French road trip - your input would be appreciated
Discussion
Hi
I spent a good deal of time yesterday going through my previous posts on this topic and doing some PH searches for info and have come up with the following suggested itinerary for our French trip later this year. Quite a number of the places on this route are thanks to the power of PH and you guys - so thanks for that
To those with some knowledge of this area/towns/route, I would be greatly obliged if you could have a look and see what you think. In an ideal world I would like to try and fit another 2 night stop in somewhere. My wife has MS so gets tired even on roadtrips so we like to do a couple of single nght stops followed by a 2 night stop if possible. I am struggling to see where else I can do this if I follow this route.
I could do with some input as to the feasibility of this trip and my timings which are lifetd from AA Autoroute. The timings do not necessarily take into account the exact roads I will travel on at this stage.
Day 1 - Overnight in Canterbury prior to Le Chunnel
Day 2 - Overnight in Beaune (approx 6h 20m from Calais, via Reims...avoiding Paris!)
Day 3 & 4 - Overnight in Castellane (Gorges du Verdon; Route Napoleon; visits to the south coast etc) - approx 5h 45m from Beaune
Day 5 & 6 - Overnight in Briancon (N902 Route des Grande Alpes) - approx 4h 30m from Menton
Day 7 - Overnight in Val D'Isere (more Route des Grande Alpes) - approx 2h 25m from Briancon
Day 8 & 9 - Overnight in Annecy (more Route des Grand Alpes) - approx 2h from Val D'Isere
Day 10 - Overnight in Gerardmer (via Switzerland) - approx 5h from Annecy
Day 11 - Overnight near Bethune - approx 6h from Gerardmer
Day 12 - Home via the tunnel
Apart from the last night, I would also welcome some suggestions on where to stay as well. We will need a central hotel with safe parking and with bars/restaurants close walkable) by.
TIA
Graham
Edited to amend itinerary taking out Menton and adding an extra night elsewhere
I spent a good deal of time yesterday going through my previous posts on this topic and doing some PH searches for info and have come up with the following suggested itinerary for our French trip later this year. Quite a number of the places on this route are thanks to the power of PH and you guys - so thanks for that
To those with some knowledge of this area/towns/route, I would be greatly obliged if you could have a look and see what you think. In an ideal world I would like to try and fit another 2 night stop in somewhere. My wife has MS so gets tired even on roadtrips so we like to do a couple of single nght stops followed by a 2 night stop if possible. I am struggling to see where else I can do this if I follow this route.
I could do with some input as to the feasibility of this trip and my timings which are lifetd from AA Autoroute. The timings do not necessarily take into account the exact roads I will travel on at this stage.
Day 1 - Overnight in Canterbury prior to Le Chunnel
Day 2 - Overnight in Beaune (approx 6h 20m from Calais, via Reims...avoiding Paris!)
Day 3 & 4 - Overnight in Castellane (Gorges du Verdon; Route Napoleon; visits to the south coast etc) - approx 5h 45m from Beaune
Day 5 & 6 - Overnight in Briancon (N902 Route des Grande Alpes) - approx 4h 30m from Menton
Day 7 - Overnight in Val D'Isere (more Route des Grande Alpes) - approx 2h 25m from Briancon
Day 8 & 9 - Overnight in Annecy (more Route des Grand Alpes) - approx 2h from Val D'Isere
Day 10 - Overnight in Gerardmer (via Switzerland) - approx 5h from Annecy
Day 11 - Overnight near Bethune - approx 6h from Gerardmer
Day 12 - Home via the tunnel
Apart from the last night, I would also welcome some suggestions on where to stay as well. We will need a central hotel with safe parking and with bars/restaurants close walkable) by.
TIA
Graham
Edited to amend itinerary taking out Menton and adding an extra night elsewhere
Edited by oblio on Friday 13th January 14:24
Those are some long days in there - I usually reckon on 4 hours max if I want to do something at the other end and not feel like crap.
From where you are (profile says Cotswolds) I reckon you might be better off going down to Portsmouth on the first day, and then catching the slow ferry to Caen if it's running when you want to go. Since you want to overnight before getting to France I figure you may as well be travelling while you sleep. Plus it means avoiding the awful slog down the A6.
