Road Trip Plans - where to stay

[Fattrader]

I am looking for a decent place with safe parking not too far from the main route south of Le Mans and around Salamanca. Any suggestions greatly received.

[73 Duchess]

I see you took my advice . The Novotel in Salamanca isn't too bad and reasonable too.

[Fattrader]

had decided on the ferry into Caen, but did not fancy dealing with the lack of ground clearence early in the morning or after a long drive so went back to the tunnel. Think I have found a nice place South of Le Mans (Poitiers) and a place just outside Salamanca.

[73 Duchess]

Best of luck. It's an great trip you have planned. Keep us updated.

[Wozy68]

Fattrader said:

had decided on the ferry into Caen, but did not fancy dealing with the lack of ground clearence early in the morning or after a long drive so went back to the tunnel. Think I have found a nice place South of Le Mans (Poitiers) and a place just outside Salamanca.

Sorry if this is a bit late,

We stayed here last June in Salamanca, can't find their website though

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?rlz=1I7GPEA_en-GB&am...

Its in the heart of the city and verrrrrry nice, and good safe parking.

[Fattrader]

Cheers for that. I am passing through Salamanca so only spending one night. I was considering

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187493-...

[Wozy68]

Fattrader said:

Cheers for that. I am passing through Salamanca so only spending one night. I was considering

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187493-...

Salamanca is very nice in the centre, but to be honest we saw most of the sites in an evening.

The hotel your looking at is quite away outside the town. The great thing for us was the central location, (you can't really get any closer by car) the beautiful hotel (at a very good price) and the extremely safe carparking for my 993.

I can't empahise safe parking enough, we drove through central Spain last June and Spain (well to me at least) is not quite the place it was a few years back. There was times when I felt an Englishman should not be driving a 911 (abeit an old one) around certain areas, and those areas were not areas you would normally stay away from.

As a regular traveller to Spain, I was quite suprised by feeling uncomfortable in some places, that previously I would have not had second thoughts of going into.

[Fattrader]

Cheers Woz, I was a little concerned about that. I would be arriving pretty late and leaving early the next morning so a comfortable place close to the road network was more important than a centralized place. What was it like for safety outside of town driving?

[marky911]

Hi Fattrader,
we visited a nice little place not far from Lemans one year called Chatres if I remember correctly. Not sure if it was South of Lemans or what though.

There is a pub in the square called Hotel de ville again going by memory. It used to and may still be a hotel and all the Lemans drivers used to stay there in the 60's/70's.

It has loads of signed photos and pictures from all the guys that stopped there. Great little place to mull about with a beer.

ETA - Maybe not directly on your route to Lemans from the train but we do it, is Honfleur. Lovely little marina town on the North coast, a couple of hours from Calais. Great pubs/restaurants. Really nice. The Ibis hotel is a cheap, no frills but pleasant hotel right on the main road in, with parking around the back out of sight. there are obviously other hotels to choose from, depends what you want from your stay. Ibis is fine for a flying visit.

There's a ferry from Plymouth or somewhere to Le Harve which is right next to Honfleur but as you say, you're better off on the train.

Edited by marky911 on Friday 8th February 16:38

[Wozy68]

Fattrader said:

Cheers Woz, I was a little concerned about that. I would be arriving pretty late and leaving early the next morning so a comfortable place close to the road network was more important than a centralized place. What was it like for safety outside of town driving?

Driving was fine other than a dodgy service station on the motorway when we stopped for a coffee there. We were heading north from Seville to Santander hence the stop at Salamanca on the way up.

I was surprised at just how many brand new towns we came across that were absolutely empty, whole estates of new builds with not one occupier. Very sad.

Beautiful country, and overall great people.