 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi folks
Can anyone recommend a decent area to think about stopping for an overnight, whilst travelling to the Alps from Calais?
My mates are driving down with their 9 month old child and didn't want to do the whole journey in one go...
So any advice on villages/hotels etc etc would be really appreciated... I am guessing they would want somewhere pretty much half way down...
Many thx in advance folks...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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AlpineAddict, What country/area you heading for?
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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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If heading for the French Alps you might consider Beaune - the wine capital of Burgundy: historic centre with a number of restaurants.
If you want really cheap they have a Formule1.
Alternatively, look at Alastair Sawdays "Special Places to Stay" . I've never found a dud and we've used their recommendations in several countries. Some are expensive but many just very good B&Bs. (find your area on the map then click on numbers to find names and thumbnails - then click on those for brief reviews and prices. You get longer reviews if you join).
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sun 16-09-12 17:30; edited 5 times in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sorry folks... (Doh)... Heading to Chatel, France
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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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AlpineAddict, can't see the point of stopping. 9 month old will nod off a lot anyway.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If you start very early you can get to the Tarrentaise resorts by tea time. Mind you, you have to keep going, which really means 2 drivers.
However if you want to ski on the day you start home a stop is necessary going back.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sun 16-09-12 17:21; edited 1 time in total
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Bode Swiller, I think it is more a case of they would just like to do it in 2 days and take it easy... They're in no rush at all...
snowball, Thx mate... I imagine, just what they are after
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I suppose this has to do with
(1) When is the crossing time and how much driving has to be done in the UK side
(2) Personal preference of loading one day with more driving than the other.
If one travels say 150 miles in the UK side to the crossing, spends say an hour of resting in the crossing then one should look for a stop not too far away from Lille and before Reims for an overnight stop. This is not like wake up at 7am in Calais and have the whole day driving to the Alps.
In a trip of this nature I find it better to drive more in the first day so as to give myself more float and less pressure in the second day. Thus the shorter distance on the second day is preferred.
Chatel is in French side of PDS so we are effectively driving from Calais to Geneva. It is about 520 mile via Dijon, Besancon, Lausanne & Monthey.
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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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Holiday inn at Dijon is where are stopping this year en route to ste foy. Not glam but looks good for an overnight stop
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| Quote: |
However if you want to ski on the day you start home a stop is necessary going back.
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Why?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Because you need a whole day to drive back.
If you ski a morning (let alone a day) there is no way to get back home the same evening.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Sun 16-09-12 21:27; edited 1 time in total
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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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snowball, I think a lot of people drive overnight.
AlpineAddict, my advice, having done that drive a lot, would be to stay flexible. If the weather is grim, foggy, etc, or the baby very unhappy (lots of 9 month old babies are not good at sleeping in cars - one of my grandchildren was hopeless) they would want to stop sooner rather than later. But if all is well, weather clear, baby fast asleep, how annoying to have to stop rather than get a few more hours down the road?
If they are not travelling at peak times (and who would, with a small baby?) they should have no problem finding somewhere to stay. If you off the autoroute into any of the towns along the way, there are plenty of signs for hotels. If the first one is full, the second probably won't be.
Incidentally, I'd not go through Beaune. It's a lovely place, but not worth a detour to stay in a F1. I'd stay east of the A6 - Reims/Troyes and probably through Pontarlier.
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I would also recommend doing more of the drive (but not all of it) on the first day. On the way down we stop in the Dijon area. On the way back in Reims. We take the A39 from Dijon south (rather than A6).
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You know it makes sense.
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Can you get the car on a train or boat overnight pam w? I assumed you would have to get a ferry/train the next day.
Even if you could, they already said they didn't even want to drive all the way, on the way out, which is actually quite easy by comparison.
There are probably Formule1 at lots of other places you mention. The advantage is that you can arrive at 1am if you want and it doesn't matter.
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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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| Quote: |
Can you get the car on a train or boat overnight pam w?
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I use eurotunnel. they run all night, though less frequently and you can get on the next available one with space, provided it's not more than 24 hours after your booked time. It's OK if it's earlier. Even weeks earlier. I have driven overnight several times, but usually on the way down, as I'm in more of a hurry to get there! But an overnight stop often makes good sense, especially if you have a bit of a drive at the UK end to get to the crossing point. Driving overnight can be a problem if people don't realise they might not have access to their accommodation till fairly late in the day. OK for well prepared adults, who can just change quickly and dump the car in a car park. Not so easy with kids.
