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My Brother and his wife are coming over from the States and staying in Seillans near Nice for 4 days. I’ve got the whole week off, so considering driving down. Thinking of first stop in Versailles where the wife’s Grandmother lived, otherwise it’s open from then on. One option is fire straight down to west of Nice area, and stay by the sea somewhere, or take a leisurely route and stay somewhere pretty along the way.
Any recommendations for a nice spot either along the way, a particularly stunning drive, or a great place around Cannes to St Tropez on a medium budget!
Years ago we drove down to near Montpellier over the course of a couple of days. There were no motorways going that way so basically a straight line on a map. Very pretty but hell with all the traffic (it was school holiday break up weekend too). With much improved motorway network the backroads must now be much better. You could either take the Massif central route and visit Puy de Dome and the Milau Bridge and then drive the gorge du Tarn. Try and work the Ardeche and Pont du Gard and that shoudl keep you busy for a few days with the driving between.
Alternatively head over to the Jura and drive down via Geneva (a bit of clever nav needed through the city to avoid buying a Swiss Vignette) and then head down the edge of the Alps via the Vercours for example, for a very pretty drive to finish on the south coast. I have come back that way from Toulon. Very nice drive.
Eurostar/TGV to Avignon then hire car?
Depends on time of year a bit. Normandy and environs aren't less crappy than UK weather at the moment.
I'd not make much effort to get to Versailles by car TBH. If you TGV then that's different and jump on the RER B from central Paris.
Eurostar/TGV to Avignon then hire car?
Avignon TGV is in the middle of nowhere .. the major car hire companies do have pickups there though and its a pretty good place to start other places mentioned above. Montpellier is nice for a day or a turn-around stop and you can go via Pont du Gard, Nimes maybe then turn around towards Nice and then see Arles and Aix... Mont St Victoire and then carry on towards Nice.
I’m biased as I live/run a hotel in le sauze, 04, but check out the route des grandes alpes. Option of joining it near Grenoble, it finishes in menton , near nice, lots of big cols to drive over and a much more beautiful way of arriving in nice as opposed to the motorway.
Link is for bikes but it’s a popular route for motor bikers/cars too https://fr-be.gps-viewer.com/tracks/e897/La-route-des-grandes-Alpes-à-vélo/
Great stuff thanks all.
Chosen Llama, hotel link??
Depending on where you are in the UK, 2 days to drive to nice isn't "no rush", if you live in Birmingham it's 1000 miles over 16 hours each way
5lab yeah good point, my mate does it in 2 but he hammers it, I thought maybe take 3 down 2 back.
Alternatively fly to Nice and bimble by about from there.
Welshfarmer some great ideas. Thanks
Stevextc we did the TGV to Avignon visiting Ventoux, loved it going down, felt hard going back for some reason. I bet the drive is the same. Avignon is a lovely place as well.
Stevextc we did the TGV to Avignon visiting Ventoux, loved it going down, felt hard going back for some reason. I bet the drive is the same.
I reckon 9/10 times I did that (to Paris) I had a hangover so that rarely helps but at least I wasn't driving
I have driven Paris-Montpellier or inverse fairly often and it's about as much as is pleasant.
If you do drive then another option is to get the ferry to Le Havre or St Malo lets you do a day in the Loire which I'm quite partial to.
I have nothing to add but I have to disagree with jkomo about Avignon. I first visited whilst Interrailing in summer 1987. Stunning town loved every minute of our camping stay there. Apart from an eight-hour thunderstorm that had tents floating downhill!
I visited again in 2016 and apart from the area around Le Palais du Pape, the place is a shithole.
I drove three hours from Gassin to get there, just to show my wife. What a waste of everything.
Derek_s honestly it was ace, lovely sunny day, some kind of festival on so the place was packed.
We sat outside a bar drinking Guinness all day (We had had enough of lager and wine) watching the world go by.
