A family of four adults plan on driving from Nice to Paris with an overnight stop along the way We would like to hear from any who might have suggestions for stopping for the evening (where and pricing) and what to see or expect while drining.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
How much will you have seen of Provence before you head north? Beaune is a good stop since it's past the halfway point and would get you into Paris fairly early (three hours) but still miss the early morning traffic. Low end for staying at Beaune would be the ETAPs at seventy bucks a night per room (you'll need two) to as high as you want to go. What will knock your socks off will be the freeway tolls - - those things will probably stiff you a hundred bucks for the trip. Approaching the toll booths make sure you're not in the wrong lane - - the cash lane has either an icon of a guy with his paw out or a bunch of coins (done it so much I forgotten which it is, sorry). There won't be any surprises driving, but you might want to have an idea of exactly how you plan to get to your destination in Paris way before you hit the peripherique - - it's not hard, but some folks will tell you it's an eye-popper.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33852 posts
Another vote for Beaune. A bit upmarket from the Etap is the Mercure just outside the walls. Nice, if predictable, rooms, really easy and free parking, easy stroll into the historic centre, don't miss L'hopital with the wards as they were and the roof. Its in the book. Could make a brief stop to the nougat factories in Montelimar - yumm.
Posted by
OP
Lantana, Florida, USA
52 posts
Thanks for the information we will sure use it when we do our drive
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
Robert, if you are not in a huge rush you need not use the autoroutes (toll highways) except for short, unavoidable distances, and thus make the journey less expensive. Have a good Michelin map and use the N roads (N for National) or even the D roads (D for Departmental). Yes, it will take you a bit longer but you will pass through towns on Market Day, you will enter a town at lunch time and spot a really interesting looking restaurant, you will see a marker for an Historic Site, you will see a really cute inn called Le Cheval Blanc or Hotel de la Poste just when you need it. We have done it so often and it's such fun. Have a look at the website for Logis de France for small inns all over France. They are family-owned and run, have on-site parking and are the answer to the road-tripper's prayer ... should you be the praying type. But there are plenty of small hotels on your way to Paris; you won't have a problem. Bonne route!