Most of the cheap hotel chains will have a means of getting in if you arrive after the reception is closed - and you can also check quickly, at the terminal outside, whether there are rooms available. The areas with those cheap overnight hotels are generally out, nearer the motorway, often in very boring commercial areas, absolutely devoid of charm but if it's a quick overnight, who cares? Going into city centres is more entertaining, if you are stopping early, and hotels are always clearly signposted, on small brown signs which also indicate the number of stars. I always go for 2 stars. 3 can get pricey!
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Poster: A snowHead
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If you ski a morning (let alone a day) there is no way to get back home the same evening.
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Ah! I usually just drive overnight
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Oh well, OK, I suppose you could ski all day and then drive all night but I don't think I'm up to that now. I have skied a full day in Scotland and then driven home to London, arriving about 2.30am, but I assume you'd still be a long way from home doing the French thing.
I didn't know Eurotunnel ran through the night. I suppose I never needed to know.
As for Beaune, I admit I haven't done this (headind for the Tarrentaise in my case) for many years and I realise there is now a bit of motorway link-up which means you don't have to go so far East so early. When I did it it was on the quickest route.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 17-09-12 12:09; edited 2 times in total
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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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The French motorways are so much easier to drive than those in the UK. We think of 3/4 of the distance is in France, but 3/4 of the effort and hassle is in England
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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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We've done Colchester to Chatel more times than I care to remember, summer and winter and tried most of the combinations including driving all night and most of the route choices.
The usual winter routine now is an afternoon start as soon as school finishes on the Friday and down to Dover (more often Folkestone for the tunnel actually) and an overnight stop on Friday night then finish the journey on Saturday by early afternoon.
I am absolutely convinced that the best route is Calais - Reims - Troyes - Besancon (either on the motorway via Dijon/Dole or via the RN south of Langres then via Gray if you fancy a break from the motorway and to save a few quid on tolls) - Pontarlier - Lausanne - Monthey and over the Pas de Morgins to Chatel. Real world timings assuming a sensible cruising speed on the motorway (75 mph / 120 kph) are approximately 2.5h Calais-Reims, 3h Reims-Besancon (3.5h via Gray) and 2.5h Besancon-Chatel making it 8 hours driving plus stops. Someone will be along shortly to tell you how it can be done in 6 hours - believe them not! Of course the weather can make a huge difference.
It then depends on how far into France you are prepared to travel on day one. If you have had a long journey in the UK or are starting late then around Reims is ideal with all the usual suspects (the whole Accor range, Campanile, Premiere Classe etc etc) close to the motorway at Tinqueux just after where the new bypass starts. If you can manage to stretch it an hour longer and get to Troyes there is a Novotel at Troyes Barberey which is worth a go if you want more luxury/space than a Formula 1. This also makes a difference on day two as you will then have around 5 hours to go.
If you manage to get a reasonably early start (i.e. have a day off on the Friday I would suggest Besancon. You have virtually cracked the journey by then and day two is a really nice drive through the Jura, around Lac Leman and over the pass to Chatel. The Ibis Besancon La City has a secure underground car park and is 10 minutes walk from the centre, the rooms are pretty good and there is often an internet booking offer at around Euro 50ish. The other great thing about Besancon is a really superb bakers just after you come through the tunnel but before the arch leading you up the hill (I think the new road bypasses this).
The whole of France is of course full of small independent hotels which have a lot more "character" but they vary wildly and if you are much off your planned route it is amazing how quickly you end up adding an extra hour or two.
A thought on ferry/tunnel choice. The tunnel is no quicker than the ferry at peak times as there is always a delay of some kind and the parking area near the terminal becomes a real zoo. It does however have two big advantages with a 9 month old. Firstly if they are asleep you don't have to wake them up and cart them onto the passenger decks of the boat - they just stay asleep in the car. Secondly not all babies take well to being on a boat - one of ours was fine but the other one always chundered, usually all over mum! If you are off peak the tunnel usually runs pretty well and can save you around an hour on the ferry.
Hope you enjoy Chatel it will be our 23rd season this winter.
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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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DJL - Sadly there is no longer a Novotel at Troyes. I started a separate thread on the subject as we booked Novotel Troyes this summer and they sold it to Golden Tulip hotels without telling people who had booked. After several phone calls we managed to change our booking to Novotel Dijon Sud at the last minute. The Dijon Sud Novotel is fine but is a bit of a detour from the A39.
Alpine Addict - I would recommend going by train (Eurostar day ski train) with a nine month old baby, rather than driving. Waits for 10 people to post saying how much their babies enjoyed sitting in a car seat for long journeys to the alps!! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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snowymum, We haven't used that one for a little while after the kids got too big to fit in the room - two Novotel rooms is a bit pricy. A pity as I seem to recall it is a bit of a desert between Reims and Dijon for some reason.
