Chris Anthony

Camping Holiday France 2009

21st august - 21st September.
Liz + Chris + Hugh in our Campervan Kon-tiki.
Hugh flew back on 6th Sept from Nice [Flybe].
Total: 1,888 miles

Click here for all pictures for 2009 trip

Return to Camping holidays main page
Anthony Camping Guide to France [2012]

CAEN: Ouistraham, Flers, Thury-Harcourt, Dom, Mayenne, Sable, La Fleche, Saumur [185 miles]

1. 22nd August. Saumur. Good large site on island in Loire. 20 min to town. Disappointing; it now has its own small noisy pool and we have to pay to go to the large adjacent pool which is now rather run-down and it has lost its bar. But nice walk to town with good restaurants.
      Loudun, Mirebeau, Poitiers, Bellac, Tulle, Argentat [222 miles]

2. 23rd-27th August. Argentat. On bank of Dordogne. Excellent rapids. Very friendly. Small pool. 30min walk to Argentat. Good restaurants. Great walks and bike rides.
      St. Privat, Peaux, Mauriac, Trizac [49 miles]

3. 28th August. Trizac in Auvergnes. Nice municipal site on edge of village. Small restaurants may not be open. Excellent easy walks over the high auvergne plateau.
      Riom-es-Montagne, Murat, St. Flour, St Cheley d'Apcher, St. Amans, Rieutort de Ranson, [Plateau du Palais de Roi] -        Laubert, Chadenet, Le Blymard, Col de Finiels, Finiels. Wonderful drive [131]

4. 29th August. Finiel nr. Pont de Montvert. In Cevennes. Simple site. No shop or restaurant. Great walks. Louis Stevenson walked here with his donkey.
      Pont de Montvert, Genolhac, Ales, Uzes, Pont du Gard, Beaucaire, St. Remy de Provence, Cavaillon, Pertuis,        Greoux le Bains, Allemagne, Montagnac, St. Laurent [180 miles]

5. 30th August - 4th Sept. St Laurent. By lake nr Verdon gorge.Huge site under pines. Nice pool, shop and restaurant [closed!]. Excellent restaurant in village.
      Montmeyan, Salernes, Draguignan, Montferrat, Bargemont, Col du Belhomme, Seranon, St. Vallier de Thiey,                      Col de Ferrier, Plateau de Caussols, Gourdon, Magagnosc, Bar du Loup. [7 hours wonderful high drive; 118 miles].   

6. 5th Sept. Bar du Loup*. Small steeply terraced site. Not suitable for us; v. difficult to negotiate.
      Tourettes sur Loup, Vence [49 miles]

7. 6th Sept. Vence*. Large well-shaded site with good pool and restaurant. Drove Hugh to Nice airport from here. Motorway was full and very slow. 40 minutes. Bad journey back to camp site - more than 2 hours cos of traffic and lack of road signs.
      Carros, Madone d'Utelle, St. Sauveur de Tinee, St. Etienne de Tinee, Col de la Bonette [2,800m], Jausiers, Meyronne,        Larche [104 miles]

8. 7th - 11th Sept. Larche. One of our top sites. About 1800m. Excellent restaurant on site and also in village. Very many high mountain walks. Crag martins in village.
      Jausiers, Barcelonette, Le Lauzet-Ubaye, Savine le Lac, Gap, Col Bayard, Laye [73 miles]   

9. 12th Sept. Laye*. A France Passion site. In car park of a fromargerie and its restaurant. Nice little village and good walks with views of distant mountains. Dinner was very cheesy.
      Gap, Veyne [lovely small town], La Faurie, Lus la Croix Haute [41 miles]

10. 13th - 15th Sept. Lus la Croix Haute. Excellent friendly site with good restaurant. Near nice village with more restaurants. Many good walks. On the road to Grenoble. Wonderful area.
      Grimone, Chatillion en Diois [lovely village], Die, Saillans, Crest, Privas, St. Sauveur de Monagut [103miles] 

11. 16th Sept. St. Sauveur de Montagut*. North of Privas. 8km to camp along good road in gorge. Dutch site.
      Le Cheylard, St. Agreve, Tence, Yssingeaux, Retournac, Vorey, Chaise-Dieu, Baffur [102 miles]

12. 17th Sept. Baffour nr La Chaise-Dieu*. A France Passion site. In a farmyard. Nice country walks.
      Arlanc, Ambere, Thiers, St. Remy, Col de la Plantarde, Le Mayet, Chatel Montagne [camp closed], Arfeuillles [95 miles]  

13. 18th Sept. Arfeuilles*. Municipal site. Empty, out of season. No open restaurants. Nice site.
      Lapalisse, Chaligny, Dompierre, Beaulon [nice village], Garnat, Decize, Fleury sur Loire, Chevenon, La Grenouille, Cuffy,        Beffes, Sancerre, St.Thibault, St.Savur [124 miles]

14. 19th Sept. St. Satur. Near Sancerre on La Loire. Empty. Near village with open restaurants.
      Sancerre, Vailly, Aubigny, Lamotte-Beuvron, Chaumont, Beaugency, Cravant, Binas, Moree, Epuisay, Mondoubleaux, La        Ferte-Barnard [camp closed], Belleme [180 miles]

15. 20th. Sept. Belleme*. Interesting small town. Good Cambodian restaurant.
      Mortagne-au-Parche, Moulins-la-Marche, Gace, Vimoutiers, St. Pierre-s-Dives, Troarn, Ouistraham [96 miles]