Help, overnight stop in Le Mans

gmrsupplies

Hi all, been looking and looking but cannot find anything, looking for an overnight stop halfway between Calais and just south of La Rochelle in Western France, ideal halfway looks to be Le Mans. Plenty of hotels but none with rooms for 5, 2 adults and 3 kids, 9,4 and 2 years. Looking for night of 31st July.Anybody done this before with the dreaded 5 person family??
Thanks

sunshinetours

gmrsupplies wrote: »

Hi all, been looking and looking but cannot find anything, looking for an overnight stop halfway between Calais and just south of La Rochelle in Western France, ideal halfway looks to be Le Mans. Plenty of hotels but none with rooms for 5, 2 adults and 3 kids, 9,4 and 2 years. Looking for night of 31st July.Anybody done this before with the dreaded 5 person family??
Thanks

Hi there

Assuming you are coming from a reasonable distance before you get to ferry/tunnel? I would be tempted if i was you to stay overnight near the port and get an early crossing. The trip down to la Rochelle can be done with a couple of stops in about 8 hours from Calais and is a very easy drive.

We live in South East so only a hour and a bit to the tunnel for us and thso we did the whole trip in one day with a 4 and 2 year old no problem. Invest in a DVD for the car though you will thank me for it!

We have just come back from the Charente maritime area and it is absolutely lovely. Beaches south of La Rochelle are great and the zoo at La Palmyre worth a visit as is la Rochelle itself (spend a morning at the aquarium and wander the old port in afternoon)

Have a great time!

Two_Hoots_3

Hi

A couple of years ago while travelling south we stopped overnight in a B & B hotel in Le Mans its very basic - the rooms have a bed, tv and bathroom and thats about it its very cheap and if you can't find anywhere else why don't you book 2 rooms one which sleeps 2 and have 1 adult and 1 child and a room for 3 and have 1 adult and 2 children.

Good luck

knightstyle

Agree with above, we always use B&B hotels, secure parking, en-suite. Central reservation, English speaking, is 0033172365106 or book on line. We use Le Mans sud, code 052 as it is easy to find.
Plus have a day at Puy du Fou near Cholet, easy reach of La Rochelle.

Louisa_Jane_2

We've got 3 children as well - always booked 2 cheap rooms at somewhere like etap;
http://www.etaphotel.com/gb/home/index.shtml or other hotel in accor group.

Oldernotwiser

Both Etap and B&B are excellent value for money, even when paying for 2 rooms.

gmrsupplies

Thanks all. I am waiting to hear from a B&B in the area who do rooms for 5, looks really nice, will post a link to it if you want. Unfotunately I have to travel from Derby down to Dover which puts 3hours onto the journey, allow 2 1/2 hours for wating at Dover, crossing and disembarking plus 8 hours driving plus another hour for breaks and this equates to 14 1/2 hour travelling. We have a DVD player but TBH if we had a circus/fair and swimming pool in the car it would still not be enough to occupy them for that about of time!
We are actually going to a private home on Siblu site called La Pignade which is very near to La Palmyre. Any more tips
?

Oldernotwiser

When travelling with children, I used to do the opposite of what most people do. Rather than trying to keep them entertained. make it as boring as possible and they tend to go to sleep. It might work for others.

brodev

The following website has a list of cheap but clean hotels in France. Like others I would suggest 2 rooms. You can get 2 Premier Classe rooms for €70 in Le Mans. I have not stayed in that particular one but I have in many others and all have been satisfactory.
http://www.day-tripper.net/hotels-in-france.html

sunshinetours

gmrsupplies wrote: »

Thanks all. I am waiting to hear from a B&B in the area who do rooms for 5, looks really nice, will post a link to it if you want. Unfotunately I have to travel from Derby down to Dover which puts 3hours onto the journey, allow 2 1/2 hours for wating at Dover, crossing and disembarking plus 8 hours driving plus another hour for breaks and this equates to 14 1/2 hour travelling. We have a DVD player but TBH if we had a circus/fair and swimming pool in the car it would still not be enough to occupy them for that about of time!

We are actually going to a private home on Siblu site called La Pignade which is very near to La Palmyre. Any more tips

?

Hi
Guessed it was Derby from your signature!

If you are taking ferry that will add some to your journey, we used the tunnel which is so quick and easy (and take Tesco vouchers!)

The area of La Palmyre is lovely as we went there for the day to do the zoo. One tip, wander by the zoo after say 4pm and see if anyone is on the gate as it seemed people were just wandering by and in

Beach was great (white sand) but water very cold as its the Atlantic. Really nice area and great for cycling as quite flat and lots of cycle lanes

Other tips, buy your petrol / diesel off the autoroutes as it is much cheaper. if you drive a diesel stock up in France as much cheaper (about 96c or so recently off autoroute) Unleaded not so much difference so fill up in UK

My UK Barclaycard worked fine on the toll machines (look out for "CC" signs to pay by card)

Also check out this site which has loads of useful info in it

www.franceforfamilies.com

Most of all have a great time, we are going back for sure next year to stay again at La Vendange gites inland in Gibourne, near St Jean D'Angely http://www.lavendange.com/ . Check it out if you have younger kids especially its a great place to stay!

dzug1

If there is a Bonsai hotel in Le Mans, they have rooms for 5 - or rather 2 interconnecting rooms