Week in France - where to go
 

We're planning a week in France in June / July. Starting from Plymouth, so could get the ferry to Roscoff or go travel to the Eurotunnel.

The extra time spent on the ferry is pretty similar to the extra time spent travelling to the tunnel. Cost is probably similarish.

We dont want any really heavy riding days, or days on the motorway. Maybe 1500-1800 foreign miles?

Will be camping. Want decent roads and scenary.

Any ideas on where to go, and whether it would be better to start from Roscoff or Calais?

Any idea when the French school holidays are, or when the roads will start to get alot busier / prices get higher?

Re: Week in France - where to go
 

Roscoff will be a lot quieter traffic wise, the roads there are like some of our quieter country lanes, and seems an age before you get anywhere like a built up area if you are heading to Southern Britanny. I stayed in Beg meil on the south coast of Britanny, lovely route through there if you take the scenic signs rather than the dual carriageway. From there you can dart off for days to places like St Jean De Monts, St Naziere etc. Loads of camping so you havent got to worry. I did the Keycamp thing so everything was there on arrival. Cant recommend it highly enough. Give me a shout if you want the place details i stayed, pics etc im sure i can dig them out :)

Re: Week in France - where to go
 

Find Fort Boyard down the coast a little bit, but worth going for the fresh sea food..mmmmm

Re: Week in France - where to go
 

Thanks for the replies. Any more experiences or thoughts welcome!

Re: Week in France - where to go
 

Get south asap

Re: Week in France - where to go
 

Go Portsmouth to Caen(cheaper and quicker(I believe!)) and head south to Central Massif region. Gorges du Tarn and Millau. We did it last may/june in constant rain on way to pyrenees, North Spain Picos and on to Santander, but it was still good lol!

Re: Week in France - where to go
 

you could come down here and ride the best roads in europe! we know many B+B's mid france to help you get here with small daily mileages.
See our site www.coupdecoeur.co.uk
and check out the videos on our site
P.s. we have one place left on the suzuki sv 2009 eurotour
see this link
http://www.sv-portal.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31564

Re: Week in France - where to go
 

+1. I did this trip last year (not with ejohnh though). Only thing is it is quite a trip to get back to the ferry on the last day. You will need about 9 hours. Possible to do it quicker but at a steady pace with a few stops (you will need them) 9 hours is about right.

Re: Week in France - where to go
 

The ferries to santander or bilbao need serious consideration, yes they are a bit expensive but when you deduct from that the cost of petrol say 7 tank fulls from calais here , then back again toll charges, wear on rear tyre and chains etc plus perhaps overnight board mid france plus meals etc all of a sudden the ferry is not that expensive!! plus you get a good nights kip and wake up an hours ride away from the pyrenees, what could be better. We are finding more and more are coming down this way because you get 2 shots at the pyrenees, one coming the other going plus lots of days out with no baggeage on board BLISS!!

Re: Week in France - where to go
 

4 of us have booked Plymouth to Roscoff for the 22nd July for a week, camping.

I think the rough plan is to hug the west cost down to around Bordeaux then cut across to Millau.

Dont really want to do any stupid daily mileages and dont want to go on the motorway.

Anyone got any thoughts on the roads we should ride, places we should go or things we should see?