Overnight stops in France en route to Italy

[AllBuggiedOut]

We're driving to Italy in August, and are thinking about where to overnight stop. The DSs are 6, 8 and 10 and aren't going to love the car bit... We're a good couple of hours from Dover so if we left home early on day 1, I reckon could get to perhaps Mâcon to overnight. Or maybe we should get to the coast (or even over to Calais) the day before so we could get further through France on the first full day. Any advice, suggestions, drug recommendations etc all welcome.

Thanks!

We have stayed here about 10 mins off the Motorway at the Macon Nord exit. It is lovely - food was very good and they do free wine tasting. Gorgeous garden - where they served breakfast. I have booked to stop off there this summer too.

If you can get to Calais the night before, the hotel meurice is good. Proper old-school French family-run hotel.

We always stay there. In fact ds1 was conceived there

Thanks.

I think getting to Calais the night before is the best thing to do (although definitely not conceiving DC4 while there!). Then maybe a hotel near the Italian border, Lanslebourg perhaps.

Will also look at the one in Mâcon for the way home, thanks Portofino.

We did Strasbourg on the way down and lille on the way back. We were travelling to Como so north Italy and drove when DS was about 9 months, so lots of stops.