 Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone have any good hotels for stopping on way to Alps. Thinking of heading off to Serre Chevalier flat-hunting and I think we will take the car so we can mountain-bike. Ferry crossing at Dover will be mid-afternoon so a couple of hours drive south and midway between there and Serre Che. ALso return trip thinking of Beaune and Lille or caost around Calais and a morning return crossing, as we have to drive up to Durham too.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Formula 1 is the cheapest, used to be £15 per room to sleep 3 but have to share toilet and shower. Breakfast always extra but that is inexpensive too. If you want the ensuite facilities try Premier by paying £1 more. Etap is similar to Premier in standard and charge. Thereafter it will be more traditional hotel like Ibis. Companile hotels are business like and you can go all the way to Novatel cost about £50.
French is famous of its inexpensive hotels which can be found in every ring road of every major city and town. Many of the inexpensive hotels belong to a group call Accure. They have the lot for the full range. Go to their web and pick your choice.
Formula 1 used to refuse booking outside France but they do it now. It pays to book first because they do get good occupancy. I always use Accure for France and Germany. Pretty good I would say.
Helen,
The DFDS ferry crossing between Newcastle and Amsterdam is pretty too and save the hassale of travelling to the South. You basically sleep instead charging down the M1. I always look upon the cost of staying on the ferry as paying for two hotel nights (one forware and one return).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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saikee, I have been given a quote of almost £800 for the ferry crossing on the dates I want, so think I'll be down the A1 instead.
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Helen try stopping off at Reims (A26) there are several Hotels there just off the Motorway including Formule1 and Ibis and a Novotel, I've stayed at both the Formule1 (Cheap clean but very basic) and I think it was the Ibis Much nicer but somewhat more expensive, Reims is about 170 miles from Calais down the Autoroute allow 2.5 hours and the driving is easy.
That would leave you about another 430 miles to Serre so depending on how long you like to drive you may want to take a second stop
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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D G Orf, thanks that's more or less what I'd decided, but may stop a little further north as we will already driven 5 hours in UK before then.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Helen Beaumont,
I am stunned by the price.
Looking at DFDS web site the adult crossing at peak season is £45, vehicle up to 2.4m high and 6m long is £80, supplement for cabin with inside facilities is £4 per person. Assuming 4 adult, up to 3.4m high vehicle the combined return fare should be
8x(45+4)+2x(80)= £552
The wife and I use the service usually in winter and pay slightly over £300 for a couple in Shogun each time. We also use the ferry a couple of time in Peak season too. We even sometime omit the £4 supplement but it is the basic cabin and unavoidable with one of the two ships.
I am sure of your price has been jacked up by the choice of the cabin, as the top Commodore cabin has £90 per person per journey surcharge. For poor skiiers like us we have to make do with sleeping next to the propeller shaft with a pair of ear plugs.
The basic cabin, with ensuit facilities inside, is quite reasonable. You don't have to use the ear plugs but they are good as a defensive provision against the noise. Getting a window in a cabin so that you can see nothing for most of the time (16:00 to 09:00) in the ferry is a total waste of money because there are loads of entertainment on board. One ferry has a small swimming pool and all have a twin screen cinema (paid) which is very small. We now carry a laptop to watch DVDs inside the cabin instead of drink to the death at the bar.
Going down the M1 with extra 700 miles fuel cost could still be cheaper but the DFDS service does allow you a stress free start at Amsterdam and arrival at Newcastle, you just come off the bed. The way I look at it is paying two hotel rooms in UK for the forward and return journeys (4 adults) and the extra fuel should worth £200 (4x£30 for accommodation and £80 fuel) and therefore the DFDS price should be 552-200 = 352 when being used for comparison with going down the M1 route.
When going to Alpes a good strategy is to cover well over half of the journey and select the stop over around 5 to 6pm but not beyond 7pm. If thing does go wrong you still have time to hunt for the second alternative. That way you can sort out the problem if there is any in the booking. Afterward you can check in, unload and wander off to enjoy the city or town and have a bit of night life.
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saikee, as my son doesn't travel on sea too well, he prefers a cabin with window. as they are in a more stable part of the ship. Apparently the price I was quoted was for 4 berth cabin with portholes, and included meals. We have travelled a couple of times on the fery as we have family in Holland. We won;t be stopping in Uk in either directionas it's cheaper to stay in FRance, and hubby wants to stock up on Champagne.
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Helen, I can recommend this hotel www.hostelleriedes3mousquetaires.com It is ideally situated if you want to get to a hotel in time for an evening meal after an afternoon ferry crossing. The hotel is on the N43 in Air-sur-la-Lys, about three quarters of an hours drive from Calais. It has large private grounds and car parking. I usually book the hotel through the Ferry travel club, with crossing included. There is a petrol station near the hotel and a small supermarket on the N43 south on the way back to the autoroute, I can provide detailed directions if you are interested.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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pistemeister, that sounds good, I've seen this advertised somewhere I think.
