Driving down from Calais to Bordeaux (ish): What route / where should I stay?

[Whysub]

We were in Vichy on a Friday night last year. Every place to eat or drink was closed at 8.30 pm, bsr an Indian restuarant, which was very good.

Still comes as a shock to me that France shuts so early. Many restaurants here don't open until 9pm.

[Taipan]

We were in Vichy on a Friday night last year. Every place to eat or drink was closed at 8.30 pm, bsr an Indian restuarant, which was very good.

Still comes as a shock to me that France shuts so early. Many restaurants here don't open until 9pm.

That's what we always found too, but we were there in August when I gather most of the Frenchies go on their holidays? Driving in rural France used to get quite depressing with village after village like a ghost town!

[Docca]

So I’m planning on doing this in the EV if it gets here on time.

Looking at the infrastructure, it’s not really straightforward.

I’ve got the ‘chargemap’ card on its way- and it looks as though Ionity, Tesla and Total are all possibilities

Not saying it’s straightforward in the UK, but it’s even less so in France. Doesn’t help that EDF have canned 90% of their chargers

[Whysub]

Its the opposite in this part of Spain. Loads of charging stations, but few cars using them.

There are 16 chargers at a big retail park near me (complete with DIY stores and a McDonalds within 50 yards) but I have never seen a single car being charged there in the last couple of years.

Maybe everyone around here charges their EV at home?

[DefTrap]

That's what we always found too, but we were there in August when I gather most of the Frenchies go on their holidays? Driving in rural France used to get quite depressing with village after village like a ghost town!

It's quite common in le countryside and out-of-season - we have three hostelries in our village but all of them are primarily food focused and I'm pretty sure all of them are done by 9pm even on a Friday. There's not really the same sort of drinking culture over here - in a similarly populated UK village folk would be knocking them back until closing (although 'my local' back in rural cambridgeshire recently moved clsoing to 10:30pm - apparently post-covid the evening drinking crowd really dwindled).

[DefTrap]

So I’m planning on doing this in the EV if it gets here on time.

Looking at the infrastructure, it’s not really straightforward.

I’ve got the ‘chargemap’ card on its way- and it looks as though Ionity, Tesla and Total are all possibilities

Not saying it’s straightforward in the UK, but it’s even less so in France. Doesn’t help that EDF have canned 90% of their chargers

I don't have an EV but I have noticed loads of (mainly Tesla?) charging stations going in at bigger supermarkets. And yes, not very many of them ever seem to be in use.

[Taipan]

In August 2023 when we drove down on the free motorway to Montpellier (A75?) and there were massive queues for the EV charging points in every services we stopped at!

[Noggin]

So I’m planning on doing this in the EV if it gets here on time.

Looking at the infrastructure, it’s not really straightforward.

I’ve got the ‘chargemap’ card on its way- and it looks as though Ionity, Tesla and Total are all possibilities

Not saying it’s straightforward in the UK, but it’s even less so in France. Doesn’t help that EDF have canned 90% of their chargers

A friend of mine uses EVs for his transfer vehicle and regularly drives through France with them for family holidays. I'm really surprised to read that.

I can message him and ask what system he uses to plan charging points across France if you like?

If you do Italy to France near me I'll get you a charge point at his place in Bourg St Maurice!!

[Mr Moofo]

Is that anywhere near Perigueux?
20km from me

arse - I was there two nights ago and it was shut ! - but last night Blois and tonight Rouen

Sunday nights in rural France are a wee bit dull.
Watson's may have been open, or the rather disappointing curry house.
Saturday is THE day!

Watsons was open - but we dranl at the Hillind Koo.
And ate at the psuedo asain place on the main drag ( which was nearly the best food we had all week! Plat de Jour is not what it used to be!)

[Mr Moofo]

We were in Vichy on a Friday night last year. Every place to eat or drink was closed at 8.30 pm, bsr an Indian restuarant, which was very good.

Still comes as a shock to me that France shuts so early. Many restaurants here don't open until 9pm.

That's what we always found too, but we were there in August when I gather most of the Frenchies go on their holidays? Driving in rural France used to get quite depressing with village after village like a ghost town!

It did look like all the people had been stolen

[weeksy]

We were in Vichy on a Friday night last year. Every place to eat or drink was closed at 8.30 pm, bsr an Indian restuarant, which was very good.

Still comes as a shock to me that France shuts so early. Many restaurants here don't open until 9pm.

That's what we always found too, but we were there in August when I gather most of the Frenchies go on their holidays? Driving in rural France used to get quite depressing with village after village like a ghost town!

