 Poster: A snowHead
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What are fellow snowheads experiences in stopping over in a motorway hotel or motel in France.
In the good old days of P&O out of Portsmouth to Le Havre we would cross in the afternoon, watch a film and eat on the ferry and arrive in France at about 10.00pm, then drive for a couple of hours - stopping just South of Paris. Now we are faced with the journey from South Wales to Dover and this time (in 3 weeks) we are leaving on a Friday lunchtime. We would like to drive and stop when we need to (probably around mid night). We will probably try Norfolk Line for the crossing but the journey from home using the M25 can be uncertain in time!
We have always prebooked a B&B Hotel or similar and used our booking number and Debit Card as there are no staff on duty at that time.
Is it possible to let the sat nav or autoroute locate a hotel as we are travelling then simply use the machines at the hotels doorway to pay and get in? Would this be a risky "no room" available?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Wear The Fox Hat, unless something has changed we have made on the spot credit card bookings before.
Alun Williams, It can be problematic on a Friday night. One time we missed our ferry and decided to overnight in Calais. The Villages hotel was full so we went to B and B. That was not full but we could not get a family room. Maybe Calais is worse than some random town on the autoroute though.
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Alun Williams, I have never pre-booked a motel in France, always just turned up and put the credit card into the machine.
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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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Ah, thanks guys - I thought the machines were just number readers. 
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Yes, you definitely do not need to pre-book in that the credit card readers will allow you to book on the night. We never book, because we don't know when either fatigue or bad weather will dictate a stop. It's annoying to have to stop when you feel fine, rather than waste a pre-paid night. I did wish once that we had booked, but that was a very busy weekend and it only meant we had to go to the next motorway exit and try again. I don't have satnav (autoroute navigation is not too demanding!) but all the chains have little books you can pick up with location directions, phone numbers etc. Websites too. The trip down from Calais is very different from Le Havre in that you don't have the Paris benchmark. It's an easier trip, but a bit longer, and soooooo boring for the first interminable hours to Rheims. You will find plenty of the cheap hotels on the autoroute exits near towns and they are invariably well signposted, often with neon signs you can spot from the peage booth. I can't imagine that satnav could possibly make them easier to find than they are! Be careful pulling out early in the morning onto deserted roads in tatty shopping centres. I once went about a mile, including a roundabout, on the wrong side of the road before seeing a truck coming towrds me, just before the péage. The gods were smiling on me that day (even if the truck driver wasn't).
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Hello mate, Last Jan we drove to Meribel from Calais, aiming for a midnight stop. Had a good run down and just pitched up at a services near Chambery. Ended up just booking a room with the night porter in an IBIS off the side of the motorway with a secure car park as all our gear was in the motor... a bit more than what we wanted - £50 but included breakfast and what a fantastic nights sleep! Were drinking hot choc in La Taverne by 10.30am 
Don't worry, the hotels are well set up for people like yourself and as others have mentioned, a lot of them are unmanned credit card rooms. Good luck and enjoy the trip!
Robbo
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I've only overnighted once on a long drive to L2A, wasn't as smooth as some of the posts above! I think generally you are fine but we were travelling easter week and were caught out badly. After pulling off the peage 3 times for a 'no room at the inn' moment we eventually decided to hit the next nearest town and after 45 minutes patrolling the place managed to get a room in the ubiquitous 'hotel opposite the railway'. (dont ask me where we were.. to this day I have no idea!). So yes we did get a room, and no.. we didnt book .. but next time .. I definately would! 
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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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keep driving.. share the driving duties.. if its gets tricky drink 15 cans of red bull
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if its gets tricky drink 15 cans of red bull
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but keep it out of sight of the flics...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w,
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Be careful pulling out early in the morning onto deserted roads in tatty shopping centres. I once went about a mile, including a roundabout, on the wrong side of the road before seeing a truck coming towrds me, just before the péage. The gods were smiling on me that day (even if the truck driver wasn't).
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Thought it was only me that would do something like that!
Re : booking or no booking. IMHO, booking is best. If it's a weather induced 'need a hotel' you may find that they're booked. Also, I found that trolling around unkown areas (off autoroute) in the middle of the night extremely tiring itself.
Most of the main hotel chains do the, pay by CC on the gate, but its' pot luck. The 'as provided' Sat nav info can be out of date, I suggest you load up to date hotel POI from a suitable download site, if you are going to risk that. B&B even has it on its own web site.
I have a long journey from Manchester to Dover, so for France I now set a distance limit before I leavea nad book accomodation. If I get there early, I have a meal, if late (after 11:00 pm) book in by CC, use it as a pit stop, rest shower etc.. then move on early next day. I've tried the 'drive as far as I can get' idea. By the time I realised I was overtired, I was in no condition to spend time hunting around. Luckly, it was summer and sth of France near Spain border, so I found a rest stop and got my head down. Good luck.
