by Janis / 2 comments - Orginally published:1st October 2024

Our circular road trip, venturing north, south, east, & west

Gary and I knew that once we had our new EV, it wouldn’t be long before we wanted to venture off on a road trip around France and fully stretch its legs, even though we had sneaked in a short mini-break to Normandy in July.

To be perfectly honest, we never really need an excuse to visit France. It’s a country we have visited for so many years, and we adore the culture, history, and delectable French cuisine. Also, living in the southeast of the UK, it’s easy for us to hop on Le Shuttle or a ferry, and in no time at all, we’re in the land of ‘fromage et vin rouge’.

We longed to return to Provence again, especially Saint Rémy de Provence, as our last visit was in 2018, which seems so long ago. It’s a region we adore. So, we set to work and planned a French 2-week road trip with an EV.

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A roadside view of the deep blue waters of the lac de castillion nested between rocky hills in the verdon national park in the alpes-de-haute-provence region of france
The Lac de Castillion

We dusted off our Back Roads France guidebook and plotted a route from Calais. We’re heading east down through Burgundy, south to the Mediterranean coast, onto Provence, then southwest to Albi and Bergerac. We’re then touring north in France, passing through the Loire, up to Poitiers, Le Mans, and back to Calais.

We’re staying at 10 different locations around France and exploring so many more other towns and villages en route. During our French circular road trip, we will be covering around 2,000 miles or 3,200km. We have chosen a mixture of accommodations. Seven places have on-site EV charging facilities, and three do not, so we’ll seek out EV destination chargers as we go.

Our full location itinerary is below, so without further ado, here are our inspirations for touring through France once more.

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Where are we visiting in France?

Our chosen accommodation while touring France
Here are the ten chosen locations for our 2024 French road trip, and as I always like to dot the I’s and cross the t’s, the accommodation we have pre-booked.
Provins, Île-de-France
Hôtel Aux Vieux Remparts
Semur-en-Auxios, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Hotel Relais De La Cote D'or
Sisteron, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Hôtel de la Citadelle
Antibes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Best Western Hôtel Journel Antibes Juan-les-Pin
Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Hotel Gounod
Sète, Occitania
ibis budget Sète centre
Albi, Occitania
Hostellerie Du Grand Saint Antoine
Bergerac, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Brit Hotel Europ Bergerac
Poitiers, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Logis Hôtel de l'Europe
Le Mans, Pays de la Loire
Leprince Hotel Spa; Best Western Premier Collection

I love nothing more than planning a trip through France and so often I use the DK Eyewitness books.  I find them extremely informative, easy to follow and the pictures and maps tempt you into discovering more.

We used a previous version of this book to plan our French road trips, now you can grab the revised copy.

DK France Cover

Understanding France’s rich history

Ancient towns, a fortified city and a memorial village
As you may know, Gary and I love discovering all aspects of history. As we head to France once again, we relish the thought of absorbing more ancient knowledge as we tour France’s local towns and cities.
A half-timbered building in the heart of old historic provins in the ile de France region of France, the first stop on our French EV road trip.
Historic Provins

During our many previous road trips throughout France, we visited twelve UNESCO World Heritage sites. These include Arles, Pont du Gard, Mont-Saint-Michel, the Champagne region, Amiens and Strasbourg, to name a few.

During this visit to France, we’ll stay at the Episcopal City of Albi, Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs and catch sight of the Canal du Midi, which ends at the Étang de Thau between Agde and Sète.

May / 2019

12 UNESCO Sites to visit in France

Featured image for “12 UNESCO Sites to visit in France”
The hashtag albi sign with the cathedral tower in the background in southern france
Hashtag Albi

Upon researching this French road trip, we’ve come across many fascinating places to visit; however, there were two locations that particularly stood out for us.

The first is Aigues-Morte, a spectacular 13th century fortified city in the Camargue, South of France, which overlooks the famous, vast salt marshes. Inside the ancient ramparts of Aigues-Morte, there are rows and rows of narrow linear streets with tiny homes and shops living cheek by jowl; it looks incredible.

The giant stone porte de la reine, or queen's gate, one entrance to the medieval walled city of aigues-mortes
The Queen's gate at Aigues-Mortes

The second fascinating historical site that Gary and I have wanted to visit for some time is the poignant memorial village of Oradour-sur-Glane.

On 10th June 1944, four days after D-Day, the 643 inhabitants of the village of Oradour-sur-Glane were massacred by a unit of soldiers from the second SS Das Reich division. The touching village stands as a memorial and a museum for those who horrifically lost their lives. The village was never rebuilt.

The ruined remains of the memorial village of oradour-sur-glane in the novelle aquitaine region of france
The memorial village of Oradour-sur-Glane
On our travels, we will also visit the medieval town of Sarlat-la-Canéda, Rocamadour, a beautiful village located above a gorge that is built across three levels of solid rock.

How to get to France?

