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Did our first family drive down to the Dordogne this year and made a complete mess of breaking / not breaking the journey so have resolved to get some suggestions this time ! On the way down we stopped at a site between Le Mans and Tours - big mistake as on site 'entertainment' and less desirable French campers partying all night meant little sleep on a night when we badly needed it. Decided to do whole drive back to Dieppe in one go on the return which was a mistake of equal proportions as it is just too far and stressful for one day and left me feeling decidedly unholidayed despite an unbeatable 2 weeks at Camping Bel Ombrage in between !

So next year we (family of 2 adults and 2 kids) would like to stop for a night in a nice quiet B&B or hotel between Le Mans and Tours. Country / rural location not too far from the motorway. Ideally somewhere with a bit of character which also does a decent evening meal and breakfast. Any suggestions?

Hi

We've stayed here on three different years. I can't recommend it highly enough !

http://www.lalunelake.co.uk/Accommodation.html

You're greeted with what do you want to drink ? A cold beer, cup of tea etc

Wander around the garden & lake before dinner. Plenty of space for children to run around plus swings

Jen

We stopped at Chateau de Chanteloupe in Le Mans...  nice site, part of the Castels chain, pool, restuarant, bar, EHU, - good half way for the Vendee and convenient for the South

We are doing the Dordogne next year and will stop around the Oleans area so we are further south - stopping at Biene Assisse off the ferry so we get a good early start south.

We went a rather different way to the Dordogne in mid-August this year - and saved some money over the tolls on the Le Mans/Tours route.

We started from Abbeville (I presume you're starting from Dieppe), and did Rouen, Evreux, Dreux, Chartres, Orleans (staying on the N154 - but you can choose the toll alternative if you're in more of a hurry), then Vierzon down to Brive on the free autoroute.  From Brive we went cross-country to Terasson LeVilledieu and then down to Montignac, St Cyprien and across the river to Belves. 

We found a lovely municipal site at Vatan, between Vierzon and Chateauroux, which was quiet and ideal for an overnight stop.  However, we had this place just south of Chateauroux, Appleton's Farmhouse, (English owned and run) mentioned as an ideal overnight stop.  I know this isn't the route you asked for, but if you're going to the middle or the eastern part of the Dordogne then it may be worth looking into.

Hi Val A - thanks for the suggestion on the route. It sounds promising. The le Mans/Tours route was far from ideal because it had very fast sections (such as the motorway from Rouen down to Tours) which were expensive in terms of tolls and petrol (amazing how you eat it up when driving at 100mph) and very slow sections such as the N147 from Poitiers to Limoges. I am keen to find something more even paced with less tolls. Trouble is not knowing what a particular N road is like in advance. What is the N154 from Rouen-Evreux-Dreux-Chartres-Orleans like and roughly how long does it take?

Also do you take the N20 or A71 from Orleans to Vierzon? I assume the A71 is a pay road?

Because we are camping (rather than caravaning) I have pretty much resolved to avoid having to pitch for the overnight stop and so am looking for a B&B or nice small hotel to break the journey. Even if it costs £100 for the 4 of us it will be worth it to avoid the time and stress of breaking camp and packing damp at dawn and the risk of a noisy site / neighbours.

Many thanks.

Quote: Originally posted by Val A on 14/9/2010

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We went a rather different way to the Dordogne in mid-August this year - and saved some money over the tolls on the Le Mans/Tours route.

We started from Abbeville (I presume you're starting from Dieppe), and did Rouen, Evreux, Dreux, Chartres, Orleans (staying on the N154 - but you can choose the toll alternative if you're in more of a hurry), then Vierzon down to Brive on the free autoroute.  From Brive we went cross-country to Terasson LeVilledieu and then down to Montignac, St Cyprien and across the river to Belves. 

Post last edited on 14/09/2010 07:52:19

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Hi there.

We also always use Val A's route; have done since the free Autoroute from Abbevillle to Rouen was built.

The N154 starts as the A154 from the A13 just south of Rouen, and is dual carriageway as far as Nonancourt. There is usually a bit of a queue at the roundabout at the end of the Evruex - Nonancourt section where you join the N12 eastwards to Dreux. (At the first roundabout a few hundred metres along the N12 is a card-only Leclerc filling station for supermarket-price fuel, about 20c per litre cheaper). If you look at Michelin you can navigate round this holdup and the next one in the next village of St Remy sur Avre. The N12 is then dual to Dreux.

There are not normally any delays round Dreux, and it is dual just about all the way to Chartres. The Chartres bypass can be busy, then to Artenay (on the N20 north of Orleans) it is single but much less busy.

We always use the Autoroute to go round Orleans, coming off the A71 at exit 02 if you want to use the N20 instead.

We usually stop for the night at one of the campsites in the various little towns on the N20 between there and Vierzon. We always have to go in the school holidays and have never booked any of these sites; people seem to be arriving until quite late in the evening.

Time is about three and a half to four hours from Rouen, but we're towing.

If you want an overnight just south of Orleans then I'd recommend Camping de Sologne at Salbris. We did the journey from Le Bugue to there in about 3 1/2 hrs for our overnight stop. Then up to Bien assise - approx 5 hrs.

I have submitted a review that is somewhere in the pipeline!

Hi again - I'd agree with the route outlined by Shinytop - and we also often go around Orleans on the autoroute paying the small toll, to avoid having to go through the town.  Generally it's a fastish road, with cheap fuel options all the way along.  We also actually managed to avoid the hold up around St Remy sur Avre by heading across country towards Senonches from Nonancourt, and then taking the next N road back towards Orleans.  It cuts off a corner, and we didn't find it a problem even with a caravan.  20 cents or more a litre less for fuel can make a considerable saving, each time you fill-up, too.

The guesthouse I mentioned appears to have family rooms at around 100 euros - including breakfast, and would ssem to be an ideal distance from the ferry port - as we got to Vatan, just a bit further north, towing a caravan, by mid-afternoon.