Our Summer Vacation
Home Interests Travel Notes Vacation 2001

Summer 2001 Trip Planning

General info:  we're looking at camping the whole way.  The great thing is that the camp grounds provide the tents or the trailer-type homes.  When we're ready to go, we just pack up our own gear and load up the car.  No muss, no fuss.  New-to-us tent/trailer at the new camp site.

The tents are large - bigger than the one we used at Hope Cove, with a possible three "bedrooms" (just divisions, really) complete with cots, a complete camp-style kitchenette and even tables  & chairs for inside and out.
The mobile homes have two bedrooms, kitchen and tiny bathroom with shower as well as a dining room/sitting area.  Some may have patios/decks - hard to tell for sure.


Other information to consider 

Chippenham to Portsmouth/Poole 90 minutes
Plymouth to Chippenham 2.5 hours
The car is air conditioned!!
Just for comparison, on our marathon trip to Scotland we travelled 1500 miles in a week.
(Rick Steves is the author of one of our favorite travel guides.  He tends to know the best places to visit - and the ones to avoid!)
The 'See and Do' column has suggestions, not demands to fulfil.   

TOUR OPTIONS

French Loop 1- (450 miles + day trips)

This one has the shortest driving times with 3 days or so in each area to explore. Takes in the beach, villages, some nature & countryside and some classic city-stuff (Paris).

Day

Destination 
(travel time)

Park

To See & Do

1-3

St. Malo (5 ½ hrs by ferry from Portsmouth + short drive to camp site

Parc Chateau de Galinee
Pool complex w/ slides;
bike rental

1. Visit St. Malo (per Mandy and Dani)
2. Dinan (per Rick Steves)
3. Mont St. Michel (world heritage?)
4. Easy cycling tours

4-6
S

Quiberon (Brittany coast) (100 miles/ 2 hrs)

Parc Le Conguel

Pool complex w slides and jacuzzi

1. Visit quaint villages and beautiful Atlantic beaches in classic Brittany
2. Standing stones of Carnac

7-9
SE

Tours/Amboise

(Loire) (180 miles/ 3+ hrs.)

Parc Ste. Catherine

Pool complex w/ slides and jacuzzi;

bike and canoe rentals

1. Visit Chateaux (Rick Steves)
2. Easy cycling tours
3. Wine tours
4. Da Vinci retired here and had a lot of influence in Amboise
5. Nice river for easy canoe trip

10-12
N

Paris (120 miles/ 2+ hrs)
(per Brie)

 

Parc St Cheron
(27 miles from Paris.)

(Or St. Illiers: a bit further out; see next)

1. Eiffel Tower
2. Impressionists’ Museum (art)
3. Walking tour - see riverside artists, stop in sidewalk cafes; shopping
4. Cathedrals: Notre Dame & Sacre Couer

13
NW

Chartre & Giverny/Vernon (Normandy)(1 ½ hrs)

St. Illiers
Small quiet park with pool.

1. Chartre Cathedral (stained glass!!)
2. Giverny (Monet’s garden) (per Ann)

14-15

Head for home
depart from Le Havre or St. Malo

1. Rouen (where Joan of Arc was tried and martyred)

 

 

French Loop 2 (900 miles + day trips)

This has a bit longer drive times but takes in more of "the real" France:  villages and countryside; some classic sites as in the chateaux (France’s answer to castles and mansions), caveman cave art and Lourdes; and a fair amount of relax time in between.

Day

Destination 
(travel time)

Park

To See & Do

1-3

St. Malo (5 ½ hrs by ferry from Portsmouth + short drive to camp site

Parc Chateau de Galinee
Pool complex w/ slides;
bike rental

1. Visit St. Malo (per Mandy)
2. Dinan (per Rick Steves)
3. Mont St. Michel (world heritage site?)
4. Easy cycling tours

4-5

SW

St. Jean-de-Monts
(Atlantic Coast)
(157 miles/3 hrs.)

Parc Le Clarys-Plage
Pool complex w slides and jacuzzi

Atlantic Beaches

6-8

SE

Lectoure 
(near Pyrenees)
(200 miles/4 hours?)

Parc Lac Des Trois Vallees
Pool complex w slides and jacuzzi
Canoe rentals

1. Three lakes in the mountains
2. Day trip to Lourdes (per Jeff)
3. Canoing

9-11

N

Sarlat (Dordogne) (100 miles/2hours)

Parc St. Avit Lorisirs
Pool complex w slides and jacuzzi
Canoe rentals

1. Prehistoric Cave Art (Lescaux)
2. Market-days
3. Guided canoe trip (famous river)

12-13

N

Tours/Amboise

(Loire) (180 miles/ 3 1/2 hrs.)

Parc Ste. Catherine
Pool complex w/ slides and jacuzzi;

bike and canoe rentals

1. Visit Chateaux (Rick Steves)
2. Easy cycling tours
3. Wine tours
4. Da Vinci retired here and had a lot of influence in Amboise
5. Nice river for easy canoe trip

14-15

NW

Head for home
depart from Caen
(225 mls / 4 hrs)

Ferry is 6 hours to Portsmouth

 

FRANCE/SPAIN Loop (1150 miles + day trips)

This trip has some pretty heavy-duty drive time, virtually straight through to the Mediterranean, but lots of relaxing time once we get there. Samples two different cultures.

Day

Destination
(travel time)

Park

To See & Do

1

St. Malo (5 ½ hrs by ferry from Portsmouth + short drive to camp site

Parc Chateeau de Galinee
Pool complex w/ slides;
bike rental

2
SW

La Rochelle
(Atlantic Coast)
(216 miles / 4 hrs)

Parc Du Jard
Pool complex w/ slides; sauna; bike hire

Beach

3
SE

Lectoure
(near Pyrenees)
(225 miles/4+ hours)

Lac Des Trois Vallees
Pool complex w/ slides and jacuzzi;  Canoe rentals

Three lakes to canoe in

4-7
SE

French Mediterranean
(almost Riviera) 
(225 miles/4+ hours)

several in the area - all with tropical pools & beach nearby; lots of sports & activities

1. Beach/pool/relax
2. Villages

8-12s
S

Spanish Mediterranean
(Costa Verde)
(60-90 miles / 1-2 hrs)

several in the area - all with tropical pools & beach nearby; lots of sports & activities

1. Beach/pool/relax
2. Villages
3. Day trip to Barcelona

13-15
NW

Head home via Santander (405 miles/8 hours + 24 hour ferry to Plymouth)

hotel along the way?
cabin with 4 berths on the ferry

Trip to the NW across northern Spain to the Atlantic coast. Possibly break the car trip into two days.

Remember: + Plymouth -Chippenham = 2.5 hrs.     

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