driving from calais to languedoc 3 night stopover but where?

[clarabb]

Hi
I've seen other threads about this journey and driving through verses and overnight stop. We are doing that journey but as want to stopover for three nights (all in the same place). I need suggestions - I did fancy Paris but just seems a bit of a nightmare with the car and finding a room for 5. Am very open to going east of Paris and down that way - any thoughts mumsnetters?
thanks PS - dcs are 7,8 &11

Clarabb - what kind of thing are you after? Are you wanting theme parks (be different and go to Parc Asterix) or are you wanting some history?

We live in East Midlands and can just about make Dijon in one day. Northern Burgundy is worth a visit. There is a castle being constructed using traditional materials and methods in Burgundy (if you are interested I can find details).

What type of accomodation? If you want to keep costs down then chains like www.hotelbb.com are good (tip with these, we book family and twin rooms and then can have their very good value breakfast, we all sleep in the family room and raid the twin for bedding). If you want local colour then try www.logisdefrance.com.

Please provide more info on what you want. We are a family of 5 but just a few years older (11,12,15).

We arent big fans of big cities (if I was directing someone to experience Britain then I wouldnt bother with London!).

GnomeDePlume - thanks for the reply. My dream scenario is a friendly comfortable (but not outrageously expensive) hotel with a pool and restaurant interesting historical places, towns etc to visit. !!! - I know - i did say "dream scenario". I am the only driver so the stopover has to be relaxing for me (hence nice hotel - DH owes me)
Looking at the map Dijon area seems about the right distance so more help would be appreciated. I can give others lots of help on south west france and the journey there but this years holiday is bits of France which are new to me.
thanks again

We did exactly that a couple of years ago and stayed here, which was brilliant

It's a v. superior campsite (you'd need a cabanne rather than a roulotte for 5 of you, but they're v. comfy), with a swimming pool and open space. Near Versailles, and v good RER connection into Paris. And you can drive round the west of Paris via Reims and then head down to the motorway.

Look, the cabanes are all nice and comfy inside, and they come with a lovely woodburner. And a proper shower etc.

Also handy cos it's self-catering, so you can make sarnies for the next stage of the journey, which is tricky if you're in a hotel. They have an on-site pizza place too if you don't want to cook.

On the way back we stopped over in Chartres, which is a lovely town, but only did a one-night stay. Versailles def more fun, like a holiday in its own right.

Beaune is lovely. Right in the centre of the vinyards. The Novotel is just on the outskirts of town. We've stopped off here on the way back from Languedoc to Brussels. I guess you need one room to sleep 5 though. How about here?

Or try Sawsday's Special Places. I have booked a couple of places through here for our trip this year. You can search by map, or by keyword eg pool. You need to register on the site though.

We've stayed there, frogs!

Really enjoyed it. Very French round there, too, so required to use the lingo in the local shops and on public transport.

It's great to fnd somewhere that isn't packed with English people.

We stayed in Beaune a few years ago. We stayed here: www.hotelbretonniere.com/index.php?l=2 it's a 5 minute walk into Beaune.

They do rooms for 5!

We didnt eat in the hotel, we had one of the duplexes so just did our on thing. It was wonderful!

Sorry, proper link:

www.hotelbretonniere.com/index.php?l=2

This is the castle being built in Burgundy using traditional methods and materials:

www.guedelon.fr/

thanks for all those answers and being so helpful - I know which websites i'll be looking at this evening.