LE MANS CLASSIC RACES / LOIRE VALLEY TOUR

« Click here to return to French & European Tours page

	DATES July 8th-12th 2010 5 days/4 nights
	PRICES PER PERSON £ 1,095 pp based on £1= 1.10€ 1,205€ ( fixed price in euros)
	BUDGET TOUR £ 450 pp based on £1 =1.10€ 495€ (fixed price in euros)

Description

Luxury Tour 5-day tour to watch the nostalgic and world famous  Le Mans Classic races, combined with a day tour of the beautful Loire Valley staying throughout in a sumptuous 4* chateau hotel on a half board/demi pension basis. Overnight ferry to St. Malo and then our first day's route takes us cross country to the medieval town of Vitre, our lunch stop, where we can enjoy a walk around this pretty town.After lunch we drive east to the Le Mans 24 hours circuit where we familiarise ourselves with the car parking and spectator arrangements over the weekend.We also visit the world famous Le Mans auto museum, our afternoon coffee stop, before continuing south on country roads to our sumptuous 4-star chateau hotel in the Loire Valley.On Friday we enjoy a leisurely tour of the Loire Valley visiting historic chateaux, beautiful gardens, fascinating museums, wine caves and some of France's most beautiful villages and towns before returning to our hotel for pre dinner cocktails.On Saturday morning we drive up to Le Mans to watch the build up to the weekend's races, returning, in your own time, to our hotel for dinner.On Sunday morning we return to Le Mans to watch the conclusion of the Classic races after which we return to our hotel for a final celebratory dinner.On Monday we leave the Loire Valley and drive north to Caen stopping for morning coffee at the Hotel de France in La Chartre sur Le Loir which, in the 1950's and 60's was the headquarters of the Aston Martin Le Mans racing team.and, here over coffee, you can browse all the photographs and memorabilia that adorn the walls of the cafe/restaurant.We then continue north west to the medieval town of Sees, our lunch stop, where we can visit the impressive twin spired cathedral.After lunch we drive up to Caen where we catch the 4.30pm ferry to Portsmouth, (arrives 9.30pm).

Budget tour 5-day tour to watch the nostalgic and world famous  Le Mans Classic races, combined with a day tour of the beautful Loire Valley staying throughout in a 3 * hotel on a bed and breakfast basis. Thursday morning ferry from Dover to Dunkerque,( alternative ferry crossings are available subject to a surcharge) and then drive approximately 300 miles to the Le Mans auto museum where, in the afternoon we meet up with the main tour and familiarise ourselves with the weekend parking and race facilities.Late afternoon we drive down to our hotel in the Loire Valley.. On Friday we enjoy a leisurely tour of the Loire valley and then on saturday morning we drive up to Le Mans to watch the build up of the races which start in the afternoon.Return to your hotel in your own time on Saturday evening.On Sunday we drive to Le Mans to watch the racing again and return to the hotel in the evening.Monday we drive back to Dunkerque to catch a late afternoon fery

 

ITINERARY, LUXURY TOUR

Wednesday, 7th July, overnight ferry, Brittany Ferries, from Portsmouth to St.Malo at 8.30pm.

Day 1 - Thursday, July 8th, ( 220 miles)

Ferry arrives in St Malo at 8.15 am on overnight crossing from Portsmouth.After assembling all the cars,overlooking the port, we drive in convoy15 miles along the pretty coastal road around Pointe du Grouin to Cancale Port Mer, an idyllic, secluded bay just north of Cancale stopping for a photograph overlooking an island in another picturesque bay.At Port Mer we stop to enjoy breakfast, introduce ourselves to all the other participants, and familiarise ourselves with the road books.After breakfast our scenic route continues eastwards along the bay of Mont St Michel to Pontorson where we turn south and head down to Vitre a charming medieval town and our lunch stop.In the afternoon we head east to Le Mans for coffee and a visit to the famous Le Mans 24 hours Auto Museum. Here, we also familiarise ourselves with the parking and spectating arrangements for the weekend races.We then leave Le Mans and head south on a scenic country road to our sumptuous 4 star chateau hotel Chateau de Rochecotte in St.Patrice just 5 miles west of Langeais,( see photo below right).

