 Poster: A snowHead
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| Helen Beaumont wrote: |
| pam w, it's the same in a lot of other places too. We struggled to find a hotel in Reims for a Sunday night stopover, and ended up in a Campanile, in the middle of an industrial estate, with the worst food I have eaten in France. |
Sounds like the same hotel as our rugby tour!
Didn't happen to be "Le Tip Top" did it??
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| pam w wrote: |
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Troyes is a good stopover destination, with old town centre and good restaurants in the central square.
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but not on a Sunday. We camped there once, and after scouring the place we ended up with no choice but to eat at Macdonalds... never thought I'd live to see the day. |
Another vote- but dont have the sausages, they are full of springs.
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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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swskier, it was the Campanile at Reims Tinqueux
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I believe in cycling circles that Campanile is 'Crap and be ill'. Have stayed at Tinky - it's a tricky one to get in and out of.
We usually aim for near Chalons - have found a really nice place called Auberge des Moissons about 5 minutes from the toll on the way to Epernay. Very quiet, fantastic rooms, good food and ok breakfast. http://www.des-moissons.com/ Not cheap though.
Langres is another favourite - have stayed in Cheval Blanc a long time ago, which was nice. Chocolate fois gras...mmm
Wouldn't recommend Troyes - apart from the one bit that looks all medieval, the rest was a bit like the description in the Tim Moore book French Revolutions. Yick.
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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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I have stopped several times in TOURNUS which is a lovely town just off the main motorway (A6? cant be bothered to get map out) south of Beaune/north of Macon. There are several hotels there, the best of which is TERRASSES (a Logis) which does superb food. There are several other good ones. It is about a further 2 or three hours to Geneva, and takes 6 or 7 hours from Caen.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I tend to drive to the alps non-stop (I once stopped at a Premier Classe, which was fine).
However, on my return route I nearly always stop on Saturday or Sunday night at Hotel de Paris in Poligny.
Hotel site: http://www.hotel-de-paris.fr
Book via Logis: http://tinyurl.com/57r9ob
For dinner I highly recommend La Sergenterie www.lasergenterie.com (open Sunday evenings too!)
Have an aperitif in L'Atelier pub next door.
The vet (for pet passport holders)
3 Rue des Acacias 39800 Poligny
+33 (0)384 372268
Poligny is very close to the motorway (but not too close).
It's the capital of Comte cheese (so the best place for buying a big chunk of fruite) and Vin Jaune (the acquired taste of cats pjss - no disrespect intended).
It has an Intermarche supermarket nearby, which is great for stocking up on booze afore ye go.
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Totally agree re. the Vin Jaune being synonymus with cats p*ss.
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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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Kel, I joined a group that was en route from Lincoln - and I was only a backup driver. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I stayed a night at a motorway service station near Bourg en Bresse. An Etap hotel at Le Poulet de Bresse. As I arrived after 9pm, had supper in the service station cafe (French ones do pretty good food), including wine, and was gone by 6am - making it onto the Tignes slopes well before lunchtime Saturday having left London on Friday morning I thought I'd done pretty well for a trip with no co-driver.
Exceptionally convenient - I had planned to go into Bourg en Bresse, but saw the hotel, my stomach rumbled and the car went no further!
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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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If we are driving down at a gentle pace we try to stay at the Hotel Terminus in Bourge en Bresse on the Friday night. It is located only 100 metres from the rail station (hence the name) so if you have friends using the TGV you can pick them up and cram them in the car for the last 2 hours.
Hotel is great, the front door look very drab and boring but when you get through the hotel is actually a 17 century chateau with enclosed gardens, the city has changed around it and trapped it out of sight from the main roads. It is a tardis with the most amazing glass lift which was once manually wound up and down by a mamber of staff!
Because of its geographic location it is suitable for any of the alpine resorts and you can have a leasurely breakfast and still be in resort before lunch. You will also be ahead of the masses who left home on Friday night.
Prices are very reasonable.
Hotel has a garage (the old coach block) and private gardens. I believe they have never reopened their resturant after a fire a few years ago but there is an excellent resturant within walking range called Le Story which is worth a look if you like beef.
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I am scouring this thread for ideas for Thursday evening. Stayed at the Val Moret (after recommendation here) and it was good - lovely fish. Very convenient location. But just looking for something new - and don't want to pay as much as demanded by the likes of the Cheval Blanc. I hope people will continue to post to this thread, it's very useful. I like the sound of the Terminus in Bourg en Bresse but we'll need to stop north of that, if we're to have a relaxed evening meal.
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You know it makes sense.
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pam w, as far North as Reims?
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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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Helen Beaumont, No, more like Dijon.
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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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Helen Beaumont, thanks. I think I'm being too fussy - looked at various sites for a place that does dinner too, having stopped at a great one on the way south last summer, near the Millau Viaduct - excellent accommodation, food and company, all for a song. We don't generally do Beaune - stay over to the east. I think that if I don't find somewhere that looks really nice I'll just wait and see where we get to - there shouldn't be any problem on a Thursday 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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Helen Beaumont, yes, it sounds lovely, but too far south; would be a late arrival to be looking for dinner. Maybe on another trip?
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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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pam w, Dijon is usually too far south for us, as we have a longer drive to the Channel, but good luck hunting.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We like Les Cohettes - excellent food and wine - at Auchy en Bois. Near Dole, Hotel Parcey is also good value and can be booked via the Logis de France website.
