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Driving to la plagneadvice on stopping on route req

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi,

I am driving to la plagne and plan to go on the Friday evening via the tunnel and say drive 2hrs into france towards la plagne. I am estimating that it will take approx 10hrs from calais to la plagne is this reasonable? I would also like to stop for the night approx 2 hrs from calias does anybody know what area that would put me in or hj
have any recommendations for a sensible place to stop for the night. My aim was to get to the accommodation about 2pm.

Any advice welcome.

Regards
Chris
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
2 hours in from Calais will get you to Reims. Lots of hotels to choose from, budget to smart Very Happy
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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?
Quote:
2 hours in from Calais will get you to Reims

not legally it won't, it's 272 km. And last time I did it there were some roadworks with a speed limit on a section of the road. By the time you get out of Calais and stop for 2 lots of peage, you'll have to drive way over the speed limit in between to get there in 2 hours. 2.5 hours, more like.
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Via Michelin says 2 hours 26 mins, so why not split some more hairs. Perhaps you could provide the OP with a list of suitable hotels at 2 hours distance from Calais.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:

270 km – about 2 hours 33 mins

Google Maps Very Happy wink

Have a look at www.hotel-bb.com Easy to use site giving mileages for each hotel.
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I,d be inclined to drive a bit further, actually, to get to the south of Reims because the road through can be quite busy and slow in the mornings. Anywhere south of Cormontreuil. By the time you get to a hotel it will be nearer 3 hours than 2, but will ease your journey the next day. To get to La Plagne at 2 pm (assuming no hold up) you would need to leave at 7 am, or thereabouts. If it's a busy Saturday the last couple of hours of the journey could be quite slow. 9-10 hours driving is about right, if there are no holdups, and not counting stops. If you haven't already done so, it might be useful to find out exactly what time you could get into your accommodation - we found it was sometimes nearer 4pm than 2pm, renting from agencies, because of the time they take to get round the cleaning.
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This site http://www.eurapart.com/budget.html is not tied to one hotel chain, and covers all standards with links to each company.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
According to Pedants-R-Us.com,

Hôtel Campanile
- www.campanile.fr
Avenue Charles de Gaulle, Laon - +33 3 23 23 15 05

Hotel Du Commerce
- www.hotelducommerce.lu
11, Place Droits de l'homme, Laon - +33 8 79 18 30 99


Ibis Laon
- www.accorhotels.com
Avenue Georges Pompidou, Laon - +33 3 23 20 18 11

Would all be about 2 hours from the Eurotunnel terminal. (roughly 141 miles)

Personally, I'd go to the Hôtel Le Saint Nicaise
8 pl St Nicaise 51100 REIMS +33 3 26 85 01 26, but might not want to leave the area too quickly, as there's a shop full of Tat just across the road from it. Laughing
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cmyers_uk, check out www.serrechevalierapartment.co.uk and click on 'getting there' . Reims is definitely 2.5 hours though. For a nearer hotel try http://www.lepotdetain.fr/uk/ (a different one from the one mentioned on the website above) which is in Holnon near St Quentin. It is just 3 mins from A26, and has plenty of private parking. I haven't tried it (yet) but it comes highly recommended.
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To be honest, it's 2.5hrs of very easy driving rather than the same duration in the UK. Normally we stop in Dijon and once or twice if very late in Troyes, something mentally better being south of Riems! Laughing Dijon is about4.5hrs and Troyes about 3ish. Advantage of stopping in Dijon is that you then have about 3hrs til you get to edge of the Alps, nice drive on the A39 through the Jura and the autoroute blanc, very definately my fav part of any drive down....mountains, tunnels and snow Laughing If its really cold and snowy, then the scenery through the viaducted area around Nantua/Oyonnax is lovely too.
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skinutter, but as they will have already had quite a drive from Bristol, the extra distance can make all the difference . We stop in Champagne region, simply becasue we're dirving from NE,and it is usually 6pm or so by the time we stop for the night after a long day in the car. Better an early start the following day too than wrapped around the central reservation on a French motorway.
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yeah thats true......i'm 90min further east of bristol so i guess that why i can get that bit further down the road Embarassed
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skinutter wink
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
cmyers_uk, which weekend are you going? That can make a bit of a difference to the optimum timing of a journey.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Hi,

Thank you all for the information. I will check the time Im allowed to arrive as I had not done that yet, I thought 2pm would have been fine, it wont be the first time Im early though!. Reims seems the best bet but I like the idea of either Troyes , Dijon or Cormontreuil, choices choices. I will be getting multimap up now!. The aim is to be able to hire the skis on the Saturday when we get there. The details I was thinking of as I have to work that day as well was to leave Bristol around 3:30pm on the Friday and aim for the 20:00hrs Channel Tunnel Train. A single 2.5hr drive to get to Reims with a possible extension to Cormontreuil. I think to go any further would not be sensible as I like my sleep!. Leave at 7am the next morning for a sensible drive to Aime La Plagne and arrive as and when.