- By Car
Departing from the UK to France, there are various options. You can either jump on Le Shuttle and arrive in Calais in 35 minutes or enjoy a leisurely cruise on the open waves with DFDS or P&O. Alternatively, you can head down to the south coast of England and catch Brittany Ferry directly to Normandy.

- By Air
If you’re flying into France, search for your flights in one easy place with Booking.com. This reliable travel search engine will scan for your favoured routes and chosen dates. Pre-book your hire car from Rental Cars, and your adventure begins.

Discovering France’s rich architecture

Hill-top villages to grand cathedrals
Throughout France, there is a charming mixture of architectural styles, from the quaint timber-framed homes in the Alsace to the elegant seafront villas along the Normandy shores. Travelling around France you’ll see some magnificent sites.
A cafe in front of the giant red brick albi cathedral in the occitania region of southern france
Lunch in front of Albi Cathedral
A fountain opposite the ornate entrance to albi cathedral in the occitania region of southern france
The entrance to Albi Cathedral
One location that we are staying in for two nights is the small city of Albi in the Occitania region and the birthplace of Toulouse-Lautrec. This beautiful city is famed for its stunning red-brick cathedral, which dominates the skyline.
Restaurants around a junction in the provence town of the eygalières in southern france
A quiet Eygalières in Provence
However, one region of France that I’m yearning to return to, is Provence. The enchanting ochre hill-top villages that appear to have pierced through the earth’s surface are captivating. We’ve visited several Provençal towns and villages, and upon doing more research, we see that there are many more to explore.
Restaurants linning the bassin bouïgas on the edge of the provence town of the l'isle-sur-la-sorgue in southern france
Le Bassin Bouïgas at the L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

We’re staying in Saint Rémy de-Provence for three nights and venturing off each day to tour the region. We’ve found that St. Rémy is the perfect place to base yourselves. Upon your return each day, it has plenty of eateries to choose from and is reasonably small.

One day from Saint Remy, we are heading off to visit Aix-En-Provence. We’ve never explored Aix before, and the architecture and meandering lands look stunning; we can’t wait.

The idyllic scene of the historic town of semure-en-auxois as seen from the river armançon towards the pinard bridge
Pont Pinard over the Armancon river in Semur-en-Auxois
When we were planning this French road trip, we were looking through our old photos and came across one from the commune of Semur-en-Auxois, in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France. We stopped there very briefly, and it was so picturesque, so on this trip, we are allowing more time to explore and are staying for the evening.

Crit'Air vignette required for driving in France

If you’re heading to France from the UK with your own vehicle, you’ll need a Crit’Air ‘clean air’ car sticker.

Just like our low-emission zones in the UK, France now legally requires the display of a Crit’Air vignette. The good news is, these stickers are readily available and affordable online through the official French government website.

The Crit’Air sticker lasts the lifetime of the vehicle, so it’s a one-off purchase. The RAC website offers an in-depth guide to everything you need to know and your requirements.

Touring France’s captivating landscape

Mountain passes, olive groves and the Corniche d’Or
One of the reasons we love touring France on a road trip is to explore the vast open landscape and wend our way through the back roads of France. There is so much more to see when you head across the open roads, so our aim is to avoid the motorways as much as possible.
The hashtag sisteron sign in front of the medieval stone devil's watch town in the alpes-de-haute-provence region of france
The Devil's watchtower
Now we have an EV venturing off on a road trip, which is going to be so much better for the environment. As I mentioned, we have a Polestar 2 EV, and Gary has researched almost every YouTube video or article relating to it (well, it feels like it, anyway), so this is why we’re heading to Sisteron.
A striking d-road carved between the rocks in the alpes-de-haute-provence region of france
The D2 though the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region
Sisteron sits on the banks of the River Durance at the base of a gorge, where the Alps meet Provence; the scenery is breathtaking. From Sisteron, we’ll head south to Verdon Gorge, and then we’ll be weaving our way amongst the hillside passes and the balcony roads of the D2, prior to arriving in Antibes on the Mediterranean coast.
A bronze statue of a naked male figure about to launch off a diving board into the mediterranean sea at antibes in from of small sailing boats
Diving into Med at Antibes
Ahh the gorgeous azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea, I love being near the water and can’t wait to explore the ancient coastal town of Antibes and stroll along the bay. We’re only in Antibes one night before we head off through the rolling countryside and the far-reaching olive groves of Provence.
A view of the rugged red rocks and the deep blue waters of the Cote d'Azur. Hugging the coastline is the road known as the Corniche d'Or.
The Corniche D'Or on the Cote d'Azur
However, our route on leaving Antibes is going to be a scenic one as we’re heading along the Corniche d’Or, also known as Corniche de l’Esterel. We’ll be weaving our way along the D559, all the while hugging the russet-red shoreline of Massif de l’Esterel, where it meets the turquoise sea of the Med, ooh la la.

