 Poster: A snowHead
|
Evening all,
Next April I'm embarking on my first family self drive ski holiday having taken the plane for many years.
We are leaving Leeds earlyish on a Friday, and have the following chunnel booked:
Folkestone to Calais | Friday 09 April 2010 Departure time 12:20Arrival time 13:55
Can anyone suggest a cheap, place to stop over en route with a room for 2 adults, 2 kids and somewhere to eat? I'm reckoning on 4-5 hours drive from Calais, as I will have already done about 5 hours from Leeds to Folkestone.
Cheers,
Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
What route are you planning?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| midgetbiker wrote: |
| What route are you planning? |
No idea, looking for route suggestions incorporating a sensible overnight stop to be honest!! I am a complete novice at this driving to resorts lark and am hoping to learn some route's from those with experience!!
Cheers,
Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Well it's a bit late (and i think you may have looked at, and dismissed this option) but, my suggestion would have been:
Get on the boat in Hull, overnight on the boat, drive from Rotterdam to Stuben through Holland and Germany in one day. Less driving in total, higher cost of boat offset by shorter drive saving fuel, no tolls in Holland or Germany and no hotel bills.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
midgetbiker, yeh too late!! Last time I looked the Hull ferry was about £600 for a family vs "free" Chunnel on Tesco vouchers.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
kitenski, Going through Belgium into Germany (all free motorways  ) you could stop in one of the wine growing towns such as Bernkastel-Kues (Mosel region) AA Route Planner shows this as 4hrs 20 mins from Calais, or if you want to push a bit further you could stay in one of the wine growing towns on the Rhine (Rudesheim with its famous Drosselgasse is about 5 and 1/2 hours from Calais.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What Alastair Pink, says. Koblenz is just about half way. A61 from Cologne to Mannheim is probably less busy than the A3 via Frankfurt. No idea what traffic is like on the Mannheim-Karlsruhe-Ulm-Bregenz section of that route, but I will be going that way after work tomorrow.
Other route is via Reims-Metz-Strasbourg-Basel-Zurich, but you'll cop French tolls and Swiss Vignette that way, but it's a slightly shorter route I think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
kitenski, generally iro £300 winter, £400 summer.
What tyre sizes do you run, and do you have chains? Got a few pairs in the garage, you never know your luck, you may be able to borrow some (unlikely but worth looking).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| andy wrote: |
| What Alastair Pink, says. |
agreed
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| midgetbiker wrote: |
kitenski, generally iro £300 winter, £400 summer.
What tyre sizes do you run, and do you have chains? Got a few pairs in the garage, you never know your luck, you may be able to borrow some (unlikely but worth looking). |
Just got a quote of £354 Hull-> Rotterdam, it's a lot of miles to make that up! viamichelin says Leeds to Folkestone costs (1 way) 25.61 GBP
Toll 1.50 GBP | Petrol 24.11 GBP. Chunnel is 'free' on Tesco vouchers, say £70 for an overnight stop on the way out, and I reckon it's still a few hundred quid cheaper to go via the Chunnel.
The car is an S-Max, tyre size 215/60 R16, fingers crossed you have something that fits 
regards,
Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
kitenski, Drove to Kaprun in the summer a couple of years ago from Glasgow. On way down drove through night and got ferry at 6am from Dover to Calais then drove to Wurzburg for overnight stop. Would not recommend this route though. On way back we did the Rotterdam Hull crossing and did the drive in one go - much better option. That said I would be tempted to go via Reims as our experience of the German road networks were that they were crammed and had about 2/3 horrendous jams in each direction - maybe we were unlucky, but were driving late June and mid July, so guessing not exactly height of summer season.
There were folk staying in our hotel in Stuben this year from near Strasbourg and I think they said the journey for them was a doddle and only 2/3 hours if my memory serves me right. So whilst the roads will be more expensive in France, I always find them a dream to drive as they're so quiet.
Think the likes of andy, will be better placed to advise you on the German roads but from my experience I would be tempted to stay on the French roads.
