travel information
Transport
When taking holidays in rural France it is essential that you have a vehicle to get around and access all amenities.
Flights from the UK to Limoge airport take @ 1 hour, combined with car hire, are one option.
Alternatively, you can travel in your own vehicle, taking either the Eurotunnel or one of the ferries depending on your departure point.
Driving in France - the essentials:
For essential information about driving in France <click here>
French legislation requires you to carry certain items with you in your vehicle at all times. These include: xxx
For single items <click here>
For a European Driving Kit <click here>
Always check with your vehicle's insurance company before departure, and inform them of your travel dates.
If you need European Breakdown Insurance <click here>
Dealing with motorway tolls, the pain -free method!
Liber-t is the French national télépéage scheme for light and intermediate vehicles and motorcycles only (i.e. vehicle classes 1, 2 and 5).
Liber-t operates across the entire autoroute network.
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For more information about Liber-t <click here>
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For how Liber-t works actually works <click here>
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To sign up for a Toll Account via Sanef Tolling (my prefered method) <click here>
Re-fueling, taking regular breaks and eating en-route
explain services > picnic areas, eating times etc....
on return > all the locals say that the cheapest place to fill up is xxxxx in Montorill0n (look up address). This is enroute and just 15 minutes away from 'Les Rosiers'.
Exploring the local area
The roads once you are here are so quiet that it makes driving around a real pleasure, and when you go sight-seeing free parking is still to be had almost everywhere you go.
If you have the address of where you wish to go use your Sat Nav on 'fastest route'. Do not use 'eco-route' or you may find the road disappears on you!!!
French Maps
Serie Bleue IGN Series Scale 1:25000
1928E Lathus St Remy (includes La Celle)
1929E Bellac (includes Les Haux Courtioux but not La Dorat)
2029O Magnac Laval
Buy maps <click here>
Travel from UK
By Air
You can fly direct to Limoges Airport from 6 UK cities:
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Bristol, (@1hr)
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Nottingham, ie East Midlands (1hr 40mins)
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Liverpool, (1hr 45mins)
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Leeds Bradford, (@ 1hr)
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Southampton, (1hr 30mins)
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London (Stansted) (1hr 40mins)
Click on each of the cities above for flight schedules.
To book flights from Southamption contact FlyBe
To book flights from all other cities contact Ryan Air
Limoges Bellegarde Airport
81 Avenue de l'Aéroport, 87100 Limoges, France
Tel: +33 5 55 43 30 30 (from UK) 05 55 43 30 30 (in France)
http://www.aeroportlimoges.com (in French)
http://www.airportlimoges.co.uk (in English)
Limoges is a very small airport, so it is a real pleasure to use after negotiating some of the the larger UK airports!
It then takes @45 mins by car or taxi to reach 'Les Rosiers'.
Car Hire on arrival
add info and link here....
By Rail
Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille, then Lille - Poitiers by TGV, then Poitiers - Lathus*, or Poitiers - Bellac by local train.
NB. Lathus* is a very small railway station just 4km away.
When you purchase you tickets you must request the train to stop at the little village of 'Lathus', otherwise you can depart this train in the larger town of Bellac (which is approx 15 mins drive away).
36 35 SNCF - for train times, buying tickets etc.
If you choose to travel via an overnight stop in Paris, the travel time is approx 3.5 hours via TGV, followed by the local train.
By Road
Via ferries to Caen, Le Havre, or St Malo; or
Via Eurotunnel (a 35 minutes drive on rail crossing service) between Folkestone to Calais
For links to all the Ferry Operators between the UK and France <click here>
And to book a crossing via Eurotunnel (Folkestone to Calais)
<click here>
Route Planning
If you are driving from Calais to 'Les Rosiers' your Sat Nav will automatically take you via the outskirts of Paris. If you wish to avoid the traffic around Paris, my preference is to set it to travel via the city of 'Rouen' instead. It's approximately the same travel time and it will take you past the outskirts of the cities 'Les Mans' and 'Tours'.
If on your return journey you find yourself back in Calais with too much time to spare prior to Eurotunnel departure, the Carrefour Cité Europe (one of the largest hypermarkets in the region) is just 2 minutes away, for details <click here>
For help in planning your route <click here>
Taking Pets on holiday.
For detailed information about taking pets to France please see the 'Emergency Contacts' page on our website, here you will also find contact details for the local Veterinaires in La Dorat, Bellac and Maganc Laval.