Some holidays are carefully planned months in advance, with every hotel booked, every restaurant reserved and every day mapped out.
Our French adventure wasn't quite like that.
Yes, we had accommodation booked and we knew roughly where we were going, but one of the best things about travelling through France by car is that you can stop when something looks interesting.
And on this trip, we did exactly that!
Over the course of our French road trip, we swam in rivers, took a cable car to the top of a mountain, discovered a completely unexpected Celtic festival, swam in the Mediterranean Sea, explored some beautiful French towns and villages, spent a week at Le Pommier in the Ardèche and eventually made our way back north to Normandy to explore the D-Day beaches.
Day 1: Poole to La Ville-aux-Dames
Lucky for us, we live a ten minute drive from the ferry port so it was a nice easy start to our road trip. We did however realise halfway down the road that we'd forgotten the toothbrushes so there was a quick stop at Lidl!
5 hours later and we were arriving in the Port of Cherbourg and quickly on our way. Our first nights accommodation was near Tours. It was really just a stopover rather than a destination in its own right, but it gave us somewhere to sleep before continuing our journey the following morning.
We have an electric car so we were wondering how challenging the charging might be across France but we quickly realised that there are big Tesla charging stations in lots of locations. Our first charge was in Tours and we coincided this with a supermarket visit so top up on snacks and wine!
Day 2-3: River swims and a mountain view
We checked out of our campsite and headed to nearby Montrichard-Val-de-Cher, here we found a great park where the kids could play (Park Plage de Montrichard). We had a pretty long drive ahead so it was nice to let them burn some energy and have a swim in the river whilst the grown ups ate cheese and baguettes! A huge plus point about France is that there is free parking everywhere so it makes it so easy to stop along the way.
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| Montrichard-Val-de-Cher |
Soon we were back on the road and it was our longest drive of the holiday - around 4 hours, which ended up being more when we factored in charge stops and toilet breaks.
As we continued driving south towards Saint-Jacques-des-Blats, it felt like we were watching France change right in front of us. The flatter countryside and towns gradually gave way to rolling hills, then increasingly dramatic mountains and deep green valleys. The roads became more winding, the scenery more rugged and the views much more spectacular.
Eventually we made it to our accommodation and we were greeted with stunning views across the mountains. In the winter, the resort looks very different and is a busy ski resort but I think I much prefer the sunshine!
Taking the Cable Car Up the Mountain at Le Lioran
We stayed for two nights in the mountains so it was great to have a full day and not have to rush off to our next destination. We spent a leisurely morning by the pool whilst my husband and his friend Alex did some hiking in the local area.
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| Pool with a view! |
In the afternoon we headed into the nearby town of Le Lioran which was absolutely stunning and one of the most picturesque places we visited on our trip. Surrounded by mountains and lush green valleys, it felt like something straight out of a postcard, and there was plenty to keep us entertained once we arrived. We had a go on the mountain toboggan, which was great fun and Elliot even conquered his fears on the 10m free-fall jump in the trees! Getting the cable car up to to the top of the mountain was an absolute highlight of the holiday.
Leaving Saint-Jacques-des-Blats and Heading South
The following morning it was time to pack the car again - we were getting quite good at this now! Our final destination of the day was our home for the next week - it was a 3 hour drive so we had planned to make a few stops along the way.
Our first one was the town of Saugues - a completely unexpected and spontaneous stop, but driving through we noticed a festival going on so thought why not. We had in inadvertently stumbled upon a Celtic festival so there were lots of stalls, live music and people dancing in the street. We bought some locally made ice-cream which definitely made the stop worthwhile!
The weather was HOT so it was decided that our next stop would be Plage du Vivier, a lovely natural swimming spot on the River Allier, tucked into the dramatic landscape of the Haut-Allier gorges. The kids loved cooling off in the river and it was a gorgeous spot for our lunch picnic. (More bread and cheese of course!)
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| Plage du Vivier |
Finally Arriving at Le Pommier Campsite
A Week in the Ardèche
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| Le Pommier waterpark |
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| Vogüé - spot the family member who was hot and bothered! |
Adventure Beyond the Campsite
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| Elliot and Alex mid climb |
Another highlight for Elliot and Erin was kayaking at Pont d'Arc. They spent the day on the River Ardèche, paddling through the spectacular gorge and beneath the famous natural arch that gives the area its name.
The Pont d'Arc itself is pretty incredible to see. This enormous natural limestone arch spans the river and has become one of the most iconic sights in the Ardèche. Seeing it from the water, rather than simply driving past or viewing it from above, made the experience even more memorable for them.
Good Food, Good Friends & Summer Nights
A Day Trip to Montpellier and the Mediterranean
One of the highlights of our week at Le Pommier was taking a day trip to Montpellier. After spending so much time surrounded by the mountains and countryside of the Ardèche, it was lovely to head towards the Mediterranean and experience something completely different.
