|
French Caravan Tour 2016.
A six week tour towing our caravan starting on Sunday 14th August and ending on Sunday 25th September using ACSI card or Camping Cheques where possible. ( both offer off peak site discounts) Total Mileage 1655-- (plus 567 miles touring from campsites= 2243 miles grand total) This year we started by driving direct from Calais to Chartres. Our planned route was Chartres -Chateauroux- Beaulieu sur Dordogne, Cahors - Cordes sur Ciel- Palau del Vidre and returning via Issoire - Nevers & Chartres before heading for Calais and home. We reserved sites at Beaulieu sur Dordogne and Palau del Vidre to ensure that we got our preferred pitches To see my Google Photo Albums for some of this tour click on the direct link:- A summary chart giving details of mileages travelled and campsites follows the photographs Please e mail your comments and suggestions about this site to :- info@jj99.co.uk |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Home to Chartres 276 miles
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The garden before we left home
|
Before we left home we picked a plentiful supply of tomatoes which lasted for several weeks
|
Le Classique Francais was the most exciting new Sportive in 2016, without fail. It was a day trip to France and a Sportive in one.Registration and the safety briefing will took place whilst on the crossing. The ride started on arrival in Calais. There were two courses to choose from, Epic 83 miles or Standard 59 miles, but both routes explore the amazing North East Coast of France. The cars could not disembark until the bikes had left |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Chartres to Chateauroux 131 miles |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Coffee at Lamotte Beuvron |
Close up of Demoiselle Male Damselfly |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
On site at Chateaurox
A different type of bicycle made for two. I even had a ride on it |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
View from the belltower of the abbey Notre-Dame de Bourg-Dieu abbey |
Deols is a pretty small village next to the campsite at Chateauroux, Thehe abbey Notre-Dame de Déols or Notre-Dame de Bourg-Dieu abbey is a former Benedictine abbey , now largely in ruins is a former Benedictine abbey , now largely in ruins
|
The belltower of the abbey Notre-Dame de Bourg-Dieu abbey viewed from the adjacent park |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Chateauroux to Beaulieu sur Dordogne 131 miles |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Our riverside pitch at Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne |
Chapelle des Pénitents, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne |
Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
New at Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne |
The carving above the entrance to the Abbey of Saint-Pierre, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne |
The 'chute' is supposed to be an easy way downstream avoiding the weir |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Local produce market nest to the Chapelle des Pénitents |
Chapelle des Pénitents |
BBQ , drinks and dancing takes place in the evening after the Regional market has finished |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Beaulieu sur Dordogne to Cordes su Ciel 84 miles Campsite is a few miles away at Domaine du Garissou 81170 Les Cabannes |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
An interesting lunch stop opposite the closed Hotel
de la Vallee at Cornusson close to Verfiel.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The church at Cornusson next to the place we stopped for lunch |
Our lunch stop at Cornusson below the Chateau towering above |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
La Seye et Vous - Cafe / Restaurant in thecentre of Verfiel |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Our friend Chris's house in Verfiel |
Our friend Chris's house in Verfiel |
Here we were only a couple of hundred yards away from our friend Chris's house in Verfiel - unfortunately she wasn't staying there at the time |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Cordes sur Ciel
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Agood view of Cordes sur Ciel from the site |
There was a good free Wi Fi link outside the office - the swimmig pool was next door to it. This was great to cool down in as the temperature was in the upper 30s |
A small site but with good facilities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Cordes sur Ciel |
Cordes sur Ciel Atelier Ma Thera - Le Pastel Pastel is derived from a plant called woad and is the source of indigo, used to create a strong natural blue dye. This shop specializes in the dye and its products |
Cordes sur Ciel |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Cordes sur Ciel to Palau del Vidre - 163 miles
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
Catalan sailing boat 'N.D de CONSOLATION' is usually moored at Port Argeles |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
specialite catalane fougasse - cut into 4 slices |
|
Our chucked oysters with glass of rose on plastic crate table |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Our favourite Sunday lunch in Collioure market
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The pool and new reception building at Le Haras, Palau del Vidre |
New Decorative Steel / Glass artwork on site at Le Haras, Palau del Vidre |
Le Haras, Palau del Vidre
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Mobile wine press -on site at Le Haras |
More Decorative Steel / Glass artwork on site at Le Haras, Palau del Vidre |
Old horse drawn plough -on site at Le Haras
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
Palau del Vidre following major prunning to the trees in the square |
Palau del Vidre |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Shrine to Sant Galdric |
The road back to Le Haras from Palau del Vidre |
Facade retained but shop closed years ago |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Port Argeles |
ND Consolation at Port Argeles |
Port Argeles
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
The Promenade at Argeles sur Mer |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Palau del Vidre to Issoire - 265 miles |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Heading north up the A75 tea stop at the Aire de Garabit overlooking the Viaduct The Garabit Viaduct (Viaduc de Garabit ) is a railway arch bridge spanning the River Truyre near Ruynes-en-Margeride |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issoire just off the A75 -cross this roundabout to get
to the Municipal Campsite-a good staging point but town is within walking
disatance and worth a visit and there are some plus beaux villages de
France ashort drive away
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Issoire to Nevers - 127 miles
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2 miles past Pourcain sur Loire ( 69miles fro Issoire)
a convenient of road stop for coffee
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Hotel de Ville, Dampierre |
Dampierre sur Loire |
Just after Gien, Dampierre was a convenient and pretty place to stop for coffee with a good artisan shop a short walk away |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Lunch stop at Aire Faiencienes just 4 miles from campsite
at Nevers on free Autoroute A77
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
The entrance to the campsite at Nevers |
The campsite is situated on the River Loire next to the old stone bridge leading to the town |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Nevers - Echaugette tower with the tower of Cathedral Saint-Cyr et Saint-Julitte behind there is a blue tourist route marked on the pavement guiding you around the historic town |
Nevers - this tower in next to the Faience Earthenware Museun |
The ancient 12th century church of Saint Genest has been restored during the past couple of years
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Pont canal du Guetin takes the Canal Lateral across the River Loire 15km from Nevers |
at the Bec d'allier' -the confluence of the Loire and Allier |
Apremont sur allier -a 'Plus Beau' Village a short drive from Nevers - the gardens here are well worth a visit |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The path to the green route is well marked |
Walking back from the 'green' path |
the green route - a path alongside the river |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
Le Goemon - creperie our favourite place for lunch in Nevers - we have never been disappointed |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Nevers to Chartres - 162 miles
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Chartres cathedral from the big wheel |
 |
Notre Dame de la Belle Verre.. It is a blue Virgin against a red background and is described as the most beautiful stained-glass window in existence.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Chartes - just friends |
Enjoying a Grimbergen by Chartres Cathedral |
Chartres Vegetable Market |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Chartres to Home -285 miles
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
and a shady spot back at home |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Summary of route and campsites
mm |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
At Palau del Vidre Locally sourced fresh figs |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
l