France – A Four Week Itinerary from Caen to Andorra & Back

Recently, my friend Nicola asked, “what do you do in the caravan?”

One answer is writing (me) and planning our travels (Mark).

We have pre-planned years of itineraries, although wherever we go, we get recommendations or find places to which we must return. These all get noted and added!

So, when the question popped up on the ‘European Touring Caravan, Campervan and Camping Friends’ Facebook page, asking for a four week itinerary to France, taking in the Millau bridge, Arles and Andorra in short hops of approximately three hours driving, we were able to come up with this!

• DO AN OVERNIGHT FERRY CROSSING WITH BRITTANY FERRIES PORTSMOUTH-CAEN AND THAT WAY YOU ARRIVE EARLY MORNING AFTER A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP AND READY TO ROLL. IF YOU ARE A REGULAR TRAVELER THEN MEMBERSHIP GIVES YOU A GOOD DISCOUNT. CLICK HERE FOR THE PORTSMOUTH / CAEN TIMETABLE

• FOR CAMPSITES, WE MOSTLY USE ACSI, WHICH LISTS AROUND 10,000 INSPECTED CAMPSITES ACROSS EUROPE. MOST TOWNS IN FRANCE HAVE A MUNICIPAL CAMPSITE. FACILITIES VARY, BUT CAMPING FRANCE AND EU TOURING LIST CAMPSITES BY THEIR FACILITIES EG NEAR BEACH, HEATED POOL ETC. HOME CAMPER LISTS CAMPSITES IN PRIVATE PARKS AND GARDENS. WE SELDOM BOOK IN ADVANCE, ALTHOUGH IF YOU ARE GOING IN HIGH SEASON TO POPULAR PLACES, BOOKING MAY BE ADVISABLE.

• SHORT DRIVE ON DAY ONE (90 miles) TO BELLÊME IN LE PERCHE NATIONAL PARK. A REALLY PRETTY AND UNCROWDED AREA, WITH LOVELY VILLAGES AND LANDSCAPES (AND PERCHERON HEAVY HORSES).

• SOMETHING TO READ – We passed through Le Perche on our Out of Season Odyssey. Click here to find out what there is to do and why we want to go back to Le Perche.

• SLIGHTLY LONGER DRIVE TODAY (218 miles) TO ORADOUR SUR GLANE NEAR LIMOGES. A SAD HISTORICAL SITE WHERE THE S.S. IN RETREAT FROM NORMANDY ROUNDED UP THE ENTIRE POPULATION AND MURDERED THEM. THE VILLAGE WAS LEFT AS IT WAS THEN UNTIL NOW. REMEMBERING THE PAST GUIDES US IN THE FUTURE. ALSO WORTH A VISIT LIMOGES WHILST YOU ARE SO CLOSE AND PÉRIGOURD-LIMOUSIN NATIONAL PARK IS ANOTHER OPTION.

• SOMETHING TO READ – National Geographic – The Horrific History of Oradour-sur-Glane

• ANOTHER SHORT DRIVE (100 miles) TO ROCAMADOUR IN CAUSSES DE QUERCY NATIONAL PARK. DON’T MISS THE ANCIENT CAVE PAINTINGS AT PECH MERLE. ANOTHER STUNNING AREA.

• ANOTHER LONGER DRIVE TO GET YOU TO ANDORRA TODAY (215 miles). DON’T FORGET YOU NEED A GREEN CARD FOR ANDORRA, EVEN IF WE STAY IN THE EU. HAVE YOU EVER TRIED A VIA FERRATA FOR A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE GROUND?

• SOMETHING TO READ; A Life Lesson Learned on a 3000ft Cliff – a blog about our experience on a slightly extreme Via Ferrata in Italy.

• CARCASSONE NEXT (110 miles). FABULOUS HISTORICAL HILLTOP TOWN WITH MEDIEVAL CITADEL)

• SOMETHING TO READ; Narrow Dog to Carcassonne by Terry Darlington. A very enjoyable read about a retired couple who sail their canal boat to France with a whippet called Jim. 

• THEN OFF TO MILLAU BRIDGE IN GRAND CAUSSES NATIONAL PARK (130 miles). THIS WAS ONE THAT WAS SUGGESTED WHICH WE DON’T KNOW, BUT WE HAVE ADDED IT TO OUR ITINERARIES. THANKS! 

• ARLES NEXT (120 MILES) AND IT WOULD BE RUDE NOT TO VISIT THE BEACHES. FLAMINGOS AND WILD HORSES OF THE CAMARGUE WHEN YOU ARE SO CLOSE AND DON’T MISS THE CITADEL OF AIGUES MORTES OFF YOUR ITINERARY. THERE ARE ALSO FOUR TOWN/VILLAGES THAT ARE ONLY ABOUT A ONE HOUR DRIVE AWAY (you may want to relocate from Arles) – AVIGNON, ORANGE, ROUSSILLON & GORDES.

• SADLY, IT’S TIME TO HEAD HOME NOW AS THERE IS ALREADY PROBABLY TOO MUCH FOR A FOUR WEEK BREAK AND YOU MAY NEED TO PUT A COUPLE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED PLACES ON THE NEXT TRIP’S ITINERARY. THE ARDÈCHE IS CLOSE BY, BUT THAT WARRANTS AT LEAST A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO ITSELF, SO BYPASS IT FOR NOW.

• SLIGHTLY LONGER DRIVE TODAY (250 miles) TO THE VOLCANS NATIONAL PARK JUST SOUTH OF CLERMONT FERRAND. LOTS TO SEE HERE DEPENDING HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE LEFT BUT DON’T MISS LE PUY DE DÔME. THE AUVERNE IS A VERY UNDERRATED REGION.

• SOMETHING TO READ; Paradise Found! Camping La Chassagne, Auvergne, France – the blog which explains how the Auvergne found its way on to our list of places to come back to!

• NEXT OFF TO CHAMBORD WHERE THERE’S A LOVELY CHATEAU (180 mile drive).

• FROM HERE YOU CAN HEAD STRAIGHT TO THE CAEN FERRY IF YOU LIKE (200 miles) OR YOU CAN CUT THE JOURNEY ROUGHLY IN HALF AND STAY AT THE PRETTY VILLAGE OF GIVERNEY, WHERE CLAUDE MONET PAINTED HIS WATERLILIES.

 

MY NO 1 TRAVEL TIP – Keep a journal of your trip, especially great for the kids. Here are 5 reasons why EVERYONE should keep a Travel Journal

SOMETHING ELSE TO READ; If you want some inspiration for caravan trips in Germany, The Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia and Italy or somewhere completely different, yet wonderful, like Romania, check out my books!

They are the story of a middle-aged couple who sold nearly everything they own, accidentally bought a caravan and decided to tour Europe full-time with four dogs!

Many thanks to my wonderful husband, Mark, who did the majority of the research for this post.