Tell me the best region of France

[tribalbrit]

We love France and have been visiting for many years. Lately we find a river and follow it. The Dordogne is one of our favourites but can be busy in the summer. Hop on a canoe and follow the river at a slow pace.
We also like Cahors, although the Aires isn't great. Nice campsite 10 minutes walk to town though.
Rocamadour is well worth a visit.
If South Carcassonne is also worth a visit as too is Avignon and the list goes on.
France has everything. Aires, scenery, mountains, lakes, the sea, the Ocean, forests etc, etc.
Best way to do it is make no plans and follow your nose IMO.

 

[WESTY66]

I've recommended them before but here we go again! The DK Eyewitness guides are very approachable and are filled with maps and colour images. They are the easiest way to identify the best regions and places to go. I would start with the one for the whole of France but get one of the regional ones for more detail of a specific area.

I’ve got most of em except France and Spain

 

[lorger]

We’ve been to France about 15 times now and not found anywhere we don’t like, we really like the Dordogne area and the city of Sarlat. Know a lovely free Aire 6miles from town and cycle path all the way.

We enjoyed the area around St Tropaz and over to Antibes, weren’t to keen on Nice and if wasn’t for running the marathon we wouldn’t have stayed. While in Antibes we got the train to Monaco for the day.

October 2019 we visited Collioure and would highly recommend as it’s a lovely little town, we normally drive to furthest point then meander back. On the way back we stayed at Perpignan which is another lovely city/town, then on to Carcassonne which is a walled city.

We also like over on the coast at La Rochelle and the island of Ile De Orleans, great for cycling and some lovely beaches so would keep the OH happy.

We normally pick a rough idea of where to head and just go as France is so easy in a mh.

 

[FIDGET]

We love Brittany , also the ardeche region & central rural france, but must admit we dont do large towns/cities or toll roads as prefer visiting villages /small towns & countryside, we nearly always find aires by rivers, canals , lakes , we are FNT frugal nomadic travellers. use mostly free aires but dont mind parting with a few euros for secluded aires near water.

 

[violet]

We find France Passion to be a very mixed bag. Some sites are absolutely great and it is an opportunity to talk to some French people and stay in out-of-the-way places. We have some wonderful memories. However I would say we have stayed at probably half of the places we have intended, and have moved on from the other half. So always have a back-up plan!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[The Coops]

Nobody mentioned the Vendee or the Gorges du Tarn ? Anytime other than July or August brilliant but those two months tell it all, full of Frenches! We love it out if season and all the Ille's

 

[Alfie159]

Loire region utter heaven

 

[Phileas Fogg]

All of it except Paris.

 

[Terry242]

malaucene is a nice village at the bottom of Ventoux you will see groups of the cycle teams in the street cafe's with coffee and cake, Aire in town ans a small camp site close by if you want.

Same for Bedoin. A bit nearer the summit and a good start point for the climb to Cafe Reynard and then up past the memorial.

Bedoin has a cheap aire by the municipal swimming pool

Terry

 

[jumar]

Corsica.....never been but saw a repeat of Hairy Bikers a couple of nights ago....

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Abgs]

Pays Catalan or Northern Catalonia which equates to roughly the Dept 66 area, is my favourite place in France.

It's French but with a different attitude. I could happily live there - great weather, Mediterranean coast and the Pyrenees all on tap.

 

[DBK]

Corsica.....never been but saw a repeat of Hairy Bikers a couple of nights ago....

If you ever visit don't mention you once said it was part of France.

We had a great 4 weeks there but the roads are not for folk who don't like heights.

That would include me of course so I found driving with my eyes closed was the best plan.

 

[billym]

Loire Atlantique for us.
La Baule, Guerande, la Turballe, Le Croisic, Pornichet etc etc
Beautiful beaches, interesting seaside / historical towns, fascinating salt marshes and miles and miles of easy cycling routes

 

[billym]

Exactly what we did, and found ourselves in the middle of a Harley Davidson rally on a motor scooter ooh err!! luckily they re all bankers these days

We spent a very long very hot year 2018working on a campsite in Port Grimaud.
One of the highlights was the Harley week.
25000 Harley's can make a lot of noise.

The good thing was that the clientele made us feel young

 

[jongood]

Corsica.....never been but saw a repeat of Hairy Bikers a couple of nights ago....

We have, wonderful scenery but miserable locals. Really do not like the French, worse than Chris

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[glenn2926]

Languedoc isn’t bad. La grant motte.

