Nice places to stay en route to the channel tunnel?

[Daft Doctor]

Hi

We are travelling up through France to the channel tunnel from Haute Savoie and will stop off for 2 nights, the the first somewhere East or Northeast of Paris, and the last hopefully within an hours drive of the tunnel.  Has anyone got any suggestions for pretty towns which might be nice places in which to stay and which fit in with our itinerary.  We will have our border collie with us, so somewhere with plenty of open spaces would be good.  Any advice most gratefully received.  If anybody also knows good dog-friendly hotels along the way then all the better.  [:D]

 

[Loiseau]

That's a bit of a contradiction, DD, asking for nice towns AND plenty of open spaces for a dog!

Having done a book on places to visit within 90 mins of Calais, I can give you a few suggestions for hotels and B&Bs though cannot comment on dog-friendliness - except for the Cour de Rémi where I did chat to a British couple staying there who had two dogs with them.

Small hotels

Le Clos de la Prairie,

Between Montreuil and Hesdin

17 Rue de St-Rémy,

62870 Gouy-Saint-André

(tel : 03 21 90 39 58)

http://www.leclosdelaprairie.com/

La Cour de Rémi, 

Near Azincourt

1 Rue Baillet,

62130 Bermicourt 

(tel: 03 21 03 33 33).

http://www.lacourderemi.com/

B and B

Les Cohettes,

Near Lillers

28 Rue de Pernes, 

62190 Auchy-au-Bois

(tel: 03 21 02 09 47).

http://www.chambresdhotes-chezgina.com/

You can eat at all the above, though it's best to book in advance to make sure the restaurant is open the night you want. Indeed, at Les Cohettes you must book the meal well in advance, as it's a B&B with table d'hote.

All the above have off-road parking.

Montreuil is a very picturesque walled town, though probably too far west for your purposes. It's really to the south of Calais.

Arras is a lovely town, but I don't imagine you would want to leave the dog in the car for the night.

Angela

.

[Daft Doctor]

Hi Angela, thank you for helping out.  Our dog has his 'crate', a large cage which he will sleep in at night, the open spaces, etc were more just for taking him out off the lead to get a bit of exercise.  Will explore your suggestions a bit further, and if any other thoughts pop in your head please let me know.  Your help is much appreciated. 

[Frederick]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Calais-Boulogne-France-French-Entree/dp/1904012000/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373533520&sr=1-1&keywords=Calais+and+the+North

This was published years ago in connection with Townsend Thoresen Ferry ... I have French Entree 4  Calais and the North which lists many towns and villages and descriptions of them within an hour of Calais. ...well written a good book to have if planning a visit

[woolybanana]

Try this, written by one of our own:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Northern-France-Within-Minutes-Calais/dp/0954580311/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373539817&sr=1-3&keywords=angela+bird

 

[idun]

 Well I had many years of this route, from the Alpes to the northern coast of France/Belgium/Holland.

Our regular stop offs were in Reims and Calais.

 

Still, there are many ways to head north from the Alpes, and you could go via Paris and may stop at Dijon or Beaune, and then Senlis just north of Paris.

Personally I liked to travel via Zeebrugge, as I enjoy visiting Brugges and Blankenburg. If I was starting as far east as you probably are, I'd probably head north via Switzerland and Germany and maybe cross from Amsterdam to Newcastle. We usually would be heading to the north east of England.

You are now at an advantage as your dog won't need to cross 24 hours after it's jab, it used to restrict our journeys somewhat, at least on the 'up' bit of it.

[Sydney and Huggy]

We use this place regularly. Takes us just over an hour after we emrge from the tunnel.  Its clean, gates are closed at night and there are plenty places around to eat. Breakfast is also reasonable.

http://www.liberty-hotel-bruay.com/

[Gardian]

www.le-val-moret.com

We've used this hotel on a number of occasions over the years.  About 20kms east of Troyes, adjacent to a motorway exit, but unaffected by road noise. Calais 4hrs.

Motel - style rooms, but clean & quite spacious. You can park your car within 3m of your room door. Dogs accepted, but not in all rooms.

Good, well above average restaurant. Rooms from €65, so with a really decent meal you'd walk away for €100 - €120. Skip their (as always, pricey) breakfast and grab something in the first motorway service station.

[ericd]

Before moving to our Hull - Zeebrugge - Hull crossing, we did the Dover - Calais - Dover. On the way down from Necastle and on the return route, we always stopped at the village "Marquise" on the A16 just South of Calais. There is a decent hotel with a so so restaurant called "Hotel Le Guindal" or "Hotel du Guindal". Plenty open spaces for car parking and other  dog exercising, it's at the northern end of the village with supermarket and at the roundabout close by there is a supermarket petrol station.

[MarieCeleste]

This information may be too late for Daft Doctor, but might be of use to others doing the North/South trek through France. When travelling south, we always stop at a lovely Chambres d'Hôtes in Laubressel, just west of Troyes. It is only a few minutes from the AutoRoute, and the pretty village is so peaceful. The B&B is very comfortable - it is an old farmhouse, recently updated, and very attractive. The proprietors serve an evening meal (booked in advance), and dogs are accepted. We paid 97€ for the two of us last week - that is dinner (with aperitifs & wine), bed & breakfast, and we love going there. http://coraline10.voila.net

For the trip north, we prefer to be a little nearer Calais, so we always stop at another B&B near to Chalons-en-Champagne, where we always have a wonderful welcome, & feel very much at home. Again, we a meal is available, if booked in advance, and "well behaved dogs, with their own cage/bed" are usually accepted, but this is something you have to discuss with the lovely proprietor. A night for 2 here, with dinner & breakfast comes to about 88€ http://www.les4saisons.eu/1.html

Bon voyage  !