I worked in clermont ferrand for a while on and off and that is a cool city imo. Not on the coast by a long way but interesting area. About 6 HR drive from Cherbourg I seem to remember if you do the Portsmouth Cherbourg crossing over night it's a really easy and enjoyable drive and not a diversion really down to nice
The_chosen _llama, that looks like a great place to stop, is there any point coming in A couple of weeks to enjoy the mountains or is it still in full ski mode? Not expecting to ride, just enjoy being in nice scenery.
TheBrick, thanks I’ll check it out.
The Côte d'Azuris lovely. I’ve stayed there a lot but mainly on camping sites. Seillans is nearer Fréjus/ St. Raphael. Some nice sandy beaches and a lots of touristy things to do and a bit less bustle than Nice. St, Maxime quieter still. Port Grimaud is well worth a visit IMO. If you want a quiet bay then Plage d’Agay is wonderful and you are at the foothills of the Esterel mountains. Plus the road from Agay to Cannes is spectacular.
I’ve driven to Provence a couple of times and the routes generally been a variation of Calais- Reims- Troyes- Dijon - Lyon- Grenoble -Gap
the Calais-Reims but is rubbish as is the bits around Troyes and Lyon, but the rest is quite pretty as you’re off the beaten track away from lorries at least and if the weathers playing nice. I’ve done it in 2 days (long days in the car) or 3 (much more relaxed) and it’s a nice thing to have ticked off.
You could head across to Grenoble for day 1, and day 2 head down to Nice along the Route Napoleon. That is a stunning drive. Traffic during summer hols will make it less fun.
The Gorge Du Verdun is spectacular on the way, and depending on your route you could stop off in Provence if it will be their only planned trip to France ever. Kind of Greatest hits of France if you are doing the southern coast. All you need to do is add the Alps (and about 2 extra weeks!).
I've done SoF and Massif Central a few times recently.
I really enjoy Macon and the surrounding area - there's a 50 mile or so greenway that surrounds Mâcon - Just nice riding in and out of Vin yards. Stayed at a few hotels in the area. Can be warm.
I've done Provence a couple of times too - scorching hot and lovely to look at, and plenty of riding but we go to an area around Gorges du Verdon - and it's just super busy as you would expect. But lots of water options too and on/off riding. The B&B in Gorges du Verdon we stay at - "Hotel Les Restanques De Moustiers" - is fab. Great price and bike lock up and nice rooms. Small Pool + A/C. Riding from the door but watch the road it's a busy job. Pizzeria restaurant opposite.
By my favourite place is about 50 miles south of St. Etienne - Chambon Sur Lignon. Just tonnes of lonely mixed terrain XC - and you're at height so the weather isn't always good but I've been there about 6 times now. Stay at "Hotel Restaurant Clair Matin." Good food and nice if a bit dated rooms. Plenty of exploration riding from the door. Nice pool too. Could be miserable if weather is bad.
The quieter the better for me. Only downwside is you have to visit several times to join all the VTT up.
I've also been to Loire a couple of times - not amazing for off-road but again just quiet forests and tracks. That's probably too far West for you.
Also - Cognac last year - fairly bland to be honest, but pleasant along the river. Went to Dordogne (La Roque-Gageac) too - again very busy in the bit we were in, lots of hills and hard to find tracks. Good B&B there.
I would say it’s awesome but lots of hotels/restaurants are seasonal
Normally We close with the ski station, 10 April til mid June and in those times most of the alpes are very quiet!
Enduro riding has already started here (for me at least!) as it’s not been the best winter for snowfall .
- gorges du verdon is also a nice alternative. Depends how much motorway/windy roads you want to do!
Paul
Thanks Paul.
Thanks everyone, I'm off today so just checking out your suggestions:
Rone, I may take the bike for croissant duties, but its a non biking holiday- thanks though I'll revisit your bits another time I hope, I will be of course checking out the hotels.
Solarider I'll try check out the GdV thanks- looks ace.
Susepic thanks, a great option.
RoterStern. great stuff thanks
If I bottle the drive and fly down, are there any car hire places to avoid or are they all equally good/shit at Nice airport?