TRIP AROUND NORTHERN FRANCE - Paris, Bretagne, Loire

This year for the holidays in 2004 I and 4 other friends we decided to make a trip itinerary in the north of France. So we were 5 in total we covered about 3600 km The approximate cost was around 1000.00 - € 1200.00

A journey DIY organized by us setting an itinerary before you leave we have followed during the journey with some small change on the course.

We decided to go by car to have a convenient means of transport and available at any time and for any need to reach even the most remote places.
Before leaving, around June-July, we booked the first stages and, subsequently, for about half the trip we searched accommodation on site.
We found good by the chains of low cost hotel in the former. Premiere Class (www.premiereclasse.fr) but especially with the chain of hotels managed at times where a family in addition to the night you can dine with a good menu and low-cost (www.lhotelleriefamiliale.com).
The best places to stay, not least because they breathe more air lands that are visiting, are certainly the Chambres d'hotes in particular those of Class Tours de France.
For the latter two is advisable to book in advance especially if you go on vacation in August because they have a low cost, are beautiful and comfortable, have fewer seats and are much in demand.
All addresses that are used to contact hotels and chambres d'hotes, there have been provided free by the French tourist office in Milan, which is very efficient.

A latest information on the course did: we made to same the the Mont Blanc tunnel and the return code to ensure we made the Frejus tunnel, at the end between the two there is not much difference in price and the cost per step is around (€ 29, 30).

 

And now after all these technical details are starting with our adventurous journey.

We start at 13.00 on Sunday (because one of our traveling companions had worked until 12 on Sunday, poor!) And since arriving in Paris in one stage there seemed too we stopped in Macon to sleep.
Taking advantage of this pause 09/08/04 the day after we get up a good hour to go and visit the ruins of what was to be an abbey grandiosa: that of Cluny.
After the visit to and tour in the country are taking up the journey to Paris.
Before arriving in Paris because we were early, we decide to make a stop not expected to see the famous palace of Napoleon Fontainebleu where we remain fascinated by its beautiful French style gardens. Finally we head to Paris in search of where we have the unpleasant surprise that the hotel we had booked was all full. First incident of the trip. Menomale that we were provided with e-mail with the response of reservation for the hotel after we have clarified that the incident has now found another hotel nearby.
The problem is that it was a real company to find rue Dunkirk because it was surrounded by a disproportionate number of one-way streets but in the end after several hours we were able to reach our goal, and having deposited it into our rooms we left satisfied with spend our first evening in Paris.
What excitement to be in Paris! The first evening we spend in Montmartre, where we admired the beautiful church of Sacre Coeur lit! And of course the whole illuminated Paris!

Paris

Day devoted to sightseeing, and for me, and Carmen was the first time, so we are led by expert Henry, Francis and Julia who have brought us to discover its wonders: Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, Palais de Louvre, Place de la Concorde, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, La Defense, Opera, Pompidou Center .... In short, a real spectacle! There are no words to describe this wonderful city.

Paris

Another day spent in Paris, but today we are divided: Francis went to see the Museum d'Orsay, Henry and Julia go to see the gardens of Versailles and Carmen and I ... as we could not climb the Eiffel Tower?
Bellissimo! Tip: arrive early in the morning as we have done because if you arrive after 10 there is an incredible tail. Climb to the top of the tower costs around € 10
No 2: left to the last climb to the tower than the visit of the city because this will give you more flavor and more fun to recognize the various monuments visas.
Finally, you hope it to be a beautiful day.