I wouldn't rate the skitrain for Chatel as I dont think it gets anywhere close
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DJL - Whoops - sorry I hadn't noticed that it was Chatel they were going to. You are correct that Eurostar ski train would not be convenient for the resort.
It would certainly be nice if they built a Novotel or similar around Dole. We are struggling to find a suitable stop on the A39 for our next trip. Will probably end up at Dijon Sud again! There seem to be lots of hotels down the A6 but we aren't keen to go that way.
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Chalons-sur-Marne is a good bet for a more northerly stop off; it is in the Champagne area and is about 3 1/2 hours from Calais. It is a nicer town than Reims, with a few cheap Accor hotels (well, at least one), I think we stayed at an Ibis there. We stopped of in Reims once and never again, the place is dreary and in some places quite threatening - we stayed at an Ibis near the train station there which I would absolutely avoid at all costs.
I think Troyes has already been mentioned, that's a really nice town, about 4 1/2 hours from Calais I think, so roughly half way to Chatel. I've never actually stayed there en route to the Alps, but I've been there on a short break. I think the only reason I've not stayed there is that if we drive down we tend to leave late from the UK after work and just about make it to Chalons, and on the way back we leave in the morning so it's a bit too close to the Alps for a night stop. Nice place though.
Much as I love skiing, and in particular in Austria, I do enjoy the drive down to the French Alps, there are so many good places to stop I wouldn't do it in one go anymore. We tend use the Routard and try to find places that are more interesting that the Ibis type hotels; however for cheap(ish) overnight stops the Ibis do the job.
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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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I agree with just about everything DJL says, our journey is the same as his barring the last 20 minutes. I generally reckon on 10 hours from Calais. including a couple of stops for fuel and food, driving at the limit where possible and remembering that the limit is lower in rain/snow (not for French people obviously, they just drive faster.)
When stopping overnight we usually stop at Tinqueux on the edge of Reims, as David says, there is a whole clutch of motels there. If they want to go further then Troyes or Besancon are good too.
I also agree with the route - whatever you might think, it is NOT QUICKER to go via Geneva. However your friends will need to buy a Swiss motorway vignette, for 40 Swiss francs, which they can do at the border. If they object to that, they need to plot a route through France, but it will take a lot longer (or they can risk it without one, but I wouldn't - Swiss police have very little sense of humour).
The vignette has another drawback in that people queuing to buy one cause long queues at the border between Pontarlier and Lausanne. You can buy one in advance over the web, but even if you do, you won't avoid most of the queue, as it is a single carriageway road and it only splits into two lanes about 200m before the border. Because of that, it may be better to stay at Besancon so they arrive earlier at the border.
More recently, as the kids are older, and as we have our own place, we tend to do it one day - tunnel at about 11am, pop out in Calais at 1 local time, arrive about 11pm. THe disadvantage of that is all the shops are closed when you arrive.
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Sanman's right about the vignette. The queue at Vallorbe can be really bad. There is a way round it but it involves steep narrow roads branching off the main road at Jougne - we only found it by accident when there was a diversion for road repairs one summer. If it was a snowy winter or you were on summer tyres I wouldn't fancy it much.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Having done similar journeys with young kids, my general comments would be as below, apologies if this repeats some of the above:
1. Take 2 days if you can - with a 9 month old you're not getting enough sleep as it is, don't risk driving through night
2. We actually stopped more with young ones due to requirements to change nappies, bottles, feeds ets. now kids can jsut eat in the car
3. Agree tunnel can hve delays but would never do a ferry and risk rough weather and carrying prams etc around
4. Have a look on Logis de France site, there are loads of family friendly hotels and are reasonably priced.
5. Take ear plugs as your little one may like 18 hours of 'the wheels on the bus' you won't
6. We always got to Nuits St George as overnight stop on way there - now get closer to Lyon
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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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AlpineAddict, what are your travel dates?
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I stayed here... http://www.le-val-moret.com/ in the summer on the way to Alpe D'Huez, on the recommendation of a mate who uses it on the way south for ski trips. Very convenient for the motorway, good accomodation and great food... but not the cheapest. Then again it's a holiday so why not eat well?
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You know it makes sense.
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Is there a rough time that the border crossing at Vallorbe starts to get really busy?
We drive to Morgins every year, but after getting lost on back roads trying to cut across country one time and then another year sitting in traffic at the Vallorbe crossing for hours, we now stick to the motorways going via Geneva. This is about 70m further and more tolls, but seems quicker as there aren't normally any hold ups and we sit at about 85 on the motorway. I though I might give Vallorbe route a go again after an overnight stop at Besancon and then arrive a bit earlier.
