French Holiday

[L.E.D.]

After spending a week in Bourg D'Osians this year cycling with the club , I came home all pumped up and told the missus "right get ready, I'm taking you back next year "........ and so the problems begin.

Plan is to get to Dover on Wednesday night.
Cross over early Thursday morning and travel to ..................... and spend the night
Then travel to Bourg D'Osians on Friday and stay the night.
Tackle Alpe D'huez Saturday morning and then continue down to Mont Ventoux and spend the week there.

Right that's the rough plan so what i need is advice where to stop on Thursday, please.

Hopefully some of you can steer me right if there's something wrong with the plan or maybe i'm underestimating something.

This will be the first of many questions over the coming months I fear

 

[hondated]

L.E.D easy question for me as I have done this route several times, Dijon is far enough. You can reach here fairly easily and it makes the journey to Bourg easier the next day.I prefer to use the N roads as it makes the journey more enjoyable and you also save money on tolls.

There are several Ibis hotels and a Campanile which are good value.Oh dear you have got me thinking about doing the same next year now.

 

[jay clock]

It is 900k. I have done that sort of distance on French motorways many times in a day. Assuming you are sharing the driving I would just do the whole way in a day. If you don't make it then stop at a Formule 1 or one of the many motel chains.

Having lived in France for a number of years, I disagree about using the N roads. Much more tiring, often go through every town on route, many more HGVs as they do it to save money, and like the UK the death rate is much higher than on motorways.

Sounds like a great holiday though!

 

[PpPete]

It is 900k. I have done that sort of distance on French motorways many times in a day. Assuming you are sharing the driving I would just do the whole way in a day. If you don't make it then stop at a Formule 1 or one of the many motel chains.

Having lived in France for a number of years, I disagree about using the N roads. Much more tiring, often go through every town on route, many more HGVs as they do it to save money, and like the UK the death rate is much higher than on motorways.

Sounds like a great holiday though!

+1
Except avoid Formule 1 (not en-suite) all the others are OK though.
Etap / 1ere Classe are VFM, Campanile are next step up and have adequate restaurant.

We regularly go well beyond Alpe d'H in a single hit.

 

[L.E.D.]

Thanks for the advice. Wife is adamant that she will not drive out there, so it's only going to be me behind the wheel hence the reason for stopping half way.

Thanks also for the tips on hotels that is also another problem that needs sorting.

So what do you recommend for the crossing Ferry or Chunnel ?

This is all new territory to me so sorry for newbie questions.

 

[Mark Grant]

If you use the Autoroutes you may be able to persuade your wife, my wife was reluctant but once she had seen how easy it was to drive on the Autoroutes she was happy to drive on them. She rarely drives on the small roads and around towns & villages but we can cover more miles safely when we share the driving.

Mark.

 

[TheDoctor]

Deffo use Autoroutes. They're so much better than motorways over here.
You can average 70+mph, whereas on N roads you'll get up to 55 mph if you're lucky, and slower for every village, bend, lorry etc. And navigation is easier.
Personally, I'd use P&O Dover - Calais, rather than the tunnel.
You're going to be in the car long enough as it is, so why stay in it for the crossing?

 

[L.E.D.]

Personally, I'd use P&O Dover - Calais, rather than the tunnel.
You're going to be in the car long enough as it is, so why stay in it for the crossing?

Thank you , you sold me on using the ferry with that simple piece of advice

 

[TheDoctor]

All part of the service!!

And stop for lunch at the service area just past Riems. They have a real restaurant (as opposed to a self-service place), and it's quite nice.
They also have a wine list!!!
Only in France...

 

[rich p]

Not wishing to be controversial but I like the tunnel. It is hassle free and very quick. I don't stay in the car either; I usually get out and wander about but it's only for a very short time anyway.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Dijon, Lyon or at a push Grenoble or Chambery? The best of the chain Motels for my money is BB Hotels, the one in Chambery is within walking distance of the City Centre.

One other thought - would it be possible to cross Tuesday night? Bearing in mind you loose an hour on the way out it's going to be ether a very early start or well gone 10:00 before you're on the autoroute. The aforementioned BB chain have a place at Calais Coquelles, breakfast at 06:30 French Time and on the road at 07:00 - makes a hell of a difference.

 

[L.E.D.]

Been having a mooch around on route finder and it seems we are talking about maybe 5/6 hours Calais to Dijon , which would be fine and then maybe another 4 hours to Bourg the next day .

Does that seem about right ?

I know the holiday is way off (next August ) but i appreciate all the advice given already, thank you all. It gives me something to focus on when trying to sort things out.

Obviously any CC'ers down that way middle of August are only to welcome to climb the beast with me

provided your willing to wait

 

[hondated]

L,E.D I think thats what I said isn't it. As for using the autoroutes of cause it is going to be quicker thats a no brainer but if I am going to France I want to see some of the country rather than just speeding down a road.

Its also far nicer to stop in a village for a meal and also meet the locals who in my experience are nearly always welcoming and struggle with their language to talk to them.

As for traffic yes you will meet heavy lorries but their roads are so straight and wide getting pass them is not to much of a problem and if you cannot then just stay behind and chill. After its a holiday and not a race.

The other point made about chances of getting killed is in my mind a little bit silly as that can happen anywhere and having motorcycled extensively in Europe I would say that there is more danger of that happening over here rather than over there.

Oh yes and finally use the autoroutes if you must but I would rather use the £100 it will cost you on something more pleasurable.

You pays your money and makes your choice so you decide but whatever enjoy yourselves.

 

[frank9755]

Last year I drove down to the Loire from Cherbourg. The autoroutes didn't quite go quite where I wanted to, so I thought I'd use mainly N-roads. It was good to see more of France, but since I last drove there they have invested massively in roundabouts!

This really slows down your progress. Possibly this is the idea. In some stretches there are perhaps five within five miles. There was even one where there were only two exits, which amused us somewhat as it looked like they had one left over from a batch and just decided to put it on a straight bit of road!

For this reason, I'd go for the autoroutes if I was doing a similar journey again.

 

[Norm]

Last year I drove down to the Loire from Cherbourg. The autoroutes didn't quite go quite where I wanted to, so I thought I'd use mainly N-roads. It was good to see more of France, but since I last drove there they have invested massively in roundabouts!

This really slows down your progress. Possibly this is the idea. In some stretches there are perhaps five within five miles. There was even one where there were only two exits, which amused us somewhat as it looked like they had one left over from a batch and just decided to put it on a straight bit of road!

The roundabouts are there to entice motorbikes.

For this reason, I'd go for the autoroutes if I was doing a similar journey again.

For that reason, I take the motorbike whenever I head to the continent.