Driving to Switzerland - stop over options?

[ketchupkisses]

We're driving to Switzerland at Easter (Saas Fee) and need to break the journey around about Dijon. Is it best to just pay for two rooms in a Formula One (we have 3 children) or can anyone recommend somewhere a bit more salubrious? Do French hotels have family rooms at all? The holiday is costing a small fortune as it is, so I don't want to pay too much.

Any thoughts/tips much appreciated!

Sorry no advice but wondering why you choose Switzerland?

We stopped a bit further north in a Best Western hotel near Troyes - foret de l'orient I think. They have some larger rooms which have two double beds in on two levels which were great for us and cheaper than two rooms elsewhere. I wonder if that could be made to work for you?

I wouldn't recommend Formule 1 - we stayed in one which stank of smoke and would never do it again.

This year we drove all the way to Annecy, but that doesn't help you if you want to stay in Dijon.

I know there are several hotels around the services in Bourg-en-Bresse - try tripadvisor.com for those maybe?

We go to Hotel Alphubel in Switzerland see here. Its getting more and more expensive but it works really well for children so we keep going even though we can't really afford it. We're trying to save some money this year by buying boots on ebay rather than hiring them and driving there.

I like the sound of 2 double beds. I'll have a search for that one. I've stayed in formule1 before without children but the more I think about it the more I agree its a bad idea.

ooh say hi to Heather, ketchup. We've not been back for a good few years now but had some fun times there !

Agree about not F1. have done it many time before Dc, and a couple of thime with teh Dc, but inevitably there is a stink of smoke, lack of ensuite makes it a bit grim, and the lack of food onsite means anotehr trek to feed them - you only meed to pay slightly more for an ibis or campanile with a restaurant - there are loads of them en route.

Try this hotel chain, never used it ourselves but have considered them, unusua in that they have family rooms for 4, not 3 which seems more the norm with budget French hotel chains. They are a bit more expenisve than F1/Premiere classe/Etap.

www.hotel-bb.com/reservation-hotel/lang/en/home/hotel_search

Here's my usual stop over - about 4 - 4.5 hours from Calais, south of Troyes, but an hour or so north of Dijon. Just off the autoroute (you can see hotel from the autoroute) but amazingly quiet. It also has family rooms. Meals are very good, though not cheap (there is a children's menu).

We always drive now to Switzerland.

Its about 9 hours for us from Amsterdam or Zeebrugge. Its a long day but it has its advantages.
Cheaper, can take your own stuff etc.

How old are your children. We have a 14 year old 10 and 4 year old so we have had to start getting two rooms even though we generally all squash up in one !

We tend to go through Germany and have stopped and stayed overnight in the past in Heidelberg which is a lovely town, but tbh we have found it just makes 1 long day into 2 days of driving so we tend to do the drive in 1 day now.

Thanks everyone for all your help. I'm in contact with Le Val Moret which sounds great although they may not have a room.

Just have to sort out ski boots now which arrived from ebay in the wrong size - gggrrrhh!