French road trip ideas/suggestions.

Mottie · 2026-01-11T12:06:54+0000

We're thinking of a French driving holiday this year and are looking for suggestions as to a route with interesting places to visit and/or stop over. We did one in '23 and went as far as Honfluer. We stopped there for a few days and on the way there and back we visited Motteville (couldn't resist!), Mont st Michel, Rouen, Étretat, Bayeaux, Beuvron-en-Auge, Abbeville and Le Tourquet so don't really want to do those again. Loose plan at the moment is to head to Bordeaux area but that’s just an initial idea and could even go to the other side of France. If we do head that way, looking for ideas on the way there and on the way back. Where to stop, where to visit etc. Plan to spend 10 days give or take so come on, let’s have some suggestions.

noseall · 2026-01-11T12:27:05+0000

Mottie said:
We're thinking of a French driving holiday this year and are looking for suggestions as to a route with interesting places to visit and/or stop over. We did one in '23 and went as far as Honfluer. We stopped there for a few days and on the way there and back we visited Motteville (couldn't resist!), Mont st Michel, Rouen, Étretat, Bayeaux, Beuvron-en-Auge, Abbeville and Le Tourquet so don't really want to do those again. Loose plan at the moment is to head to Bordeaux area but that’s just an initial idea and could even go to the other side of France. If we do head that way, looking for ideas on the way there and on the way back. Where to stop, where to visit etc. Plan to spend 10 days give or take so come on, let’s have some suggestions.

Some of the more rural places in France have some of the best food you will ever likely eat. They just don't sprakken the UK lingo that well.

Mottie · 2026-01-11T14:25:32+0000

noseall said:
Some of the more rural places in France have some of the best food you will ever likely eat. They just don't sprakken the UK lingo that well.

That’s okay, I’ll just speak louder and slower…..

Deluks · 2026-01-11T14:32:45+0000

Suggest driving straight through France and into Italy, the weather's nicer and so are the women.

noseall · 2026-01-11T15:25:51+0000

Deluks said:
Suggest driving straight through France and into Italy, the weather's nicer and so are the women.

Except Mottie is married and is a foodie.

carmanmemoranda · 2026-01-11T15:28:37+0000

Great area to tour.

Depending on the time of year you shouldn't have any struggles finding places to stop.

If you're brave enough, don't book, just drive and stay where somewhere attracts you.

Get a translation app on your phone and you can converse easily if you can't do enough lingo

Deluks · 2026-01-11T15:44:01+0000

noseall said:
Except Mottie is married and is a foodie.

No harm in looking...that's what the sunglasses are for

fillyboy · 2026-01-11T15:48:39+0000

Get yersen a Peugeot Boxer (L2H2) and kit it out as a camper.

Mottie · 2026-01-11T16:31:44+0000

Deluks said:
No harm in looking...that's what the sunglasses are for

Mirrored, of course!

Mottie · 2026-01-11T16:37:45+0000

carmanmemoranda said:
If you're brave enough, don't book, just drive and stay where somewhere attracts you.

That was my plan although Mrs Mottie likes to have everything planned. Funnily enough, we had friends round today and they've almost convinced her that we should just book our outward crossing, our first nights accommodation and freestyle it from then on, including booking our return crossing a few days before we return, then we are not stuck with a timetable. I’ll have to work on that……

Brigadier · 2026-01-11T16:41:09+0000

If you plan on swimming and sunning, don't forget your budgie smugglers either.
Football or Bermuda shorts are not de riguer in France.

Mottie said:
Mirrored, of course!

Mirrored or not, if you're sporting a banana hammock, the evidence of your perving might be down there instead

noseall · 2026-01-11T16:46:33+0000

Mottie said:
That was my plan although Mrs Mottie likes to have everything planned. Funnily enough, we had friends round today and they've almost convinced her that we should just book our outward crossing, our first nights accommodation and freestyle it from then on, including booking our return crossing a few days before we return, then we are not stuck with a timetable. I’ll have to work on that……

Just make sure that wherever you intend to stay, that your visit doesn't coincide with any large, popular events like concerts, footie matches, festivals etc.

Mottie · 2026-01-11T16:51:06+0000

noseall said:
Just make sure that wherever you intend to stay, that your visit doesn't coincide with any large, popular events like concerts, footie matches, festivals etc.

We were thinking of going around our anniversary (July 7th) and/or Mrs Motties birthday (July 14th). We've always wanted to be somewhere in France on Mrs Motties birthday as that is on Bastille day and we'd like to see how they celebrate. Might need some advance checking on that.

noseall · 2026-01-11T17:00:20+0000

Mottie said:
We were thinking of going around our anniversary (July 7th) and/or Mrs Motties birthday (July 14th). We've always wanted to be somewhere in France on Mrs Motties birthday as that is on Bastille day and we'd like to see how they celebrate. Might need some advance checking on that.

My MIL and FIL have a decent size camper and have toured France many times. They have been from the Alps to Normandy and everywhere in between. The food and the excellent roads are some of the things they remember fondly

Mottie · 2026-01-11T17:19:12+0000

noseall said:
My MIL and FIL have a decent size camper and have toured France many times. They have been from the Alps to Normandy and everywhere in between. The food and the excellent roads are some of the things they remember fondly

Yeah, I’ve done half a dozen trips through France/Germany/Switzerland/Italy/Spain on my motorcycle. The roads really are fantastic over there.

French road trip ideas/suggestions.

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