Stopovers in France

[Mitchell]

Hi All,
Am planning a trip to the South of France ( just above spanish boarder) for the summer holidays & was hoping for some recommendations as to 'good' 1 night stopovers on the way down & back. Have looked at novotel; ibis; F1 etc...They seem okay but maybe a bit 'clinical'; my wife would prefer something more akin to a B & B...................any recommendations? ( will need secure parking).
Would imagine I will be stopping somewhere around 'Orleans' although this isnt set in stone ( will be heading down teh A10; A75 route).
Thanks in advance
Mitch

[sgould]

http://www.logis-de-france.fr/uk/index.htm

[Peterdon]

http://www.logis-de-france.fr/uk/index.htm[/b]

I agree, it's hard to do better for the money and there are plenty of them to choose from.

[Mark B]

The good thing about Novotels is that they almost always have gated car parking. Also, if your French is like mine, being able to book it on the interweb, print out a map etc is very handy, as is being able to show up very late because your crossing was delayed. But yes, they are boring.

Mr Michelin does a very handy book called something like "Charming Places To Stay in France 2006, 1000 Hotels & Guesthouses for Less Than 80 Euros" previous editions of which I have found excellent. I stayed in several beautiful small chateaux, ancient farmhouses etc, all from this book.

I trust you noticed the discussion of last year about the benefit of getting a Telepeage box so you do not have to queue for the tollbooths. They cannot be recommended too highly. I lent mine to friends over Crimbo who were so impressed they are getting their own. Subscribe online here https://www.sanef.com/fr/ecommerce/particul...?codeOption=FTM and they will post it to you.

[Mitchell]

I trust you noticed the discussion of last year about the benefit of getting a Telepeage box so you do not have to queue for the tollbooths. They cannot be recommended too highly. I lent mine to friends over Crimbo who were so impressed they are getting their own. Subscribe online here https://www.sanef.com/fr/ecommerce/particul...?codeOption=FTM and they will post it to you.[/b]

Mark,
Yes I did follow the thread & my limited French put me off applying for it; is it 'easy' to fill out the application as I would like to get one of these.
Mitch

Okay, used 'babelfish to translate & seems easy enough to apply for one...........how do you pay for the tolls though; it seems you pay 30E for the box & then what?
Let me know
Thanks
Mitch

[sgould]

The €30 is a deposit not a payment. You get it back when you return the unit.

You will give them a Credit Card number when you order. All tolls are charged to this and you are sent a bill as confirmation of what you have paid. Bills are sent monthly BUT only for a month that you have used them. No discount on the tolls and each bill is charged a couple of Euros or so.

So if you go in June, you get one bill for the toll costs plus €2 (or whatever it is now). If you holiday is in June/July you will get two bills for the tolls and a €2 extra on each bill. If you stay home for the rest of the year - no bills, so no €2 a month.

I think that €2 is well worth it to jump the queues, especially the huge ones around Paris at the weekends

And to see the faces of the French who think you are in the wrong lane, or the look on the Porsche driver who is passing you again, having overtaken you half an hour ago, before the toll!!

[NedLudd]

I think that €2 is well worth it to jump the queues, especially the huge ones around Paris at the weekends

And to see the faces of the French who think you are in the wrong lane, or the look on the Porsche driver who is passing you again, having overtaken you half an hour ago, before the toll!![/b]

Thanks to this forum I picked up a telepeage box before our holiday in France last year, and can only echo these recommendations. Marvellous. No fumbling for change or cards, plus since the lanes are freer the kids stay asleep. But sgould's reason is truly the best: seeing the looks on the faces of natives who assume the dumb Brit has flown into the wrong lane, and will now have to reverse all the way out, just as the barrier rises and through you go...

[Mark B]

I have to confess to a tendency to do a "royal wave" at the people staring as we approach the barrier. Last year's record was a BMW 6 series that overtook me five times in one afternoon. Is it Darwinian?

[Mitchell]

I have to confess to a tendency to do a "royal wave" at the people staring as we approach the barrier. Last year's record was a BMW 6 series that overtook me five times in one afternoon. Is it Darwinian?[/b]

That does it...................I,m getting one of these for sure !!!!!!!!!!!

[CherylA]

Hi There

I am new to telepeage and have just ordered ours online from SANEF.

After looking into it, one site says that as SANEF only operate the autoroutes in the northern region and we are going right down to the St Tropez area. Does anyone know if they can be used accross the Autoroute network and has experience of this?

Thanks
Cheryl

[mikeloadsasaabs]

Hi There

I am new to telepeage and have just ordered ours online from SANEF.

After looking into it, one site says that as SANEF only operate the autoroutes in the northern region and we are going right down to the St Tropez area. Does anyone know if they can be used accross the Autoroute network and has experience of this?

Thanks
Cheryl[/b]

I think you'll find they work on any of the network. I've driven from Portsmouth and Calais to the Alsace area and never had any problems. They might be issued by several operators, but recognised by all (bit like a Visa card).

[sgould]

We have a SANEF one. Been using it all over France for the last 5 years. Still on the original unit, so, if it has battery, t seems to last well. We don't stick it to the windscreen, too visible, we keep it in the centre console and wave it at the screen when required.

You have to buy from SANEF as they are the only one of the many French autoroute companies that will deal with UK customers.

[DerekW]

Does the Toll road system in Italy work with the Sanef boxes?

[sgould]

No, but you can just pass over a credit card to the till operator. You don't need real money! There is an Italian equivalent - "Viacard", I think - but we haven't been there often enough to look at getting one.

[Mark B]

I have tried to get a Viacard, but unlike our gallic chums at Sanef the Viacard people are a bit xenophobic. To get a Viacard you seem to need both an Italian credit card and an Italian address (at least when I tried last year). My experience is that there isn't as much benefit to be had with the Italian system. Although I haven't travelled all that much in Italy, using a credit card seems to be almost as good as having a Viacard, and at some of the tolls the lanes are shared. Just look carefully for all the lanes that take credit cards and you'll still save a chunk of time.

One thing to note: I was driving a bit in France recently in a newish Espace (don't ask) and the Telepeage box would not work from inside the car. I had to hold it out of the window and saw other people doing the same. I think it has something to do with the heat reflecting glass. You would have thought that a French manufacturer would have thought of that.