down to the Lot region, France

[phil on a fazer]

Hi

I'm going on a trail riding trip to the Lot region in France at the end of April. We are catching the Portsmouth Caen ferry. Rough plan is…

Get off Boat at Caen, motorway (yawn) down to Le Mans, towards Angers, then stop the night around Saumur.

Next day – go from Saumur, through Poitiers and then onto Oradour-sur-Glane for a look around. Then head down to the Nontron / Brantome area to spend the night.

Next day – head off towards Sarlat and to our destination which isn’t far east of Sarlat.

I have been to this region once or twice before (in the car) so I know what a lot of the places are like.

What I'm really looking for though is info on campsites…are they open at the end of April?general prace? (or any wild camp spots?)

Any cheap biker friendly B&Bs?

Might stay in the travel lodge at Portsmouth the night before we sail, any one know is its poss to get your bike near the door (I'll only have a disc lock)

Any info really 

Cheers guys

[Tori]

Oradour is fascinating. You're doing the route I did a few years ago, in reverse. I did Bilbao, Pamplona, Lourdes, Andorra, Barcelona, Costas, Carcasonne, Oradour, Le Mans, Normandy. I stayed in an amazing B&B in Rodez, but that's a bit out of your way.

I hope you have a good time!

[bigbluebear]

All I will say if you are using the toll roads be careful on your speed, they can calculate your speed between each toll both and issue an on the spot fine.....I only know that by falling victim and questioned why I was paying more than the toll fee.

[phil on a fazer]

All I will say if you are using the toll roads be careful on your speed, they can calculate your speed between each toll both and issue an on the spot fine.....I only know that by falling victim and questioned why I was paying more than the toll fee.

Thats interesting, i thought that was one of those things that was possible but never actually happened. ive used the toll roads a bunch of times (always above the speed limit) and my parents lived in France for years (and my dad dont hang around!) but never heard of this happening to anyone.
 
anyway...fully loaded up bike with knobblies...i wont be speeding
 
How long do you reckon to spend at Oradour-sur-glane? (trying to guest-estimate my finish time for the day)

[gassitt]

Oradour needs at least 2 hours if you are to fully appreciate what happened there

[JZS 600]

Saumur's great, stayed there a few years ago in a hotel on the river.


The town square's great for food, fond memories of Cafe Absinthe!

[BBROWN1664]

Saumur is a nice place. I stayed at this campsite a the year before last and would go back again. http://www.campingchantepie.com/

they had static vans/lodges there too so you can book them for a night or two. Saumur is only about 3 hours from Caen too.

[phil on a fazer]

ive been to France quite a few times...but never camped. Every campsite ive been past or been told about resemembles Butlins! you know.....swimming pool, shops, bar and so on. Thats all well and good but you end up paying for it.
 
Do they not just have normal campsites? all i want to do is pitch my tent and in the morning have a shit,shower,shave and go. dont want to pay 18 euros a night for a pool i wont use.
 
(yes...i do sound like a moaning brit!)     

[red98]

iam a moaning brit as well....looking for cheap camp sites aswell....france and italy....anyone know of a good campsite web page ?

[BBROWN1664]

If you want cheap and cheerful, look for the municipal campsites in france. These tend to be just the field with a shower block job you are looking for.

[The Rocketeer]

France is covered in "Aire de camping" sites which are all free. The ones on the autoroutes are nothing special, buy a guide and look up the ones in villages.
I rode south from Caen on the N roads, they're quiet and quick enough, way beter than the peage. Oradour is worth the trip but needs a good half day really, or the Loire chateaus if you like that kind of thing.
Why not take the night boat over with a cabin and use that instead of a hotel this side?

[gassitt]

Think youll find the Aire de camping are for motorhomes
.Camping with a tent in France tho is a piece of piss, just about every town has a campsite.If not a municipal there will be a private one of some sort.
Just start looking about 4pm, if the town youre in doesnt suit you still have time to try the next.Our rules for a site are, if its out of town it must have at least a bar, if close to town it can be as basic as needed
Dont ignore the ones with bars/restaurants,they may be a bit dearer but saves a long walk to town for scran/beer

If you have an idea of your route just google the town you fancy for an overnight stop, if it has a tourism website check the `herbergement` tab for accomodation

One website to try is  www.france-voyage.com

Have to say tho in 25 years of touring europe we have never booked a campsite, if you start looking early enough in the day you will always find something

[phil on a fazer]

Cheers guys, thanks for the info.

used the toll roads in France quite a few times...but always in a car/van. when traveling in a convoy with cars (well...2 cars) i used to pay at booth, go under barrier then stop straight away while the car behind me was paying....then when the arm lifted for them, i would boot it! This way both cars shot off together.

on a bike though im gonna have to pull up....money out, pay, put change away, glove back on....oh bugga 

any way...this is the route im taking