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Big Gunz

Well-Known Member
Thinking of going next summer as a treat for the other half. Was thinking of flying to Bordeaux and eventually flying back from Nice. Will be driving the entire way. So does anyone have any recommendations for cities/ towns to visit along the way? A bit of beach and vineyards would be good too. Cycle hire places and routes would be a bonus!

Also any driving tips as don't they have an odd rule about cars on the right having right of way when pulling out of junctions?

Cheers
 
When we rode through France be aware of the speeding camera/radar signs, approximately 1 or 2 km after this is the actucal 'speed trap' usually a small squat box on the side of the motorway to catch your rear or one in the middle of the road (between the two lines of traffic) pointing towards you. Just amend your speed until you see it, then crack on.
 
Avignon, and Arles are very nice to visit - not sure how far away they are from Nice.
 
The small city of Pau - well worth a day visit.
Montpellier - very worth a few days.
Arles - I stayed for weeks because of work. For a visit - a day, or an overnight.
Nice - mental as fuck. Loved it.

I'd give Tolouse a miss. I haven't been to Lourdes, but I may well soon.

Bayonne was a nice place also, but a little unexceptional for tourists.

Marseille - I would like to have explored more, but it is a bit rough around the edges. The shanty towns shocked me.

Aix en Provence is very fashionable with the rich.

Avingon - nice if you have grey hair and want to ride around on the petit train.

Carcassone for a 'rebuilt' medevil city.

Narbonne - small, but very nice city.
 
Stanley Edwards said:
Nice - mental as fuck. Loved it.

I'd give Tolouse a miss.
Click to expand...

Off to near Nice this autumn and are likely to visit there - tell us how it's mental as fuck!!!:D

I thought Toulouse was OK - but we were staying on the campsite out of town which necessitated getting the last bus back - at about 7.15pm. :(
 
oryx said:
Off to near Nice this autumn and are likely to visit there - tell us how it's mental as fuck!!!:D
Click to expand...

I was there during student leaving - end of year - beach and street party which ran into the main holiday season in most parts of France and Italy. That may have made a difference, but I doubt it. It is full on, unashamedly 'fun city'. It's also very beautiful and there's plenty of more 'respectable' culture on offer.

I saw a bunch of tourists convinced the station was under a terrorist attack when a train pulled in with extra loud firecrackers going off. It was a wedding party for a family member of a TGV driver. I've never seen panic like it :D

All kiosks sell condoms by the till.

The beach is huge, but stoney like Brighton. I would imagine there will still be plenty of beach parties in the autumn.

I just didn't get Tolouse at all.
 
Aix is lovely.
The villages inland are just beautiful, generally in the part of France so driving is generally great.

you MUST visit Gorges Du Verdon, the 2nd deepest Gorge in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verdon_Gorge

Moustiers at the lake end is just picture perfect. if the weather is alright, hire a kayak and paddle up the gorge :)
 
Beware traffic for the whole of August on the coast. Pretty much the whole length of the coast is like a car park. It's easy enough to head inland, explore some of the gorgeous villages then drop back down to the coast further up/down, but don't assume you'll just be able to go for a drive. I spent a couple of weeks near Ste Maxime this summer and attempted to drive to St Tropez (c10km). Gave up after an hour.
 
Even the coastal trains get overfilled. People on their way to beaches with buckets, spades, picnic hampers... The rush home at the end of the day can leave you waiting on the platform as train after train fills before you get on one.

St Tropez - you missed nothing unless you like to look in envy at rich peoples yachts.

The other thing I didn't mention in my first post is the Atlantic coast. Ignore Biaritz and go a little farther north to find the 60KM beach. It is stunningly beautiful. Huge dunes with pine forest falling almost into the water. I know people who run a cycle hire business in the small town of Capbreton. Extremely friendly place. There is a very good network of cycle paths in towns and tracks along the coast. Highly, highly recommend this. Fantastic seafood also - the best I have ever tried. My friends at the cycle hire place speak excellent English and are lovely people. Mention me and you will be treated handsomely.
 
The Lot valley to the west of Cahors is very nice - loads of wine, small villages, winding river etc... Cahors is small but worth a look for it's bridge if nothing else.
 
Cheers for everyone's advice, much appreciated. I'll do some research and probably have more questions. As said the trip isn't until next July so I'm not busting my balls for info yet...

Stanley Edwards said:
Even the coastal trains get overfilled. People on their way to beaches with buckets, spades, picnic hampers... The rush home at the end of the day can leave you waiting on the platform as train after train fills before you get on one.

St Tropez - you missed nothing unless you like to look in envy at rich peoples yachts.

The other thing I didn't mention in my first post is the Atlantic coast. Ignore Biaritz and go a little farther north to find the 60KM beach. It is stunningly beautiful. Huge dunes with pine forest falling almost into the water. I know people who run a cycle hire business in the small town of Capbreton. Extremely friendly place. There is a very good network of cycle paths in towns and tracks along the coast. Highly, highly recommend this. Fantastic seafood also - the best I have ever tried. My friends at the cycle hire place speak excellent English and are lovely people. Mention me and you will be treated handsomely.
Click to expand...

Cheers Stan, got a link to this cycle hire place?
 
Big Gunz said:
...
Cheers Stan, got a link to this cycle hire place?
Click to expand...