It did look like all the people had been stolen

Been like that every time we go to Burgundy in Aug, just completely desolate and difficult to get food anywhere at all at times.

[Mr Moofo]

That's what we always found too, but we were there in August when I gather most of the Frenchies go on their holidays? Driving in rural France used to get quite depressing with village after village like a ghost town!

It did look like all the people had been stolen

Been like that every time we go to Burgundy in Aug, just completely desolate and difficult to get food anywhere at all at times.

We arrived on a Wednesday - to be told that restaurants closed on Wednesdays
On Sunday we found most were closed
Then on Monday, we were told that most were closed in Blois.
Fortunately Rouen in Tuesday actually seemed to have a hopsitality industry.

It is a bizarrely obtuse culture. Even the Germans, who didn't accept cards in restauarants 10 years ago, have upped their game

[DefTrap]

I've lived here 15 years and I'll still never get used to the majority of shops being closed on a Sunday or National Holidays not always being on a Monday

As for restaurants, you get used to that pretty damn quick. Mostly closed Mondays, often closed Wednesdays because of school stuff which are also closed on a Wednesday, also often closed by 9pm in the evenings because only tourists eat after 9pm and there isn't really a drinking culture to warrant staying open, and also closed on National Holidays because it's a fecking holiday FFS. Don't come to France in May on your holidays expecting everyone to drop everything for you as there a million National Holidays and it's mainly shut. Also August, screw you. You'd think a pro-active restauranteur would say "hey, if WE open on Mondays, Wednesdays and stay late then we'll rake it in!" but no, they couldn't give a shit.

[Count Steer]

I've lived here 15 years and I'll still never get used to the majority of shops being closed on a Sunday or National Holidays not always being on a Monday

Must be a Gallic thing. My place in Brussels overlooked a boulangerie (and a lingerie shop ). The opening hours/days of the boulangerie appeared to be completely random. At least I never worked them out and there was nothing on the door. The only exception appeared to every Sunday morning when a queue of croissant and patisserie hungry locals used to appear. I think he closed at 10am.

Had a similar experience with French village places too. 'When is the xyz open?'
'When the door is open' *shrug*

[Rockburner]

I've lived here 15 years and I'll still never get used to the majority of shops being closed on a Sunday or National Holidays not always being on a Monday

As for restaurants, you get used to that pretty damn quick. Mostly closed Mondays, often closed Wednesdays because of school stuff which are also closed on a Wednesday, also often closed by 9pm in the evenings because only tourists eat after 9pm and there isn't really a drinking culture to warrant staying open, and also closed on National Holidays because it's a fecking holiday FFS. Don't come to France in May when there a million National Holidays as it's mainly shut. You'd think a pro-active restauranteur would say "hey, if WE open on Mondays, Wednesdays and stay late then we'll rake it in!" but no, they couldn't give a shit.

"Work to live", not "Live for work".

I like it.

[Godfr]

I've done a similar trip before, and you're in for a treat. La Rochelle is great—perfect for one night. The harbor area is really charming, and the seafood is fantastic. Instead of staying there for two nights, I’d recommend spending your second night in Saint-Émilion. It's a beautiful medieval town surrounded by vineyards, and the wine is amazing.

For your return, Poitiers is a cool spot with a lot of history, or you might enjoy Limoges if you're into porcelain and some unique architecture.

[Mr Moofo]

I've done a similar trip before, and you're in for a treat. La Rochelle is great—perfect for one night. The harbor area is really charming, and the seafood is fantastic. Instead of staying there for two nights, I’d recommend spending your second night in Saint-Émilion. It's a beautiful medieval town surrounded by vineyards, and the wine is amazing.

For your return, Poitiers is a cool spot with a lot of history, or you might enjoy Limoges if you're into porcelain and some unique architecture.

We did St Rochelle (it was raining) - old town was good , food was mediocreas meantioned above. I was on for looking at the U Boat bunkers but apparently they are frenced off on private land. I loved Ile de Re and St Martian
Went for dinner in St Emillion - which was a beautiful looking place full of beautiful looking people.
We were going to do Oradour on the way back up ( and cruelly , most French towns look completely deserted, so ...) but the wife vetoed the timing ( ironic as we had to drive out of our way for her iPad) and another WW2 horror site.
On the way back we had to pick up my wife's iPad, thats she though would enjoy a few more night in Chinon, and stayed in Blois - which was lovely town, other than very wet and with closed restaurants. Last night was Rouen, for convenience - but actually a really nice city - with 8.50 GBP beer !