We headed to the coast first and went for a swim in the Mediterranean Sea, which was absolutely glorious. The water was warm, the sun was shining and, after the intense heat we'd been experiencing, being able to cool off in the sea was just perfect. The kids could have stayed in the water all day, and to be honest, I wasn't in much of a hurry to get out either!
We finally managed to get them out of the sea with the promise of lunch, and we headed into the city. We loved the mix of grand historic buildings, pretty streets and lively squares and there was a real buzz about the place.
We spent a few hours just having a wander and eventually found ourselves by the new water fountains on the Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle. And with temperatures soaring, they couldn't have come at a better time! The fountains are made up of more than 100 jets of water set into the ground, with some shooting several metres into the air and others creating refreshing sprays and mist.
Of course Erin couldn't resist dipping her toes....and ended up completely drenched! Thank goodness for spare clothes in the car 😁
Leaving Le Pommier: Clermont-Ferrand and Puy de Dôme
Eventually, it was time to say goodbye to Le Pommier (and also our friends who were heading in a different direction) and continue our journey north. After a week of sunshine, swimming and adventures in the Ardèche, we packed up the car once again and headed towards Clermont-Ferrand.
We stayed in an apartment right in the city, which gave us the chance to have a little wander around and experience Clermont-Ferrand before moving on. And, much to Erin's delight, she managed to find yet another set of fountains to run through!
The following morning we headed to Puy de Dôme, one of the most spectacular landmarks in the Auvergne. Standing at 1,465 metres above sea level, the volcanic peak dominates the surrounding landscape and offers incredible views across the region.
We decided to split up for the journey to the top. Paul chose to hike up, while the kids and I took the Panoramique des Dômes train. The train winds its way up the side of the volcano, making the journey itself part of the experience, and gave us plenty of opportunity to admire the views as we climbed.
Once we reached the summit, we met back up and spent some time taking in the incredible panorama. With the incredible views and open landscape below, Puy de Dôme is a popular spot for paragliding, and we watched several people launch themselves from the mountain and glide out over the valleys. It was amazing to watch them floating almost effortlessly through the sky, with the volcanic landscape stretching out beneath them.
From Puy de Dôme to Amboise
After our morning at Puy de Dôme, we packed ourselves back into the car and continued north towards Amboise in the Loire Valley. By this point we'd covered a serious number of miles, so we made a quick stop along the way to recharge the car (and tummies!) before carrying on with our journey.
We arrived in Amboise later in the day and, after so much travelling, decided to have a properly chilled evening. There was no rushing off to explore or trying to squeeze another attraction into the day — we simply settled in, had some food and enjoyed a quiet evening. We stayed in a great apartment just on the outskirts of the town - see here.
We were up early the following morning, though, because we wanted to make the most of our short time in Amboise. With just a few hours to explore the town before getting back on the road, we headed out to discover the pretty streets, historic buildings and riverside setting before continuing our French adventure north.
A Quick Stop in Le Mans
After leaving Amboise, we continued north towards Normandy, stopping in Le Mans to break up the journey. We hadn't planned on spending ages there, but with the Musée des 24 Heures du Mans right by the famous circuit, it seemed rude not to have a look!
For just €7, we could get access to the circuit, so Paul and Elliot headed inside to have a look around while Erin and I had a little break from the car. As luck would have it, they were also treated to some live action, with motorbikes out on the track while they were there.
Mont Saint-Michel - bucketlist destination!
By the time we left Le Mans, we were ready to reach our next stop. We checked into the ibis budget Pontorson Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel, dropped our suitcases off and, rather than settling in for the evening, decided to head straight for Mont Saint-Michel.
We were keen to visit without spending a fortune, so instead of paying the very pricey parking fees around Mont Saint-Michel, we parked in Beauvoir at Parc des Brèches. From there, we could walk along the river on a pedestrian path towards the island. It turned out to be a really lovely way to arrive, and it was much more enjoyable than simply parking up and jumping on a shuttle.
As we walked, the sun was starting to go down, giving us some beautiful views across the surrounding countryside and towards Mont Saint-Michel. We stopped for a while to watch the sunset, which was one of those unexpected little moments that turned out to be one of my favourite moments of the whole trip!
By the time we reached Mont Saint-Michel, it was starting to get dark. The island was still really busy, but there was something quite magical about exploring the narrow streets and old buildings as the evening set in. We wandered around, taking in the atmosphere and seeing the island lit up, although it definitely wasn't the peaceful, empty experience you might imagine from some of the photographs! I can only imagine how busy it gets in the daytime in peak season.
Eventually, it was time to head back. Rather than walking all the way back along the river in the dark, we made use of the free shuttle bus, which took us back towards the main car park area. From there, we had the final walk back to Beauvoir to collect the car.
