France on my own

[Roymondo]

Drove down to Southern Spain earlier this year. Overnighted at http://www.campanile-bordeaux-sud-cestas.fr/en/index.aspx on the way back. Inexpensive, clean, comfortable and with a reasonable restaurant on-site. Also dead easy to find as it's located on the Motorway (at the back of the rest area, so not subject to traffic noise). Would happily stay there again were I to be travelling that way on the bike.



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I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?hu54nw

 

[JamieMagic]

I done the same in April this year .... Mates decided to take the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander (27hrs i think) whilst i hopped on the channel tunnel ... ... First night was an Ibis at Blois .. (Lovely city for a wonder around) ... and second night a Ibis at Lourdes (Again great stopping place) ... Third day i attempted the Col du Tourmalet into Spain but it was shut due to snow so had to go the long way into Spain ..

There are some great roads down there and very few toll roads .... I've never had a problem with Ibis ... bit boring but good place to put your head down and everyone I stayed at has secure / gated parking ....

Just a tip book in advance before you turn up or the price goes up to the "set overnight price" .. think i saved myself 20euro's per night in doing so ...

Enjoy the ride down ...

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

I'll be shouted down for this I'm sure, but you could do worse than Ibis.
They're about £60 a night in the week and £80 on Friday and Saturday, which is a little expensive.
There's plenty of them, usually close to Autoroutes, well sign posted, and you don't usually have to pre book which means you can ride as far as you fancy without having a present agenda.
They are usually clean, warm and tidy, if a little basic, but for overnighter they're fine.
The staff generally speak pretty good english and many have restaurants either attached or close by.
Whatever you decide have a great trip and be safe mon ami.

Schoolboy error. For Ibis read Campanile, lol. Though to be fair Ibis are pretty good as well but I don't think Campanile's prices vary, whether booked on-line in advance or if you just turn up on the day.

 

[Hustler]

Schoolboy error. For Ibis read Campanile, lol. Though to be fair Ibis are pretty good as well but I don't think Campanile's prices vary, whether booked on-line in advance or if you just turn up on the day.

Campanile are out of town, near to or on main roads.
They also run Premiere Classe, normally on the same site and cheaper than Campanile although you use the same restaurant in the evening but have your own dedicated breakfast area. Very good value.
You used to get 15% off the Campanile evening meal price if you were stopping at the Premiere Classe but unsure if that's still true this year.
It is slightly cheaper to pre book.
The car parks are locked overnight.
Ibis are similar but tend to be in towns and may or may not have their own dedicated car park.
Google will find their websites and they'll speak English.
And Bordeaux is a fine, excellent place to visit.

 

[Deleted account 231002001]

I don't see the appeal of staying in motels on motorway junctions or service areas.

 

[mrsroynie]

I don't see the appeal of staying in motels on motorway junctions or service areas.

Depends on the purpose of the stay. I don't really see the point of going to the trouble and expense of finding a convivial B&B in some idyllic rural spot if you're going to arrive after dark and leave first thing. If you just want to get where you're going, an Ibis or Etap ticks all the boxes.

 

[Deleted account 231002001]

Depends on the purpose of the stay. I don't really see the point of going to the trouble and expense of finding a convivial B&B in some idyllic rural spot if you're going to arrive after dark and leave first thing. If you just want to get where you're going, an Ibis or Etap ticks all the boxes.

I guess so, when I'm on holiday though I try to keep the riding between 10am and 4pm. Lazy breakfasts and early cold beers.

 

[Riktus]

Use http://booking.com I tend to use this site mainly because there are usually loads of reviews on a hotel and they are cheep - good for planning forward. Also they are one of the good sites that tend to mention parking and if food is within walking distance.

I used them for my trip last year in France and Spain - I stopped at some excellent hotels all around the £45.00 mark which although expensive every one of them was exactly as discribed by the reviewers.

Rik

 

[colint]

I'm a tightwad Scot, so always use Etap hotels as stopping points on motorway trips. Used them on my own, and with the family, and they're basic but great value (40EUR a night for the one in Bourges next week) All I want is somewhere with a clean bed, shower and free wifi, so they tick all the boxes for me.

Linky here

Rob

I do speak a little French enough to get by usually but the better looking the woman I am speaking the more memory recall of the language I seem to have!!
Being an even tighter wad of a Yorkie I use Formula 1 basic Travelodge like but OK.hotels book on line in the UK http://www.hotelformule1.com/gb/booking/hotels-list.shtmlthen when you pitch up just stick your card in the automatic machine to book in, all instructions in English, but I found that most of the franchisees speak English anyway, they are cheap as chips £26.00 per night per room + breakfast but I usually skip their brekkie and get some on my travels.
They are usually situated near major trunk roads motorways.

