 | Home > Camping, Caravanning and Holidays > Just booked a trip to France |
 
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| VeeTee Member Since: 06 Mar 2011 Location: Somewhere Posts: 1512  
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We've been there several times, but thats about 25 years ago
I especially liked the the coast just south west of Roch sur Yon, nice places Les Sables d'Olonne and La Rochelle. Don't forget the "Fruit de Mêre" off course! Cheers, Vincent 1959 Polynorm 1/4 Ton Trailer, Olive Drab Green (sold) 1970 M416 Military Trailer (Camping Trailer Conversion), Epsom Green (sold) 1975 Series III 88 V6, Light Green (sadly sold) 1996 Defender 110 CSW 300 Tdi, Epsom Green (sold) 2000 Freelander 1 TD4 3-drs, Silver (sold) 2006 Freelander 1 TD4 5-drs Facelift Automatic, Tonga Green (sold) MySite |
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23rd Oct 2013 4:01pm |
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| GUM97 Member Since: 05 Feb 2012 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3555  
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Well, where shall I start!
I'm down in France at this very moment, only a short drive south of La Roche-sur-Yon (about 10 minutes in fact). Absolutely stunning area! 
We come most years, as we've fallen in love with the region! This time, we got the Euro Tunnel into Calais, and then drove down (took about 5 hours ish). Tips: If following your sat-nav, DON'T DRIVE THROUGH ROUEN (unless you want a convertible!). There's some very low underpasses, that suddenly change height and you can't get out (Ask me how I know  )
Where abouts in La Roche-sur-Yon are you staying? 
Pete An engine to TDi for! "Land Rover- Proudly turning drivers into mechanics since 1948"  |
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23rd Oct 2013 5:56pm |
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| ickle Member Since: 22 Jul 2010 Location: South Vendee Posts: 1799  
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I'll be there on Monday! About 15km south of La Roche Sur Yonne.
Brittany ferries Portsmouth - St Malo night crossing with a cabin, very civilised, Caen - Portsmouth on the way back, we take the 4pm sailing so leave Bessay at approx 9am, slow toddle up and are home in Broadway for about 11.30pm. Ferry is expensive but treat it as part of the holiday and its fine. Watch out for speed cameras - they are everywhere. Might see you in July next year, always there July / August for three weeks or so. Love it & planning to retire there, only another 16 years to go! 
Keith |
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23rd Oct 2013 6:26pm |
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| Paulv8 Member Since: 09 Jun 2013 Location: Milton Keynes Posts: 618 
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We are there in august. Lovely place. Great lake there. It's like a little bit of Spain in France I always think. Took us seven hours to drive (via Rouen!) .. You can avoid the underpasses! Some nice beaches, sea is warm.
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23rd Oct 2013 10:11pm |
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| Little Tom Member Since: 20 Aug 2013 Location: Lancashire Posts: 134 
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I'm really happy so many of you have been before or are going again. We are staying in a place called Lairoux which is south of La Roche-sur-Yon and near another place called Lucon. You will have to excuse my ignorance of the area as I have only been to France with my Mum and Dad when I was younger and we used to travel to the Loire Valley quite a bit.
I remember loving it so now I'm taking my kids... my god time flies doenst it!! As for retiring there, those 16 years or so will fly by! One of the main things I had on my list was the sea food! I love it and I hear its a great area for mussels or moules? Wouldnt mind getting a bit of fishing in over there but I think with wife and kids I probably wont get time, really very much looking forward to it and hopefully my kids will enjoy it as much as I did. Michael was just telling me a story about a friend of his who slept with a land rover, lonely nights in the desert.. |
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24th Oct 2013 9:47am |
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| GUM97 Member Since: 05 Feb 2012 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3555
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We drove through Lairoux earlier in the week- Lovely place! We're just down the road, just on the other side of Luçon.
"Moules-Frites" as the French say.. The area is fantastic for seafood! There's many lovely restaurants serving seafood, and if you travel the short(ish) distance to the coast you get the seafood with an even more beautiful view! An engine to TDi for!
