France - suggestions of places to visit

[lostkat]

Me & Him are off to France for 10 days this summer avec le Golf, a tent and map and although we've labelled a few places we'd like to go, we're looking for any suggestions before we raid my parents' plethora of guide books.

Rough routage involves the Loire Valley and hopefully Provance if we get that far. We're definitely going to Oradour-sur-Glane (http://www.detecting.org.uk/html/Gold_of_the_Oradour-sur-Glane_Massacre.html) and Leon would like to get to the Millau Viaduct (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millau_Viaduct) amongst other things.

I haven't had much time to actually do any research so far because of work/exams etc., so I thought I'd ask on here. Just looking for suggestions on either gorgeous regions or specific places to go to really. Any ideas?

[AboveTheSalt]

Very much spread about the country, but I can recommend Saint Jean de Luz, Carcassonne and Beaune - to visit some wine caves!

[Will]

Provence is lovely. And I adore the south coast, however I do recommend the Millau bridge - it's really rather amazing.

Bordeaux and the west coast is rather nice, good wine tasting too if you're interested. I don't know too much about the central region or massif central, though I know there are some good roads. Lyon is a bit of a dive though so don't worry too much about that. You could go to where my family is from, and go to NE france towards Alsace.

However you're going to be more central and south based. I still think Bordeau and west coast would be worth it, if you can make it along the coast road after going to Milau to Perpignan there are lots of lovely villages on the way and Perpignan is rather beautiful - but it's quite a fair bit south.

You could go to Biarritz! :p

From Oradour sur Glane it's a quick trip to La Rochelle another lovely coastal city.

In fact I just realised my post hasn't been helpful at all! :o

[lostkat]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, keep them coming. They'll all be added to Google Earth and we'll try to figure out a route that emcompasses some of them. I think it's going to be West Coast & down to Provence.

And you've been incredibly helpful, Will. Bordeaux is perfect because it's on the way South, so we'll definitely spend a few days in the area. We'll add La Rochelle to the list too :)

Just ordered a campsite book off Amazon to help plan a rough route. We bought a new tent at the weekend too because mine is a mountain tent and not ideal for ambling around France.

[Beansprout]

Bordeaux is beautiful :)

[Pheebs]

Awww I only really know the North Coast. Depending on where you're being shipped to, Honfleur is a looovely harbour!! The seafood there is to die for too. :) Good camping sites around it as well!

Buuut I think this is going to be too far north :( Booo!

[lostkat]

Well admittedly, we want to get down past Paris and onto Loire ASAP, buuuut it looks like a perfect place to either stop on the way down or for our last night on the way back. Will add to the list. Ta Pheebles :)

[Feek]

Belgium.

[Tak]

Belgium.

No need to swear Feekles :p

[Feek]

Well spotted, hoopy person ;)

[Aitch]

Another vote for La Rochelle - we visited there on a family holiday when I was little and it was lovely.

I can also personally recommend a little place en route by the name of Chez Noir that offers B&B stop overs to a select clientele, depending on availability ;)

[lostkat]

Oooo, sounds lovely Aitch, I'll have to check it out. Is it star rated at all? :p