Half way to Troyes from Calais
Discussion
I know it gets asked a bit but I have some extra requirements in my question .
Sister and Husband over from Australia in a few weeks and we have been asked to take them to France for a few days . Wife and I go a lot just back yesterday as it happens and we know we will head to Troyes for a few nights as we know the Hotel ,parking , places to eat and sites to see its perfect , and we think a lovely city . Plus we can do a train to Paris for the day if the Australians are up for it .
So its two 70 year old Australians with mobility but cant walk all day . Troyes is flat and French . Quite touristy .
I cant walk all day either but my wife and I are ten years younger
I want to take a morning train and stop off half way rather than doing the full slog down , albeit its only 4 hours French side . I want to break it up on the way there .
May I have suggestions please French , flat , interesting easy walking easy to find evening meal. Accommodation with lift and parking near or on site . French gem half way to Troyes . Flash not necessary , we stay mid rate hotels 3/4 star usually and have the Troyes one set .
I mentioned we go a lot to France and have tried a good few towns, cites and not yet found the place so seeking recommendations .
Thank you .
Sister and Husband over from Australia in a few weeks and we have been asked to take them to France for a few days . Wife and I go a lot just back yesterday as it happens and we know we will head to Troyes for a few nights as we know the Hotel ,parking , places to eat and sites to see its perfect , and we think a lovely city . Plus we can do a train to Paris for the day if the Australians are up for it .
So its two 70 year old Australians with mobility but cant walk all day . Troyes is flat and French . Quite touristy .
I cant walk all day either but my wife and I are ten years younger
I want to take a morning train and stop off half way rather than doing the full slog down , albeit its only 4 hours French side . I want to break it up on the way there .
May I have suggestions please French , flat , interesting easy walking easy to find evening meal. Accommodation with lift and parking near or on site . French gem half way to Troyes . Flash not necessary , we stay mid rate hotels 3/4 star usually and have the Troyes one set .
I mentioned we go a lot to France and have tried a good few towns, cites and not yet found the place so seeking recommendations .
Thank you .
Edited by cliffords on Thursday 30th April 13:16
Personally I would do 140km Calais to Amiens (cathedral, canals, good restaurants, etc) then 260km the next day to Troyes. Or 270km to Reims (bigger/better than Amiens) and the 130km to Troyes the following day. I’ve stayed in Saint-Quentin (driving from Geneva to London), which is almost exactly half way, and wouldn’t do so again.
albrighton said:
Which ferry will you get? If St Malo, Tours is sort of half way and is really recommend it. Chambourd just outside is spectacular. If Calais then Reims has some pretty churches.
Half way Calais to Troyes. The Eurotunnel.We went through Reims yesterday, but did not see the good bit . It actually looked a bit grim even in the sunshine. We were on our way to Laon that has a perfect bit on the top of a hill but it's all on hills unfortunately.
However thank you for the suggestion.
Edited by cliffords on Friday 24th April 18:07
Rob 131 Sport said:
NDA said:
If you swung west rather than south, then Honfleur is within 2.5 hours of the tunnel. Some great hotels, flat around the harbour area and some excellent restaurants too.
Definitely head West from Calais if you don t want to drive too far. It's 4 hours broadly south from Calais to Troyes via the Autoroute. I want to drive about half of that distance before an overnight stop , see criteria in my original post .
I don't want to go West of Calais , I will be going South to Troyes.
WyrleyD said:
You could try Compiegne, nice little town and the Alfreds Hotel is supposed to be good, not tried that one as we always stay at the Mercure which is a little out of the town in the business area.
Thank you that's a good suggestion . We were there on Tuesday. It's a pleasant enough town not really wow . The Hotel is good . Certainly our type of place .We have not discounted just looking for new options.
Thanks for the suggestion it does meet the brief.
Michael_B mentioned considering going via Amiens instead which I would consider too. Could even have lunch in Le Touquet as well to break up the journey even more if you wanted. It would be 3h on day two to Troyes though would that be too long? Could stop in Riems or many other Champagne region towns for lunch again to break up the trip?
Screenwash said:
Sounds like some posters have no idea where Troyes is?!! Chartres?!?!?
How about Epernay, OP? Home of champagne.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/10000+Troyes,+France/@48.3152816,2.8250656,9z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x47ee9857e787b7b1:0x57dd125566e84f75!8m2!3d48.2975056!4d4.0746921!16zL20vMHBzMHI?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQyMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3DHow about Epernay, OP? Home of champagne.
Troyes on the right, Chartres on the left, both south of Paris.
Seems perfectly reasonable to me!?!?
ferret50 said:
Screenwash said:
Sounds like some posters have no idea where Troyes is?!! Chartres?!?!?
How about Epernay, OP? Home of champagne.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/10000+Troyes,+France/@48.3152816,2.8250656,9z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x47ee9857e787b7b1:0x57dd125566e84f75!8m2!3d48.2975056!4d4.0746921!16zL20vMHBzMHI?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQyMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3DHow about Epernay, OP? Home of champagne.
Troyes on the right, Chartres on the left, both south of Paris.
Seems perfectly reasonable to me!?!?
I would have suggested Rheims - I've stayed in Laon but not wandered the town.
Unless they are complete non-drinkers Reims would be an obvious one. Reasonably flat (from memory) and a Champage house tour has to be on the French tourist bingo card.
The other option, if you want something a little less touristy would be Saint-Quentin. Built on a hill but the heart of the town, around the Mairie is on the top so provided you get a central hotel it's quite flat and loads of restaurants.
The other option, if you want something a little less touristy would be Saint-Quentin. Built on a hill but the heart of the town, around the Mairie is on the top so provided you get a central hotel it's quite flat and loads of restaurants.
I'm doing Reims on the way to the Alps in the summer but don't really have much intention of seeing any sights, just stopping off for an evening meal (seems to be plenty of options) and a bed for the night before getting away after brekkie the day after. Read some good things about the town centre though - looking forward to a bit of a mooch about on the evening we're there.
Have you/they been to the Champagne region at all?
What about heading to the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay? The cellar tours might not work if limited mobility but think some may have lift access. Even if you stay above ground there are plenty of other things to explore. Obviously helps if you enjoy or are interested in Champagne or at least the history.
Stop here https://royalchampagne.com/fr/ for lunch or at least a drink on the way. It has incredible views of Champagne. Even if you don’t eat/drink at the hotel there is a viewing area ‘Théâtre des vignes’ with parking.
What about heading to the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay? The cellar tours might not work if limited mobility but think some may have lift access. Even if you stay above ground there are plenty of other things to explore. Obviously helps if you enjoy or are interested in Champagne or at least the history.
Stop here https://royalchampagne.com/fr/ for lunch or at least a drink on the way. It has incredible views of Champagne. Even if you don’t eat/drink at the hotel there is a viewing area ‘Théâtre des vignes’ with parking.
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