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June 2013

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France

How long were you there for?
2 weeks

What was the single highlight of your trip?
St Leonard des Bois - a tiny wee hamlet a tad south of Alencon in the Loire, forested, rolling hills and a fabulous hotel - Le Gassaeu set in an equine centre with a chef prepared to feed two weary travellers at 9.30 at night who hadn't booked! Feed we did and so so so well!!!!!

Any lowlights/cautionary tales?
Suffering a fit of pique at Brittany Ferries ridiculous prices and so driving all the way to Dover from Devon in order to drive down to Le Mans and thence to Brittany! Does "cutting one's nose off to spite one's face" have any resonance here?

Any absolutely MUST see sights/activities?
Since the point of the trip to Le Mans was the Classic motor race, that has to be the absolute must do! Squillions of pounds of classic engineering from the golden age of cars, all being driven as if they were stolen around a 13 mile circuit in spectacular countryside. It has to be done!

Any absolutely DON'T see sights/activities?
Even the Loire struggles to be gorgeous in a thunder storm (or before or after one). However, aside from eating at a race circuit (never recommended), there are no "absolutely dont's" in France in our experience.

If you could give one piece of advice, what would it be?
Take control of your travel and drive (or better yet, take the bike). No airport queues, just drive on, drive off and go.

Any other comments?
In future, we WONT allow cost to outweigh other considerations when it comes to channel crossings. We live in an expensive area that costs greatly to get out of. Suck it up! The £240 that it cost us to get back to Plymouth far outweighed the 700 miles to get home via Dover. Life is too short.

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Comments

5 comments
  • 18th July by ocelus

    Glad you enjoyed yourself. I usually go via Portsmouth on the basis that I can't be bothered with all the extra driving. The first time I went to France it was Le Mans and on the way back the ferry terminal was packed with classic cars, the drivers were happy to let my partners son sit in them and have his photo taken, he was chuffed to bits as any 10 year old would be. I'll be in France next month on hols with my son, can't wait. X


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  • 19th July by DrG

    P! Thanks for the response to my Forum post.... since that one, and a previous re Brest drew only one responder each time, I'm going to have to do a promo job on the place when I get back; unless it really is that bad of course!

    Anyway, to this trip her above..... Glad you had a good time, despite the Dover detour! I almost fell off my sofa when I saw the prices of ferries and plonked for the drive as well. I can't abide 'em anyway having spent so many days of my life commuting back and forth to Hamburg

    Mmmmm! Seems your find just south of Alencon was approx 9 miles from my find from Alencon on our way back up earlier this year. I appreciate you pointng me in that direction but I'll be sans MrsG and avec DrH, he of the insatiable fish fetish, so, erm.....

    Jx


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  • 13th September by DrG

    Hey up trouble! Cheers for the comments on the recent suite of pics from that place upon which we will agree to disagree.... but you lost me with this one - please enlighten me?

    Cheers, Jx


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  • 14th September by DrG

    That'll be me just being a tad slower post suace then eh.....

    Ta for humouring me then! Rollll on the weekend. Jx


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  • 18th October by ocelus

    S'mae Pam, Yes I did go to Brands Hatch for the BSB finale, though only for the Sunday, the rain we had the week before put me off camping, I thought I might need a dingy instead of a tent. I wish I'd gone for the weekend now as the weather was fine though a bit chilly, you had to chip the ice of the tents by all accounts talking to some campers. Shakey is a top bloke, he's offered to take the young kid who was crying round the track in the safety car. Anyway I had a fantastic time, great atmosphere and looking forward to next year. Drop me a note anytime.



    P.S. it's about time you uploaded some more stuff ;-)


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