Loire in 8 days?

Sharon the Cat

Sharon the Cat

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We will be at Cite Europe at about midnight this Friday. We have to be back again a week later for the Saturday night for an early morning return on the Sunday.

Is a trip to the Loire a good idea in this time frame?
We won't use toll roads/drive fast.
We don't want to spend a whole day travelling at either end of the trip.
Our ideal is beautiful countryside with good walking & cycling. Away from the crowds, avoiding the more touristy places.
If it is a good idea what is the best route from Calais?

We have a French road atlas, All the Aires North & a Fairytooth Truck TomTom crammed with useful POIs.
Grateful for any advice, although we may completely ignore it & do a suck it & see trip instead & end up somewhere completely different.

Can't wait. :D
 
Sharon the Cat said:
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Grateful for any advice, although we may completely ignore it & do a suck it & see trip instead & end up somewhere completely different.
:D
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I like the go with the suck it and see option. Much better plan and you never know where you're going to turn up on any given night. Much less stressful option and very exciting not knowing where you're going. Wish we were in France too!
 
Last time we were heading for Brittany & never got there. I suppose we do need somewhere to head for even though we may never get there.
 
Last year we headed down to the South of France and planned to head into Spain. Ended up in Italy and thoroughly enjoyed 4 nights in Venice and other resorts on the coast before touring through Austria. Never did get to Spain, but we wouldn't change the way it panned out. We usually make a decision when we get to Dunkirk. I ask my wife, East, West or South and head off on that basis. It's great fun, but once you've committed to it it's not easy to undo. You just stay with it. Enjoy it wherever you end up!!
 
Head For spain, you will never get there france is so big and diverse it will take you a lifetime to explore a tiny fraction of it, enjoy, its surprising how far you can get with only half a day driving on motorways, have you been to the champagne region you can usually do this in about four hours then just explore the small villages and champagne houses, my problem with the loire is the drive along the top of france and around paris. you could pop down to see me in the alps :shag::shag: oh sorry wrong symbol its meant to be this one:cheers::lol-053:andy
 
Loire

Go with your instinct it's the way we go and have never been saddened Sharon
By the way it's still bl..dy hot😂😂😂😂😂😂😎😎😎
 
Amazing hillsides full of vineyards and you can walk where you want, later in the day take a tour round some cellars with tasting and lots of nice aires near canals with local champagne on tap
 
We went to the Loire and visited about 5 chateau in around 8 days during a very snowy February two years ago. We didn't use a toll road (because we usually don't) and we didn't go anywhere near Paris. No problem.
 
andyjanet said:
Amazing hillsides full of vineyards and you can walk where you want, later in the day take a tour round some cellars with tasting and lots of nice aires near canals with local champagne on tap
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You're making me wish I was there now!!! It does sound relaxing. Maybe July for us
 
I would head down between Saumur and Ancienis , lots of great places to stop, good overnight stop on the road leading up to Champtoceaux right beside the Mighty Loire ! Good for cycling and walking here as well, and away from the sheep people.! Head into the hills near Drain and into the vineyards and stop to buy some Muscadet, Gros Plant Du Pays De Nantais, or some Cabernet D'Anjou ! Mmm ! Or head south towards the river Layon only a few kms south of Angers and follow the Route De Vignoble De Layon, so pretty around here, all the villages are built from a very lovely yellow stone, lots of small aires here beside the river Layon, very quiet and away.from the tourist sheep , the French go here so it ticks the box ! Stay away.from the tourist traps amd follow your senses, keep to the smaller roads ! And anyone who knows their wine will know that this is Coteaux De Layon and Chaume country ! My favourite wines along with Muscadet and Cabernet D'Anjou !
I know of a few very quiet overnight stops beside both rivers, Im not telling everyone ! If you want directions pls Pm me.
I might be a bit biased about the area as I live not more than 30 kms from Ancienis in Maine Et Loire ! Infact My beautiful house is not far from Mr Pochaie's !
Have a great holiday and enjoy the area and buy the local wines and food ��
 
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Well, quite thundery down here in the south of France at the moment. Heading up via the Atlantic coast & through the Loire next week. Hope the rain eases off?
 
I like the suck it and see option, if you are having a good time where you are ,why rush off somewhere else , it is the green grass syndrome hee hee.
 
Latest thought is to head for the Trans-Ardennes Voie Verte which follows the Meuse River up to Givet near the Belgain border.
This is, of course, nowhere near the Loire, but if we head off that way there is still no guarantee that we will actually get there.
 
If we do happen to get to the Loire I will have no problem with the local wines, :tongue: I love Muscadet.
Mind you I am also extremely fond of Champagne.
Decisions
Decisions
 
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