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a friend has a holiday house that i've been working on and off for past few years in chatellearaut, halfway between Tours and Poitiers. nice country side, pancake flat, very very hot in summer. TGV comes down from paris through Tours down to poitiers and down south. can get plane to poitiers for cheap and TGV is fairly cheap as well and regular.
there is futuroscope outside poitiers, and thats it :(
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I'm more of a Rough Guides type of dude (don't go on holiday without one!) but I remember seeing a Lonely Planets guide on cycling in France. I may have a linky...
[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1864500360/ref=sib_rdr_dp"]France (Lonely Planet Cycling Guides): Amazon.co.uk: Katherine Widing, et al: Books[/ame]
Ok...so fiffy squids is probably a lil on the expensive side but I'm sure if you have a bit of a search online you'll find it for a lot lot less. It was published in 2001 so it's kinda old but it's a good starting point!
Peas
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I'll look into the Michelin guide thanks Stef.
andyp That snfc website I don't get it. I know I'm stupid but I can't find any to / from type menu to find out about routes e.t.c
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Tommy, try this: http://www.tgv-europe.com/en/home/[URL="http://www.sncf.com/en_EN/flash/"][/URL]
I passed through Tours years ago, hitch-hiking. Don't remember much ... we didn't stay around as there wasn't much of interest there. As Dogs says, there's the big science centre, Futuroscope, outside Poitiers, though i remember it being a bit tatty even 20 years ago.
Personally, i would say head for the coast. La Rochelle is lovely, and it's only about 3 hours by train from Tours (and should only cost around 30EUR return).
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Thanks playswithoters. I think the train could be the key. Trains defiantly seem cheaper in France. I might have a look for a a return flight from another airport and make up a rail ride route between them.
Good info so far.
So have many people used the trains in France? Is the network quite extensive. I'm guessing the riding is a little more chilled out than in the uk. i.e you can take in the area when you ride.
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Tommy, I don't want to makes things more difficult, but my real top tip would be to check flights to Corsica - all the perks of France, on a little island, with proper mediterranean food and weather. Lots of amazing camping there, apparently. I think Thompson Fly go to Bastia. And my best flight checking site is www.skyscanner.net
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That is an excellent website thakyou
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i was cycling/camping in france last week - not that area, just normandy - used train for a couple of short hops when the weather was shit. no probs getting the bikes on local/intercity (non-tgv) trains. they have hooks to hang bikes from the front wheel
ps - thanks for the wave yesterday! was feeling knackered after a few vanborough hill / charlton church hill loops!
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Excellent thank you Steves. I will be chatting tonight to the other half and see what we come up with.
nice to see you too bit of a last min spot and wave!. Good hilly loop you did back there!
Thanks for the info people. I may ask more questions later so please add any other bits and bobs about getting around by bike / train mix on the main land as this seems to be what this will end up being.
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I was in Tours on Saturday afternoon briefly. Seemed ok enough , a typical French town with a river running through it and that was about it really. Not sure if you want to spend too long there as there didn't seem to much to do. We were on out way back from a place called Ile du Ray which is an island off the coast near La Rochelle. Very pretty , very laid back , very french . Beaches were completely empty and cycle paths all over the place . Only problem it is flat and not a big island so you can pretty much ride the whole place in 1 day.
I have over the years travelled all over France by train and never had any problems. Cheap and run on time compared to the UK. Me and the g/friend went to the Alps last year and even though she is not a keen cyclist and doesn't like hills we found loads of really good valley rides on fairly traffic free roads plus the options of walking in the hills on the other days.
Whereever you end in France with a bike you will enjoy. -
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Well have ended up with tickets to Nantes.
Anyone have any good websites for campsites in the area? Really only worried about the first night after getting off the plane assembling bikes e.t.c
andyp
dogsballs
wools
Stef
playswellwithotters
Steves
d.mac-
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Holiday help, Tours (the town) France area and attraction advice.
Posted by
@TheBrick(Tommy)
I needed to know if anyone has been around this area of France and what is there to do in the area. My girlfriend and I found some cheap flights last night and are thinking of going. I however and very nervous as I need a fully active holiday with no loitering otherwise I go a little mad, hence why I have not gone on holiday for two or three years, I've just taken a week off and worked with my Dad. We would quite likely be taking bikes to get around so we can travel a bit but my other half is no audax rider so I think 30 - 40 mile R.T would be the limit in a day. We would probably be camping.
What I am looking for is some personal recommendations and ideas for the area.
Info on the trains, for instance could we take bikes on trains and what are your experience of doing so in France?
How do we find out about trains?
What is the topology like in that area like?
Good walking area? (We both enjoy a good full days walk).
Attractions that are worth seeing? If the train idea works we could potentially cover a large area with train + bike.
As you can tell I am very crap at finding out info on areas which is probably why I tend to hate holidays (infact thinking of going on holiday now makes me feel a little nervous) so any ideas and info about Tours and France in general would be good.