Stop off Vendee

[Paulie]

We are of to La Garangeoire at the (end of July travelling via the tunnel. We have never travelled this way before (usually ferry to Caen or St Malo) so I have a couple of queries if anybody would be kind enough to help.

How many hours driving? its 26 Km from Sables D' Olonne
We would like to stop off at a site just over half way?
Has anybody been to the site?

 

[ValA.]

It's about 400 miles, and Viamichelin suggests it will take 7 hours - but bear in mind that this is maximum allowed speed, and no stops!
Can't help with the site, or with recommendations for an overnight stop, but I'm sure someone will do.

 

[Merlin53]

Val's right, it's over 400 miles, and it is depending whether you want to use the auto roads or as we do the 'old N routes'. We make this journey every year, but not from the Tunnel or to your chosen site, which we have used, so I would say we are 'old' hands at this trip. (We are currently on our way back to the UK, see post Vendee Sable France).
Re your stop over, I would say it is dependant on your arrival time in France.
The following are very good municipal sites ideal for stop overs:
Sees
Alicon
Beaumont sur Sarthe
La Fleche
Durtal (now a commercial site)
You may have to reserve a pitch as your travel dates coincide with 'black saturday' one of the worst times for French travel due to the holiday season.
If you need any more info let me know.

 

[Paulie]

Thanks for the replies, we should be in France early around 9.30am so would be looking to travel about 4-5 hours?? When exactly is 'black saturday' we shall be in France on the 23rd July.

Pauline

 

[Woody3]

Black Saturday a.k.a. 'Le Grand Depart' is when France - certainly Paris - decamps to the coast (mainly the Med) for a month. The autoroutes get clogged, again especially those radiating from Paris, and given the French style of driving - IAI or Intimidatory, Agressive, and Impatient - it is not surprising that major prangs and subsequent hold-ups result. Having said that if you go around the coast down to the Vendee, apart from the last bit from the Loire onwards where you will meet the Parisienne exudos you should not be too badly hit.
As for a place to stay the municipal Camping St Nicolas at Le-Bec Helluoin just north of Brionne can be highly recommended. Doesn't get too busy, good clean facilities, quiet, and limited children's play area (plus a football pitch.) Its a bit over 200 miles from Dunkerque or from Calais. The village - which is a walk but quite steep - has a couple of eateries, or Brionne has supermarkets and is about 15 minutes drive away. The site sells locally made cider which is highly recommended. Not expensive at less than 12E for car+van+2, but almost no English is spoken by the very pleasant elderly couple who manage the site.

 

[LesleyP]

We have had a walk around Garangeoire when we were staying in the area at La Yole. It is a very nice looking site and up to the usual standards of "Les Castels". The pitches are grassy and very spacious with plenty of room for manoeuvring. However, when we went it was in low season (Whitsun). Even then there seemed to be a good itinerary for children's activities run by the site itself. Pool looked ok. There is also a Castels site close to Le Mans (Chanteloup) if that is the route you are taking.

 

[Paulie]

Thanks for all the advice. We have looked at Chanteloup but looks a bit pricey for the amount time we will be there, does anybody know if there is Municiple site in the Le Mans area which seems like a ideal place to stop over.

Thanks Pauline

 

[alansharpe]

We are travelling to the Vendee, and also using the tunnel , we stay at Chateau de Chanteloop on the way . Takes us 6 hrs to get there from the tunnel with a couple of breaks, then takes us about 3.5hrs to travel to La Trevilliere which is about the same distance. Hope this helps Alan

 

[Merlin53]

Beaumont sur Sarthe is about 30 klms above Le Mans, it's a great one night stop over on the D338.

Have you decided on your route (autoroutes, very expensive) or the N routes? Either way, you should reach Beaumont after 5 or 6 hours from the Tunnel.

 

[Paulie]

Thanks for that, just emailed the site. Not sure about the route we have just started that discussion, personally I want to go the quickest route but Mr thrifty wants to work out the cheapest. Does it take much longer using the N routes. We will have two very bored and annoying teenagers in the back!

 

[LesleyP]

Take the tolls! All the lorries take the N roads to save cost and you will end up stuck behind them travelling through the small villages.

 

[Merlin53]

We take the A16/A28 to Rouen, costs are €11.80 from the tunnel to Rouen. We then take the D438/D338 to Le Mans. Then the D323 to Anger then pick up the D160.
Autoroute prices escalate at Rouen if you take the A28 to Le Mans and also on the A11 and A87 south. A further consideration to take account of is that fuel prices are dearer on the autoroures - typically €1.642 per litre for petrol as opposed to €1.439 in the supermarkets, this can add 10% 0r 15% to the cost. I also don't go along with the consensus that you get 'bogged down' with HGV's on the N roads, they are not allowed to drive on sundays, so the bulk of the HGV's are home on friday night leaving saturday usually less busy

A further bit of info that you may find useful, the site that you are going to is extremely commercial. There will 'campers' in tents from Eurocamp and Canvas Holidays on site. I suggest that you find out where your pitch is before you sign in, the last thing you want to find out is that you're pitched next to a 'further load of bored and annoying teenagers' who are up all night.
Be warned!

 

[Paulie]

Wow thanks for all the advice from everybody, so much to think about! Now booked on to the site at Le Mans. Will mull it all over with a nice cold glass of french wine over the weekend, not long to go now everybody soooo excited.

Thank you once again x

 

[Whittakerr]

Hi
We stayed at La Garangeoire a couple of years ago, but in a static through Keycamp. The touring pitches are in a seperate area to the Keycamp / Eurocamp caravans and tents. We were their towards the end of the season and some of the site facilities had closed but we enjoyed the site and are planning to return now we have joined the touring fraternity with our own van.
We went to a wine tasting evening in the chateau which I would thoroughly recommend. It was cheap and informative, we even got a "La Garangeoire" glass as a souvenir
Hope you enjoy the trip.