Thanks again everyone for all the advice and tips, I am getting a bit excited already!

Regards

Chris
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
pam w wrote:
cmyers_uk, which weekend are you going? That can make a bit of a difference to the optimum timing of a journey.


.....as can the numbers of Dutch and Belgians on the road....or creating extra lanes as we saw a few years back, why have 2 marked lanes when 3 would fit....just! Shocked
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Laon is around two and a half hours from Calais wink
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=33445
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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?
Anybody know what the drive up from Aime to Belle Plagne is like? We've got a late arrival on Saturday night next week and I was wondering how long the climb takes and also how efficiently do they keep the road clear in the event of heavy snow fall? Don't fancy being locked out and ending up kipping in the car wink
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Hywel, we've driven up once or twice. Quite a windy trip I seem to remember. we have come down in the coach in the snow, and it was a bit dodgy. Make sure you have those chains handy. Where are you staying? If it is getting late, give them a call.
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Hywel, In the summer its about a 45 minute drive. The resort is very efficient at keeping the roads clear.... snow is not forecast but even so practise getting those chains on, there are several well laid out chainage areas on the way up Toofy Grin
Keep your on eye on this forecast for Bourg St Maurice as it is only a little further along the valley floor from Aime.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/FRXX0142?par=OAP&site=COLDH&code=null
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Thanks. We're staying in Residence le Centaure in Belle Plagne - I'm going to give them a call tomorrow to see if they've got a night porter or similar in case we do turn up late. I've practiced putting chains on my sister's Mini - in broad daylight on a sunny day - may be a different kettle of fish putting them on an MPV on a cold dark night Crying or Very sad
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Hywel, we've stayed in the Centaure, but I believe it has been refurbished since we were there.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Hywel,

Horrible finish to the journey if comng from the UK and it is indeed windy and steep but the road is well kept IMV. I can quite well believe 45mins.... Shocked

Calais to Rheims is easily achievable in 2hrs...or maybe a smidgeon over. I've done it many many times. You might want to take it slower for your own reasons but you can achieve it easily enough at around 85mph, about 5 mph over the limit.
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cmyers_uk wrote:
Hi,

Thank you all for the information. I will check the time Im allowed to arrive


Surely the answer to that is 'when are the lifts open'

several times I've done the friday night run to the french alps, either stopping en-route nr lyons or blasting all the way thru and kipping in the car...saturday brekkie in resort, sort out the lift pass and hire kit, car park change, chuck your junk in the trunk and hit the mountain for a few hours..long lunch up the hill, then cruise back to hotel/aprtment/chalet whatever in the arvo with a vin chaud on the way down and your job done.

enjoy but don't get to fixated on times..you're on holilday..
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JT wrote:
Hywel,



Calais to Rheims is easily achievable in 2hrs...or maybe a smidgeon over. I've done it many many times. You might want to take it slower for your own reasons but you can achieve it easily enough at around 85mph, about 5 mph over the limit.


Thank you JT, likewise, each year, over a period of 14 consecutive years.
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snowbunny, JT, Just don't go on past the Radar check at Laon at 120 like Lewis Hamilton did at the weekend Laughing
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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.
boredsurfin,

It is the train for me this year... putting my feet up in 1st class...... wink

But we don't gun it like we used, now.....too tiring and go through fuel, but 85mph average or keep up with the traffic makes the trip easily doable in under 8 hrs. where you lose the time is around Macon onwards.... getting through Albertville and basically heading upwards.

Chamonix is a doodle as it is 1hr max from GVA and the road is good ( and fast ) all the way up.

I hate making good time all the way down just to bleed it on the foothills...!!!! Laughing
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
bertie bassett, but they won't be able to get into their apartment at that time. Hywel Reception used to be open at the Centaure until 8pm. After that you could collect your k
key (if you arranged it in advance) from the Hotel Eldorador (RIP Sad ). but this arrangement probably no longer exists, as the hotel is now a Mercure or Novotel.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Helen Beaumont, I've rung up today and was told that it should be OK so long as I inform them of my late arrival in advance - so fingers crossed because we wont be there much before 11.00pm rolling eyes
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Hywel, great. Have a good trip.
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