Slightly different morzine thread this time (although I recall seeing a similar one in the past, I just can’t get the search to work in a helpful manner!)
I’m driving out to the alps at the start of august and instead of my mrs flying out with the little one (18 months) and me driving with the dog and bikes), we’ll all be piling in the car this time!
As a result, instead of getting the drive done as quickly as possible with just a few comfort breaks for the dog and me, we’ll need to do things differently.
Can anyone recommend some places to stop not too far from the motorways on the direct route to the alps? (Calais-arras-reims-troyes-Dijon-alps)
Ideally these would be outdoor places (woods for walking, lakes/rivers for swimming)
Thanks
We have stayed here Villa Primerose when driving down with a small baby before, and they were great.
It's a village / rural location with nice grounds/garden just outside Troyes a few minutes off the autoroute. Don't know about dogs though.
I meant to add, still planning to do it in a day, got a 5am tunnel, and plan to get as far as possible while the dog and little man sleep, before taking breaks after that...
I’ve stayed in Talloires on the shore of Lake Annecy before. You’ve broken the back of the drive by then with only a couple of hours left to go.
Hotel we stayed at had a pool & Talloires has a reputation as une village gastronomique!
We stayed at Municipal campsite in Troyes a few years ago. It was nice, we walked into Troyes for a look around, beautiful city.
https://www.eurocampings.co.uk/france/champagne-ardenne/aube/pont-sainte-marie/campsite-municipal-de-troyes-100280/
Pretty sure we headed straight home to sunny Milton Keynes from there in one hit.
As an added bonus we were watching the tour on TV the following year and it went straight past the campsite!
Ahh I see, break locations rather than stopovers. On that timescale I'd be tempted to use the autoroute services. Depending on your own preference, I'd cut off the autoroute at Lons Le Saunier and go direct to Geneva through the Jura and up to Morzine from Thonon. Plenty more nice places to stop with the kiddie and a more interesting drive for not much time difference.
We have stopped off on our way to Verbier at the lakes just to the East of Troyes when the girls were little
https://goo.gl/maps/Ue5Sj5M4cKga7qQ7A
Its not that far of the toll road
Thanks for the tips all, those lakes in particular look ideal!
Orient Forest Regional Natural Park (lakes) is a great place to stop.
Really missing going to the alps this year and thinking about stopping there is making it worse...
Thanks for the tips all, those lakes in particular look ideal!
For all the best plans .. never work with kids (or animals).
The Aire's are nearly always good, immeasurably better and more pleasant than UK motorway services...so if you do want/need a stop just pick one.
+1 for the Aires being remarkably good. There is usually a more secluded, often wooded bit, away from the buildings.
Reims is a nice stop. The city is good but not really what you want on this trip, but the motor circuit is pleasant break. You can walk around the old pit buildings. Its a few minutes from the motorway.
Stayed here a few times - https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/park-and-suites-elegance-reims.html?aid=337862;label=review_am;sid=358cea762caf767a0ce9a63bd5dd5bf2;dist=0&keep_landing=1&rurl=1a5754d7bd14ab73&sb_price_type=total&tab=4&type=total&#tab-main
enough space to put bikes in the room and they accept dogs.
Food shops near by too
+1 on Troyes area before. We had a nice airbnb on the edge of a lake.
As you have done the flat out, non stop version before, then I expect you will know what you are heading into. We did it last year, admittedly a bit higher up from Rotterdam, and docking at 9:00am so you already had a few hours and some miles head start but I if we had stopped off Route for any sort of quality time, we would have got to Morzine even later than 10pm.....
I was impressed with the service stations, maybe look for ones with more picnicy type facilities rather than going too far afield.
And yes, envious....we had a great time there. Wouldn’t rush back to do that drive in a day again tho.
Edit, mine may have been then previous thread. I ignored all the advice....😳
If you're using the ferry be aware.... I heard from a friend that a friend of his was attacked by a group of around 40 with rocks and giant lumps of wood trying to stop him. This was on the link road into the ferry port at about 08:00 this morning. Sensibly he never stopped, ended up with a smashed windscreen and dented car... very shaken up.
We're due to use the tunnel in a weeks time...hope that proves safer.
Thread bump to say thanks for the advice! The little fella stayed awake for the entire Bristol-Dover leg, but this meant he was wrecked when we got to France and slept pretty much all the way to Troyes. An hours break for a walk and paddle in the lakes all round and then we had a cool, wet dog and happy baby to make the second stretch in France bearable, arriving at the chalet around 5pm!
Just for people's info, we found a lovely lake right by the motorway on way back last week. If you can make it to North of Dijon, then this place had a nice lake to picnic and paddle in
Arc-Sur-Tille
Lac d'arc sur tille
21560 Arc-sur-Tille, France
https://maps.app.goo.gl/eFHjfifkSERsGGy49
Toilet, snack bar, and also a cheap fuel SuperU in the town. 1.20€/ltr for diesel.
I'm assuming you're nicely tucked up in two weeks quarantine now? I know for a fact many aren't.
masterdabber,
do you mean they were trying to stop him from entering France?
that's terrible
has anything come it? French Police involved etc?
neil
masterdabber,
do you mean they were trying to stop him from entering France?
that’s terrible
has anything come it? French Police involved etc?
neil
No,the other way around I believe.....trying to stop him entering the port headed for the UK.