Hi All
We are heading down to SW France as above at the beginning of April for a bit of area research. My wife won't allow me to drive in one go so advice on where to stop on the way down - totally flexible on route. Second is which wheels and tyres to have on currently have winters on should I change to summers or keep winters on ?
Thanks for any advice

The route you decide would govern any suggestions as to where to stop.

Regarding tyres, my personal view is to have the summer ones. From Pau/Tarbes you may well go into the Pyrenées where there will probably some snow on the higher parts but the roads should be clear.

Depending on how long you are staying, it should start to get hotter towards the end of April beginning of June.

Give an idea of route you might take. John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
GAP iiD BT
2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

Probably head down through Tours to Bordeaux we are not likely to head too far into the hills as we are looking at areas to buy in. We will only be there for about 10 days this trip

I remember enjoying a very pleasant overnight stay in a Logis de France hotel in the Cognac / Jarnac area, but I also remember suffering with a “thick head” most of the following day.
Mike. G reg 2.5VM Vogue Portofino red 1991- 1999
V reg 2.5td P38 Rioja red 1999- 2006
53 reg td6 Vogue Oslo blue 2006- 2015
11 reg 4.4 TdV8 Vogue SE. Baltic blue 2015- date.
https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic56162...tty+affair

From your previous posts I expect you will be using the tunnel? If so Tours is about midway if you want to do it in two hops. A place we like and have stayed at is Montrichard. It's not far from Tours, although a more direct route would be via Blois.

On the river Cher and/ IMHO, an atractive place. Selection of hotels. We have stayed at the Bellevue overlooking the river. OK for a night and a good restaurant. There are other restaurants in the town too.

Have you given up on the Gironde? John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
GAP iiD BT
2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

Bordeaux is fantastic, Tours is very nice indeed (I lived in both cities)
Pau is great also, make sure you have lunch at the Berry, fantastic, typical family restaurant, home of the best steak tartare on earth (my point of view)
http://leberry-pau.com/

If you have any Land Rover related problem, avoid the Tarbes dealership (...), and get in touch with Service 4x4, the most reputable LR indy in south-west. They are in Pau (Lons to be exact)
http://laboutiqueduland.com/

enjoy you holz l=Oo\________/oO=l l:OolΞΞΞΞΞΞΞloO:l

Current
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L SDV8 - 2013 - Indus Silver, on Almond.
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L V8 - 2002 - ex-2003 G4 Challenge Event Vehicle, Stage 3: Australia
RANGE ROVER HSE 4.4L V8 - 2004 - one-of-one Overfinch
RANGE ROVER P38a 4.0L V8 - 1999 - ex-2000 TReK Event Vehicle: South Africa

Previous:
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L TDV8 - 2012 - RANGE ROVER 3.6L TDV8 x3 - RANGE ROVER Td6 x1 - RANGE ROVER Classic 3.5L V8 x1

We are also going in June to see family in sw france and are watching the replies on this subject

Are you looking for somewhere special - or just to break up the journey ?

I’m usually just looking for a break in the journey - and depending on timings maybe dinner - so I just figure out roughly where I want to stop - the look on the Accor web site and do a search - enter the city and search using the map for somewhere reasonably close to an autoroute exit.

Also - there’s usually a fuel station not to far away, so also try to judge it so that I can fill up at cheaper (ideally supermarket) prices whilst I’m there - the saving makes a good contribution to the room

On tyres - I agree with John - by April I’d be on summers given the choice - but not critical

My winters will be on until I’m back in the UK at Easter - I’m heading the opposite way - leaving Andorra early April and a couple of weeks in Bordeaux on the way home (depending on snow conditions in Andorra & weather forecast for Bordeaux, maybe earlier or later)

Weegie wrote:

From your previous posts I expect you will be using the tunnel? If so Tours is about midway if you want to do it in two hops. A place we like and have stayed at is Montrichard. It's not far from Tours, although a more direct route would be via Blois.

On the river Cher and/ IMHO, an atractive place. Selection of hotels. We have stayed at the Bellevue overlooking the river. OK for a night and a good restaurant. There are other restaurants in the town too.

Have you given up on the Gironde?

Alistair wrote:

Are you looking for somewhere special - or just to break up the journey ?

I’m usually just looking for a break in the journey - and depending on timings maybe dinner - so I just figure out roughly where I want to stop - the look on the Accor web site and do a search - enter the city and search using the map for somewhere reasonably close to an autoroute exit.

Also - there’s usually a fuel station not to far away, so also try to judge it so that I can fill up at cheaper (ideally supermarket) prices whilst I’m there - the saving makes a good contribution to the room

Much the same as us its just a pit stop really and fuel is always a consideration at 15mpg

Alistair wrote:

On tyres - I agree with John - by April I’d be on summers given the choice - but not critical

My winters will be on until I’m back in the UK at Easter - I’m heading the opposite way - leaving Andorra early April and a couple of weeks in Bordeaux on the way home (depending on snow conditions in Andorra & weather forecast for Bordeaux, maybe earlier or later)

verydisco wrote:

Bordeaux is fantastic, Tours is very nice indeed (I lived in both cities)
Pau is great also, make sure you have lunch at the Berry, fantastic, typical family restaurant, home of the best steak tartare on earth (my point of view)
http://leberry-pau.com/

If you have any Land Rover related problem, avoid the Tarbes dealership (...), and get in touch with Service 4x4, the most reputable LR indy in south-west. They are in Pau (Lons to be exact)
http://laboutiqueduland.com/

enjoy you holz

Three Mercures in Tours and plenty of supermarket filling stations.  John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
GAP iiD BT
2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

Try the Accor site - it’s shows you where the Mercures are - and also some of the IBIS are’t too bad either - depending on how late you arrive & early you leave