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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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BMF_Skier, I have the same length drive as you, but the time it takes to get to Dover varies so much that I can't estimate how far I will get within France.
I do have the map books for the various chains though, so I don't spend too long looking for one.
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rjs, wrote:
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the time it takes to get to Dover varies so much that I can't estimate how far I will get within France.
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I also find the trip to Dover one of the great unknowns! I treat the ferry as a rest stop, and usually have a bit of a sleep. So when I get to France I'm raring to go! This year, i'm driving to Dole as my first hit in France and have booked a palce.
One this that may need mentioning to to other travellers is that in the French School holidays, for almost all of Feb , many places closer to the alps are booked on Friday Nights, so if you are just turning up you can be disapointed. Having their contact info with you is a great idea!
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You know it makes sense.
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Says something about British roads doesn't it, that he bit of the trip we all fear is home to Dover. We live near Oxford and on Xmas trip it took nearly 6 hours to get the 150 miles from home to Eurotunnel.
For the last 4 years we have started leaving Thursday afternoon and spending night in Calais, pre-booked through Planigo.com then have another pre-booked hotel near Lyon. Early start Sat gets us into the resort mid-morning, missing the traffic and plenty of time to shop, get ski passes and skis sorted.
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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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| Boris wrote: |
| Says something about British roads doesn't it, that he bit of the trip we all fear is home to Dover. We live near Oxford and on Xmas trip it took nearly 6 hours to get the 150 miles from home to Eurotunnel. |
It says a lot about the population density in SE England. Providing roads of French emptiness here is not a realistic possibility, not without massive tolls which would not be acceptable to most people.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Wasn't so much the amount of traffic - more the amount of roadworks and the time taken to clear up bumps.
I know I'm living in an idealised world in my head, but roadworks only seem to be overnight in France and accidents seem to get cleared quicker
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Alun Williams,
Suggest you time your trip to not arrive around the M25 mid afternoon on a friday. I'd want to be past Heathrow by 1300, I'd say, or wouldn't want to get there before 1930. I can't say what the M4 into the M25 will be like though.
If you could get to the M25 by midday and on a ship by say, 1600, you are on the road in France by 1900 CET, typically, that will allow you possibly 4 hours driving which can break the back of the jourmey to Dijon averaging 80/85mph. Overnight in an F1 which I have always just turned up to, and then you have a mornings drive to the French alpes with a reasonable start.
P.S weather has closed Dover atm and stack is in operation.. I'll post this elsewhere as well
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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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| Boris wrote: |
Wasn't so much the amount of traffic - more the amount of roadworks and the time taken to clear up bumps.
I know I'm living in an idealised world in my head, but roadworks only seem to be overnight in France and accidents seem to get cleared quicker |
I know what you mean, maybe it's something to do with being on hols (or maybe they organise it better). A couple of years ago we were slowed down, not too badly by roadworks, driving down to Tignes. Nothing seemed to be happening, but mile after mile of lane was coned off. I think the problem over here may be a combination of roadworks and a very high traffic density which requires all roads to be fully open to avoid big hold ups; the lower traffic density on French m'ways gives them more leeway.
Alun Williams, what about Brttany ferries? They go to Caen (overnight and high speed) and Cherbourg (high speed) and St Malo from Portsmouth/Poole, I think. Not the best places in France to start form, but may beat the M25 on a Friday evening. If you do an overnighter to Caen, you get in pretty early in the morning IIRC, and off you go.
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I have already tried to book two hotels in France both at Ibis hotels on the route we are taking to drive to the Swiss Alps from St Malo but both are full on the day (Friday) we require. My advise is to book ASAP and dont take a chance.
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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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Alun Williams, I don't usually book in advance for all the reasons above (I drive from Bath), but I do find that if you leave it later than 22.00 you can't guarantee to get the room where you want it. I'd recommend that you get all the booklets for motels, and then you have a choice. there are several motels just off the motorway on the outskirts of Reims (on the right going south), which might work for you (about 3 hours south of the channel). Otherwise you do have to turn off the motorway until you get to Dijon. Just south of Dijon (Beaune) there's a huge motel which I've never found full. This might be a bit too far for you though. there's also one on the new "avoiding Lyon" turn off, but it's an Ibis I think, so not that cheap.
Good luck 
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Alun Williams, and richmond, I have just booked a Portsmouth to Le Havre crossing with LD Lines. This French company seems to have bought the old P and O ship. It cost GBP190 return including a basic 4 berth cabin and leaves 11pm, arriving 7.30am. A Thursday night crossing avoids the horrific two hour sretch past Lyon on transfer day. For the last two years, this has also lured the French lorry drivers into a mass go slow blocking all but one lane.
With young children, we then booked an overnight at the Novotel at Chambery (just by the route to Albertville and a massive Geant hypermarche). This cost GBP45 and the children go free including breakfast. The room has a double and two single beds, so we feel quite lucky! This was the third or fourth place I tried, so availability might be running low now. We have tried Formule 1 in the past - no good for small children due to high bunks and hard lino floors.