We ended up walking almost 22,000 steps and it ended up being a very late night for us all but Mont St Michel was a bucket list location that was well worth it!
Our Final Stop: Bayeux
The following morning, we had a few hours to enjoy nearby Alligator Bay before continuing on to Bayeux. It was a great way to start the day, especially after our late evening at Mont Saint-Michel, and gave us something fun to do before getting back on the road.
We then drove on to the historic town of Bayeux, which was our final stop of the road trip. We were staying for two nights at Logis du Grand Pin, giving us a couple of days to explore the area before making our way to Cherbourg for the ferry home.
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| Logis Du Grand Pin - our lovely last accomodation |
We wandered through the town, browsed the shops and took in the beautiful Bayeux Cathedral. Sadly the Bayeux Tapestry was on holiday in London so we weren't able to see that but none the less, the town one of the loveliest places we visited on our trip!
And, of course, exploring France wouldn't be complete without sampling some of the local treats. We found handmade sweets and macarons, which didn't last very long once the kids spotted them!
Our Final Full Day in Normandy
Our last full day in France didn't get off to quite the start we'd hoped for. We woke up to lots of rain, so our original plans needed a bit of rearranging. Rather than let the weather put a dampener on the day, we decided to embrace the fact that we were in Normandy and head to the Bayeux Museum of the Battle of Normandy.
We spent a couple of hours inside the museum, which worked out perfectly while the rain poured down outside. It was also a really useful introduction to the history of the area and helped set the scene for the places we were planning to visit later in the day. And, importantly, we stayed dry!
By lunchtime, we were ready for some food, so we headed to E.Leclerc supermarket and discovered La Kitchen. This turned out to be a brilliant budget-friendly find. We had amazing burgers that came with fries, a drink and even a cream cake — all for a really reasonable price. After a morning spent hiding from the rain, it was exactly what we needed.
Next, we headed to the Normandy American Cemetery. Thankfully, the weather had started to clear by this point, and by the time we arrived the rain had stopped. The cemetery is an incredibly moving place. Walking through the rows of perfectly aligned white crosses, with more than 9,000 American servicemen buried there, really brings home the sheer scale of the sacrifice made during the D-Day landings.
It is peaceful and beautifully maintained, but seeing row after row of graves makes it impossible not to think about the individual stories behind them and how many young men never made it home.
From the cemetery, we drove on to Omaha Beach, one of the most famous of the Normandy landing beaches. By the time we arrived, the rain had completely cleared and, amazingly, the sun had come out!
One of the things we particularly wanted to see at Omaha Beach was Les Braves, the striking sculpture that stands in the sand overlooking the sea. Made up of sweeping, curved sections of steel, the memorial is dedicated to the soldiers who landed on Omaha Beach and is intended to represent their courage and the journey from darkness towards hope.
It's an incredibly powerful memorial, but seeing the kids playing on the sand nearby also brought home just how different the beach is today from that terrible day in 1944.
We'd spent the morning learning about the Battle of Normandy and seeing the rows of graves at the cemetery, so being able to actually stand on the beach where the D-Day landings took place made everything we'd learned feel much more real.
Our Final Day – One Last Taste of Normandy
Our final day in France was another case of squeezing as much as possible into the time we had. After checking out of Logis du Grand Pin, we headed towards Sainte-Mère-Église, the Normandy town famous for the paratrooper who famously became caught on the church roof during the D-Day landings.
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| Sainte-Mère-Église - a recreation of the famous paratrooper |
We had a wander around the town, taking in the church and the D-Day history that is still such a huge part of Sainte-Mère-Église. We also happened to come across a French market, which meant we couldn't resist having a look around. Before long, we were following our noses towards the food stalls and ended up with freshly made crêpes and sausage baguettes for lunch. Sometimes the best meals are the ones you don't plan!
From there, we continued towards Utah Beach, stopping at a German bunker overlooking the beach along the way. It was another opportunity to see the landscape and understand just how the D-Day landings unfolded, rather than simply reading about them in a museum.
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| German bunker overlooking Utah Beach |
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| Utah Beach |
And then, because no French road trip is complete without one final supermarket dash, we stopped at another supermarket to stock up on a few essentials for home. Naturally, this included cheap French wine and plenty of Bret's crisps. Priorities!
With the car suitably loaded with French goodies, we finally made our way to Cherbourg and boarded the ferry back to England. Here we reunited with our friends and it was great to hear what they'd been up to in the last week on their French adventure.
And that was it — our French road trip was officially over. We'd travelled thousands of miles, visited an enormous variety of places and somehow managed to fit mountains, rivers, beaches, medieval villages, volcanoes, a famous island, D-Day history and an awful lot of baguettes into one family adventure!