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Here is one in Beaune, not as grand as the 3 mousquetaires, but it is near the town centre, and the meals were excelent last time I stayed.
www.lecedre-beaune.com
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Sun 20-06-04 16:56; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pistemeister, the hotel in Beaune sounds good for journey home. We are taking the mountain bikes and the secure carpark would be ideal. WE leave them on the car, as carriers lock, but always sleep better if hotel is either secluded or has underground car park.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Helen, We've stayed in Beaune many times and have used either the Ibis Beaune Centre or the Hotel Au Grand St Jean, both of which are quite basic but good value for B&B. The Grand St Jean has secure parking within a courtyard and with a barrier, but the Ibis is a bit more exposed. Both are within easy distance of the centre for restaurants etc.
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Helen, I've always found Camponile to good value, you can book on-line, if you go to www.envergure.fr you'll find a complete list of all the hotels in Groupe Envergure.
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You know it makes sense.
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Helen Beaumont, We've stayed in Ibis, Campanile and Etap....all pretty good for the money. Ibis are definitely the more upmarket of the ones we've tried and they do the better breakfast if you're fussed about that sort of thing!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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If you're not bothered about price and want a decent place to stay, check out the Logis de France (sp?). They list what are basically small hotels or B&Bs throughout France. Some are more up market and expensive, but there are some decent places above local bars, too. My parents use them all the time when driving to Evian and Courmayeur and we've stayed at some very nice places. theyt sor of make the drive down part of the holiday, if you see what I mean.
I can understand that they're not for most people doing that journey, though.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Helen I think Reims would be ok you will have a break from driving on the crossing and if you do the Autoroutes it's a very easy and direct drive, I did a drive from my home to there easily and it takes me about 4.5 hours to get to the Eurotunnel UK side from home so not too different (I should say the first time I tried driving I did the whole lot all 760 miles in one go and that was hard going which decided my stop at Reims the next time)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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skanky, have booked 2 night out and 2 nights return, 3 of these with Logis de France. Not all as you say are too expensive. I like to make the journey down part of the journey. We usd them last Summer too and found a gorgeous hotel near the Channel. That one was expensive, but the others we tried weren't. We also booked our New Year ski trip with them. I've now booked all four hotels, Epernay and Anse on the way down (Champagne and Beaujolais), Gevrey-Chambertin (chambre d'hote in Eperney-sous-Gevreywe've stayed in before), and St Omer. Must remember to leave the clothes at home to stock up on wine!!!
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Tue 22-06-04 7:40; edited 1 time in total
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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<<<<<Helen or Moderator - u need a [ before the 1st img to make the smiley work. After which ignore this post >>>>>>>>>
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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kuwait_ian, thanks, had to stop posting to make dinner before footy, and didn't check it!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Helen Beaumont, plsd to help. Have a safe and pleasant journey and good luck with apartment hunting. I want to be barman in your 'Hotel California' - except I will stock champagne if it's OK with you. Oh and Good Biking !!! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Helen Beaumont, I think you should definitely revise your return trip itinerary, and make an overnight stop in .... Les Deux Alpes! Surely you can't drive right past without spending at least one day on the glacier! 
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Helen Beaumont, best one we stayed at was on the Marne (Dad liked to drive down through Chalon, Brienn le Chateau and over the Juras). It was basically a local bar with four rooms attached. It was Sunday and the chef's night off so the landlord made dinner and put a lot of pride into a very cheap, four course meal that was really, really, good.
I'd never travel in France without a copy of their listings book, now.
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PG, who says we weren't going to the glacier anyway!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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kuwait_ian, I'll buy the champers in Epernay on the way down. If it's a lottery chalet it'll have to be Dom Perignon!
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kuwait_ian, pink champagne of course!!!!
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Wed 23-06-04 21:59; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Helen,
Sorry, but when are you thinking of coming over. You are welcome to stop in here if you wish!
By the way, if you are on the way to Serre-Che passing over the Col du Lautaret. As you leave the motorway at Grenoble, there is a small town called Vizille that is really worth the lunch break. There is a chateau and large gardens and some cheap restaurants in town. MUCH better than service area food around there.
Sally
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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sparish, thanks for the offer, but sorted now. A generous Geordie lass indeed. I'll bear the lunch stop in mind. I'm coming around 26th July , WE are looking for an apartment while we are over there.
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Helen Beaumont, How long are you staying? If you are around between Wed Aug 4th and Sun 8th, should you fancy a drive down to Le Sauze, we'll be training and racing on grass that week - it's a lovely spot.
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You know it makes sense.
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PG, oops heading home to uk on 3rd
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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kuwait_ian, managed a £10 win on the lottery this weekend, think it'll buy that hotel ?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Helen Beaumont, another good stopping point, to relax after the drive over the col du lauteret is Villeneuve village. There is a grassed area next to the river facing one of the bar/restaurants, which is an ideal place to have a drink or lunch as you watch the canoeists enjoying the rapids. If you have only been to Serre chevalier in the winter, I guarentee you will be surprised at the amount of water flowing down la Guisane.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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pistemeister, we've been at Easter (twice) and it was quite impressive then, so I am expecting wonders. We had trout for dinner, freshly caught from the river that evening.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Stopping points on journey all in all a great success.
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FAQ
