If you were driving from Calais to Vendee, where would you stopover?

[TooTiredtoGoogle]

Any recommendations for nice hotels in towns where easy to drive and park?
TIA

Rouen is the obvious stopping point. I guess it depends if you just want an overnight stop or if you want to see something.

It is possible to do it straight through. We did a stop-over in Dover, early ferry and got to the Vendee at about 6pm.

HTH

I have my eye on the Novotel at Rouen Sud. It has a pool and Novotels are very family friend. Kids get free breakfast, good children's menu, family rooms, secure parking. here

we have always driven straight there with three kids in the back

to relieve the boredom, we get lost every damn time in Rouen. For at least an hour.

it is hell, I tell you. Heeeeeelll

ps Novotel are da shit, imo

...unless you have more than two kids with you, in which case their online booking system is not da shit, just shit. It won't let you all share a room, insists on your booking two separate ones, and then it won't apply the 50% off second room discount, unless it manages to book you four rooms...

[speaks from bitter recent experience emoticon]

SpringHeeledJack - we too are fellow Rouen sufferers. Even with the benefit of SatNav there always seems to be some sort of experimental road system in force. Last time there were roadworks and the satnav insisted on taking us round in a big circle right back to the same clucking roadworks.

I mentioned Rouen to DH - he started to sob.

We have three DCs so dont fit into standard hotels. We often stay here. Their family rooms are great. I will normally book a family room and a separate double but we then all go into the family room and I raid the double for bedding & towels. This means that we are then able to all have breakfasts.

same here, Gnome! We assumed that, once we got the satnav, we'd be through Rouen and out the other side like a rat up a drainpipe

alas, non

will check out that hotel chain. Love Novotel, but their online booking 'system' a bit hairy at the mo.

I wont pretend that the B&B chain is luxurious but they are convenient and are normally near some sort of eatery such as Courte Paille or Buffalo Grill.

I'm glad we arent the only ones struggling with Rouen. DH has recollections of his father asking the way of a cyclist who then set off weaving through the traffic expecting them to follow!

We will be travelling through Rouen again this summer. I cant wait.

Ooh thanks. Bookmarking this. We are doing this trip with a five year old and 2yr old twins - but slightly further, I think it's Charente we're going to this time (the one La Rochelle is in). We were looking to stay somewhere round Rouen. Poor Dad is not the driver he used to be and now Mum and Dad can't fit in our car anymore, he will be driving their car [bit scared emoticon].

We have stayed here:

www.besthotel.fr/produit1.cfm

Very convient for the motorway junction south of Rouen. They have family rooms and a good buffet style dinner.

There is no need to go into Rouen, you can go round it; but for some reason the Sat navs send you through the centre. I turn it off and follow the signposts.

We just drive all the way in one go - it's really not that bad, even if you arrive at 6, it doesn't get dark till 10 or 11!

And for all Rouen sufferers, you don't need a satnav, what you need is a good map-reader, like me

Last year was the first time we managed to find the route that takes you around the east of the city on the way to the Vendee. We always come back that way but could never find the turning on the way out before!

We often stay at a place on the south of Rouen - Hotel Floritel. Was reccied by a MNetter. The owner turns a blind eye to us having 3 dcs in the family room. We bring an airbed for the 3rd child.

ooh BTM!

we're probably on the same ferry! when d'you normally go? We do Whitsun half term, generally

...will go and look at meet up later. Have been off mn so long I don't have any Threads I'm On any more

and Decorhate we have found for years that the way back thro Rouen is a piece of piss and the way there is like negotiating the first three circles of hell

Thanks. Might try Rouen Sud Novotel on way back - only £89 for 3 of us including breakfast!
Hope to stay a couple of nights around Normandy on drive down though - somewhere near Arromanches so I can see the DDay Landings platforms - if anyone has any recommendations?

Can't bear the idea of driving down in one go - I'll be over 30 weeks pregnant then!

I did Calais to the vendee drive in aug 09 whilst 31weeks pregnant!

We did it in one, it only took about 7 hours iirc.

Air con is a must in the car though.

We got the high speed catamaran from Portsmouth to Caen and then it was only 4 hours to the middle of the Vendee. It was fine to do in a day with two kids in the car, they watched a few dvds!

No where it's not far