[Moley1]

Hi Smiley

Thanks for your advice. Guess that as it is near water it comes with the territory.

Cheers for the info.

Dave

 

[smiley]

St hilaire is not far away worth a visit for tasting the sparkling wine, there's also a large E.leclerc there aswell. If you want to make a day theres also a pinic area just off the Island where you can have a rest after all the drink!!!

 

[smiley]

St hilaire is not far away worth a visit for tasting the sparkling wine, there's also a large E.leclerc there aswell. If you want to make a day theres also a pinic area just off the Island where you can have a rest after all the drink!!!

PS......They do White,Rose and Red sparkling, covers all tastes.

 

[smiley]

St hilaire is not far away worth a visit for tasting the sparkling wine, there's also a large E.leclerc there aswell. If you want to make a day theres also a pinic area just off the Island where you can have a rest after all the drink!!!

PPS......forgot to say Chinnon castle is worth a visit and the mushroom caves, where I think you can still pinch and eat as you go, if you're careful that is.......

 

[Moley1]

Hi Stuart

Thanks for the info. I am looking forward to visiting the area.

Have been to the Loiret before and that was good.

Cheers

Dave