Hope ok to ask for ideas for a caravan site on outskirts of Paris to base at for the TDF finish weekend. We'll then continue our hols journey south......

Thinking a train/tram/bus journey in to Paris. Hopefully off a main trunk for ease of arrival and departure. If anyone has used a site in the past I'd appreciate a nod.

Cheers
Steve

There's only one actually in Paris, Indigo Blue iirc nr Bois de Boulogne on the South bank of the Seine. Stayed there last year with the family for that same week in a safari tent, its pretty good. The Tour procession came over the adjacent bridge.

The site is served well by shuttle bus and Uber.

DickieH wrote:There's only one actually in Paris, Indigo Blue iirc nr Bois de Boulogne on the South bank of the Seine. Stayed there last year with the family for that same week in a safari tent, its pretty good. The Tour procession came over the adjacent bridge.

The site is served well by shuttle bus and Uber.

Cheers Dickie

Before I look at route in, would you fancy the drive in towing a large caravan? Is it 'central' main road type stuff? Meant as a negative. Driven with caravan in France a fair bit but don't fancy Paris at all

notinabox wrote:Hope ok to ask for ideas for a caravan site on outskirts of Paris to base at for the TDF finish weekend. We'll then continue our hols journey south......

Thinking a train/tram/bus journey in to Paris. Hopefully off a main trunk for ease of arrival and departure. If anyone has used a site in the past I'd appreciate a nod.

Cheers
Steve

Quote: 'In the very heart of Paris' answers my question ! Will consider suggestion though, thank you

It does look lovely mind. May need to man up and reconsider the exclusion zone

We weren't towing but I remember pretty easy access off Autoroute and RN. Not too far and all wide. There were a fair few 'vans and RVs etc there.

DickieH wrote:We weren't towing but I remember pretty easy access off Autoroute and RN. Not too far and all wide. There were a fair few 'vans and RVs etc there.

Cheers Dickie
Looking now. ......

No worries. It's a really good location, and to put it vaguely on topic it's a nice ride from there to Dieppe following Donald Hirsch' s London-Paris cycle route. 200km iirc.

DickieH wrote:No worries. It's a really good location, and to put it vaguely on topic it's a nice ride from there to Dieppe following Donald Hirsch' s London-Paris cycle route. 200km iirc.

Ooh an element to trip I'd not considered. But having full gang with me will be a major challenge to the proceedings designated driver etc.

We planned but didn’t go for a few years. We were going to stay near Fontainebleau (been there climbing many, many times!) plenty of trains in to Paris from there. Under an hour door to door, a much more relaxing place to stay too.

ianfitz wrote:We planned but didn’t go for a few years. We were going to stay near Fontainebleau (been there climbing many, many times!) plenty of trains in to Paris from there. Under an hour door to door, a much more relaxing place to stay too.

Cheers Ian
Sounds promising My kind of planning

Assuming you're taking a bike, get out early and ride a bit of the route. The Gendarmes/marshals etc don't seem to mind as long as you're off the course before the publicity caravan comes through.

Wifey and I did this a few years ago on the Mont Ventoux stage. We rode between Vaison-la-Romaine to the sprint point at Malaucene, closed roads and lots of bored spectators who clapped and cheered the whole way. When we got to the sprint the PMU people had already handed out the big green gloves and with what seemed like hundreds of people banging the barriers the noise was tremendous. We did a short sprint and got a big cheer from the crowd. Best days TDF watching ever.

Pirahna wrote:Assuming you're taking a bike, get out early and ride a bit of the route. The Gendarmes/marshals etc don't seem to mind as long as you're off the course before the publicity caravan comes through.

Wifey and I did this a few years ago on the Mont Ventoux stage. We rode between Vaison-la-Romaine to the sprint point at Malaucene, closed roads and lots of bored spectators who clapped and cheered the whole way. When we got to the sprint the PMU people had already handed out the big green gloves and with what seemed like hundreds of people banging the barriers the noise was tremendous. We did a short sprint and got a big cheer from the crowd. Best days TDF watching ever.