PS Had a night out with the ski lads the other night and my borther in law who was in Stuben in April this year reminded me that Strolz www.strolz.at have a massive clearence sale then - probably only brings it down to UK prices but think their own ski boots (which I own and are magic  ) are reduced too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
There seems to be two thoughts on this then,
1. through France to Basel, then through Switzerland via Zurich
advantages: quieter roads
disadvantages: more costly
2. across to Belgium and down through Germany,
advantages: busier roads
disadvantages: very few tolls
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| kitenski wrote: |
| midgetbiker wrote: |
kitenski, generally iro £300 winter, £400 summer.
What tyre sizes do you run, and do you have chains? Got a few pairs in the garage, you never know your luck, you may be able to borrow some (unlikely but worth looking). |
Just got a quote of £354 Hull-> Rotterdam, it's a lot of miles to make that up! viamichelin says Leeds to Folkestone costs (1 way) 25.61 GBP
Toll 1.50 GBP | Petrol 24.11 GBP. Chunnel is 'free' on Tesco vouchers, say £70 for an overnight stop on the way out, and I reckon it's still a few hundred quid cheaper to go via the Chunnel.
The car is an S-Max, tyre size 215/60 R16, fingers crossed you have something that fits
regards,
Greg |
That's return ferry price though is it not? you need to x2 your other prices.
The beauty of the ferry is that it saves the trip from Leeds to Dover which could be horrible either way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| kitenski wrote: |
There seems to be two thoughts on this then,
1. through France to Basel, then through Switzerland via Zurich
advantages: quieter roads
disadvantages: more costly
2. across to Belgium and down through Germany,
advantages: busier roads
disadvantages: very few tolls |
1.The Swiss motorway system wasn't exactly traffic-free last time I used it. £25 for the privilege too. Jams and slow traffic around Basel, on the A1 near Olten and heavy traffic around Bern as well as between Lausanne and Geneva. I'm guessing Zurich could be similar too.
2.Cheap fuel in Luxembourg, no tolls except the Austrian 10-day sticker €8 (even the Calais-Dunkerque-Lille section is free).
I'd be tempted to do Calais-Dunkerque-Lille-Tournai-Mons-Namur-Luxembourg-Saarlouis-Zweibrucken-Pirmasens-Landau-Karlsruhe-Stuttgart-Ulm-Bregenz-Stuben.
You could stop somewhere in the Saarland as that would be about halfway from Calais i.e 4-5hrs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Boppard, right on the Rhine. Great food, great wine, 10 mins off the Autobahn.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| kitenski wrote: |
advantages: busier roads
disadvantages: very few tolls |
that's a strange way of looking at it but i quess if you like paying tolls and sitting in traffic
I'm going down to my storage garage this morning to pull out the winter wheels/tyres so I'll look at the old chains then, but i get the feeling they will all be too big.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
The car is an S-Max, tyre size 215/60 R16, fingers crossed you have something that fits
|
Right, I've got nothing that fits in my old pairs but the set my wife carries in her car should most likely do the trick. I bought them for a 5 series that ran 16" wheels, used them in anger (got us out of a ditch) on an A6 that had 16" wheels but with a tyre size 1 increment smaller than the fitment chart on the box and now use them for a 5 series on 17" wheels that has tyre sizes 1 increment larger than the fitment chart on the box (having tried them on and they were fine). The fitment chart on the box includes 215/55-16 & 205/60-16 so the chains will fit your S-Max as well as they do my wife's current 5 series (the radius of the combined wheel/tyre [x2] & tyre width on your car is 873mm and on my wifes 872mm).
I'll want to leave them in my wifes car Jan/Feb/March but if you want to borrow them over Easter hols it's no problem as we're off to Chamonix for two weeks in the other car (and there is no real chance of needing them in the UK in April anyway). If you're interested I'll fit them to my wife's car again to make sure I'm 100% happy with the fit. They're Klack & Go self adjusting chains with small links for tight arch clearences (in other words the mutts nuts). It would save you buying chains for your first driving holiday, as it doesn't suit everyone and it may be your last!
