Going to take the D3 and SWMBO across to France for 2 weeks over Easter. Going to St. Malo and returning home vis La Harve.
We have our first 3 day stopover booked just outside Grand Fougeray. But where to go from here?? We want to be in one place over the Easter Saturday Sunday Monday to avoid all the weekend traffic. Where are the must places to visit? Don't want to drive all day every day.
Any ideas recommendations?? using B&B's to keep costs down as "Ruby" will need a large supply of fuel no doubt!! 8)
If you've not been there before, St Malo itself is a fantastic place to visit and very picturesque. Le Mont Saint-Michel (east of St Malo at the bottom of the Cherbourg peninsular near Avranches) is also another beautiful place. Heading further east you have Bayeaux (of tapestry fame) and Caen has a beautiful cathedral (if you're into that sort of thing!) Then of course, you have all the D-Day beaches in that area.
Just noticed that your first stopover is South toward Nantes.
Near Cholet is Le Grand Parc de Puy du Fou (http://www.puydufou.com/uk/). That can be a good day out, especially for the kids. The birds-of-prey display is fantastic! Noirmoutier-en-L'Ile is also worth a look, especially if you use the Passage du Gois to get to the island rather than the bridge.
Wherever you go I'm sure you'll have a great time. Wish I was going but have got to be patient until July Now an ex-D3 owner after 7 happy years. Miss the car but not the big bills
4th Mar 2009 9:59 am
tanters
Member Since: 24 Oct 2007
Location: Oireland
Posts: 4284
Visit Bayeux, beautiful town. Cathedral, Tapestry, Museums, Cemetaries and only a short hop to the Beaches of Normandy. (Visit Colleville Sur Mer, Pont du Hoc, Maisy Battery, and numerous WW2 sites) Will take care of a couple of days easily.
Granville is a nice spot too. The coast drive to St Malo is beautiful.
You gotta go to Mont St Michel ... Fantastic place. Frances 2nd most visited tourist attraction after the big electrical pylon in Paris so give yourself plenty of time there, loads to see.A happy childhood ... is the worst possible preparation for life.
Friends of ours have a B&B in the Auvergne region.
See here:-
http://www.la-fromental.com/
Give them a call (Aaron & Amelia).
Amelia is a fantastic cook and i'm sure you will be impressed!
It's well off the beaten track and there are some lovely roads to drive.
It's a volcanic area and is a lovely region, not too touristy. It's a skiing area during the winter.
There are lots of lovely villages nearby with markets selling local produce etc.
Well worth visiting this un-spoiled and generally un-discovered region of France.
Thanks DiscoDad, will most likely book there for a few days. Who shall I say recommended them?? 8)
After the advice I am rethinking our plan and may scrap our first stopover and stay close to St. Malo for a day or two. Then goto Sizan and explore that coastline and finally goto DiscoDads friends in Auvergne before coming home.
France is a big country and I think we were planning to travel too far in our first visit!! 8)
Member Since: 16 Sep 2007
Location: MI5 not 9 to 5
Posts: 1761
I have a small pile of stones below Saint James just off the A84 in between Avranches and Fougeres.
Dinan, near St Malo is a nice very old town and Cancale is a great place for Oysters (parking a pain though). Granville has already been mentioned. To be honest you will spoilt for choice in the area you've chosen and loads of places offer very good €10 -15 3 course menus. Why not follow the coastline in to Brittany - fantastic scenery and loads of cheap places to stay. Diesel yesterday in the supermarkets there was €0.917.Clubs Mantec, Tasmods, LEDS, AT2s on 18s, Maxxis Bighorns on 17s, Remote FBH, BAS. ReMap, BSS., RLD Personalised SWP., Safari Snorkel, Faultmate, Three Musketeers & MUD
4th Mar 2009 9:48 pm
andychelt
Member Since: 24 Mar 2008
Location: Cheltenham
Posts: 344
If you end up anywhere near Pontivy (search "Pontivy, Morbihan" in google earth) I got a cottage which can be a useful base to explore the Brittany region or for a few nights as you're passing through. Prob about 2 hours from St Malo, alot of which quiet country roads.
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Just noticed that your first stopover is South toward Nantes.
so give yourself plenty of time there, loads to see.
