Where to break journey in france on the way to alps?

Two of us are driving down to the alps this summer. We’re looking for an over night stop an hour or two out of Calais to make it more sedate affair rather than a 16 hour epic.

Any recommendations for obvious stopovers?

I usually stop in the Reims area. Do a champagne tour if you have the time!

I’m pushing a bit further this year to Troyes, which will leave a better split of driving I think.

Cabin on the overnight sailing Newhaven Dieppe :)

Not location specific but we found a value hotel chain – was Formula 1 now renamed F1. A ground floor room and a decent window allowed us to pass the bikes inside. Risky not to.
Reims is a pretty city. Might work for you.
Chamonix riding?
Les Houches (2 lifts, Prarion and Bellevue) is my favoured area. There’s a nice long route over into the next valley (including a bit of rural road) down to StGervais taking in the many switchbacks of the Thermal Park.
Top it off with a trip back up MontBlanc on the cog railway (get off at the Les Houches telecabine station) or a regular train back towards Chamonix.
Have fun. It’s a fab place to ride. Zero G will set you up with Toms guide book.

I usually stop in the Reims area. Do a champagne tour if you have the time!

I’m pushing a bit further this year to Troyes, which will leave a better split of driving I think.

Was going to say exactly that (minus the champagne tour – until I retire & have the time fo’ dat shit)

1 hour from Calais is Arras. Stayed there loads of times. Nothing special but easy

Second F1 chain, basic no frills but we usually wheel bikes through to the room, no questions asked. Somewhere between Troyes is about 4hrs after Calais

I’d go a bit nicer than F1 these days, ibis budget is only a couple of quid more and much nicer. Lille and Reims are both on the way

B&B hotels do the best breakfast for the ‘cheap’ motel type places.

I generally stope over around Arras – Reims area then get up about 7 and get there about 3/4 ish.

We do the same journey and stay 2.5 hours from the Channel Tunnel in France, literally 2 mins off the A4 at Pause La Champenoise in Champflurie: https://www.lapausechampenoise.com/

Germaine the owner is very welcoming, its quiet, the rooms are lovely and the breakfast is delicious. Hope this helps!

The Ibis in Troyes is handy for a cheap stopover – quiet, easy parking in the underground bit, breakfast by the canal. Short walk into town for food and beers.

Dijon is further but nicer for a visit. We stopped at the Kyriad Dijon north, again for a cheap stop with easy parking. It’s out of town but the tram goes close, runs frequently and late, gets you into town in 10 mins, and Dijon is well worth seeing.

The Ibis in Troyes is handy for a cheap stopover – quiet, easy parking in the underground bit, breakfast by the canal. Short walk into town for food and beers

any issues with taking bikes into the rooms?

Driven this to morzine and aosta a few times and I’m always surprised how much driving there is left even when the overnight is just after Troyes. That’s quite a lot further than your planning day 1 so you’ll have 2/3 of a day driving day 2 unless you get going v early. Where are you driving from in uk as if north of Manchester Sheffield I can understand why 2 hrs in France might be your max. Last time we found a great Airbnb for the night just off the autoroute. Rural village so no concerns about car contents unlike an f1 location maybe?

any issues with taking bikes into the rooms?

Dunno I’m afraid though don’t see why not. Staff were friendly and it’s only on a few floors. But that’s why I go for securish parking so I can leave bikes and kit in the car. Taking a small risk I guess but makes life easier. (I have taken bikes/surfboards into hotel rooms over the years, but CBA these days)

Another vote for the ibis in Troyes. Have stayed there 4or 5 times. Have had bikes on towbar rack, and have left them locked on the car overnight as carpark secure. Reverse into space and they are also out of view.
Not an option if you are roofrack

Maybe a wee bit further but laom is really nice

Another vote for the ibis in Troyes. Have stayed there 4or 5 times. Have had bikes on towbar rack, and have left them locked on the car overnight as carpark secure. Reverse into space and they are also out of view.

is this the one in the centre or Troyes east – looks like there’s to Ibis? Looks like it could be a winner location wise

So much depends on where you start your journey. We live in Scotland, so every cross channel trip is a trek.

We leave on Fri evening and drive 5 hours to my folks in Yorkshire. Get up, drive 4h to Dover, and then 4h or so the other sideto Troyes. Next day, drive to destination.

Coming back we drive to St Quentin.

At Easter we need to do Maurienne to Scotland in about 36 hours. Not pleasant. 2 drivers, 2 kids.

We use whatever is available and cheap. F1, BB Hotel, Kyriad. All acceptable. A non air-con room in summer can be a furnace.

This one…..

https://all.accor.com/hotel/5546/index.fr.shtml

As johnx2 said, walking distance to some nice restaurants in the old town centre

This one…..

https://all.accor.com/hotel/5546/index.fr.shtml

As johnx2 said, walking distance to some nice restaurants in the old town centre

brilliant, thanks. town looks nice too so will get it booked

…ah yeah there’s two next door to each other, sharing the carpark. We stayed at the Styles https://all.accor.com/hotel/7496/index.en.shtml?dateIn=&nights=&compositions=1&stayplus=false&snu=false#origin=ibis

Tenner more. Classy us.

