Provence, here we come

[andrewh]

I am planning a trip to Provence, in fact St Remy de Provence to see some old friends in September. the thing is we want to take a few days going down and few days coming back, Looking for great ideas for little gems of Chateau to stay at, motor museums , places of interest, nice restaurants and generally places that will win me some browny points back home. Don't think we are taking the E type this time , but if it works as our first road trip ( after children have flown the coop) we can aim for that next time. I think its the modern convertible this time. Any little nuggets or a suggestion of a route, bearing in mind we live in Kent, so start from Calais much appreciated. I am even open to ideas of coming back thought Germany or Switzerland, all in all its the whole road trip experience I am trying to score points for. Andrew

[malcolm]

I wouldn't try to suggest an entire route, and it will depend on the type of roads you want - quick and major, or slower and picturesque. I went for the picturesque, (but hilly, and not to be done in the winter months), and went over the massif central.
Whichever way you go, you MUST include a route through Le Puy - the monasteries stuck on top of pillare of tock are something. Google "images for Le Puy" and you'll get an idea.
All roads in France are great. We drove to all parts of France each year for 25 years. Just don't be in a rush is my view. But to see the real stuff you need to keep off the major routes unless you need to get A to B quickly.

[JagWaugh]

Senaque, Arles, Nimes, Roussillon, Aix en Provence, take the back routes, B&Bs. I found the back country gorgeous. Marseilles seemed awful after 2 weeks of small villages.

We started in Zurich, then Geneva, Grenoble, Montelemar, Avignon, then the Provence.

Back up via Cannes, Nice, Turin, Milan, Como.

[andrewh]

excellent chaps. I will get my map out tonight and start the plan. I have stayed in a couple of properties on Alistair Sawdays which are sort of upmarket Air B and Bs etc. Thanks for the suggestions

[Heuer]

Start here with our very own interactive E-Type Guide to France courtesy of forum member Hubert Dallard. Hover mouse over map to explore, zoom in/out, navigate and click on icons for details:



Direct link with icon codes: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mi ... bUx0kO1wNE

We have toured France many times over the years and there are lots of details including maps and places to stay in Running Reports.

http://www.myetype.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... 830#p10830
http://www.myetype.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... 5462#p5462
http://www.myetype.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... 4&start=20
http://www.myetype.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... =13&t=4627

[rfs1957]

Just my tuppence.

If Clermont Ferrand is on your way there or back, consider taking the road from Lempdes-sur-Alagnon, past St Flour, as far as Millau ; the Alagnon valley is one of the prettiest roads/areas in France I know, it takes you past the foot of Eiffel's Garabit railway viaduct, and the complete journey is on the old Route Nationale that was bypassed by the A75 - so the road is fantastic, and EMPTY. It's shown as a tiny yellow road on maps but is actually a Big Red because it used to be the shortest route from Paris to the Med.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garabit_viaduct

When I brought the Jag down that way in 2006 (having ridden on it together on bikes pre-Motorway in the 80's) my mate enquired whether I had paid to have it closed for us.

You can then get on the A75 and cross the Millau viaduct, popularly known as Foster's although I always feel that dismisses completely the primordial contribution of the French engineer who designed the parts that matter, Michel Virlogeu.

Off then at Junction 48 and east through Ganges and Quissac to Nimes etc then to St Remy - there's nothing particularly memorable from Nimes onwards.

(NB If you stay on the A75 beyond J48 you come down THE BEST stretch of steep/windy motorway in France, and amongst the finest in Europe, across Le Pas de l'Escalette.)

PS : Get cakes from MORO in St Martin de Crau - one of the best patisseries around St Remy.

[Heuer]

Yes, great area to explore around the Aveyron gorges. A must have photo memory:


We tackled the Circuit des Corniche Cervennes, a bit like the Nurburgring but longer, toll free and with no traffic:


Then up into the Massif Central:


We nipped along to Laguiole to buy some knives. To get there we had to go through Derbyshire, or at least the French equivalent. This differs in three, sorry four, respects from the UK version - a) the roads are empty, b) they actually still have cows in the fields, c) the sun shines and d) they do not have "helicopter surveillance" of speeding motorists:

[Simon P]

Interesting that we should have active threads about 'Provence' and 'Provenance' ongoing in the same folder!

[rfs1957]

Yes, and we've even got Provenance With No Vin - who would ever get through Provence without drinking, I ask you ?

Is this a magnet for us David or does all France look the same ?



This is somewhere near Lempdes, from memory, mist around the chateau guaranteed early morning late September :



and the LH tree in the Massif Central looked fine until the passenger got out :



and did this :

[andrewh]

Wow, what a wealth of experience here , yet again. I need to sit down and get some lines drawn on a map. Loads to be going on with here, so many thanks to you all for the input. Now all we need is good weather in September.

[Riv944]

I have the joy of living in Normandy for part of each year and touring, either in the E or in my Healey. off in the E Type on Thursday to Catalonia via a drive through France. I can heartily recommend any of the roads through the Massif Central , you feel like you are on top of the world for 150kms or so. After three weeks in Spain we are taking the car by ferry from Barcelona to Genoa in Italy to join eleven other cars for a weeks driving in Tuscany. If any of you are in the areas mentioned and see a bright yellow (not primrose) series 2 OTS that'll be me and her indoors, la navigatrice. Give us a wave.

Ian

[rfs1957]

Breakdown assistance available in Montpellier.

[andrewh]

thank you Gentlemen. I will bear in mind the massif Central. I hope I am not going to break down as I am in a modern car this time, but always worth noting! by the way your E type Roadster is not very far off mine in chassis numbers Mine being 877488.

[Stephanie Plum]

We've toured France many times in the Elises. If not heading down via Massif Central going via Dijon/Beaune is also a good trip. The D996 is a wonderful road that is largely empty and weaves down through farmland.

Troyes is good for an overnight stop also. Coming home from Alps trips we tend to stay a night on Lake Annecy and one night in Beaune before the haul back to Calais.

If you find yourself in the Gorges du Tarn then definitely stay at the Chateau de la Caze - http://www.chateaudelacaze.com/en/

A bit of a detour once you reach the coast and you could find yourself in the Carmargue - if you haven't visited it's worth a night there as well - http://www.creme-de-languedoc.com/Langu ... margue.php

Enjoy - we love France in the cars - empty roads, stunning scenery, friendly locals - especially when in a British sports car - I know you're in the modern this time but still something to look forward to when in the E next time :)

[andrewh]

thank you Stephanie. The Chateau de la Case looks stunning and certainly worth considering if we go that way. 2 weeks to go so need to start firming up the trip now. Exciting .