 

[Scotch mist]

It’s full of disease and weirdo’s. (French and French based Funsters excepted)

Or just drunk anglais

 

[Chris]

Or just drunk anglais

View attachment 489345

Well there isn’t much else to do is there?

 

[Chris]

By the way Scotch mist i am honoured that you care enough about my opinions to spend your time dredging up 5 year old posts

 

[Ridgeway]

If you like road cycling and want to know some nice places in France, simple: just watch some TDF footage over on YT. There's always a "best of" each years tour posted after it finishes and it offers an amazing insight into great places all across France.

Mrs Ridgeway hasn't realised (i think...) but many of out French destinations were spotted whilst watching the TDF on TV.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Just smiffy]

Don’t listen to them WESTY66 ..... you know what it’s like on here, they’re all winding you up they’ve all made the mistake of going there once and realise what a terrible place it is and want newbies to make that same mistake as it makes them feel better and don’t want to be the only ones to do it... save your money and go to Scotland or Wales .. That’s where you’ll find all these funsters sitting on all the free pitches that you should be on...

listen to Chris at least he’s honest about it.... France, why on earth would anyone want to go there....

 

[Ridgeway]

a 10 min advert for French regions:

 

[WESTY66]

We spent a very long very hot year 2018working on a campsite in Port Grimaud.
One of the highlights was the Harley week.
25000 Harley's can make a lot of noise.

The good thing was that the clientele made us feel young

Yes it merely a festival there every year now same as Killarney in Ireland one in Poland and they have the Swiss Harley days! But in 2005 they had the main Euro Rally there which we went to and stayed in port Grimaud, there was a LOT more bikes there then and we had a great time

 

[royw]

Wher we live Lot et Garrone rolling hills with a new view around the corner, Dordogne is ok too Ohand by the way the TDF concept was started by cyclist in our village. https://www.sudouest.fr/2014/07/23/theodore-joyeux-le-pionnier-1622694-3656.php

 

[jongood]

Yes it merely a festival there every year now same as Killarney in Ireland one in Poland and they have the Swiss Harley days! But in 2005 they had the main Euro Rally there which we went to and stayed in port Grimaud, there was a LOT more bikes there then and we had a great time

I think the HD event we saw would have been about 2009, I do remember it was chucking it down, been back since but I think its time we thought about going again and combining it with Languedoc. There are some lovely and interesting places down there. The downside of that area in may June is the Mistral, it doesnt half blow.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Scotch mist]

By the way Scotch mist i am honoured that you care enough about my opinions to spend your time dredging up 5 year old posts

Your over thinking , i spent no time at all as I just happened upon it & took a picture for a bit of banter when you’re in french slagging mood lol , if you don’t like France where do you like ?

 

[Chris]

Your over thinking , i spent no time at all as I just happened upon it & took a picture for a bit of banter when you’re in french slagging mood lol , if you don’t like France where do you like ?

I like France itself visually. Parts of it are beautiful. I just find it frustrating at times when you fancy a beer and everywhere is closed.

I like the people in the South and in Brittany but don’t really care much for them elsewhere.

My personal favourite places are Spain and Italy.

 

[Scotch mist]

I once heard it said “ the only thing wrong with the french is they are to much like the English “

I find in France if you put in the effort especially in the language you do get the rewards, they are much more socially reserved than the Spanish & Italian, there is the love/hate thing with English, once I explain I’m Scottish they become much more friendly, the country is stunning & so MH friendly , haven’t done Spain or Italy in the MH yet but hope to do it soon

 

[chaser]

If I was twenty years younger, I'd be looking at buying in langadoc, love it all the different areas and sea , small villages , a lot nicer people than farther east, and motorhome friendly.
All of France is good for motorhomes, and we have either seen it or traveled through it, but the last three years we have been it is always a route to get us down there.
Love it.

 

[jongood]

I once heard it said “ the only thing wrong with the french is they are to much like the English “

I find in France if you put in the effort especially in the language you do get the rewards, they are much more socially reserved than the Spanish & Italian, there is the love/hate thing with English, once I explain I’m Scottish they become much more friendly, the country is stunning & so MH friendly , haven’t done Spain or Italy in the MH yet but hope to do it soon

I agree, they re very conservative and why should they be compelled to speak English because some 'Rosbif' is lost?

Approaching them in French is usually welcomed ( there are exceptions but we also have our share of grumpy gits). I had schoolboy French which I ve built upon with a dictionary and a couple of courses at our local adult education centre. I'm still a long way from fluent and can flounder at times but a little effort can go a long way. I bought our current MH totally in French, the vendor spoke not one word of English.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}