REGION / ITINERARY
Itinerary ​
Fermette La Planche, HYDS (Auvergne), France
by car: click below on Gîtes LA PLANCHE – Directions
by plane: Clermont Ferrand airport (80 km) ​
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Area info
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​Our gîte is at a fifteen minute drive from the autoroute A 71 between ORLEANS and Clermont Ferrand (exit n° 10 MONTLUCON). The distance from Brussels is 652 km. The distance from Utrecht is 820 km. The gîte is located along a quiet country road at one km from the village of HYDS. A bakery is situated in the village. 11 km away, the town of Commentry is located with all shops such as: Aldi, Lidl, Carrefour Market and Intermarché. The region is quiet, green and hilly with a lot of forests, rivers and lakes with countless churches and castles. In the surrounding villages, you will find the original French country life. Our gîte is for rent for families who love rest, relaxation, silence and space; the ideal place to relax and enjoy. ​
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Culinary and wine
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​You will find all the possibilities that France has to offer; you can enjoy the simple but very nutritious Auvergnat kitchen. In the many restaurants, complete 3-course meals are served from as little as 13 euros, often wine included!
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The wine region of SAINT POURCAIN SUR SIOULE is located half an hour away.
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What to do? ​
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The department of Allier is richly endowed with beautiful castles, many of which can be visited. Bourbon L'Archambault has a castle where a guide in a traditional costume shows you around.
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From the month of April till the end of September, you can indulge yourself during the numerous brocantes (flea markets) that are held in the various villages.
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There are many possibilities in nature. About an hour's drive away, you will find yourself in the volcanic area where the city of Clermont Ferrand is located, at the foot of the well-known Puy de Dôme. From this mountain with a height of 1472m you have beautiful views over the green, volcanic landscape. Here, you can also practice parasailing.
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A beautiful theme park that is definitely worth a visit is Vulcania, not far from Clermont Ferrand, where fun and education alternate, also very worthwhile for children.
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Le Pal is less than an hour's drive away. It is a combination of an amusement park and a zoo, comparable to theme park De Efteling. Visitors with children are generally very enthusiastic about this park.
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La Forêt de Tronçais (10,000 ha) is a 30-minute drive away. This is the largest oak forest in Europe, where you will not be disappointed when it comes to sports. In this Forêt de Tronçais, you will find beautiful lakes and an abundance of hiking opportunities. This forest is also ideal for mountain bike enthusiasts. There are guarded lakes with sandy beaches where you can swim or fish.
The Gorges de Sioule is only 30 minutes away. There, sports (canoeing/swimming) and nature meet. For golf enthusiasts, there are excellent opportunities within a ½ hour's drive.
You can fish in the many lakes and rivers that cross the beautiful landscape.
At about a 1 ½ hours drive, you will find yourself in the middle of a beautiful winter sports area. In the Sancy area, you will find the winter sports resorts of Super Besse and Le Mont-Dore. There you will find a very relaxed winter sports atmosphere, which cannot be compared with the large winter sports resorts known to us; absolutely worth it, also for a day trip!
For pleasant shopping you can visit the cities of Moulins, Montluçon, Vichy, Nevers and Bourges. Moulins is a ½ hour drive away where on Friday morning, the weekly regional specialty market (covered) takes place.
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Useful links for activities:
Le Pal: animal and amusement park (www.lepal.com)
Canoeing and kayaking on the Sioule (www.allier-auvergne-tourisme.com or www.canoevaldallier.com)
Velorail on old railway beds (www.veloraildelasioule.com)
Visit to a castle (www.allier-auvergne-tourisme.com/chateaux)
Lakes (www.allier-auvergne-tourisme.com/plan-d-eau-lacs)
Forest of Tronçais (www.paysdetroncais.com)
Flea markets and brocantes (www.brocantes03.org)
Several indoor and outdoor pools (www.guide-piscine.fr/allier)
City visits (Vichy, Charroux, Hérisson, Montluçon...)
