Calais to Cahors, scenic route and places to visit?

[Rids64]

We have booked a week at a place near Cahors in August and have allowed a few days each side to meander slowly rather than hammer the autoroutes. We are looking for some inspiration on how to spend those days so any suggestions on a scenic route or places to see/visit on the way would be much appreciated. It's just the 2 of us.

PS she's no petrolhead so regrettably suggestions involving a motoring theme are unlikely to be approved!

[SlidingSideways]

Not got any suggestions for the travelling days, but Rockamadour is a nice day out while you're there - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocamadour

[Dog Star]

We do this most years (stopping off sometimes in Cahors). By the way - hotel Terminus in Cahors has a restaurant "La Balandre" which was amazing. 88 page wine list!

We do a combination hotel/camping trip and often stay at a place called Montbazon. A nice drive from there is an Abbey (I forget the name) where Richard the Lionheart is interred; that's lovely, especially if the weather is nice.

If you're on that route and are not on the autoroute (we never take it) then there's also Futuroscope

http://en.futuroscope.com/

[Le TVR]

Assuming you're looking at Rouen, Le Mans, Tours, Limoges kind of route then I would suggest the Loire Valley as a good stop off point. Have a look round some of the chateau like the Royal Château in Amboise, Château de Chambord etc.

[CAPP0]

If you're travelling completely off-piste, you could stop for lunch on day 1 at Le Treport - nice little seaside fishing village, plenty of good places to eat. But avoid a warm weekend, you won't get anywhere near the place.

[Rids64]

Thanks for the advice, I'm a bit of a history buff so Richard the Lionheart's resting place sounds good, we also plan to visit Oradour-sur-Glane on the way down. After that the Chateaux in the Loire might provide a bit of an uplift.

We've not booked any accomodation for the journey, preferring just to find somewhere at the end of the day. We try to avoid Campanile type places so any recommendations for a nice rural auberge would be useful.

[Dog Star]

Oh yes - forgot about Oradour. Some cracking roads to get to it if you turn right off the main Limoges road. Looking at the map it *might* be the D101; was boiling hot and newly surfaced last time I was there