Let me know.
Carl
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Hi
Be careful in Germany, not many hotels quote to include for children as well the best bet we found are the newer Holiday Expresses at the big airports, (all just off the autobahn) about 55euro including breakfast, last year we used the one at Frankfurt and will be using the one at Munchen airport on Friday night on route to Obergurgl. We are also 4 -5 hours from Dover (Herefordshire) so have decided to travel down Thursday pm stay @HI Exprss by the tunnel and be on early tunnel Friday giving a full day to get to munchen then an easy drive on Sat for a sensible arrival time. Planning to go via Luxembourg to refil the rather thirsty Discovery 3 as cheaply as possible.
Cheers
Mark
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Hi carl, that sounds great, thanks alot! Btw don't suppose you were in the red lion Shadwell friday night? I overheard 2 guys talking skiing & mentioning high society skis, which aren't your average punters make!
Cheers,
greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Twas I +1, first time I've been in that pub in 25 years (and that does mean I was underage the last time I visited). A quick bevvie on the way back from a full day course on marketing using LinkedIn & Twitter, it's all very new to me (and something of a black art), how does it work out for you with the mobile applications/iphone accessories etc? I'ld be interested in any feedback on the whole social media as a marketing tool thing, it 'feels' like a good punt for the IT Training business (but as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike for the construction trades, although that may change in the future).
I'll check the chains on the wifes car this week (when I fit the snow tyres to mine) and let you know when I'm 100% they'll fit yours.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
midgetbiker, small world eh! I was the guy who turned up with better half and 2 kids in tow...
Linked in/twitter, probably best discussed over a pint of Landlord if your in the area again
For my pocketpc website I started posting to twitter at the end of june, I now have 34 followers, without really doing anything to promote the fact I'm using twitter or not. What I can't say is would those 34 folk found my site without twitter? More and more big companies are using it to provide realtime customer support/feedback, which needs dedicated staff 24x7.
http://twitter.com/pocketpcsoft
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
just drove the section from Karlsruhe via Pforzheim, Stuttgart, Ulm, Memmingen, Bregenz, and on past Stuben etc.
the bit around Pforzheim is 2 lane and hilly - stay in fast lane, else you'll never pull out past trucks. From Ulm to Voralrberg... foot down... cruise at 140-160kph no problem (until Austria, which I think is 120)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bumping up again, last year we drove thru France/Luxembourg, avoiding the peages and stopped off in REYMING-MERLEBACH, but coming back we went straight up thru Germany, Holland and Belgium.
So we are going again on Friday 8th April, lunchtime Tunnel crossing, going to go the direct route through Belgium, so looking back stop off suggestions appear to be the ones from Alastair
| Quote: |
| wine growing towns such as Bernkastel-Kues (Mosel region) AA Route Planner shows this as 4hrs 20 mins from Calais, or if you want to push a bit further you could stay in one of the wine growing towns on the Rhine (Rudesheim with its famous Drosselgasse is about 5 and 1/2 hours from Calais.) |
Can anyone suggest specific hotels 5ish hours from Calais??? Last year we paid about 50 euro for the room and about the same again for pizzas and a few beers for 4 within about a 10min walk, so looking for something similiar...
This is the route viamicheln suggests
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
I do the drive from Harrogate to St Anton and have got the driving sussed I reckon, hope the following helps...............
If going after work on a Friday we go Hull - Rotterdam, sleep overnight on ferry, arrives 9am in Holland and then straight down the Rhine, arrive Stuben about 4pm latest, winter tyres absolute must.
Or leave home 7pm Friday night after traffic dies down, A1M, M11, M25, M20 and stay at Premier Inn Ashford (Lenny Henry £29 room deal), no breakfast at hotel straight onto Eurotunnel 6am Xing and sandwiches on tunnel, then straight across France to Liege, then Belgium to Aachen then Koln, down West side of Rhine, Stuttgart or Wurzburg depending on traffic then Kempten and Bregenz, then up main Austria Innsbruck motorway towards Arlberg. Come off before tunnel and over pass, winter tyres an absolute must again, and be sure to buy a Vignette at border.
