Crossing over to Calais the day / afternoon / evening before…. And a bit about security

[Sly]

One possible tip for the future.

If time permits, I try to go over to France mid-afternoon and stay somewhere within half an hour of Calais. Similarly, for my return, I try to spend my last night within say thirty minutes of Calais, too.

Why?

A. Doing it for the outward journey, saves time. Not least, it saves an hour due to the time difference between the UK and France. I can then kick off the first day of my holiday proper in France, having saved the time I would otherwise have lost by crossing over that morning.

B. The crossings from the UK to France in the mid-afternoon and those from France to the UK in the morning are less busy.

Taking you up on that idea mate. Looking to book somewhere safe in France after arriving in Calais next Wednesday evening so I can start the trek South to Switzerland on Thursday and Friday.

=======

I have started you a fresh thread.

Richard

 

[Wapping]

Looking to book somewhere safe in France after arriving in Calais next Wednesday evening

The popular choice is to motorway down to St Omer (about 25 minutes) to stay in the Ibis Budget.

It has a good car park, two fuel stations close by, along with easy access to the motorway for arrival and departure. You don’t say when in the evening you arrive at Calais?

 

[Sly]

The popular choice is to motorway down to St Omer (about 25 minutes) to stay in the Ibis Budget.

It has a good car park, two fuel stations close by, along with easy access to the motorway for arrival and departure. You don’t say when in the evening you arrive at Calais?

To be honest, I'm looking to get into France on Wednesday evening. It's about 4 hours from my place to Dover, plus the 40 minute train across, plus plus plus. I just don't want to only arrive in France at the end of my "1st day" on Thursday.

So plan is Wednesday, leave mid day, get to Dover and cross into France, short trip to my first stay then Thursday, I'm in France and can take it a bit easy. I am not bothered by distance, used it from the driving I did all over South Africa. But my end goal is Furka/Grimsel in Switzerland so don't want to be "rushed". I have to be back by Sunday 9th Aug.

I'm finding, if I'm honest, my main worry is bike safety at the night stops at the hotel. So I'm just scouting for hotels that have underground/secured parking along my travels although, I don't think it's as bad on the main land in "quieter vilages" then it is here in the UK.

 

[wessie]

Taking you up on that idea mate. Looking to book somewhere safe in France after arriving in Calais next Wednesday evening so I can start the trek South to Switzerland on Thursday and Friday.

how late in the evening? if very late then maybe head for the Ibis Budget in St Omer, half an hour down the A26. Reception is 24 hour and has a gated car park.

If you are in France earlier than scoot down the A26 to St Quentin. Hotel Le Florence in the centre has safe parking, or there is the Ibis Budget over by the train station and big war memorial next to the River Somme.

If you are heading down D roads through the Ardennes, then there is the Hotel Pelican in Charleville Mezieres we used on a Wapping trip. Big indoor car park.

 

[Sly]

how late in the evening? if very late then maybe head for the Ibis Budget in St Omer, half an hour down the A26. Reception is 24 hour and has a gated car park.

If you are in France earlier than scoot down the A26 to St Quentin. Hotel Le Florence in the centre has safe parking, or there is the Ibis Budget over by the train station and big war memorial next to the River Somme.

If you are heading down D roads through the Ardennes, then there is the Hotel Pelican in Charleville Mezieres we used on a Wapping trip. Big indoor car park.

Yeah it will be very late on Wednesday, I actually like Wapping idea above. Seems to fit nicely with the distance I want to do on that Wednesday. Looking at the ibis budget Saint-Omer centre. Will place me quite nicely for the first day of riding on Thursday.

Just need to order myself that tag from Emovis.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I'm finding, if I'm honest, my main worry is bike safety at the night stops at the hotel. So I'm just scouting for hotels that have underground/secured parking along my travels although, I don't think it's as bad on the main land in "quieter vilages" then it is here in the UK.