Leaving the hotel at 9am on the Saturday should get us to Les Arcs by 11am, allowing us to do the hiring and ski schooling, and a couple of hours on the slopes (if there's any snow  ) before the apartment checkin time at around 4pm.
Yes, its a little more than a Dover ferry, but retains the convenience of the old sleep-while-you-sail crossing without being mugged by Brittany Ferries.
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sproggski, that's about half the price of Brittany Ferries!
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I would certainly recommend planigo.com for finding and booking hotels - includes the chains but also the smaller independents. Big benefit from my perspective is you pre-pay (spreads out the cost) and have an e-voucher you just hand in on arrival. Means a quick get away as no need to stop and pay
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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richmond, yep, sounds amazing. I'll let you know in 4 weeks as to whether it met with expectations or had us sleeping on piles of rope between rum barrels!
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Alun Williams, I regularly drive to the Alps for ski-ing, however it is easier for me as I live only 100 miles from Dover. If possible I prefer to make my en-route stop to the mountains as part of the holiday. In this respect I strongly recommend http://www.chambresdhotes-chezgina.com/ .
This French B&B is well patronised by the Brits and also featured in Alistair Sawdays French BB book (also on the web - use Google).
This lovely B&B called "Les Cohettes"is only 40 miles from Calais but quite convenient if you are travelling on a Friday afternoon for a first night stop. We stayed on the Thursday hight before Xmas and with an 08:00 start still managed Serre Chevalier on Friday evening by 18:45. Gina Bulot our hostess at Les Cohettes can provide an excellent evening meal, and will send you off with a hearty breakfast in the morning.
Ibis, Formule 1, and Campanile are adequate and comfortable for overnight stops, but with a llittle planning why not choose a nice Chambre d'Hote like this one and kick your holiday off with a nice atmospheric start - you won't be disappointed I promise!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We used Formule 1 in the summer for a couple of overnight stops. It was an interesting experience which I'm glad to have had, but not one I'll be having again if the OL and the daughter have anything to do with it. If you don't have time to get off the m'way to find a comfy little Logis with a decent meal, I'd go for the next grade up (Ibis?); at least the rooms have their own bogs (important to the female members of my family, apparently).
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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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I prefer Camapnile to Ibis as they are all individually owned/franchised and so seem to take a little more care. Both are acceptable however. Like richmond, my family will no longer countenance Formule 1 
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Etap hotels, Premier Classe, and B & B are also handy, cheap and have in-room facilities (although pretty basic, it's only one night). for a single traveller you can't beat €30ish p/n can you? It now costs 3x as much to stay in the UK! 
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm packing a '2 second tent'. You throw it in the air and it erects itself in 2 seconds!. Hopefully will be able to get a bit of shut eye around 3am in some motorway stop where there is a bit of grass. Not sure if I will get nabbed by the police.
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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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You'll be more comfortable in the car!!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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kezzy1966, Watch out where if in a tent you dont' have much protection against muggers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Formule 1, Etap, Ibis, Mercure and Novotel are all part of Accor Hotels. Their website allows you to find hotels across the group by location. Well recommended!
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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.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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What's wrong with winter and tent?
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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, I have done this in the past, but one hears of stories of robbery etc. Let's face it you are quite vulnerable in a car park asleep on a motorway service station at 02:00 am. For less than £50.00 I think I would prefer to be tucked up in a Chambre d'hotes or Ibis.
By the way how is your knee now?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
| What's wrong with winter and tent? |
Something to do with sleeping on the ground, in hopefully, freezing cold temps. Oh, and not very secure!
Summer, tent, camp site, south of France = great. Winter....hmmmm 
Did the sleeping in a tent thing, in the cold many times, but got paid for it. It was still a daft idea, particularly when there is a dry, warmer vehicle sat nearby. Or even better a €30 per night motel!
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richmond, the L D Lines (should be Line) ferry worked out fine. A little artisan but, saving loads on Brittany Ferries peices, perfect. Big cabin for four people, very basic cafeteria, coffee bar and shop but these weren't needed while asleep!
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DAVID SNELL, no, not you, the guy wanting to sleep in the tent. My knee is looking forward to it's next trip in mid-March thanks. We are going to stay in Chalons-en-Champagne this time. I'd never sleep in the car either, and we'll have our German Shepherd cross with us.
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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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Thanks, sproggski, may be we'll give it a whirl sometime.
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DAVID SNELL, we always choose a chambre d'hote or a Logis, except when we came back in Jan, as all our usual stops were closed. The Campanile in Reims TInqueux just didn't make the grade, staff were miserable, and they burnt the duck (but didn't like it when we returned it). Dinner overall was depressing, and reminded me of a Brewers Fayre.
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