It's about a 4 hour drive from there to Orleans if you avoid Paris, and it's supposed to be lovely. From there down to Lyon, and then back onto your schedule at Castellane. It loses one of the rest days, but with Menton only two hours away that looks to be the shortest day of the trip.
From where you are (profile says Cotswolds) I reckon you might be better off going down to Portsmouth on the first day, and then catching the slow ferry to Caen if it's running when you want to go. Since you want to overnight before getting to France I figure you may as well be travelling while you sleep. Plus it means avoiding the awful slog down the A6.
It's about a 4 hour drive from there to Orleans if you avoid Paris, and it's supposed to be lovely. From there down to Lyon, and then back onto your schedule at Castellane. It loses one of the rest days, but with Menton only two hours away that looks to be the shortest day of the trip.
davepoth said:
Those are some long days in there - I usually reckon on 4 hours max if I want to do something at the other end and not feel like crap.
From where you are (profile says Cotswolds) I reckon you might be better off going down to Portsmouth on the first day, and then catching the slow ferry to Caen if it's running when you want to go. Since you want to overnight before getting to France I figure you may as well be travelling while you sleep. Plus it means avoiding the awful slog down the A6.
It's about a 4 hour drive from there to Orleans if you avoid Paris, and it's supposed to be lovely. From there down to Lyon, and then back onto your schedule at Castellane. It loses one of the rest days, but with Menton only two hours away that looks to be the shortest day of the trip.
Wife is not a fan of ferries - From where you are (profile says Cotswolds) I reckon you might be better off going down to Portsmouth on the first day, and then catching the slow ferry to Caen if it's running when you want to go. Since you want to overnight before getting to France I figure you may as well be travelling while you sleep. Plus it means avoiding the awful slog down the A6.
It's about a 4 hour drive from there to Orleans if you avoid Paris, and it's supposed to be lovely. From there down to Lyon, and then back onto your schedule at Castellane. It loses one of the rest days, but with Menton only two hours away that looks to be the shortest day of the trip.
Mike - have PM's you
Get yourself a Telepeage toll tag. Makes driving on the autoroute 5,000 per cent easier
https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/
https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/
In the Burgundy area we use the Hotel Le Cedre in Beaune. Has a fabulous restaurant tho very expensive. Lovely town with plenty of choice of other eateries. Underground car park. Don't have breakfast there tho, stupidly pricey and not good enough. Head down the town for coffee and pastries, far nicer.
Stephanie Plum said:
In the Burgundy area we use the Hotel Le Cedre in Beaune. Has a fabulous restaurant tho very expensive. Lovely town with plenty of choice of other eateries. Underground car park. Don't have breakfast there tho, stupidly pricey and not good enough. Head down the town for coffee and pastries, far nicer.
Thanks for this - I will do some researchAnyone else got any hotel recommendations based on my itinerary above?
cheers
audidoody said:
Get yourself a Telepeage toll tag. Makes driving on the autoroute 5,000 per cent easier
https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/
this +1, and then +1 again.https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/
Cant tell you how easy it makes French driving
I agree with all the nice posts, particularly about Annecy, except that I'm happier than one poster with lim driving days. I would aim for some driving-light days though.
The Jura is well worth a day - Arbois is a lovely little town with a great 2* restaurant with rooms, Jean-Paul Jeunet.
In Annecy, eat at Clos des Sens, another 2*, with fantastically inventive food.
The Jura is well worth a day - Arbois is a lovely little town with a great 2* restaurant with rooms, Jean-Paul Jeunet.
In Annecy, eat at Clos des Sens, another 2*, with fantastically inventive food.
That sure does look some trip!
I threw the waypoints into google maps and a couple of the legs look a bit long for me
B to C is 7 hours (although thats counting ferry)
C to D is almost 6 hours
Apart from the long stride home I prefer around 4 hours max per leg of a European tour.
Also, given your start location, have you considered Portsmouth to Le Harve? It is rather a long crossing but its a night ferry and could cancel out your stay in Canterbury - might not be suitable but just throwing the idea into the mix.
I threw the waypoints into google maps and a couple of the legs look a bit long for me
B to C is 7 hours (although thats counting ferry)
C to D is almost 6 hours
Apart from the long stride home I prefer around 4 hours max per leg of a European tour.
Also, given your start location, have you considered Portsmouth to Le Harve? It is rather a long crossing but its a night ferry and could cancel out your stay in Canterbury - might not be suitable but just throwing the idea into the mix.
