[Travel] Drive to South France

[Randy McNob]

We're thinking of hiring a camper van and driving through France, probably end in Nice or Cannes.

Never done it before, want to stop in a few Towns in Belgium Mechelen and Leuven, anyone got advice on good scenic routes and places worth stopping along the way?

 

[essbee1]

I was in Leven a few years back. What a brilliant town/city it is. Plenty of beer places and great
cafe culture around the cathedral.

 

[essbee1]

I was in Leven a few years back. What a brilliant town/city it is. Plenty of beer places and great
cafe culture around the cathedral.

Leuven even!

 

[Official Old Man]

Can I join you, would love to do this.

 

[Newick Seagull]

Include the Alps in your route - stunning in both winter and summer. Used to do a summer trip to a friends flat in Les Deux Alpes and then drive via the Col du Lautaret to a friends place near Aix-en-Provence. If your do include the Alps, then Annecy and the lake is worth a visit. Haven't driven down to the Alps or south of France for years until earlier this year for a ski trip. Had forgotten how much I enjoy driving in France. Take your time, chill and enjoy. Slightly jealous of you !

 

[BigBod]

https://www.campingdupylone.com/ Stayed here many many times in Antibes, cracking site and well placed for all the well known places along the coast. Right by Biot railway station... Great site. Our choice of transport has always been motorbikes, they do take caper vans though....I think Antibes harbour is more impressive than Monte Carlo for the size of the yachts, big as warships some of em....

 

[BigBod]

I can never visit the south of France without exploring here: https://www.francethisway.com/places/gorgesduverdon.php Easily accessible from the coast...

 

[Papa Lazarou]

We're thinking of hiring a camper van and driving through France, probably end in Nice or Cannes.

Never done it before, want to stop in a few Towns in Belgium Mechelen and Leuven, anyone got advice on good scenic routes and places worth stopping along the way?

We've done this once in a Campervan (2014) - our destination was near Avignon.

We stopped at an Aire on the cliff above Boulogne the 1st night, A campsite beside the Loire 2nd, near Clermont-Ferrand the 3rd and a fantastic site on the side of a tributary of the Tarn river in the Cevennes mountains on the 4th.

Was a lovely trip.

We did the same sort of thing on the way home, with different stops.

It was 2 adults, 2 kids and a trailer.

 

[Normal Rob]

Lyon - gastronomic capital of France. If you like your food, there's nowhere better.

 

[RandyWanger]

Include the Alps in your route - stunning

Pretty much this.

You'll sit in more traffic in the short journey from home to Dover than you will Dover to Nice.

Consider buying a toll tag before you go.

 

[BluesRockDJ]

If you intend driving through France, perhaps swerve Belgium and the Alps ?

 

[jessiejames]

Millau Viaduct. The world’s tallest bridge. The toll is worth it for the experience.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Chartres is an irresistible little stopover when heading south from Dieppe. The cathedral is of course stunning, lovely town generally.

But if you’re taking the overnight Newhaven ferry with a cabin don’t do what I’ve done more than once which is to stay up eating too much cheese and drinking red wine before only kipping for an hour and then needing to grab a cheapo Formule 1 somewhere to catch up.

 

[Is it PotG?]

We drove down several times to the beautiful Lot region, stopping near Limoges more than once on a B&B.
Nice drive from the train and some stunning scenery.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Include the Alps in your route - stunning in both winter and summer. Used to do a summer trip to a friends flat in Les Deux Alpes and then drive via the Col du Lautaret to a friends place near Aix-en-Provence. If your do include the Alps, then Annecy and the lake is worth a visit. Haven't driven down to the Alps or south of France for years until earlier this year for a ski trip. Had forgotten how much I enjoy driving in France. Take your time, chill and enjoy. Slightly jealous of you !

A friend of mine has just spent the week based around Annecy as he cycles the Alps. Looks stunning, and would definitely recommend going that way on the road trip!