We are going to France in October and will be driving from Colmar to Amboise via Ronchamp. In Ronchamp, we plan to see Le Corbusier's Chapelle de Notre Dame du Haut, which should take less than two hours. We are then driving from Ronchamp to Blois, along the A5, E511, and E60. This is a northerly route, which, unfortunately, will not take us through Beaune. (Next trip!)
It looks as though we will be going past some towns, including Chateauvillain and Langres. (None of the others I have looked at looked very interesting). I am then hoping to get off the main road/highway at Blois and continue the last fifteen to twenty miles along the river on what I believe to be the D952 to Amboise.
I have four questions:
1. Ronchamp. Has anyone been to Ronchamp? It is not covered in the Rick Steves guide book on France. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?
2. The Northerly Route (a multi-part question). Has anyone taken this northerly route to get to Amboise? Is it an easy drive? A nice drive? A boring drive? Are there good places to stop for lunch? (We would get lunch in Ronchamp before we leave, but I have read that there is nothing there in terms of restaurants). Are Chateauvillain or Langres worth stopping to see, or should we just press on to Amboise?
3. The D952. It seems as though it should be pretty easy to get off the main highway at Blois and onto the road that goes along the river? Has anyone driven to Blois and then dropped down onto what I am hoping will be a more scenic route for the last twenty miles or so?
4. Hot Air Balloon Rides in the Loire Valley. I was wondering if anyone had done this. I don't know if we would have good weather, but, if we do, I am thinking that the Loire Valley in autumn might be beautiful. If anyone has any thoughts or recommendations, I would love to hear them.
Thank you! And Happy Traveling to everyone who is thinking of venturing back to Europe in the distant, or not too distant, future.
Phoebe
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7357 posts
For question 4, I don’t have specific recommendations, but the views would certainly be spectacular. Since some of your other thoughts are considering times, be aware that balloon flights tend to be early morning. Probably not freezing in October, but cool first part of the day.
Posted by
Chattanooga, TN USA
565 posts
Re: question 4–we did this in May 2017 with https://www.aerocom.fr/. I chose them because they were the only company I found that did not charge you if the trip was canceled due to weather (other companies only give you a rain check for another date, not helpful if you’re only there for a few days). Aerocom has several departure points in the area and all flights are either at dusk or dawn. We went in the evening and the views were amazing including a spectacular sunset. The weather conditions have to be just so before you can go up.
Posted by
Paris
6895 posts
Langres is definitely a worthwhile stop, it is an old town with an attractive hilltop location.
Never even heard of Chateauvillain, and never been to Ronchamp.
However, if you'd rather see Beaune, from Ronchamp you can still take the southerly route through Beaune! It takes about the same time as going via Langres, and the landscape around the A6 motorway is more interesting than around the A5.
As for the D952 from Blois: if you feel like it, go for it, it does provide some river views and crosses few villages, so it is still reasonably fast.
But don't be tempted by the roads east of Blois (D951 / D2152), those are boring and slow.
Posted by
OP
Boise, Idaho, US
6 posts
Thank you to all of you for answering my questions!
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
My travel insurance doesn’t cover me for “dangerous activities”, which includes taking a balloon ride, so check your policy.