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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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adithorp, that is a fantastic hotel and great food - we sometimes stop there on the way back from skiing if we want to treat ourselves. Little too close to Calais on way out for us, is 4 hours I reckon.
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Poster: A snowHead
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There's a great French hotel chain called B&B (http://www.hotel-bb.com/reservation-hotel/lang/en/home) which are cheap and cheerful, located close to motorway junctions, usually have a shopping park nearby with restaurants and serve a great continental breakfast for about 5 Euros!
We use them as often as possible when we go from the UK to La Tzoumaz. We usually stay in Besancon on the way down and the St Quentin on the return leg.
Good family sized rooms (double plus two single beds) are available as well as free WiFi and out of hours check in service.
Never had a bad night's stay...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Chateu Etoges near Reims is fantastic, not overly pricy but top quality, go for dinner too which is superb in the michillin starred restaurant.
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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: |
Is there a rough time that the border crossing at Vallorbe starts to get really busy?
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mac, I would say, from 10am onwards from experience, although its going to depend on the time of year, and the weather. The earlier you can get there, the better.
It's clear in the evening but the border post closes at 8pm (the office, not the border itself) so you won't be able to buy a vignette after that, although they sell them in filling stations and the like.
Even after that you may encounter border agents parked up in a car, which I have posted about before, so any illicit bacon you might have hidden down in your spare wheel well (for example ) is never truly safe
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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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Forgot to say that it'll be the half term week. Nice and quiet then...
We did it a few years ago when we had the chance to go twice inside of 4 weeks. The first crossing wasn't a problem, but coming back a few weeks later for the half term crossing was a nightmare with queues adding a couple of hours. We already had the vignette from the previous visit, but as previously said the road is single lane until the very last bit.
Might just stick to the motorways then.
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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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adithorp, Boris, we stayed at the Val Moret last week - we are over halfway back to Calais from Les Gets by then and now the swimming pool is open I can have a nice relaxing swim before enjoying dinner.
There were a couple of old codgers sitting behind us at breakfast the next morning..... and then they turned up in the club lounge on P&O later that morning.... but when I looked at them, good and hard, I decided that they probably thought we were another pair of old codgers.
If we are literally just wanting something a bit more comfortable than putting heads down for a few hours in a lay-by then Premiere Classe has always been the one for us, but they seem more expensive now and only a bit more for a Campanile. But recently we seem to find that the Val Moret is less than the Campanile - and I think you get a better meal there.
Years ago I did a Formule1 with the kids - my lot would have been impressed with anything in those days, but it worked.
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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 have mainly been using the same B&B chain as Hurdy, I find the beds to be more comfortable than Premiere Classe and usually slightly cheaper.
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| AlpineAddict wrote: |
Hi folks
Can anyone recommend a decent area to think about stopping for an overnight, whilst travelling to the Alps from Calais?
My mates are driving down with their 9 month old child and didn't want to do the whole journey in one go...
So any advice on villages/hotels etc etc would be really appreciated... I am guessing they would want somewhere pretty much half way down...
Many thx in advance folks...
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We have used Chaumont - much nicer than Troyes and about 5hrs from Calais. We stayed in the Hotel De France, a Best Western, in the centre of town, very nice.
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Pamski, "But recently we seem to find that the Val Moret is less than the Campanile - and I think you get a better meal there...."
...and the cheese at breakfast is worth it on it's own.
Boris, Including heading down from Manchester makes it a bit further than 4 hours though.
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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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| Ian Kenvyn wrote: |
| AlpineAddict wrote: |
Hi folks
Can anyone recommend a decent area to think about stopping for an overnight, whilst travelling to the Alps from Calais?
My mates are driving down with their 9 month old child and didn't want to do the whole journey in one go...
So any advice on villages/hotels etc etc would be really appreciated... I am guessing they would want somewhere pretty much half way down...
Many thx in advance folks...
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We have used Chaumont - much nicer than Troyes and about 5hrs from Calais. We stayed in the Hotel De France, a Best Western, in the centre of town, very nice. |
+ 1 for Chaumont.
From a 7am ferry we got there mid afternoon, had a look at the viaduct, wander round town, then a nice meal. All rather civilised.
Also stayed Beaune, Bourg-en-Bresse (were heading further south than Chatel) and Orleans (had a very leisurely explorative drive that time!).
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Hey guys...
Enormous thumbs up for all the advice... Much appreciated... I will pass it all on... Thx again...
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FAQ
