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We've just got back from St Catherine de Fierbois too and it's so funny to read your comments as you voiced exactly what we thought-apart from the closed-shops thing.  The Loire seemed to be full of sweet villages interspersed by miles and miles of dull flat farmland and it wasn't the totally beautiful idyllic escape we thought it would be at all.  I wondered if we were missing something too!  We did thoroughly enjoy the caves and chateaux though, and always found somewhere to eat. We thought that the auberge in St Catherine itself was wonderful, what a lovely setting.  I have been to the Dordogne and would agree with all above comments-a different world entirely.

I think next year we may try the Sarthe, it looks lovely and is a bit closer to Calais which can only be a good thing for a week's trip!

 Hi.

 We too were very disappointed with our first trip to The Loire. Got back two days ago, after staying in cloyes sur Le Loire.  Travelled extensively to most of the chateus, Villandy, Chenonceau, Usse, d'Asay le Rideau, etc. All worth the long drive. Surpised how much industry we saw. Pretty dull. Mind you the weather didn't help either. I think too next time we will venture further down. Heard many good things about the dordogne.

Also found too most places were closed, couoldn't even hire bikes out as there was nothing open.

Having said all that, this holiday has to of been one of the most hilarious we have ever been on!

We stayed in saumur this year and absolutely loved the area, we did have lovely weather mind you.

The views from our site were breathtaking, we stayed at camping chantepie and never had any problems.

Would love to go to the dordogne but OH isn't too keen on such a long drive, any ideas how to persuade him. We would need an overnight stay on the way there and back but don't fancy having to put up the tent etc more than once on holiday. Where do people stay? Are there such places similar to travel lodges?

thanks sas

Hi

We just got back from staying at Municipal du Val du Sarthe, a very reasonably price site at £57 for a family of 4 for a week with electric in out Montana 6. We have been to the Lore for 3 years now and stayed in a static in St Catherine de Fierbois, Chambord and Pierrefitte (Parc des Alicourts). We want to go to the Dordogne next year as feel we have seen enough of the Loire. The campsite on the Sarthe was very good (I have just submitted my review). It is right by the river which we could fish but we also found lots of shops and bars closed the week we were there. We went to St Leonard de Bois and it was very quiet, it didnt help that the weather was poor most of the week. Went to the lake at Sille de Guillaime and again very quiet. We may go a week earlier to the Dordogne next year and stay for 2 weeks with a B&B stopover on the way there and back. I like the look of Saint Avit Loisirs as it has pools etc for the kids. Luckily my Montana 6 held up to 18 hours of heavy rain on the first day and night!!

Ness X

Ness P - good choice of site for next year. We loved St Avit Loisirs when we stayed there in 2004. Great pool area and facilities. Le Bugue is a bit off the beaten track but you can still reach all the usual tourist attractions, it's just a bit of a drive. One good side of that was that we canoed on the Vezere river which, as someone else said on another thread, was much quieter than the main river.

Susie

"Where do people stay? Are there such places similar to travel lodges?"

SAS,

Loads of "Travel Lodge" type places in France and much more reasonably priced in general. Some in almost every town, usually signed off motorway. Look for signs to Ibis (about £40 - £50 per room (2 or 3 people), also Etap, B&B, Campanile (about £30 a room) and these all have en-suite shower/loo. Formule 1 and similar are cheaper but only have basin in room, loo and showers are shared. There are family rooms in some of these hotels. Ibis and some others (Campanile?) have their own restaurant and bar.

here are some links for you

http://www.ibishotel.com/gb/home/index.shtml

http://www.etaphotel.com/gb/home/index.shtml

http://www.hotel-bb.com/

http://www.campanile.com/en/default.aspx

http://www.hotelformule1.com/formule1/index.html

http://www.balladins.com/uk/?ref=

http://www.villages-hotel.com/index.php?i_sid=339368508&i_lang=44

Logis de France can also be very good value - they are usually family run and often have good (and good value ) menus

http://www.logis-de-france.fr/uk/index.htm