 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
Hope everyone is looking forward to the new season. My friends are looking for recommendations on somewhere to stop overnight on their return from the 3V this February. Will need to be around 3 hours from Calais so I'm thinking the Reims area is probably best.
Thanks in advance
Adam
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Any of the Ibis budget hotels along the motorway are decent, we use them regularly on the way to Italy.
F1 if they're really scraping the barrel bottom.
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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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Have stayed at the Ibis budget on the way down many times, perfectly acceptable with tolerable food nearby. Book early as possible.
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Reims itself tends to be either expensive (the Champagne tourism affect) or on industrial estates in the middle of nowhere. If it's just an arrive late (having already grabbed food)/go to bed/get up early and hit the road stop that's probably fine. If it's an arrive earlier/go out for dinner stop though I'd probably look at either Troyes, 90 minues further from Calais or St-Quentin, 60 minutes closer. Both offer reasonably priced hotels actually in the towns, with walkable restaurants - though one's a longer drive in the morning/the other harder to get to before the restaurants close.
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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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We use the B&B hotel at Saint-Quentin a bit north of Reims. Just off the motorway, opposite a massive Auchan and supermarket fuel adjacent. Also good restaurants nearby. About 2 hours from the tunnel.
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We are staying at Hotel Akena in Chalons-en-Champagne on our way to the PSB. It's about 30km south of Reims. Easy access off the motorway. Looks like it's brand new and has great reviews + secure parking. About £80 for a double / twin in late November.
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I'd aim to stay north of the Reims péage gates - can be long hold ups there on busy days and if there's a queue your péage tag is no help.
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We also used to go to the Christmas market in Reims when it was in the cathedral precinct before they moved it to a glorified car park. We stayed in the Residhome Reims next to the main station which was cheap and central with on site parking and easy walking to the city centre. Only really for those with time to spare really though as access is via town centre driving
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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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We stayed at Ibis Reims Tinqueux on the way home from Chamonix in 2023. It was decent enough for the price and we had a good sleep. There was a McDonalds and a Carrefour (with petrol station) on the same estate.
Its a couple of minutes off the junction of A4/A26, under 3 hours to the tunnel.
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In winter hotels in Central Reims are usually quite reasonable, and there are lots of restaurants and a large underground car park at Place d'Erlon. Access from Autoroute is very simple and quick to there. We've used Hotel Bristol a few times.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Ruddster, we stay here every year on our way to Chamonix. 3 and a bit hours from Calais. Secure parking in the barn, beautiful accommodation, home made food. It is the perfect start to our season.
https://www.aupredumoulin.com/
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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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The B&B Hotel group are worth a look and can recommend the one at St Quentin as mentioned above. If you decide on Reims check if you need a crit’air sticker as part of the town requires one to drive through.
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We have stayed numerous times at the Ibis Reims at Tinqueux and it is fine. Takes the dog, restaurant not fancy but ok and as mentioned close to petrol and Carrefour. Novotel is on the same site, both in Accor group.
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You know it makes sense.
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Stop at the absolutley tiny and very lovely mediaeval city of Laon, just north of Reims. I've no hotel recommendations there, sorry.
If you're staying in a hotel, book a Logis de France, rather than a soulless Ibis. Bags more character, no more money (unless you want to). https://www.logishotels.com/
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Mon 13-10-25 14:45; edited 1 time in total
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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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Many hotels to choose from in the Tinqueaux/Thillois area of Reims, really close to the motorway mainly chain hotels from F1, Premiere Classe, Campanile, BB,Greet Ibis Budget, Ibis, Novotel, all of which offer fair value in their respective price ranges. Reims for us is a transit stop only so the Ibis Budget Thillois is favourite due to the wider choice of food (albeit chain) in walking distance, the last thing I want to do is get back in the car to find somewhere to eat.
Carrefour Hypermarket is close for the last minute wine, beer and fuel stop.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We've stayed here the last couple of years. There's a secure underground car park so we leave most of the stuff in the car. Rooms are fine, you get what you pay for and you don't pay much. It's an easy walk into the centre and all the bars and restaurants.
Depends what you want but for a quick, cheap, comfortable stop over outside the LTZ and a short walk to the restaurants or cafes in the morning it's good.
Sejours & Affaires Reims Clairmarais
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As others have mentioned there is a Novotel and Ibis in Tinqueux which is in the outskirts of Reims, and just off the motorway. Lots of food, petrol and supermarket options in close vicinity. I recommend joining the Accor loyalty program which includes Mecure, Novotel, Ibis and F1 hotels, covering all budgets, and provides some discounts and more flexible cancellation terms.
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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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Thanks all will direct them to this post - some very helpful information.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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F1s are cheap, predictable and straightforward. I'm not sure why anybody would be surprised - I've stayed in them in the past, though I generally go upmarket to an IBIS budget (will be in one of those on Tuesday, in Sallanches!). I'm not prepared to pay very much for a bed for eight or nine hours!!
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@Origen, they can be very unpredicatable, as someone pointed out, as their choice of F1 was being used as a brothel. And as I recall, no en-suite bathroom. I am not a fan of hotels, so it has to be the nicest one I can afford for the night, with somewhere decent to have dinner nearby.