Avoid cities (why would you want to ride the bike in a city anyway)

Most smaller towns and villages are fine - we did France and Germany a month ago and it all seemed fine and our bikes were parked on the street for 2-3 nights and on returning to UK, we stopped in a pub in a village near Newbury and the bikes were parked in the pub car park, all night

Just back from Moffat over last 2 days and on Sunday night there were bikes left overnight in the town's square and they were all still there on Monday morning

Our bikes were in a hotel's alley to the beer garden and on view from the square and were untouched overnight

If a garage is available, use it obviously...........but if there isn't just be sensible

Don't worry, be happy

 

[Sly]

Avoid cities (why would you want to ride the bike in a city anyway)

Most smaller towns and villages are fine - we did France and Germany a month ago and it all seemed fine and our bikes were parked on the street for 2-3 nights and on returning to UK, we stopped in a pub in a village near Newbury and the bikes were parked in the pub car park, all night

Just back from Moffat over last 2 days and on Sunday night there were bikes left overnight in the town's square and they were all still there on Monday morning

Our bikes were in a hotel's alley to the beer garden and on view from the square and were untouched overnight

If a garage is available, use it obviously...........but if there isn't just be sensible

Don't worry, be happy

Yeah I am looking for places to stay "off the beaten track"

End of the day, it's insured. Will ruin the trip but hey oh, nice to avoid the situation though..

 

[Wapping]

Whilst the risk of theft is real, it is certainly not 100%.

Just take sensible precautions (including the pound of butter in the fridge) and you’ll very probably be fine.

In short, leave it anywhere with zero security, simply because you’ve read that “It’s so quiet mate, nothing will happen” and the chance of loss increases. It really does not need to be more complicated than that.

Enjoy your holiday.

 

[Ectopic]

Last year we stayed in Chalons-en-Champagne, a fair size town, in a B&B Hotel on an edge of town commercial centre. The usual gated car park but (as with Reims nearby) a few bike thefts because the gates are either left open, or are opened as soon as anyone rings the buzzer. This year we stayed in a small village a few miles from Chalons (Matougues) and I'd have felt comfortable leaving the bike in the car park with no security. Ditto the five other hotels we used in France, all of which were in rural areas or small towns.

Earlier this year we stayed in an Ibis hotel in Pontarlier. Locked gates out the front, 24-hr reception, and a feeling that they would actually ask questions before opening the big metal gate. Unfortunately it shares a car park with the Ibis Budget and the gates at the back of the car park stayed open all night!

Various levels of security deployed by all the bikes in the car park. One had two big chains, a Litelok and disc lock and cover. I was mid-range (disc lock and a steel cable). A load of German bikers just left their bikes with no security at all. None got nicked, but who knows what might have happened on another day.

 

[Wapping]

As per our PM exchange, just be sure that the time estimates you have for your journey from home to St Omer include:

A. The one hour time difference, as you’ll lose an hour just going over the Channel.

B. Checking in, the crossing time itself and disembarking.

 

[Hartley]

Ive done a later crossing to get a good run the following day a few times.
Generally stayed in what was the Ibis now B&B hotel in Coquelles, just over the water and several places across the road to get something to eat. Now i appreciate that there's the whole bike theft issue in northern France at the moment but last time i did it the car park and hotel was being shared with what seemed like half the french police force. I figured it quite safe.
Im not sure on your route Sly but weve just come back from a trip and stayed in Ypres the night before crossing back. Lovely place about 1 hr 15 from tunnel. Albion Hotel is highly recommended and has a secure garage for bikes. They charged us 7 euros to park it there. One hotel charged us 27!.

See youre heading to Furka Grimsel area, another another recommendation is the Hof und Post in Innerkirchen. From there you can ride the Susten, Grimsel, Furka, Nufenen, Tremola and Gotthard in a big figure of 8. Fabulous day in the saddle. Have a great trip.

 

[Wapping]

the car park and hotel was being shared with what seemed like half the french police force

The Ibis Budget in St Omer is much the same, with a troop of France’s CRS police regularly passing through.

