Going to my sisters place near Montpellier. Might go over at Dover or Plymouth.
Where should a stay on the way???

Don't know but make sure you have a high visibility vests with you, fire extinguisher and first aid kit and high visibility triangle.

France have different rules to UK and they are pickey to whom they stop specialy cars with GB plates.

Hotels?

I think you need a lightbulb kit as well.
As said above check the travelling / motoring requirements.

iirc the vest cant be in the boot, has to be within reach of the driver so you put it on before getting out.

I recommend the 'Pots d'etain' (think thats how you spell it) hotel. Stayed there last year, nice little place and reasonable price. Rooms are on ground level and you park directly outside the room. The steak and chips is nice

Steve.

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Originally posted by alistairolsen
iirc the vest cant be in the boot, has to be within reach of the driver so you put it on before getting out.

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You need two hi vis vests and yes they do need to be in the car with you, not in the boot.

As for where to stay, you need to decide how long you want to drive for before stopping for the night. I live near Lyon which is on your route about 6 hours from Calais. There are some good places around here. Depends also if you want to sleep cheap or have a monster gastronomic blow out in a swanky resto/hotel.

When we drive down, we usually try to make it to Troyes, just east of Paris, plenty of cheapo Etap type places there. When we went in the Locost, we decided discretion was the better part of valour and stopped at St Quentin, again loads of cheapo hotels and eateries.

I stopped in Lyon on the way down, and Troyes on the way back.

Watch your speed within 50km of the ferry ports - the traffic police are extra-keen in those areas.

Watch your speed EVERYWERE !!!.

especialy when entering a town or village.
You are in a 50kph as soon as you pass the town sign.

Sneeky bstds hide everywere with their cameras....
Talking from experiance here..

They also hide on motorways and major roads...
So you ain't safe anywere..

David

And they time you between tollbooths at times so watch your average

quote:

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Watch your speed EVERYWERE !!!.

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Yes it has unfortunatly..

Not many fixed cameras, and are well marked.
But it's the Gendarmes with their hand helds, especialy at the weekends.

Watchout for the locals, if they are traveling at the correct speed you can guarantee there is a camera lurking somewere.

David

Can stop here:-

http://www.frenchblat.com/

Here:-

http://www.chezjallot.com/

Or here:-

http://www.ourhouseinaveyron.co.uk/

Ive stayed at the last two places and they are both very good and both very different. First one I havent been to yet but understand it to be a good place as well.

Most excellent


Thanks for the replies guys...Keep them coming