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Got the Motorail tickets, 26th August 2007, Calais to Nice. That gives us three days to get from Nice to San Marino which should be a doddle.

I get the impression the most tedious, difficult and expensive part of the journey will be getting from our house to Calais.

Option A would mean riding to Dover on Saturday, getting a local B&B room for the Saturday night, then getting the 10:40 Sunday Speedferry to Boulogne and riding up to Calais to catch the 18:05 Motorail (loading starts at 15:40). Saturday would be less rushed and therefore a better start to the trip.

Option B would mean riding to Dover on Saturday, getting a later ferry to France and finding a hotel in Boulogne on the Saturday night. That would be cheaper, but a harder day on Saturday, and what are the chances of finding a room on a Saturday night at the end of August? We can't book one ahead as we don't speak French, so have to turn up somewhere and mime/shout/draw diagrams at the receptionist.

Any thoughts?

hey nooj
For accommodation in France I recommend the Etap hotels. About 30 Euros for a room for 3 ( bunk bed over a double) including continental brekky. secure parking. you can book online. They're all over the place .

I had a look at their site, the ones around Boulogne came out at 50euro. I'll investigate the other big motels if I can remember what they're called (severe brain fade today). Found a B&B in Dover for £20 per person which isn't too bad.

Nooj wrote:Got the Motorail tickets, 26th August 2007, Calais to Nice. That gives us three days to get from Nice to San Marino which should be a doddle.

I get the impression the most tedious, difficult and expensive part of the journey will be getting from our house to Calais.

Option A would mean riding to Dover on Saturday, getting a local B&B room for the Saturday night, then getting the 10:40 Sunday Speedferry to Boulogne and riding up to Calais to catch the 18:05 Motorail (loading starts at 15:40). Saturday would be less rushed and therefore a better start to the trip.

Option B would mean riding to Dover on Saturday, getting a later ferry to France and finding a hotel in Boulogne on the Saturday night. That would be cheaper, but a harder day on Saturday, and what are the chances of finding a room on a Saturday night at the end of August? We can't book one ahead as we don't speak French, so have to turn up somewhere and mime/shout/draw diagrams at the receptionist.

Any thoughts?

My god 3 days to get to San Marino and you catch a train, shame on you. Nice to San Marino is about 6-7 hours (370 miles and mostly motorway)

Yeah, yeah, I know. We've done the 'riding 8 hours a day just to get to the next stop' through France and it's poo-poo. Also I want to show the Missus Florence, very nice place, so that'll take a day out, possibly have a wander round Piza and Monaco as well, so it should be a good, easy, stress-free bimble.

Besides, we're going to play in the Dolomites and the Alps on the way back, so we'll get the 'proper' riding in as well.

We stayed in the Kyriad chain in errrr May i think. A lot like Travelodge over here and we didnt book anything, just turned up. All the receptionists spoke some english and one of them had a waiter from Ipswich for some reason (re our big mouthed leader - 'ME WANTA STEAK, YOU KNOW DEAD COW, MOOOOO AND FRIES , YOU KNOW, LIKE MCDONALDS SI VOUS PLAIS' - waiter 'yea ok mate, no need to shout' )

Worst thing? They dont 'do' pints. One kyriad only had 2 pint glasses and there were 4 of us, then the next one didnt have any. Quite funny ordering 8 halfs every round

http://www.kyriad.fr/services.php?l=en

Nooj wrote:Yeah, yeah, I know. We've done the 'riding 8 hours a day just to get to the next stop' through France and it's poo-poo. Also I want to show the Missus Florence, very nice place, so that'll take a day out, possibly have a wander round Piza and Monaco as well, so it should be a good, easy, stress-free bimble.

Besides, we're going to play in the Dolomites and the Alps on the way back, so we'll get the 'proper' riding in as well.

Don't let the missus wear high heels then, she'll lose them in Piza (well you did ask for it)

Watch out for the bats in Florence

Whatchoo talkin 'bout Willis?? High heels, bats???

Nooj wrote:Whatchoo talkin 'bout Willis?? High heels, bats???

Pizza dough and vampire bats (yes really they are)

Nooj wrote:Whatchoo talkin 'bout Willis?? High heels, bats???

Pizza dough and vampire bats (yes really they are)

We'll take some stout walking shoes and some garlic then.

It doesn't look like we can camp at the circuit which is a bit of a bummer, we were looking forward to the 'real' MotoGP experience (get pissed and sunburnt, ride the bikes through a row of tents, partake in a burning bogroll fight, throw up in a sleeping German Hells Angel's beard, usual things) but it looks like we'll be staying in a hotel somewhere near by instead. It means there's less to carry on the bikes I suppose, more room for duty free on the way back.