Paris > Bretagne

Stage of transfer from Paris to Brittany. We seek an inn in a country that is not too far from Le Mont Saint Michel to join him early the following morning.
Then we end in a village called Mont Dol located near Dol de Bretagne in Brittany houses, the countryside and a small hill that marks the country where its top is the one in Italy would call "hut" where you can enjoy the ' good calvados.
To our great fortune, and my greatest joy I and the other girls in the group end up in a beautiful room papered throughout Breton flowers but especially with a Roof, but the boys must settle for a room with loft.
The hotel is called Hotel du Tertre and is located in Mont Dol tel. 02.99482057 Fax 02.99482951
The afternoon to be placed after the turn bay and its villages, and I assure you that is a true spectacle to see Mont St. Michel in the distance from any point on the bay walk on the beach wet and humid spring almost plunged because of the tide. In late evening we arrived at the tip of the bay and then we decide to head towards Cancale to find a place to eat. Here we are in for a pleasant surprise, it's time for dinner and square are preparing a "feast of mussels" the equivalent of our festivals Brianza where you eat salamella and French fries.
The festival is something small just for little people, the tables are made of wooden boards placed on trestles. Turn around just to look around and just get us there immediately involved in their dinner, with great enthusiasm of local people are invited to eat with them and to their festival .... So why not accept this invitation?
Satisfied with the delightful and delicious dinner especially salute all the participants who will in turn greeted with great warmth and we go back to our hotel strafelici enchanted.

13/08/04
We stand up for good now to reach Le Mont Saint Michel, as soon as possible because we have been advised to arrive early as from 11 onwards there 's invasion of the mass and it is impossible to turn around, and this is all true: we have the fortune to park nearby and take a guided visit to the abbey beautiful without too much confusion.
Satisfied with the visit there in the various repair shops caught by a sudden storm. E 'on the first alarm that lets us understand how the weather in these parts: variable, rather variabilissimo.
In the afternoon we move to Dinan, where we also have the time to visit the Brittany town of timbered houses. Here spend the night in "La Marmite, chez M. Bouillet (Tel. 02.96390442) where you can enjoy a delicious dinner of fish.

St. Malò

This morning we leave at a time in St Malo, we make the tour of the ramparts, Pucci feet into the sea because it is a beautiful day, we turn to the long coast focusing in particular to appreciate the magnificent lighthouse of Cap Frehel, then we head towards Paimpoil and particularly Lezardrieux. (unpronounceable name in French alone in Brittany, we speak in the dialect of mica in French to ask for information we make more effort with us, but fortunately the people are all friendly and helpful, and does everything to help us) Here we expected the legendary Madame Guillou and her beautiful house (Tel. 02.96201453).
Who will forget his fantastic breakfast, wonderful rooms, laundry laid off and retired risteso kindly in the garage and especially those who forget his valuable advice for dinner?
On his claim in fact end up dining at the famous fish of Monsieur Moulinet, located next to the cathedral of Treguier, and if you're here you can not go there to eat.
We found ourselves in front of a boat full of every type of fish, shellfish, crustacean with many difficulties and doubts about what to do when you start eating.
It 'was a real shock! when we were in front of a boat on our table load of fish, Francis, our chef friend had to say the least enthusiastic, and that menomale was he who gave us some straight because scusate the lap of his words were otherwise Sea ..

After we wake up we are preparing to spend a calm and quiet day of August in Britain and, having thanked the "sciura" for having recommended well the night before, we went to hear the French in the great cathedral of Treguier.
In the afternoon we have a direct Ploumanac'h, the beautiful Pink Granite coast, a landscape truly unique and impressive, the houses were of pink granite, the walls of the houses, the pavements but especially the rocks in the sea and even the sand was pink .
A show not to be missed with its famous lighthouse, also made of pink granite overlooking the coast.
To conclude the day we could not give up the bathroom in the Channel, the only bathroom on the sea of this holiday and to remember in this unforgettable experience we have chosen at the request dell'Enrico to go to the famous Bay of Tregastel.
Only me, Carmen and Enrico have had the courage to take a bath, causing the temperature of cold lasted considerably short, but it was very beautiful.
On the evening of August after several days spent in Brittany we were able to finally try the cidre but we were not completely satisfied.

In the morning we leave reluctantly, the beautiful house of Madame Guillou and we put ourselves in the car, where we expect several hours of machine as the perpendicular cross Britain to Carnac, the prehistoric village.
I read something about the alignments of menhirs, but I did not think a country composed of all these menhir alignment, "Spectaculaires et mystérieux" write about the French postcards Carnai and they are absolutely right. We admire this show later in the evening where even the light of the sunset makes almost everything more beautiful.