 

[JayC]

Use http://booking.com I tend to use this site mainly because there are usually loads of reviews on a hotel and they are cheep - good for planning forward. Also they are one of the good sites that tend to mention parking and if food is within walking distance.

I used them for my trip last year in France and Spain - I stopped at some excellent hotels all around the £45.00 mark which although expensive every one of them was exactly as discribed by the reviewers.

Rik

I tend to use them too! I received their latest offers which included accommodation in Spain in Riano for as little as £60.00 for 4 nights! That beats a campsite all day every day.

 

[mrsroynie]

Being an even tighter wad of a Yorkie I use Formula 1 basic Travelodge like but OK.hotels book on line in the UK http://www.hotelformule1.com/gb/booking/hotels-list.shtmlthen when you pitch up just stick your card in the automatic machine to book in, all instructions in English, but I found that most of the franchisees speak English anyway, they are cheap as chips £26.00 per night per room + breakfast but I usually skip their brekkie and get some on my travels.
They are usually situated near major trunk roads motorways.

Sound advice re price, but I would advise caution on Formule 1 if you have never stayed at one before.

The sleeping accommodation is clean and basic. However, the shared stainless steel bathroom facilities (along the lines of a self-cleaning coin-op public toilet) might require a sense of humour. For a few quid more, you get the same automatic credit card booking and ensuite facilities with Ibis, Etap, Premiere Classe, Campanile, B&B ...

 

[mrsroynie]

Being an even tighter wad of a Yorkie I use Formula 1 basic Travelodge like but OK.hotels book on line in the UK http://www.hotelformule1.com/gb/booking/hotels-list.shtmlthen when you pitch up just stick your card in the automatic machine to book in, all instructions in English, but I found that most of the franchisees speak English anyway, they are cheap as chips £26.00 per night per room + breakfast but I usually skip their brekkie and get some on my travels.
They are usually situated near major trunk roads motorways.

Sound advice re price, but I would advise caution on Formule 1 if you have never stayed at one before.

The sleeping accommodation is clean and basic. However, the shared stainless steel bathroom facilities (along the lines of a self-cleaning coin-op public toilet) might require a sense of humour. For a few quid more, you get the same automatic credit card booking and ensuite facilities with Ibis, Etap, Premiere Classe, Campanile, B&B ...

 

[XJR Johnny]

It certainly does, should pop a link to it in the accomodation section so we can find it again when heading to france.

Hi, have now added a thread on GSHosts and requestsed that a link be added to "useful links".

 

[bmwbikeruk]

In September I plan to use the ferry to cross from Poole to Cherbourg and ride from there to Santander to meet up with my mates to 'do Spain and Portugal'. Yeah, I admit that I am a wimp and get 'orribly seasick on a duckpond so can not face the ferry to Santander !!! From Cherbourg to Santander is about 700 miles so I want to stop at Nantes one night and Bordeaux the second night on the way. Looking for bike - friendly, english speaking accomodation at (or near) both locations. Continuing the wimp theme, failed French spectacularly at school.

Mmmm...how did you cope with cross channel from Dover to Calais in terms of seasickness if you have crossed it before?

 

[Two wheels good]

Quick Palace hotels

Another cheap hotel chain. Not as many hotels as other chains but clean and with en-suite shower room - at least in the couple I've stayed at.
http://www.quickpalace.com/

 

[ducatiparts.110mb]

I've used ETAP hotels which are around Euro40 (same as UK travel lodge) and F1 hotels at around Euro32 (basic but still very serviceable). Both recommended.

 

[Tractor]

Hi Dave and Val,
Thanks for the reply. I often visit Plymouth (got two sons at Plymouth Uni.). Wouldn't mind meeting up for a coffee and chat if you fancy it.

Tractor.

 

[Country Bumpkin]

qwells

take a pack of these. Take one an hour before boarding and one whilst you are sailing. Problem solved.

CB

 

[Den]

Tractor - do you have a GPS?
The way I do it is about 1500 or 1600 each day is ask the GPS for accommodation it then lists them I then ride to them check them out and ask for a room the pluses are they are local to where you are (Don't need to try and plan to be somewhere because you maybe able to go further or indeed by knackered and need to stop - safety first) and normally much cheaper 12 -20Euros for B&B and in my opinion better than the more main stream hotels - you may be surprised I was first time I did it this way...Good luck with the trip.

Get a satnav, even if its just for this.

We have done similar to you for years and it works fine.

When the wife starts getting squiggly. Stop. Press accommodation on sat nav. Phone hotel of choice, enquire and book. Press go-to.

It saves trudging into hotel receptions only to be told 'no rooms', getting yer gear back on and trying another.
Personal experience of sweat running down my back, helmet off, no rooms helmet on-helmet off, no rooms-helmet on-helmet off several times, forced our present technique. Not every stop obviously, but it suits us.