Thanks for input so far
Jaybird - thanks for the tip on Google Maps...such a dolt I didnt do that myself.
I take the point about the long days but they are at the front so the excitement of getting to our destination is still strong plus it then gives us more time to see the things we want to whilst in the SoF.
I have started to plot our actual routes back up France via the Alps and am managing to take in some recommended routes (courtesy of Mikeyk and www.alpineroads.com) ...which includes 'the big one': the Col de la Bonette
As well as several other recommended roads (and one or two not mentioned ! 
I have amended our itinerary a little so I can include 3 x 2 night stops so its more relaxed. I am after some advice on whether Val D'isere or Annecy is the nicest place to spend a 2 nighter on another thread but looking at the advice on here it looks as though Annecy gets the vote
Next I will be starting my hotel research so any suggestions greatly received
cheers all
Graham
Jaybird - thanks for the tip on Google Maps...such a dolt I didnt do that myself.
I take the point about the long days but they are at the front so the excitement of getting to our destination is still strong plus it then gives us more time to see the things we want to whilst in the SoF.
I have started to plot our actual routes back up France via the Alps and am managing to take in some recommended routes (courtesy of Mikeyk and www.alpineroads.com) ...which includes 'the big one': the Col de la Bonette
As well as several other recommended roads (and one or two not mentioned ! I have amended our itinerary a little so I can include 3 x 2 night stops so its more relaxed. I am after some advice on whether Val D'isere or Annecy is the nicest place to spend a 2 nighter on another thread but looking at the advice on here it looks as though Annecy gets the vote
Next I will be starting my hotel research so any suggestions greatly received
cheers all
Graham
oblio said:
Stephanie Plum said:
In the Burgundy area we use the Hotel Le Cedre in Beaune. Has a fabulous restaurant tho very expensive. Lovely town with plenty of choice of other eateries. Underground car park. Don't have breakfast there tho, stupidly pricey and not good enough. Head down the town for coffee and pastries, far nicer.
Thanks for this - I will do some researchAnyone else got any hotel recommendations based on my itinerary above?
cheers
Hotel de la Poste (we used to break our 550 mile trip from Calais to Chamrousse in Beaune).
http://www.hoteldelapostebeaune.com/
I think the Maserati Club of France meet here for their annual bash/roadtrip.
oblio said:
I am after some advice on whether Val D'isere or Annecy is the nicest place to spend a 2 nighter on another thread but looking at the advice on here it looks as though Annecy gets the vote
Definitely Annecy - it's lovely. There is nothing to do in Val D'Isere outside the skiing season - but it is worth driving through for the pass itself 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Col_de_l'IseranCheck out Malbuisson in the Doubs (just across the border from Switzerland). The Hotel-Restaurant Bon Accueil website here serves fantastic food made with regional ingredients - I cannot comment on the accommodation (our family have owned a house in the village for over 20 years), but would imagine that it is top notch like the restaurant. Other hotels/restaurants are run by the Chauvin family website here and well worth a look (tell Anne, the proprietor (speaks great English) that James sent you. The village itself is on the banks of third largest natural lake (i.e. not lagoon, dammed etc) in France and is a gem www.malbuisson.com
Arbois as previously stated is a charming town with unusual wines.
If you are coming off the Swiss autoroute at Vallorbe before heading to Pontarlier/Besancon, and run a petrol engined car fill up at the BP station 25 metres from the border post - petrol is much cheaper in Switzerland. Good supply of Swiss chocs there too
Franche Comte & the Vosges (Gerardmer is beautiful) have much to commend themselves, not least that they are relatively undiscovered by Brits who head to Brittany, the Dordogne, Cote d'Azur etc - each of which are attractive but in my eyes overcrowded
Arbois as previously stated is a charming town with unusual wines.
If you are coming off the Swiss autoroute at Vallorbe before heading to Pontarlier/Besancon, and run a petrol engined car fill up at the BP station 25 metres from the border post - petrol is much cheaper in Switzerland. Good supply of Swiss chocs there too
Franche Comte & the Vosges (Gerardmer is beautiful) have much to commend themselves, not least that they are relatively undiscovered by Brits who head to Brittany, the Dordogne, Cote d'Azur etc - each of which are attractive but in my eyes overcrowded
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