I honestly hadn't thought beyond getting a site first. What you describe sounds brilliant!
Dillon would be beside himself with excitement. Do the bikes not hinder you once 'off the course' for spectating? I have zero idea what it'll be like other than what have seen TV. Cheers Steve

doh!

Hope ok to ask for ideas for a caravan site on outskirts of Paris to base at for the TDF finish weekend. We'll then continue our hols journey south......

Thinking a train/tram/bus journey in to Paris. Hopefully off a main trunk for ease of arrival and departure. If anyone has used a site in the past I'd appreciate a nod.

Based on this and going south afterwards...


We've stayed here as stop over site and easy access to Paris (from memory it was a quick train) we took our young kids (5 & 9) in 2 days in a row and don't remember any drama about the journey.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Rev ... rance.html

http://www.campinglabelleetoile.com/con ... camping/1/

Advantages are it's not in Paris and easy to get to (from memory its off a main road on the banks of the Seine, feels a bit like your driving into an industrial estate but it's okay when you there)

It's decent stopover campsite (bar / takeaway / big above ground pool) but not a destination in itself.

Matt wrote:

Hope ok to ask for ideas for a caravan site on outskirts of Paris to base at for the TDF finish weekend. We'll then continue our hols journey south......

Thinking a train/tram/bus journey in to Paris. Hopefully off a main trunk for ease of arrival and departure. If anyone has used a site in the past I'd appreciate a nod.

Based on this and going south afterwards...


We've stayed here as stop over site and easy access to Paris (from memory it was a quick train) we took our young kids (5 & 9) in 2 days in a row and don't remember any drama about the journey.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Rev ... rance.html

http://www.campinglabelleetoile.com/con ... camping/1/

Advantages are it's not in Paris and easy to get to (from memory its off a main road on the banks of the Seine, feels a bit like your driving into an industrial estate but it's okay when you there)

It's decent stopover campsite (bar / takeaway / big above ground pool) but not a destination in itself.

Cheers Matt

notinabox wrote:Do the bikes not hinder you once 'off the course' for spectating? I have zero idea what it'll be like other than what have seen TV. Cheers Steve

There's cyclists everywhere, just find a quiet spot to watch, any uphill is good as the riders will be going a bit slower. If you're planning your holiday around a spot of tour watching I'd try to incorporate one of the rest days. Arrive to watch the riders fly past the day before the rest day and watch somewhere else the day after. The riders will be out training on the rest day itself so if you're riding around you'll probably come across at least one team.

The two rest days this year are at Annecy and Carcassonne, both stunning places to hang around for a few days. The finish before Annecy is in Roubaix so the riders could be spread anywhere across northern France but it puts you into the Alps for a few days watching. Carcassonne gets a stage finish, rest day and stage start.

Carcassonne is indeed a great area to stay near. Not too far from quieter Med resorts either.

DickieH wrote:Carcassonne is indeed a great area to stay near. Not too far from quieter Med resorts either.

We do love carcasonne, our usual destination. but a bit too earlty for us to be there this year.......

notinabox wrote: We do love carcasonne, our usual destination. but a bit too earlty for us to be there this year.......

Annecy it is then.

I'd take a trip to Annecy over Carcossone. Maybe head south to the Ventoux area afterwards http://www.ayguette.com/

Pirahna wrote:

notinabox wrote: We do love carcasonne, our usual destination. but a bit too earlty for us to be there this year.......

Annecy it is then.

I'd take a trip to Annecy over Carcossone. Maybe head south to the Ventoux area afterwards http://www.ayguette.com/

We stayed at Annecy last summer. Camping Du Lac. Right next to the lake (funnily enough) some good road and off road outings and walking up le tournetteto get a great view of Mont Blanc. Traffic free bike route goes (very nearly) all the way round the lake too. Bit more expensive than some areas we’ve been to in France but felt worth it

Thank you folks! Keep ideas and sites coming I may not reply/answer that often but I am very grateful for ideas. Planning at the weekend

For Annecy the D42 starting from the southern end of the lake gives spectacular views across the lake and town. The summer toboggan on Semnoz looks like fun http://gunsandsand.com/

I think Gairy is down that way somewhere, he might have more ideas.