Where you feel tired, a last minute booking. com. I’ll add Langres to Troyes and Reims.

2 hours from Calais suits us for a 1st stop. The Hotel le florence in St Quentin has fairly secure private parking and great food options.

Not in France, but we stopped in Ghent on our way south last summer. Gorgeous little city with plenty of good, cheap accommodation. Don’t tell anyone else though, want it to stay that way!

Troyes is a lovely town, there’s a good local market if you are in town on a market day and it’s pretty to wander round the old town and stretch your legs after a long day sitting. I’ve stopped at random small places in the past too, Givry was one in an old farm house, the owner cooked us dinner and had some great wine.

France is generally excellent, in my opinion at least.

Not with bikes but we did a road trip through France to Switzerland for a mates wedding in the summer. Stopped in Troyes properly on the way down and did an overnight in the Troyes East Ibis on the way back.

Really nice little city, good food and drink and very manageable in size. Would stay in the city Ibis if you can as it’s a great location.

IIRC the Ibis in Troyes centre has a good secure underground car park with a LOT of insulation on the roof and pipes, which makes it a very good “dead” space – there’s no echo, so slamming your car door (or your 8-year-old son running around whistling and stamping his feet) sounds quite unexpected. ;)

After trying various places round Reims, we’ve used this place in Troyes the last 4 or 5 times:

https://www.logishotels.com/en/hotel/logis-hotel-des-sources-15435

Has the particular advantage for us of doing large cheap 4 person rooms, which is good with a young family.

Last summer we had the four of us and six bikes in the room with no fuss.

Decent breakfast, and there’s a Leclerc on the way back to the autoroute for a cheap(er) fill up.

Depends where you start (and therefore how late in the day you get to France)
We start up North, and always stay near Reims.
Usually in whichever chain option is cheapest at Thillois/Tinqueux or Bezannes.
Just slightly further, Auberge des Moissons is a nice non-chain option. And if you pay for indoor parking (and the bikes aren’t too high) you can leave bikes on the car pretty securely.
If you start nearer the South, listen to the Troyes/Langres/Dijon people. Any further North than Reims, it’s still a long way the next day, esp as a day 2.

After trying various places round Reims, we’ve used this place in Troyes the last 4 or 5 times:

https://www.logishotels.com/en/hotel/logis-hotel-des-sources-15435

Has the particular advantage for us of doing large cheap 4 person rooms, which is good with a young family.

Last summer we had the four of us and six bikes in the room with no fuss.

Decent breakfast, and there’s a Leclerc on the way back to the autoroute for a cheap(er) fill up.

Good to hear, as I booked it for our next trip! Courtpaille next door for dinner…

if you’re trying for a 2 day drive with one stop, then savoyad makes sesne

when we drove from manchester we set off just after work and headed south about half way to Folkestone for an overnighter, then got to troyes on the first full day. As it was for a ski trip, this meant we got stuck in the saturdyay changeover hell traffic down the albertville to moutiers valley. Looking back, we didn;t get far enough south on day 1

Next time we drive, we’ll set off and get a LOT further south (aiming for Ashford) on the first evening, then get an early eurotunnel and aim for bourg-en-bresses for the second night

Depends where you start (and therefore how late in the day you get to France)

init. We’ve friends in Deal (nr Dover) we stop over with, and so can get down as far as Dijon fairly easily though with an inevitable beer and red wine headache. Which reminds me of the year immediately pre-covid when I forgot my passport. This came to my notice when we were sandwiched in the queue three cars away from check in, when my wife said “have you got your passport?”. Er, no.

They basically just waved us on anyway, quick call to the boat to check it was okay “you alright to export this numpty?” probably being the call. Didn’t event slow the line. I was advised to have a passport for getting back in and that was it, though we’d still not quite left the EU at that point. Sad.

It’s possible the day will come when my wife stops reminding me about this. Anyway, Dijon is a solid recommendation if you’re at dover early. This year we’re heading basque country again, and I need to book somewhere in or about Tours, our favourite place (caves by the Loire) already having booked up.

I have always used the ibis in Troyes, get there then have a wander around the town. Then finish the drive the next day. I have taken the bike into the room once. It was in a bag though.

thanks for all the input. have booked the Ibis (styles no less) in Troyes as seem to fit the bill in terms of split journey times, secure parking and nice looking town for food and few beers

Ibis Styles in Troyes is a good option. Used a number of times. Enough of if the time to lessen parking hassle and close enough to walk in.

edit! Good choice. Lovely old buildings in the centre, though some are actually only recently built, but to tradition techniques.

Just be aware of the one way road around the hotel block if you are where I think you are.