4 days to kill after Le Mans Classic

[LooseCannon]

Can anyone suggest some nice places to visit within a 3-5 hour drive of Le Mans?

Our group members want to take in Tours/Angers region Monday-Tuesday and then work back towards the D Day beaches/Bayeux/Mt St Michael for the Thursday night Le Havre ferry. I reckon there isn't time to do both properly, and for a relaxing time we should only do one of these to avoid packing/unpacking all the time. What do you reckon?? What are the best things to see in the Loire region?

If you think this is the wrong forum for this (it's places really rather than roads) I'll stick it in the Le Mans section.

[humpy]

Option 1 - drive to the Nurburgring - with 4 days to kill it'd be rude not to

Option 2 - drive to Hon Fleur - a nice place and the road there from Le Mans is fantastic.

[LooseCannon]

I'm wondering if this should be in Events/Meetings/travel now. Theres so many forums around here now, I've been sticking to half a dozen for the past 8 years!

[Puggit]

We have a holiday home in the Loir valley (just north of the Loire).

I can recommend La Fleche as a pretty little place (and good zoo), Tours is great, lots of history around the old quarter (and places to eat). Visit Amboise for a chateau town, and then Chenonceaux for a great Chateau.

[rdjohn]

What you are planning is a great idea.

There is a fantastic (scenic and fast) D road that runs south all the way from Arnage down to Saumur on La Loire, which is a great place to visit - did it after the race in 1990 and ended up living here.

Tours is great, but Angers is even better for a visit. Another place to visit very near to Saumur is the Abbey at Fontevraud where Richard the Lionheart is buried. Most of the classic rallies seem to stop there.

Unfortunately you will miss La Fleche, so I suggest that you head west towards Angers to take it in for a night on the way back when the hotels will be quieter (Try La Vert Galant).

Do make sure that you have enough time for the Normandy beaches – definitely makes you stop and think!

[Simes205]

humpy said:

Option 2 - drive to Hon Fleur - a nice place and the road there from Le Mans is fantastic.

You could start by making your way up to St lo (great D roads from Alencon - this is the way I go from Le Mans to pop in and see my folks) then up to Omaha Beach and take the coastal road all the way to Le Havre stopping at all the Normandy sites including Pegasus bridge, Deauville and Trouville. After that you get to Honfleur which is about 10 mins from Le Havre.

[britten_mark]

Thanks for the pointers, we arescoping out a place near La Fleche as a second base.

[WazzaL]

After Le Mans last year, and friend and I went down to the coast to a place called Carnac.

We had really nice weather, popped out onto a boat and spent a few nice days roaming around making a lot of noise with the car and generally having a good time.

Then afterwards, nice easy drive straight up to catch the ferry

Might be worth a thought...

[LooseCannon]

My first thought was Carnac! My dad went there years ago and loved it, the suggestion however didn't go down too well with my trip mates who wanted to do the wine thing in the Loire. We haven't booked yet so still an option.