It’s been going on for a few years now, in response to France’s efforts to deal with the migrants that blight the north east coast.

You’d be ill advised to pick a fight with them. Looks aside, they are all polite to fellow guests and friendly whenever I’ve engaged with them in Franglais. That’s the CRS, not the migrants, in case of any doubt.

 

[Victor c]

We tend to use either the Ibis Budget in Saint Omer or the same in Saint Quentin, depending on when we arrive in France. We always book just before getting on the Le Shuttle.

Check out campsites on your route. Quite often they have chalets or campings pods available, where you park your bike right outside them and are normally barrierd during the night.

If passing the the Vosges, this is a cracking place https://motorhotel.eu/en/ and when in Germany, take a look at these hotels https://www.moho.info/en/motorbike-hotel-germany

 

[harry the cat]

If you’re getting in late there’s an Ibis Styles in Calais itself. 10 mins at most from the port with secure parking at the back. Magnet used it recently and says it was fine. Places to eat within a few minutes walk.

 

[Oldrat]

I have regulalry used the Ibis budget in St Omer.

Excellent location and just a 5 min walk into the splendid town square. Plenty lots of eateries and drinkeries.

They don’t always close the gate at night but I’ve never heard of any issues

 

[leadfarmer]

This place is pretty good too right next to the tunnel etc

The restaurant is fine and it’s full of French plod, it’s where they stay when detached for migrant bashing duties

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[Rasher]

If you are in France earlier than scoot down the A26 to St Quentin. Hotel Le Florence in the centre has safe parking, or there is the Ibis Budget over by the train station and big war memorial next to the River Somme.

+1 for Le Florence, really good value and close to town centre, and gets you a little bit further into France than just after Calais.

After that I would do another hour or so of Motorway the next morning then peel off to back roads heading East towards Verdun (D925 Guignicourt > D946 Vouziers, peel off at Bousancy towards Dun Sur Meause and then head south towards Verdun) instead of using the A4 Motorway, then keep heading SE on back roads, potentially crossing the Vosges on your way....

...Other option is heading through the Ardennes and onto Black Forest and running all the way down B500 towards Andermatt.

Easy enough to put together a nice 2 day route to Andermatt from Calais, I would personally go in via Ardennes / Luxemboug / Eifel / Black Forest (3 days) and maybe come back crossing Vosges and get back to St Quentin in 2 days, should leave you a full 4 days riding around Andermatt which is plenty fo time to explore the area - just keep your speed down on the straights, especially near the popular biker passes, the runs to / from them are the most risky.

Bike safety is pretty good after your first night whichever way you go (as long as you avoid large towns / cities) and we have often left bikes outside hotels in Ardennes / Luxembourg / Eifel / Vosges / Alps etc and regularly met up with a group run by a bloke I know who has taken ~30 ish biker mates to the Alps / Pyrenees every year for ~30 years and they have never had a bike nicked, and most of them do not have any extra locks.

 

[Simonn]

Le Florence in Saint Quentin is about 1hr 30 on the motorway from memory and they shut the gates at night,its a full height gate (6ft) not just a bar. 5 mins walk into the village/town square where theres plenty of places to eat. It is my Go to.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I have regulalry used the Ibis budget in St Omer.

Excellent location and just a 5 min walk into the splendid town square. Plenty lots of eateries and drinkeries.

They don’t always close the gate at night but I’ve never heard of any issues

20 years ago we stopped in St Omer on one of @Micky trips to Slovenia

He’d found and used a hotel over a street bar and we parked 20 bikes on the streets, not far from the square

No bikes were harmed and we had a lovey stay

 

[Wapping]

… as long as you avoid large towns / cities….

St Quentin is a large town on most measures.

St Quentin is home to between 52,000 and 80,000 souls, depending on how you measure it, roughly four times the size of St Omer, which itself is not small per-se.

It’s why I don’t buy into the avoid XYZ. Just take reasonable care, and all should be reasonably well.