Self-drive touring holiday to the foothills of the Pyrenees and back
Day-by-Day Itinerary
DAY ONE
Calais to Gilly-lès-Cîteaux
Your first stop on this self-drive touring holiday is in the region of Burgundy, known for its deep red wines and rolling agricultural countryside. Utilise your one night at the Château de Gilly in Gilly-lès-Cîteaux to sample the numerous wines of the villages of the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. Travel into the small nearby village of Gevrey-Chambertin, for example, to taste Chambertin wine, the most famous wine of the Côte de Nuits. The closest vineyard to Gilly-lès-Cîteaux is a small vineyard in Vougeot, though the Clos de Vougeot supplies 70 different wine-growers. Its château no longer produces wine itself, but still holds 4 huge 12th century winepresses that can be viewed by the public. This is but a taster of the wine, vineyards, estates, and châteaux in this area; we highly recommend taking the time to investigate more. The nearby cultural city of Dijon offers a wealth of impressive architecture, such as the Cathédral Saint-Bénigne, as well as a series of ancient monuments and tombs including the Puit de Moïse, or Well of Moses. The Musée des Beaux-Arts is also a great way to get in touch with the local culture and history. Perhaps extend your stay in Burgundy to ensure you really make the most of this magnificent city.
DAY TWO
Travel south to Crillon-le-Brave in Provence and stay for one night
Perched in a hilltop village by the Rhône Valley, with traditional French buildings arranged on multiple levels, Hostellerie de Crillon le Brave is a hotel focused on undeniable character and intense relaxation. The buildings themselves are a converted school, stables, presbytery, and houses, brought together in what is a remarkable and intriguing setting. To make the most of the view over hilly Provence and the beautiful warm weather, spend your day in Crillon le Brave lounging on a sunbed by the outdoor pool, and perhaps indulge with one of the hotel’s spa treatments in the evening. For those keen to get out and explore the local area, a number of independent and hotel-organised activities are available. The hotel itself conducts truffle hunting excursions, or for more independent travellers, bicycles can be hired to cycle to the nearby market towns or around Mont Ventoux. Speak to the hotel’s concierge to organise excursions to Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Vacqueyras to try a range of Provençal wine: the area around the hotel is best known for its Rosé, although the clime of Provence lends itself to the growth of a huge number of different grape varieties.
DAYS THREE TO SEVEN
Stay five nights in Le Boulou
Journey down into French Catalonia on the France-Spain border to find the source de bien-être, Le Boulou. Receiving its title due to the healing properties of its thermal mineral water, Le Boulou is the perfect place to spend a relaxing and uplifting few days at the Relais des Chartreuses. Using Le Boulou as a centre point, venture out each day into neighbouring cities: visit Céret’s Museum of Modern Arts, the Palace of the Kings of Majorca at Perpignan, the Catalan port town of Collioure, or cross the border to visit Dali’s museum in Figueres. Le Boulou itself has a fair amount in the way of its own history, with several historical monuments that are essential to visit on this tour. The 832kg Iron Bell, dating back to 1436 can be found in the older part of the town, along with the Quadrangular Tower and Saint Anthony’s Chapel. As well as experiencing the culture of the area, we recommend indulging in the fantastic cuisine. Catalonia is known for its meatballs, dried sausages, sauces for fish and chicken, and of course, the Collioure anchovies. The speciality wines of the area are typically natural sweet wines, such as Muscat, Rivesaltes, Banyuls, and Maury, adding another note to the palate of this touring holiday. Le Boulou is an ideal centre-point for venturing off the beaten path and into some of France’s most sublime landscape. Hiking trails are available along the Vallespir Valley and the Albères massif that last two to three hours, or opt to take the day-long tour designed for all levels of fitness. Explore the mountainous area whilst taking the weight off your feet with the horse-riding routes, available only by reservation, offered at the Association le Ecuries du Mas Linas. Or go Canyoning to follow the meandering tracks of the rivers that run between the mountains.
DAY EIGHT
Travel from Provence to Bordeaux and stay for one night
Your eighth day of this touring holiday brings you into the Gironde region of Aquitane. The lushness of the fields here can be smelled in the air and tasted in the local produce. The city of Bordeaux is a hub for excellent quality wine-making, with Saint-Émilion and the Gironde Estuary nearby. We recommend venturing from your hotel, Le Saint-James, into the heart of the Saint-Émilion vineyards and working your way outwards, visiting each new château and vineyard as it presents itself. The key wines to taste from the area are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Maubec. To easily find the best wines of the region without touring the châteaux, head to a wine museum such as the Musée du Vin et de la Battelerie in Bergerac, an hour and a half east of Bordeaux. The history of this famous French city can be read in its architecture, with particular highlights being the Basilica of Saint Michael, the Opéra National de Bordeaux, the Cathédrale de Bordeaux, and the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, though a wider tour of the city is definitely in order. While visiting the theatre, why not stay to see a show. The Musée d’Aquitane and the Musée des Beaux-Arts also make excellent cultural stops; though for more direct interaction with Bordeaux’s history, visit the Amphithéâtre de Bordeaux dit Palais Gallien. In the evening, take a stroll down to the port to see the lights of the city reflected in the water.
DAY NINE
Drive north into the Loire Valley and stay for one night
Get to the Château de Noirieux in Angers early to get the most out of your one night in the Loire Valley. With its high ceilings and elegant furnishings, the hotel itself is the perfect example of the Loire châteaux. Nearby, however, sits the Château de Brissac, home to the 13th Duke of Brissac. Tours of this magnificent château lead the visitor through the Duke’s private art collection, a unique private theatre dedicated solely to opera commissioned by the Duchess in the 19th century, and ends with a wine-tasting experience built around the estate’s own produce in the château’s cellar. To experience the treasures of the Loire natural landscape first-hand, take a cruise tour of the 300kms of navigable waterway, with Loire de Lumière boats in Angers: choose from general tours, wildlife tours, and evening cocktail tours. Angers itself is a more modern French town, but still with the large café-lined squares that make the French way of life so appealing. The town is spotted with pretty parks, such as the Parc Balzac, next to the Lac de Maine, and has its own central riverside castle which is well worth exploring.
DAY TEN
Return to Calais for the Eurotunnel
Leave the Château de Noirieux after breakfast to have a final look around Angers before heading back north to Calais.
Driving times for this touring holiday:
Calais to Gilly-lès-Cîteaux: 5 hours 5 minutes
Gilly-lès-Cîteaux to Crillon-le-Brave: 4 hours
Crillon-le-Brave to Le Boulou: 3 hours
Le Boulou to Bordeaux: 4 hours 15 minutes
Bordeaux to Angers: 3 hours 40 minutes
Angers to Calais: 4 hours: 40 minutes