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End of July, beginning of August

That's high season, then.  As we always go in low season I'll leave it to others to recommend sites.  We have stayed at Les Courtilles de Lido which is at Moiret sur Loing, a train ride into Paris, and near to Fontainebleau.  The palace is lovely, as are the forest walks.  I could recommend this site, but I've no idea what it's like in high season.

We've also stayed at Camping International at Maisons Lafitte - but I wouldn't recommend this site.  The facilities are overstretched and very filthy when we were there.  It's a while ago, and it may have improved, but I felt it left a lot to be desired.  Shame, as it's in a nice position on the Seine, with a nearby railway station.  Perhaps others have been more recently.

hi, are you best sticking to auotroutes with all the tolls or other main roads. 

We have a tom tom sat nav it asks about avoiding toll. Any help appreciated.

Depends on several things:

How much of a hurry are you in: the autoroutes are much quicker (unless there's an accident and then you can't get off). Occasionally the autoroutes get packed with traffic which you can overtake by driving along the parallel old roads which are often practically empty.

This latter doesn't apply to going through large towns or on the lorry routes between industrial towns and/or Paris.  By and large if you're travelling through big conurbations you may be better off on the autoroutes.

If you're not travelling a huge distance then you can dawdle, stop and explore or refresh yourself. That's an almost pleasant way to drive!

 

Quote: Originally posted by PEACHY123 on 18/11/2009

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hi, are you best sticking to auotroutes with all the tolls or other main roads. 

We have a tom tom sat nav it asks about avoiding toll. Any help appreciated.

 

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If it's your first time, and you're in a hurry to get somewhere specific then use the toll routes.  If you're not in a hurry, and want to see more of France then use the N roads - but have a look and see how many towns your route passes through.  Many French towns are now by-passed, or have a very convenient ring-road - but some aren't - and that's where the hold-ups can occur.  Avoid them if you can, even if it means using a convenient length of toll-route to get around the town.  Orleans is one such town - where it's worth paying the toll to avoid the traffic.  In other areas, the autoroute through or around the town can be free - long sections around Paris are free, and around Lyon. 

The only thing I'd say, about relying on SatNav (especially in southern France where there can be some very 'wild' country) is that we met some people in the Gorges du Tarn and their SatNav had sent them on a road which is scary to go down in a car, never mind with a caravan, but because 'it had told them' they continued.  It took them hours and hours and hours to get to the site.  Have a look at a paper map, at least, and work out what sort of roads the SatNav may send you on - before you take that direction!

We still use paper maps - the Michelin atlas of France is detailed enough to assess what the roads are like - anything less than a yellow road, in a hilly area, is definitely a No No with a caravan.  In the flatter areas it may be the quickest way from A to B - but knowing that is something which comes from experience.

None of those 'scary' roads, then, so you should be fine.  We've stayed at St Valery some years ago - Chateau du Drancourt, several sites around Paris including one I didn't mention which was Huttopia at Rambouillet - woodland site, rail link to Paris, we've stayed at the municipal in Chalons - but again some time ago, and we go to Chateau du Gandspette twice a year for our last night because we like it there.

I'm sure you'll have a lovely time - we always do, and so does everyone on this forum, it would seem!