It's the only cycle hire place in Capbreton. They had only just opened when I met them in Bayonne, so probably not properly Googled yet. Think I have an email address I can PM you. The business is based in a small shop in the new port development. Capbreton has a nice, very small old town (village) and new port development. That isn't why people go there. They go for the incredible beaches and surrounding forests, and the equally incredible seafood.

I'll get in touch with them and PM contact info.
 
If you have a hire car why not go away from the usual suspects. I'd go from bordeaux to cahors via bergerac. Then have a day or two along the aveyron gorge, Bruniquel, Penne,St Antonin Noble Val and Najac. Also get to Cordes sur Ceil. Have a stroll round Albi.Maybe go and see the bridge at Millau.Go to Sete before montpellier and Arles. maybe go to saint remy de provence. Not been to Marseille but is highly rated. Nearer to Nice try the beach at Juan Les Pins and see the rich at play in antibes.
Note if your going out of season (i.e not mid july to mid september) then 90% of stuff off the beaten track will be closed
 
Stanley Edwards said:
St Tropez - you missed nothing unless you like to look in envy at rich peoples yachts.
Click to expand...

Just come back from a week on the Cote d'Azur..........we reckoned this was the score for St Tropez so didn't bother - St Raphael was bad enough!

We loved Nice BTW and would like to have had more time there - spent yesterday there before flying back in the evening (after laughing at the ads at the airport for 'superyacht' and private jet insurance!).

We stayed in Frejus, which was lovely - small, laidback and very relaxing although this might not be the case in August. Lovely historical centre of town - the seafront, though OK, is pretty bog-standard.

I really fancy Montpellier and Carcasonne at some point.
 
oryx said:
...
We stayed in Frejus, which was lovely - small, laidback and very relaxing although this might not be the case in August. Lovely historical centre of town - the seafront, though OK, is pretty bog-standard...
Click to expand...

I'd forgotten about Frejus. The people there were extra friendly and helpful to me. Very much a resort for families (quiet at night). Fabulous Saturday market (I think only once a month, worth a visit if it's market day).
 
Stanley Edwards said:
I'd forgotten about Frejus. The people there were extra friendly and helpful to me. Very much a resort for families (quiet at night). Fabulous Saturday market (I think only once a month, worth a visit if it's market day).
Click to expand...

Market's every Saturday and Wednesday, I think. We were staying right above it and got woken up at 5.30 by stallholders setting up!

The people there are indeed noticeably nice and friendly.
 
Slight change in that this trip might only be one week now (originally we planned to do two weeks). So this limits my choices somewhat. What would you suggest I do in the limited timeframe available? I don't want to be cramming cities and towns in. The original plan of starting in Bordeaux and finishing in Nice might be off the cards.
 
another vote for carcissone. also should go to the park de midi, lots fo cool lakes, amazing scenery and some very very amazing caves. Like proper amazing.

Like.

10227392.jpg


like that amazing.

dave
 
Right.

Booked my flghts for June bank holiday (2 weeks).

Starting in Bordeaux and finish up in Nice. Any good car hire suggestions most welcome.
 
Do you consider Annecy south of France or southeast of France?
Anyway, it's beautiful. The lake alone is worth the trip, not to mention the amazing cycling paths it offers.
 
Dan U said:
Aix is lovely.
The villages inland are just beautiful, generally in the part of France so driving is generally great.

you MUST visit Gorges Du Verdon, the 2nd deepest Gorge in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verdon_Gorge

Moustiers at the lake end is just picture perfect. if the weather is alright, hire a kayak and paddle up the gorge :)
Click to expand...
second that bold bit, also the last place to be "discovered" and mapped in Europe IIRC.
I spent a few weeks with a guy from the village at the bottom of those in South America: complete mentalist he was and loadsa fun.
Big Gunz said:
Right.

Booked my flghts for June bank holiday (2 weeks).

Starting in Bordeaux and finish up in Nice. Any good car hire suggestions most welcome.
Click to expand...
Good move, you're out of the main holiday/tourist season at that time.
pianissimo said:
Do you consider Annecy south of France or southeast of France?
Anyway, it's beautiful. The lake alone is worth the trip, not to mention the amazing cycling paths it offers.
Click to expand...
Annecy and surrounding is lovely but well out of his planned way/route, 430 Kms away from Nice.
 
Our rough itinirary, taking in a lot but what do you experts think?

Day 1: Bordeaux
Day 2: Dune De Plat - Biarritz (or a closby town by the coast)
Day 3: Pau
Day 4: Toulouse
Day 5: Carcissone
Day 6: Montpellier
Day 7 Avignon - Orange
Day 8: Aix en Provence - Marseille
Day 9 Monaco – Nice
Day 10: Nice
Day 11: Depart
 
Nice list. I would put Arles ahead of Avignon. Avignon was a bit 'grey hair brigade' and too touristy/false for my liking. Arles had a very nice vibe for a small town. Felt like the locals were real locals living real lives.

Aix en Provence I hated. Met some nice people there, but the centre was just way to far up it's own arse. Drive through and forget it :)

Marseille surprised (and shocked) me. I want to go back. It is a hard city mind. No soft glow tourism daydream!

Have fun. I'm sure you will love it. If it wasn't so expensive I'd be planning return visits soon.
 
Only been to nimes. I liked it. Stay was cut v short bc if emergency at home. Would have liked to get to montpellier and carcassone too.
 
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