The next day, 17/08/04 devote the morning to make a path indicated to see better menhir and reach the largest menhir said "great Manio and a mound visit.
Today we finished our tour in Britain in the afternoon so we start to discover a new region of the Loire and its beautiful castles.
We decide to stay overnight in a town center rather than the castles that we decided to visit as we move towards our goal Blois.
On the way we make a stop is not provided and we will stop at Angers where advantage to visit the first castle of the Loire Valley famous for a huge tapestry that represents the Gerusalemme Liberata.
A Blois in the evening and arrive there at the systemic, we know that the sciura runs that we take now and in sympathy for the rest of our holiday there moller more.
Every time I set foot in the hotel we stop to speak of what is the time, asks us what we visited, it gives us tips on what to visit, we update the results of the Italian Olympic games, too strong and kind in my opinion, according to ' Enrico slightly intrusive (because he already speaks French better of us all is what has caused more by the righteous).
We recommend you to visit us because we were good: Hotel Le Lys tel. 02.54746608 cost 35/40 € room.
The above-mentioned Madame promptly warns us that the times in this area of France is special, the evening we eat early and go to the restaurant after the 9 can not find anything because already closed from 10:30 and in fact the first night that we were late we have experienced that is true.

Blois, Amboise, Da Vinci's House

Siamo a Blois quindi decidiamo come primo giorno nella Loira di visitare il castello di questa bella cittadina.
Un castello molto tipico composta da quattro facciate ognuna di uno stile diverso perché costruita in un periodo diverso e da un sovrano diverso, (scusate le ripetizioni ma è proprio un castello dagli stili diversificati).
Molto bella la scalinata.
Qui la sera fanno degli spettacoli che come direbbe un mio amico sono "commerciali" ma a mio parere sono comunque da vedere. Si chiamano Son & Lumière e sono delle rappresentazioni proiettate sulle pareti dei castelli con degli effetti di luci con sottofondo musicale e recitato a seconda della serata in diverse lingue. A me è piaciuto.
Il pomeriggio abbiamo visitato il castello di Amboise che è il castello dove è stato ospite Leonardo da Vinci.Anche noi Italiani siamo un po' orgogliosi del nostro grande genio. Poco vicino c'è anche la casa di Leonardo da Vinci.Vale la pena di farsi una passeggiatina e andarla a vedere anche solo dall'esterno perché è molto bella. Noi non siamo entrati nel parco della casa anche perché siamo stati colpiti da un acquazzone pauroso e siamo tornati quindi in albergo.

Chenonceau

Chenonceau is one of a castle that has its own charm, in the first place is a castle that was owned by well-conceived and 6 women, including Diana of Poitiers and Catherine de Medici.
It 'just to visit, the two gardens of the two women mentioned above are different and beautiful. The castle is built on a bridge over the River Cher and has a wonderful charm.
What you should do after a visit to the castle is a beautiful ride in a rowing boat. With the cost of only € 2 you enjoy rowing against the tide trying to reach the arches of the castle. Too funny.

Chambord

Chambord to believe that it is the most famous and largest of the castles of the Loire, what struck me more of this castle is the immensity of the park that surrounds it and the beauty of the castle with its towers and turrets each different.
Inside there is the famous staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci double helix hidden rooms where those who do not meet people who never falls.
E 'stato bello venturing into the ascent / descent of the ladder by imagining being in another world where your imagination leads us to become knights and ladies in that ascending and descending the staircase without courted in the eye.

Blois > Lombardy

E 'come on the day of return is part of good morning hiding some' of sadness and melancholy ... from Blois to Sydney in the hope of a trip not too heavy and with no code.
On the way back we decide to do the Frejus and arrive in our country aware of the evening having spent the holidays to say the least, and with so many beautiful but so many things, places, events, episodes, scenes and stories to tell .... Francis writes on the logbook, between those things we we or the "fellow travelers" who were the protagonists of these days, unique and unrepeatable, and that made this vacation one vacation in France, "which will remember, tell, rethink ....
Laura