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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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| Quote: |
no en-suite bathroom
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no, that's right. The bathrooms are shared. Like on a camp-site! I dislike hotels too - so the less money I spend in them, the better I like it. It cheeses me off to have to spend £120 or so for a very basic offering, which is often the case in this country. The family rooms in something like the B&B hotels are far better value. When I did the long distance Alpine journeys, lots of times, I generally ate something simple at a motorway aire then stopped for the night about 10 pm. I didn't book, normally, as I was fortunate to be able to avoid peak days. And I found it hard to predict when I'd feel like I had to stop - or if it got foggy, for example, when I'd just get off the motorway and find a hotel.
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I’ve stated in the Novotel in Reims before and it was good. Not expensive. Decent enough food and a nice bar. Breakfast was good. Pretty sure the Ibis that others mention is next door and that had even cheaper food but the Novotel was probably a touch nicer hotel. Bed was hard is my only complaint but I’d go back.
There is a massive supermarket over the road as someone else mentioned and if you are an EV driver, the Novotel has a Tesla station on site (circa 12 chargers) and the supermarket has others.
For what its worth, I think Reims is a good stop off point in either direction.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We have stopped at the IBIS Budget Tinqueux (which is very close to the Novotel and IBIS above). Very good value and there are several (average) restaurants in the same retail park to walk to. We use it on the way back whenever we visit France (Winter or summer).
We’ve done the IBIS near the Supermarket too but it’s not worth the extra from the IBIS budget.
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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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+1 for Troyes
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We've used IBIS in Troyes - was fine for an overnight, time of arrival meant it was McD dinner.
It's 4-hours to Calais, still easy to do and saves a little driving on the route from Alps - i.e balances it up
Generally we go home in one hit now, but obviously depends where you're going in UK and whether you ski Sat etc
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You know it makes sense.
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Any good recomendations other that the usual Reims / Troyes? We like to have the stay over as an opportunity to see somewhere new so looking for options.
We stayed at Hôtel de la côte-d'or in Semur En Auxois on the way home which was really lovely town and hotel for not much money. It was a bit of a detour, return was via Paris but not horrid.
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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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| dazzle109 wrote: |
Any good recomendations other that the usual Reims / Troyes? We like to have the stay over as an opportunity to see somewhere new so looking for options.
We stayed at Hôtel de la côte-d'or in Semur En Auxois on the way home which was really lovely town and hotel for not much money. It was a bit of a detour, return was via Paris but not horrid. |
Dijon centre is gorgeous.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Troyes and Chaumont and good stopovers in towns with Ibis Styles hotels which have refurbished rooms and all the amenities for an overnight stop and perhaps and wander around town.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There is also Hotel Val Moret which is one minute off the autoroute between Troyes and Dijon. Good functional rooms, secure parking and a decent restaurant onsite. There is a village nearby that has a creperie which is favoured by our kids for dinner.
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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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@Ozboy, Val Moret was a regular stop for us when kids were younger and couldn't cope with long day in car - even better now they have the Spa Centre as a little dip in the pool was always welcome
Now they're older though its a long day and home
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Val Moret also now has a 56-bay EV fast charging station between it and the autoroute exit. It’s Tesla, but CCS, and available to non-Tesla users as long as you have the Tesla Charging app. What I like about Val Moret is that you park outside your room, which if the car is conspicuously loaded with stuff is reassuring. And the site is gated overnight. Plus the pool is great after an early start and long drive. And the restaurant is good but unpretentious.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 15-10-25 20:16; edited 1 time in total
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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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Reims is lovely, we tend to stay there on the way home, preferring to push further South on the way to the Alps.
Beaune is good - used an Ibis Budget there
Dijon - Holiday Inn near the airport was good
Troyes - have stayed in several places.
If you can get as far as Dijon or Beaune then you only have 3.5hr drive to the 3V the next morning, but clearly that depends on your Le Shuttle/ferry crossing time!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Unfortunately we are only going to be able to leave after school closes so just Reims for us this year but thanks for the suggestion. I'd seen Beaune before but we've never stopped - maybe an option for the return journey.
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If you fancy something different then try https://auberge-du-lac.fr/ at Mesnil-Saint-Pere. Nice hotel, lovely restaurant and within easy walking distance of the picturesque Lac d’Orient. A few kilometres east of Troyes. We’ve used it a few times on the way south but I confess never in midwinter 
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| rickboden wrote: |
| We are staying at Hotel Akena in Chalons-en-Champagne on our way to the PSB. It's about 30km south of Reims. Easy access off the motorway. Looks like it's brand new and has great reviews + secure parking. About £80 for a double / twin in late November. |
We've stayed here twice - really decent hotel, very comfortable and good breakfast.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Mon 20-10-25 10:54; edited 1 time in total
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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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Can I ask where you all eat when you stay at these hotels on industrial parks, as not all of them have restaurants? Maccie D's will not do, I hate the things.
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@Hells Bells, The Akena suggested above in Chalons-en-Champagne has several restaurants nearby, there is a Hotel B&B there too.
My answer though is "on the ferry".
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