Springtime and chateaux sounds like a perfect combination. This month, our resident road tripper Ben Coombs heads to France for a week of both… Read on to discover why France remains one of the ultimate destinations for classic car touring holidays.
It all started last autumn in a slightly obscure manner, during a chat with the regional organiser for the Hampshire region of the TVR Car Club. Each year, this plucky band of TVR owners head over the channel for a holiday in France with their fine steeds, and for 2026, they fancied doing so in a somewhat different manner to what had gone before. This raised the question – would I be able to organise a bespoke chateau trip for the group?
Of course I could; I didn’t need to be asked twice.
Over the winter and into the spring, both the Hampshire regional organiser and myself got to work, bringing together the group and getting the trip organised. As everyone in the Hampshire region lived just down the road from the ferry port in Portsmouth, ferries were the preferred option for crossing the channel, and so the first step of planning the trip was to choose the crossings – an overnight sailing to Saint-Malo outbound (with upgraded commodore-class cabins, naturally), and a return crossing from Caen a week later. So, that gave the trip its start and finish points – it was now time to fill in the seven days in between.
For the main chateau of the trip, there could only be one choice – the Chateau de Courtomer, in the rolling Normandy countryside. This magnificent Versailles-like venue has provided the backdrop for several previous Pub2Pub chateau breaks, and never fails to impress. So, four nights there were a given. With this in place, attention turned to the other two nights of the trip, filling out the drive to and from Courtomer. And putting together a bespoke itinerary for the week on the continent, packed with things to do, places to see and roads to drive.
And so, in May, we hit the road to Portsmouth, to catch the overnight crossing to France.
At Portsmouth, we met up with the 17 TVRs which would be taking part in the trip, and so it was a fine – and rather noisy – group of motors which rolled off the ferry into the Brittany sunshine on the Sunday morning. Oh, and Pub2Pub’s Rover 200 Cabriolet temporary support car, too.
Brittany isn’t short of things to do, from the mighty island of Mont-Saint-Michel to the bohemian timber-houses of Rennes. However, many of the TVRs made a beeline for the top automotive attraction in this part of the world – the Manoir de l’Automobile. This excellent collection is one of the best car museums in Europe, and should be on every enthusiast’s radar if they happen to be in the area. Here, from a room full of Lamborghinis to a grid-full of F1 cars, surprise and delight lurks around every corner. Though really, the highlight is clearly the Sahara-tested Renault 4, complete with sump guard, stickers and snorkel, which lurks unassumingly in one of the rooms.
For the first night of the trip, we embraced the weird, with a stay at L’essenciel, in the grounds of the Chateau des Peres. This other-worldly pod-hotel rises above the surrounding countryside like a remnant
of an alien forest, or a future Martian outpost, perhaps. Here, each room is contained within its own pod, seemingly hovering above the ground, a mix of art-deco and modern French chic, with a sprinkling of steampunk thrown in for good measure. But enough waffling – the photos speak for themselves.
After this most memorable first night of the trip, it was time to head to the Chateau de Courtomer. And despite the comfort of the commodore cabins on the voyage over, and the drama-filled memories of the pod-hotel, this magnificent place didn’t disappoint. And we were there for four nights, giving everyone the chance to relax, unpack, and settle into the good life – French aristocrat style.
During our time there, plenty of fun was had. Drive-outs were organised, and the local area explored. Evenings were spent next to the fire-pit outside, relaxing in the chateau’s fine living spaces, or shooting some billiards in the cellar-games room. And throughout the stay, we had the run of the building and its grounds, to wander, relax and, being car people, cluster around one of the TVRs whenever a bonnet was opened.
As our stay progressed, life gradually got better and better, with the highlight of the stay probably being the last night, when following a champagne and canapé reception, we retired to the grand dining room for a formal four-course meal, expertly prepared by Courtomer’s friendly French chef. This was a most fitting finale to our time in this most beguiling of venues, and it was with some sadness that we left behind the chateau the following morning, to set course for Rennes.
For the last night of the trip, we stayed in a stylish spa-hotel a short walk from the centre of Rennes. While not so spectacular as the chateau or the pod-hotel, this comfortable setting provided a comfortable return to the 21st century, before heading to Caen to catch the crossing home the following afternoon. Naturally, in the course of these last days on the road, plenty of additional entertainment was had, from visits to the D-Day beaches and sites, to lunch stops in the pretty villages which dot this part of Normandy. Oh, and plenty of people visited Camembert, as well. Because cheese.
But I know what you’re wondering – how did the TVRs do? Well, they all made it around the tour of northern France just fine, with only a few minor issues to report – after all, they’re good cars if used and looked after. And the comedy support car did just fine too – underestimate a Rover 216 Cabriolet at your peril.
We’re back in the UK now, and are hard at work on the rest of Pub2Pub’s 2026 tours. However, if your car club or group would be interested in your own bespoke Pub2Pub tour next year, feel free to get in touch by emailing Ben@pub2pubadventures.com