There are so many incredible places to discover in France, so many regions, and I love planning road trips. I often use the DK Guides,

I find them extremely informative, easy to follow and the pictures and maps tempt you into searching for more

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Exploring France’s welcoming culture

Markets, motorsport and cycling
We love the often-laid-back culture of France, where a shrug or a nod will get you by, but we also enjoy trying out our pidgin French; we find that most people appreciate you ‘giving it a go’, even if they don’t really understand you.
A collection of stalls at an art market in the town of St Remy-de-Provence.
The art market in la place Jules Pelissier
Another charming aspect of France’s culture is their street markets. Whether it’s local crafts, delicious homemade sweet treats, or just strolling through an art market in a sun-dappled square, they are always a delight to find.
The musée toulouse-lautrec in the city of albi in the occitania region of southern france
The Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi
Gary and I love it when the month of July rolls around, as this means it’s time for the Grand Depart of Le Tour de France. Albi has hosted a stage of Le Tour de France on three occasions. When we were watching it on TV in 2023, they showed an aerial view of the city of Albi, and it looked incredible. So, this is why Albi is on our ‘must-see’ list for France.
Our Audi convertible at the roadside of the famous Le Mans 24 hours circuit.
The RS5 at Le Mans

A further inspiration for this French road trip with an EV was to revisit Le Mans. Well, I say revisit; Gary has actually headed to the world-famous 24-hour race at Le Mans seven times, way back from 1993 to 1999.

We have driven along part of the public road section of the circuit a few years ago when we toured Normandy (making a little diversion into Pays de la Loire) with our previous petrol car. I’m sure there’ll be a new photo with the Polestar 2.

The view of the gothic cathedral of saint lulian of le mans in the pays de la loire region of france
Le Mans' Cathedral
However, during Gary’s escapades with the lads, he never ventured into the medieval Old Town of Le Mans, which looks absolutely stunning. So, we decided to explore it together, and it is our last stop on our French circular road trip prior to heading back to Calais.

France Tourist Information

If you’re tempted to tour France and discover all the wonderful things it has to offer, take a peek at the official French Tourism website. The local tourist offices dotted around the towns and cities provide some extremely useful information and handy pointers for around each region.

Indulging in France’s cuisine

“When in Rome”

Another inspiration of ours, to revisit France is for their incredible food and drink and France’s charming café culture. We love being a fly on the wall in cafés, bars, and restaurants, just soaking up the local atmosphere and minding our own business, we love it.

Although, while we’re at home in the UK, unable to get our hit of authentic French culture, we often seek out a good foodie book or TV programme on France.

A lagoon just outside Sète in France filled with raised wooden oyster frames from which the seafood is cultivated
The Oyster beds

We always enjoy watching Rick Stein and his passion for food and travel. In Rick Stein’s series named French Odyssey, he visits Sète via the Canal du Midi and heads to the enclosed saltwater lake, which is used for oyster and mussel beds. We’ll keep our eye out for these in Sète.

Another of Rick Stein’s books we often cook from is Rick Stein’s Secret France; this is always a winner.

The cover for Rick Stein - Secret France
A bright square, called Place Favier, in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence under the dappled shade with a couple of colourful red tables and chairs, under parasols, of a local restaurant.
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Gary and I planned this French road trip in the Spring and as we love visiting Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, we chose to return again and use it as our base to explore Provence. However, to our delight when we had just finished our planning, the British chef Marcus Wareing launched a 15-part TV series named Marcus Wareing Simply Provence, and he was also based in St Rémy. How’s our luck? Watching this Simply Provence series really tempted our taste buds.
A stalling Nice, France, displaying varieties of potatoes and a selection of fresh garlic.
Local market in Nice, you’re never too far from garlic

Another French cookbook on our bookshelves is Culinaria France, which is incredible. This book covers French cuisine in so much detail. Culinaria France is divided into the different regions of France and explains the traditional dishes, the local speciality ingredients and the history and heritage of each region. It’s like a bible of French cuisine.

A recent addition to our bookshelf is ‘Amuse Bouche’ by Carolyn Boyd. This book is full of fascinating insights into French cuisine, with quirky anecdotes and tales behind regional dishes. It is also a delightful read.

Enjoying 2 glasses of rose a wine and a cheese board with a selection of local produce and fresh bread with the chutney in the centre at St Remy de Provence.
Rose & fromage, St Remy-de-Provence

Last but by no means least are the bountiful wines that France has to offer. I must admit I enjoy red, white and rosé wines and during a trip to Arbois in the Jura region of France, we even sampled Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille (yellow wine & straw wine).

I’m sure we’ll be sampling a few local wines once the car is safely parked away; there’s nothing quite like a crisp glass of rosé a delicious selection of cheeses while sitting in dappled sunshine under the Provencal sun.

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      Ahh, thanks very much, we had such a fantastic trip and the sights that we saw were incredible, especially during the scenic journeys between each destination.

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