Loire Valley - 2017

Figaro

Figaro

Joined
Feb 22, 2011
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Newcastle under Lyme
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15,397
MH
Hymer B544 A Class
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Since 2015
I`m planning only our second trip into France for June 2017 and thinking of exploring the Loire.
We`ll have two weeks and would appreciate advice on a starting point to see some of best scenery and sights etc as I don`t know the area.
Looking at the map I`m thinking starting Orleans / Blois / Tours / Angers / Nantes.
So is that a good stretch to explore ?
Any must see sights in this area ?
Recommendations for sites, planning to do Aires and maybe 3/4 nights on a nice site somewhere.
Thanks
 
The site on the island at Samur is nice.
 
Nantes is a good site you can get get a tram just outside the gate to
go to see the mechanical elephant which
Chris is amazing...nice old town too. Enjoy
 
Figaro, you are the only ones who can decide which are the right bits for you. I don't know the area in question but go ahead and find out, remembering the old saying that "one man's meat is another man's poisson".

Good luck whatever you decide, you and your MH will be welcome almost wherever you go in France.
 
Some nice aires , Briare nice canalside/Loire aire but a bit further east than Orleans also Sully sur loire lovely free aire walking distance to chateau & nice town both well worth a visit.
Nice aire at Lailly en val lakeside in small village with lovely boulangerie.
Blois, Chaumont nice chateau, Amboise c/site & aire both on the island in the middle of Loire , Tours not my cup of tea but quite nice , Turquant nice free aire & some good vineyards , Saumur lovely town & chataeu but v busy , Chalonnes sur Loire nice & c/site pleasant town, Oudon free aire small town interesting .

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As mentioned by FIDGET the aire at Lailly en Val (in my avatar picture) is pleasant enough, though i seem to remember the church bells were quite regular. I would recommend visiting the Chateau Villandry for the gardens, there is an aire in the car park opposite which is just ok but perfect for visiting the Chateau.
 
We visited the Loire Valley in 2012 and the stand-out places were, in order of travel, Villandry, Azay le Rideau, Chenonceau, Amboise, Blois and Cheverny and we saw some superb chateaux.

We then spent a couple of days at Briare where there is an amazing canal bridge and aqueduct, which is 662 metres long.

Villandry.JPG Briare Aqueduct.jpg
 
We've stayed on the campsite at Amboise( on the island) it's a municipal site so cheap but has facilities and a local pool and bar just outside , over the bridge is The Chateau well worth a visit. Da Vinci s last house is there too.
 
FIDGET said:
Tours not my cup of tea but quite nice
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What sort of a place is Tours, very busy ?
Not many people mention orleans, is it just a large town with not much to get excited about.
Got Sully Sur Loire penciled in so will pass orleans, just not sure if it's worth a stopover
 
Figaro said:
What sort of a place is Tours, very busy ?
Not many people mention orleans, is it just a large town with not much to get excited about.
Got Sully Sur Loire penciled in so will pass orleans, just not sure if it's worth a stopover
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Hi @Figaro ,
Sorry don't know much about Orleans or Tours as both too big for my personal liking , so I shouldn't really comment .
We take our dog with us every where so we don't do sort of cities.
If you need gps for any of the aires I mentioned just PM me.
Terry
 
Yes, I'm with you avoiding the cities !
I'll probably take a look on way past to somewhere more rural.
I guess I'll find the aires on search4sites / camper contact etc but if I get stuck thanks for the offer of coordinates
 
Tours cathedral is well worth a visit, we actually parked the van outside it in December. Your plan is excellent, that whole valley is well worth a couple of weeks. The aire in Blois is nice and big (and central) to visit the chateau, Amboise definitely, same for Villandry. Mrs Adonisito often says, if she could only pick one aire after 7 years visiting different ones that Amboise would be near the top of the list. Lovely town, great market, long dog walks, EHU, quiet (although we have never been in the Summer.)

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Kybod said:
As mentioned by FIDGET the aire at Lailly en Val (in my avatar picture) is pleasant enough, though i seem to remember the church bells were quite regular. I would recommend visiting the Chateau Villandry for the gardens, there is an aire in the car park opposite which is just ok but perfect for visiting the Chateau.
Click to expand...

The Aire is now better than all right! I was on it a few days ago and it's now a Brand New one recited about 200m from the old one as you enter Villandry it has 36 electric points all on individual spacious pitches + non electric ones, about 50 in total.my Sat-Nav routed me from exit 7 for some reason when it's 1km from exit 8, worth noting.
 
This is a lovely campsite, very quiet when we went early season, but stunning location
 
TeeMyob said:
Let me know if you choose Brittany Ferries
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Had a quick look at BF but prices seemed pricey compared to tunnel, I may look at different routes though. I think it was poole to cherbourg I looked at
 
adonisito said:
Tours cathedral is well worth a visit, we actually parked the van outside it in December. Your plan is excellent, that whole valley is well worth a couple of weeks. The aire in Blois is nice and big (and central) to visit the chateau, Amboise definitely, same for Villandry. Mrs Adonisito often says, if she could only pick one aire after 7 years visiting different ones that Amboise would be near the top of the list. Lovely town, great market, long dog walks, EHU, quiet (although we have never been in the Summer.)
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The campsite is Very busy in August and best to book , the aire is nearly as expensive as the campsite and is adjoining it.
There is a cycle track to Tours and is often used by the campers who bring a tent. One of our favourite sites too!
 
Figaro said:
Aire at Amboise ? Is there just the one aire, am I correct in thinking it`s on an island in the river ?
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That's the one I mean is there another! ?
 
The aire is on the island opposite the Chateau & outside the campsite

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Thanks guys for sharing your knowledge (y)
Just seems such a long way off to wait now.
Need to arrange something in UK for before then.
 
Figaro said:
Had a quick look at BF but prices seemed pricey compared to tunnel, I may look at different routes though. I think it was poole to cherbourg I looked at
Click to expand...
Poole-Cherbourg is normally one of the cheaper options. A few options for routes to Poole from your UK location (I regularly use M5, M42, M40, A34, M3, M27 and then A roads to Poole), and no need to go round London and then a long drive from Calais to the Loire. Good roads (some dual carriageway) from Cherbourg to A84 down to Rennes and dual carriageway all the way down to Nantes. TeeMyob is presumably keen to let you use his Club Voyage 10% friend's discount off the BF fare.
 
Anthea M said:
We've stayed on the campsite at Amboise( on the island) it's a municipal site so cheap but has facilities and a local pool and bar just outside , over the bridge is The Chateau well worth a visit. Da Vinci s last house is there too.
Click to expand...

From bitter experience, they don't accept tag axles. After being refused one year we thought we would try again a couple of years later but still no joy!

Ian
 
Amboise - don't know about Tags, but the brilliant market along the river - is only on Sunday mornings.

I was desperate to go to Azay le Rideau so we went - what a disappointment.

It was red hot though and there was a public lido adjacent to the campsite and aire - so that was nice!
 

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