On way back leave 3pm on Saturday after days skiing and get as far as Val Fayt near Liege in Belgium, arrive about 10pm (see bookings.com smart boutique hotel) 2 hours from tunnel at Folkstone, decent meal and overnight then up and on 9.30am tunnel and back home for 2pm.
Simples!! Dont forget your Red Bull!! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Markymark29, neither appeal, as we have 2 kids with us!!
What we did last year and will do the same this, is leave Leeds 6amish, midday tunnel, 4/5 hours drive in Europe, stopover then onto Stuben the next day.
On the way home, leave Stuben pre 6am, get late afternoon tunnel, home in Leeds about 10pm.
Hence the request for a stopover 4/5 hours into the European leg!
Winter tyres not a must in April!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Probably talking Cologne/Bonn I reckon. Frankfurt area would be another 2 hours on top, and there's not really anything in between. Must be an Ibis/Etap or BB hotel type thing somewhere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Sorry missed that small detail!
Darmstadt a good place to break journey (maybe Maritim Rhein-Main Hotel, see bookings.com), near A5 on route to Heilbronn and Stuttgart, or maybe Ulm if you want to get further down Germany, also another great place is Martinspark Hotel at Dornbirn, just into Austria near Bregenz if you can get right down within striking distance of Stuben then straight onto the slopes in the morning, leave car outside Hotel Post and up Albona! I have to say looking at your timings you could push on to Dornbirn maybe, the roads should be clear and you'll avoid Stuttgart rush hour Friday evening, arriving Dornbirn 8pm, worth considering I think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last time Mrs Gordy + I did it we stopped the night in Strasbourg. We were in St Anton by midday - it's a lovely drive down alongside Bodensee/Lake Constance and the road to Strasbourg is really good - paid for by you and me to get Eurocrats to/from Brussels every month.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Quote: |
Darmstadt a good place to break journey
|
Rhein-Main/Maritim (edit: and Konferenz/Maritim), Ibis, Etap are all within 5 mins drive of the A5. Also a new BB hotel which they've just about finished building (surely it'll be open by April). All of these are on the main road from autobahn to center.
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Fri 15-10-10 15:34; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Markymark29, Maritim Rhein-Main says only 3 in a room
andy, same problem for Ibis & etap, only allows 1 child per room??
Etap also says each offering accommodation for up to two adults and one child under the age of 12
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
kitenski, Hotel B&B tend to have family rooms for 4. They have several places in Germany now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Strange.......wouldnt rule out changing your Chunnel crossing to breakfast time (FOC to change booking) and battering down in one hit from Folkstone and staying at Premier Inn Ashford (doubles have a spare put-u-up bed in room for £29) fill up at Tesco Ashford and drive straight through to Stuben.................or being cynical are the German hotels really going to know you have 2 children rather than 1, You'll be out of there PDQ in the morning, maybe go for a no-breakfast option (to avoid being spotted with 2nd child by the secret hotel police) and stop for breakfast at the A-Bahn services for breakfast (good quality), and a 60 cent WC stop!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
it's 70 cent now. make sure you've got a stack of 50c and 20c coins. no change given - just a 50cent voucher to spend.
some autobahn service have hotel. only one I know is not on your route though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Thats inflation for you, no wonder all the coach trips people are lurking in the bushes - 50 pairs of eyes peering at you from the undergrowth as you get out of your car! Think I'm joking, check it out.....!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
On a seious note - if you are stopping on-route at a hotel suggest make sure you take skis and any valuable into the room, or park under your window if you have a roof-box if possible, you never know and with GB plates those bad-a**es know your carrying some goodies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Markymark29, the B&B hotels have a locking gate, and I think we left skis inside the car last time.....
Colin B, great, B&B Hotel Mainz booked 69 Euro for a family of 4
Now to find a decent pizza place close by (preferably walkeable so I can have a beer or 2....)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