Wolf Park (www.loups-chabrieres.com)
Puy de Dome (www.puydedome.com)
Bike rental (www.unveloala campagne.fr)
Adventure park in the forest Natura'Bossa in Echassière (www.alpheacnsb.com)
Paragliding (www.flying-puydedome.fr)
Ballooning (www.ballonbleu.free.fr)
Fishing (www.federation-peche-allier.fr)
Restaurants in the Allier (www.allier-auvergne-tourisme.com)
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More tourist information on www.sortir-en-Allier.fr and www.allier-tourisme.com
Itinerary
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Casa Sol Y Mar – MORAIRA (Costa Blanca), Spain
by car: click below on CASA SOL Y MAR – Directions
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by plane: Alicante airport (80 km) or Valencia (100 km)
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Area info
Moraira is a small coastal town located in the beautiful mountainous north-eastern tip of the Costa Blanca. The place is conveniently located between Alicante and Valencia airports (about 90 km from each airport).
The surrounding region has a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere, with beautiful and unspoilt countryside and many small villages to explore.
The town itself has pleasantly grown from a small fishing village into an attractive holiday and rest resort, retaining its considerable charm which attracts visitors from all over Europe. It is also particularly popular with Spanish holidaymakers from Madrid and Valencia.
Moraira has an impressive marina, an excellent variety of local shops, markets, fish restaurants and harborside bars and best of all it still manages to retain its Spanish character.
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Beaches
The two main sandy beaches slope gently into the Mediterranean Sea; both have been awarded the prestigious EEC Blue Flags for cleanliness and are well maintained and very safe for family swimming.
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Leisure & Recreation
Padel, tennis, football, squash, all water sports, boat hire and trips, horse riding, go-kart tracks for both adults and children, a small fun fair and three good nightclubs for all ages are all available in Moraira.
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golf
Three major golf courses can be visited within a few minutes drive of Moraira.
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Dining out
Moraira offers many good quality restaurants, including eight Michelin recommended restaurants in the immediate area, three of which are starred and not too expensive.
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Field trips
Easily accessible by car are some larger towns that are well worth a visit: Javea, Calpe, Denia and Altea can all be reached within 15 km, while Benidorm is at approximately 30 km. There are many places of interest that you can visit during a day trip. In addition to the other coastal towns, you can also discover the spectacular inland and mountainous surroundings, including the beautiful fortress on top of Mount Guadalest, the Vergel Safari Park near Denia, the largest palm forest in Europe in Elche and the old city of Murcia.
Valencia (Spain's third largest city) is an hour and a half drive away. Barcelona (the second largest city) and the capital Madrid are both four hours away and are all accessible via an excellent motorway.
Spain's alternative to Euro Disney - Port Aventura - near Barcelona, is around four and a half hours away.
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Markets
If you like open markets, in addition to the weekly Friday market next to the beach, you can plan a visit to the various markets in the surrounding towns and villages every day of the week. Besides enjoying the bustling Spanish activity, you can buy excellent and cheap fresh fruit and vegetables, local specialties, herbs and spices, leather goods, clothing, carpets, fresh and silk flowers, souvenirs, pottery and a whole variety of other goods.
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Celebrate
As throughout Spain, numerous fiestas (festivities) are held in the region throughout the year; with specific fiestas in April, June, July and November in Moraira itself.
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Locals
The local people of Moraira are extremely friendly and patient with foreign visitors. This is not surprising, because in addition to agriculture, they depend on tourism. With a large European residential community, there is a pleasant international atmosphere in the area. Most people are happy to speak English with you and even happier if you make a small effort to speak Spanish.
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Climate
Moraira has a typical Mediterranean climate, with a cool sea breeze in the summer and protection from the cold north wind in the winter by the surrounding mountains. The area has an average of almost 3,000 hours of sunshine per year and the average temperature easily exceeds 20 degrees. In 1986, the climate of the area was recommended by the World Health Organization as one of the most equitable in the world; not too hot in summer and not too cold in winter. Averagely, it can
count on 325 sunny days a year, which makes it an ideal destination all year round.