In April we will be in Bayeau for three days and will have a car. Then we need to drive East across France to St. Avold which is not too far from Strasburg. We are doing it in one day but we need an idea of a small town or village where we can stop for.lunch and stretch our legs somewhere halfway there. Hopefully someone has some.suggestions. Thanks.
Posted by
Somewhere out there
146 posts
I have driven the route from Bayeux to the German border or Strasbourg off and on for a little less than 20 years. The National Route toll road if you go straight thru Paris can take up to 8-10 hours. Driving north from Le Havre and back down to the NR allows for about 7 hours to the German Border. Most of the trip either way is very rural and the available “small towns and villages” near the freeway is limited. I’ve stopped at Amiens, St. Quentin, Reims and Verdun on the way east which to various degrees might meet your desires. Beyond that getting off the freeway will be a long journey to find some place to stretch yours legs and eat.
I’m sure others will pitch with other ideas. Good Luck!
Posted by
1042 posts
This spring we drove from Rouen to Lille. It was a Sunday. We had just a bit of time to spend to time our arrival in Lille for the limited hours the rental agency was open in Lille. We decided we would stop in Amiens and perhaps get a bite to eat and maybe view the cathedral which could be seen from afar. It was very busy; felt like we encountered a college town; and there was a huge farmer's market going on and we couldn't get through the traffic. Maybe if we weren't worried about getting to Lille at such a specific time, we would have been ok. But we ended up not staying and headed off.
Amiens was a bit away off the highway, but not too bad. Certainly a good place to get gas (which we did) before getting to the busier part of the city. So we have no idea if we missed a quaint or charming city in Amiens. Otherwise everything was green countryside. And a few tolls roads, which were tap in/out with the credit card.
Posted by
IJzendijke, The Netherlands
2145 posts
All places mentioned are good places for a stop, but I like to add Laon. Pretty much halfway, charming and easy to reach from the toll road. It’s famous for it’s cathedral and still has it’s medieval walls. It lies on top of a hill, so easy to see from far and the panoramic view of the surrounding countryside is fantastic.
Both Amiens and Reims are worth a visit for their impressive cathedrals, the adjacent streets of the first make it to my opinion a more attractive place to visit. The latter ofcourse for it’s champagne houses and can be interesting for the Museum of the Surrender, but unfortunatily will be closed for renovation.
https://musees-reims.fr/reims-museums/article/museum-of-the-surrender
Posted by
OP
Downingtown, USA
2494 posts
Thanks for the responses we will add to our notes. We know it will be a long day but those two places Normandy and St. Avoid are the only reasons for this trip. Have been to Paris several times before so that is why we are skipping it this time.
Posted by
203 posts
If you are taking the freeway (autoroute), then you may want to consider stopping at one of the many gas/restaurant pulloffs that are frequent on them. Altho they are not scenic, they do allow you to get out and stretch your legs, get a drink, go to the bathroom, and of course get more gas. Altho the food there is not great, it is adequate. And if you are pressed for time, you are able to get right back on the autoroute. Peter