Day 2 - Friday, July 9th, ( 60 miles)

Today we enjoy a leisurely tour of the Loire Valley.We start with a picturesque drive a few miles west along the banks of the river Loire to one of France's prettiest villages, Candes St Martin, our morning coffee stop.Here we can visit the 12th century fortified church and enjoy a walk along the narrow streets to a wonderful viewpoint overlooking the confluence of the river Loire and the river Vienne before heading to Saumur, our lunch stop, where we visit the charming streets of the medieval old town with an opportunity to visit a nearby wine cave or the fascinating tank museum. After lunch we head to nearby Fontevraud where we visit the largest and most remarkably intact medieval abbey in France. After Fontevraud we take minor roads passing the picturesque, fairy tale Chateau of Usse overlooking water meadows and the river Indre. Its romantic white turrets, pointed towers and chimneys were the inspiration for Charles Perrault's Sleeping Beauty, ( see photo below left).We then continue along the pretty banks of the Loire towards Langeais where we then visit the beautiful gardens at the privately owned Chateau Chatonniere near Azay le Rideau with an option for non- garden lovers to visit the nearby Maurice Dufresne museum, a fascinating collection of vehicles and mechanical objects.We then cross the river Loire at Langeais and return back to our hotel, Chateau-de-Rochecotte in St.Patrice,( see photo below right).
Option. Alternatively participants can make their own way to Le Mans to watch the start of the practising, and return to our hotel in the evening.

Chateau Usse with its romantic turrets	Chateau-de-Rochecotte Hotel: click to visit their site

Day 3 - Saturday, July 10th, (130 miles round trip)

In the morning spend an hour driving up to the Le Mans circuit on scenic country roads to spend the day watching the build up and start of the 24 hours classic cars races. Return in your own time to Chateau Rochecotte for dinner with a pre-dinner drinks reception.If the ladies prefer, they can spend the day at Rochecotte enjoying the swimming pool and gardens.

Day 4 - Sunday, July 11th, (130 miles round trip)

We travel up to Le Mans again in the morning to watch Sunday's racing with the exciting finale in the afternoon before returning to Chateau-de-Rochecotte where we enjoy a celebratory final night dinner.

Day 5 - Monday, July 12th , (200 miles)

 

 

 

 

We say 'au revoir' to the Loire Valley and head north to Caen for the afternoon ferry via scenic minor roads to La Chartre sur-Le-Loir where we stop for morning coffee at the Hotel de France, the headquarters of the Aston Martin Le Mans racing team in the 1950s and 60s. Over coffee you can browse through the nostalgic pictures of Le Mans legends that line the walls of this famous hotel. After coffee we head north to Alencon and on to the medieval town of Sees our lunch stop where we can also visit the twin spired cathedral. After lunch we continue north to Caen to the port of Ouistreaham for our 4.30pm ferry to Portsmouth, (arrives Portsmouth 9.30pm).

 

[+]

ITINERARY, BUDGET TOUR

Day 1 - Thursday, July 8th ( approx 350 miles)

Early morning ferry from Dover to Dunkerque.Our route takes us on the autoroute south west to the Le Mans 24 hours circuit and our afternoon coffee stop where we join the Luxury tour and visit the famous Le Mans 24 hours Auto Museum. Having familiarised ourselves with the parking and spectating arrangements for the weekend races we leave Le Mans and head south to our hotel in Langeais, 5 miles east of the luxury tour hotel.

Day 2 - Friday, July 9th ( 60 miles)

We drive a few miles west along the banks of the Loire to one of France's prettiest villages, Candes St Martin, our coffee stop, with a chance to walk along its narrow streets to a wonderful viewpoint over the Loire Valley before heading to Saumur, our lunch stop, where we can visit the charming streets of the medieval old town with an
opportunity to visit a nearby wine cave. After lunch we head to Fontevraud where we can visit the largest and most remarkably intact medieval abbey in France. After Fontevraud we take minor roads we visit the picturesque, fairy tale Chateau of Usse overlooking water meadows and the river Indre. Its romantic white turrets, pointed towers and chimneys were the inspiration for Charles Perrault's Sleeping Beauty. We then continue along the banks of the Loire towards Langeais where we then visit the beautiful gardens at the privately owned Chateau Chatonniere near Azay le Rideau. We then cross the Loire at Langeais and return back to our hotel.
Option. Alternatively participants can make their own way to Le Mans to watch the start of the practising, and return to our hotel in the evening.

Day 3 - Saturday, July 10th (130 miles round trip)

We make an early start and drive up to Le Mans,( approximately an hour's drive), to spend the day watching the start of the 24 hours race.

Day 4 - Sunday, July 11th ( 130 miles round trip)

We travel up to Le Mans again to watch Sunday's racing with the exciting finale in the afternoon before returning to our hotel for the final night.

Day 5 - Monday, July 12th ( approx 300 miles)

 

 

 

 

We say 'au revoir' to the Loire Valley and head back to Dunkerque for the afternoon ferry.

 

 

[+]

 

 

« back to French Tours