"Land Rover- Proudly turning drivers into mechanics since 1948" |
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24th Oct 2013 10:22am |
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| Little Tom Member Since: 20 Aug 2013 Location: Lancashire Posts: 134
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Weve decided that we will travel from Portsmouth to either Caen, Cherbourg or Le Havre depending on times etc. Due to travel restrictions we will have to stay over somewhere near Portsmouth and catch the ferry the following day. With the Land Rover being fully packed does anyone know a good place to stay with a secure(ish) car park? Michael was just telling me a story about a friend of his who slept with a land rover, lonely nights in the desert..
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28th Oct 2013 12:01pm |
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| Birdy Member Since: 07 Oct 2011 Location: Côte d'Azur Posts: 870 
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“Any recommendations on… driving a defender in France”
If you’ve Quadoptic or any standard 7” headlamps (or is this the wrong Forum for anything left standard on a truck?), PLEEEZE don’t waste your money on headlamp converters: a bit of Fablon-type sticky cut to appropriate size - the pattern on the left as you look at the lights from the front - does everything needed. Peter |
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28th Oct 2013 5:40pm |
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| Swollock Member Since: 16 Mar 2013 Location: Wellingborough Northants Posts: 262 
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We went in August, took the tunnel and took them up on the offer of a toll tag, which made the motorway journey very easy, they just bill you at the end of the month one transaction, no finding the money at the toll booth or using a card and getting additional charges.
The Landy was billed as under 2M as well, seeing that with the 255 tyres I had on it was just over was nice. Tony 2008 Defender 110 XS CSW Volvo S60 T8 Triumph 1200 Rally Explorer G0UBX |
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28th Oct 2013 6:44pm |
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| doctor Member Since: 19 Nov 2013 Location: martinet Posts: 1
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HI just read somone coming over to la roche sur yonne ...We have retired very close to there near the coast any help before or during you visit your welcome.Birdy plse note sticking sticky on lamps can cook and craze/crack your glass....be careful..spending on a good long trip ? dont skimp on proper stuff and gendarms could get ...rsy
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19th Nov 2013 11:50pm |
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| jhnstap Member Since: 01 Apr 2013 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 73 
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Forget the hotel in Pompey-get the 2000 ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo, book a cabin, have a nice meal, a good sleep and drive the following day, nicely relaxed, don't forget cabin for return trip even if it is a day crossing it,s nice to have a little siesta in the afternoon.
As for driving in France it is a pleasure, with so little trafiic-just keep in the gutter and you wont go far wrong. Peage/toll costs for St Malo-Cognac were about 13 Euros if I remember Enjoy the trip  I do my thing and you do yours. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine |
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20th Nov 2013 7:56am |
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| mk1collector Member Since: 17 Sep 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 6771 
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Portsmouth to st malo or Caen with a cabin over night is the perfect way to do it, it's much more relaxing. I stayed close to the Nantes area last year and what we saw was beautiful, but we didn't go far from the apartment as we had a few "problems" with the defender.
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20th Nov 2013 9:33am |
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| Little Tom Member Since: 20 Aug 2013 Location: Lancashire Posts: 134
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Well.... my landroever is exactly the same as your and I'm hoping for no problems. What "problems" were there? Michael was just telling me a story about a friend of his who slept with a land rover, lonely nights in the desert..
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20th Nov 2013 3:35pm |
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| mk1collector Member Since: 17 Sep 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 6771
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Well, on arriving at Portsmouth Dock it decided to pee all it's diesel out on the floor from the high pressure fuel pipe on the side of the head (that looked brand new) from one end of the rubber bit. The aa did a temp repair for me but we missed the ferry so had to get a later one (no cabins were left so all 6 of us had to sleep on the floor
) then 200 miles into France the other end of the same pipe split and dumped all the fuel again, so it was a flatbed to a local garage and a lovely French chap did a better temp repair that got us there and back but we didn't dare do much driving down there just in case it happened again  |
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21st Nov 2013 9:23am |
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