Travelling to Morzine – by car.

Hi Guys,

A few years ago I drove down to Les Gets and it all panned out great timings wise as I had a mate who lived just outside Dover where we could stay the night before – however….

He has moved 🙁 so we need to work out the best way of doing things this time?

We have to travel up to Dover from Plymouth (about a 5 hour drive) and then we need to travel from Calais to Morzine (about a 9 hour drive), therefore I reckon we would be better staying near Dover on Friday night or catch a late ferry on Friday an stay in Calais?

Anyway, back to my question….

What have you done before and can you recommend anywhere to stay (Dover or Calais) where the bikes can be safe?(and cheap!)

Or can you recommend a solution (from the logical thinkers out there)?

Cheers.

Why drive all the way to Dover?

Poole Cherbourg is a good route.

I’ve stayed before at Forumle 1 in Calais which is close to tunnel – solo trip so took late crossing got some sleep then left at 7am, the car park is “secure” in that it’s surrounded by a reasonable fence and has a barrier. I’d suggest if you were to use it you lock the bikes inside and to the car and cover them or even put them in the room with you if you’re worried. From memory there aren’t staff around so no one to make a fuss. It’s cheap and basic, ie shared bathrooms !

Formule 1

Do you have to go from Dover? Overnight from Portsmouth to Cherbourg (11pm crossing) and then straight through to the Alps has worked for us.

@jam bo – Cherbourg -> Morzine ?

No idea, but I’ve done Cherbourg to chamonix in just over 6 hours 😉

just give yourself 2 days and stop when you’ve had enough on day 1
go armed with a F1 hotel list

Drive to early morning ferry then straight to morzine – why bother stopping? That’s the way we usually do it from Glasgow

jam bo – Member

Why drive all the way to Dover?

Poole Cherbourg is a good route.

Just looking at the prices now – thanks buddy.

jambalaya – Member

I’ve stayed before at Forumle 1 in Calais which is close to tunnel – solo trip so took late crossing got some sleep then left at 7am, the car park is “secure” in that it’s surrounded by a reasonable fence and has a barrier. I’d suggest if you were to use it you lock the bikes inside and to the car and cover them or even put them in the room with you if you’re worried. From memory there aren’t staff around so no one to make a fuss. It’s cheap and basic, ie shared bathrooms !

Formule 1

jambalaya – Member

@jam bo – Cherbourg -> Morzine ?

Thanks buddy, I’ll look into that & Only 100km further than from Calais, so not bad?

jota180 – Member

just give yourself 2 days and stop when you’ve had enough on day 1
go armed with a F1 hotel list

We’re trying to maximise on riding time. 😀

legend – Member

Drive to early morning ferry then straight to morzine – why bother stopping? That’s the way we usually do it from Glasgow

Mmmm? The only option we had come up with prior to posting.

How many of you are driving? We usually start midday from North Wales (5 hours to Dover) and drive overnight to the Alps. Get there early morning, fairly fresh. With 3 or 4 driving it works well. To Les Gets usually about 20 hours, towing a trailer. Less without.

Stopping at Dover or Calais isn’t ideal IMHO as you get a break on the ferry. Have dinner on the ferry then drive for a couple more hours and stay at Formule1. We normally get to Troyes for about midnight. Basically turn up and go straight to bed then get up and go and stop for brekky on the way. Should be in Morzine by tea-time.

Remember that the last lifts shut at 5:00?PM so you need to arrive earlier than that to buy passes, prep bikes, etc if you are wanting to ride that day.

This would mean overnighting in France as close to Morzine as possible if you want to get a ride/ rides in on the day you arrive.

Have done an overnight in Troyes a few times.

Leave early and be in Morzine for lunchtime easily.

But normally go straight though, York to Dover [couple of hours kip on the boat] Calais to Morzine)

get the midnight ferry from dover on the friday.

take a pillow.

get an hours kip on the ferry – find a quiet bit of floor.

take it in turns to drive – 2 hours each.

easy.

(the second shift can be a tough one – take some music you can sing along to)

Looks like an overnight mission is in order?

Couple of friends [from up North] are staying overnight near the chunnel before catching a 6am train and driving through the day.

To be fair I’d rather chat in English to a Travelodge front desk clerk about bringing my bike in than trying it in France.

Although we have stayed a Friday night in Troyes or similar and left the bikes in the van. Although we were able to park the van in such a way as it was hard to break into and the bikes were chained and alarmed.

Etape hotels if you’re feeling plush, 45 euros per night perhaps rather than 25 for f1, but you get breakfast and they’re far more comfortable/less prison like. There are loads.

We took our bikes into the Etape at Bethune. Cosy though…

To be fair I’d rather chat in English to a Travelodge front desk clerk about bringing my bike in than trying it in France.

The best thing about an F1 is you don’t need to talk to anyone. Put your credit card in the machine by the door and it prints out a code for the door. Quick and easy, no human interaction required. As above they are completely soul-less, just somewhere to sleep. If McDonalds did hotels…

I go to France at least once a year on motorbike or in van. I always spend the first night of my trips on the other side of the Channel. Saint Omer is a great little place. just of the E15 about 45 minutes from Calais. I have done Morzine from there quite often.