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Jehu, Hi
Know the place well. Gina the host runs a brilliant establishment just 40 miles from Calais. I give you the link http://www.chambresdhotes-chezgina.com/
Not only is this a good first stop before pushing on to the Alps, but well worth a venue for a weekend break in France.
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DAVID SNELL, thanks for that link, the place looks lovely.
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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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Even if the website has a very odd choice of muzak......had to turn it off before it drove me mad. 
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Stayed at IBIS in Troyes a few weeks ago. About half way between Geneva and Calais. Clean simple and friendly (but a bit tricky to find in centre of town), and if you pay €8 or €9 extra you can park in a locked garage under the hotel - useful if you have a car full of stuff.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi, Im looking for some mates to go snowboarding next Christmast. I want to go driving but it's only me so far. I still don't know where to go, France, Austria, Switzerland. oAnyone who wants to come and start planning, just give me a shout.
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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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Abel28, welcome to SnowHeads, you might get some replies if you post this in a new thread of it's own.
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Troyes is soooohhhh beautiful and worth stopping off for a couple of days if you can manage it. There are hundreds of half timbered buildings and little 'York Shambles' type streets in the old part. In a recent driving/touring holiday to the region - I wish we had spent more time in Troyes than Reim/Epanay etc.
The Etap is in the center, has parking (you have to drive just a little past the Etap and down an alleyway and then up a ramp to get to the car park) and it is a stones throw away from the old medieval center. Fab shopping/eating and drinking....
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You know it makes sense.
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We have a B and B in Champagne, France which is listed with Alistair Sawdays Guide....
http://www.sawdays.co.uk/search/display.phpBookID=FBB6470&PlaceID=PL90911&returnURL=%2Fsearch%2Flisting.php%3Fwhere%3Doyes%26amp%3Bseq%3D764%26RecFrom%3D0....
oue website is......www.champagnevilla.com.... and as we are New Zealanders who spent 10 yrs in the UK we have a lot of English, Kiwi, Australian and South African guests...
As our house is in a perfect position for a stopover [3 hrs from Calais] on the way to the mountains further south in France, Switzerland or Italy and we were keen to advertise our property in your magazine.
We have a large 4 bedroomed property...with a great communal kitchen/dining room with an open fire and brilliant central heating. We are happy to cook hearty winter evening meals for groups, families or couples who need a stopover to or from the mountains...we pride ourselves on providing a cosy friendly welcome and our beds are made up with gorgeous 100% cotton bedlinen, feather down duverts and pillows and mohair blankets...the house and garden is charming and we have a large courtyard for parking vehicles safely...and of course, there is the champagne....
Email me if you want more infomation...my address is on the website...Glenis and Mike
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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thefatcontroller, good point. Not too encouraging, is it?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've always found the "Rough Guide to French Hotels and Restaurants" (the translation of La Guide de Routarde) to be very useful whenever going on a driving holiday in France. Shuns the chains in favour of small, family run hotels, in all price brackets. My favourite hotel in Troyes is the Hotel Les Comtes De Champage. From memory it's the original 12th century bank of the counts of the Champagne region, and is slap bang in the heart of the city. Not the last word in luxury, but is very reasonable at about 60 Euros for a double ensuite. Has locked parking too - website is www.comtesdechampagne.com . I generally like going to places like this with history and individuality, although personally if driving for a ski holiday I normally do the journey in one.
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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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| Quote: |
if driving for a ski holiday I normally do the journey in one.
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the more I do that journey, the more I like to do it in one, too. In summer, when you have a nice stopover, go for a walk, maybe have a picnic supper by a lake, or an evening in a restaurant, a well chosen stopover (or two) is all very pleasant. But in winter, unless the weather is bad enough to make a stopover sensible (fog, in particular) driving straight through seems to make the journey quicker. It's just one long boring day, instead of two.
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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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Fair comment about the map...we are in the process of updating the website with additional info, this summer we advertised our B and B through Alistair Sawday 'Special Places to Stay' French B and B site and has been a great summer....for the record we are 25 mins south of Epernay / 10 mins north of Sezanne in a small village called Oyes....
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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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pam w, definitely agree. The stops are part of the enjoyment of the holiday in the summer, just as you describe. But in winter it's not so much fun, so in fact we usually fly 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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Beaune.
Le Cheval Noir for the food.
Hotel des Remparts for the accomodation.
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We stopped at the Novotel in Beaune a few years ago and went into the town for steak & frites and came to a restuarant similar to Le Cheval Noir and had the full 3 courses! Burgandy probably has the best cuisine in France.
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I am driving to Tignes for the first time.
What speeds do you normally drive at on the french toll roads? I didn't really want to go over 70-80mph, but is that way too slow ?
was hoping for 10 hours from calais, is that reasonable ?
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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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Libertine, I drive to Ste Foy 3-4 times every year and allow 9 hours from Calais @ 80-85 mph, coffee stop very 3 hours.
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Libertine, speed limit is about 80 miles per hour (130km), unless it is raining when it is reduced to 110 kph. 70 will fell slow when everyone is rushing past you. 80 will keep you up with most of the traffic. Autoroutes will be relatively quiet until you get to Lyon, with busy bits around Reims and Dijon.
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FAQ
) and of course breakfast included. Smokers also welcome 
