France trip

Boxered · Post by **Boxered** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 12:47 pm

I'm planning a week long trip to the Vosges region of France in august, any recommendations for "must do" roads or good accommodation.
Should I book hotels in advance, or will I find plenty of available rooms in august?
any tips gratefully received

cheers

Steve

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 2:17 pm

Steve - the road from Belfort up to the Ballon d'Alsace is pretty damn fine, as are most of the roads in that region. Don't the French go on their hols around 15th or so of August? I'd imagine places can get a bit chocker around this time.

m25jambuster · Post by **m25jambuster** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:48 pm

You may find this of use www.alpineroads.com It may not be of use this time around but its a site full of info not only for you but anyone else planning this type of trip.

winger · Post by **winger** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 7:31 pm

The froggies go on holiday for the whole month of August,best of luck!!!!,travelling the first couple of days either end of the month are one of the interesting exsperiences to be definetly missed.

Boxered · Post by **Boxered** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:21 am

Thanks chaps, the plan is to go end of July to 5 Aug, I know August was traditionally french holiday time, but I thought that with the advent of the european working time directive, that meant it wasn't viable to shutdown for a month? although the schools will be on hols I suppose. It's about 15 years since I last went in August, has anyone been recently, perhaps Flash or madman would care to comment?

Cheers all

Steve

madman · Post by **madman** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:12 pm

Hard to comment Boxered. I live in the Dordogne so it is quite busy here from the end of May. We can tell which cars are not local fom the registration and there were many tourists about today.
I know a few French people who have second homes here that tend to come in early August and leave at the end, so I would say that those are the times when it gets very busy.
Having said that, with a land mass of 2 to 3 times of that of the UK and a population about the same, I have never seen a traffic jam!

boxerpan · Post by **boxerpan** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:30 pm

Yes the Froggies are mostly on hols in August - skeleton staff at most businesses at most. We struggle to get accomodation during August if we need to stay in the more popular touristy areas, just stay away from the busy areas and you should be fine.

Boxered · Post by **Boxered** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:15 am

Thanks all, I've emailed a few hotels in the area, and so far, all who have replied have plenty of rooms available right now, perhaps it's not a busy place in the summer, more popular in the winter months for skiing it seems, which should mean all those cols will be completely campervan free

(yeah right)

thanks again

Steve

skiddy boxers · Post by **skiddy boxers** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 1:12 pm

We stayed in Colmar last year. Nice place and a good base to hit the vosges and the Black Forest.

Routes des Cretes is a must

Nick

FLASH · Post by **FLASH** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 8:35 pm

hello, dear denizens

Boxered, the busiest time (for the French) is between the 15th July and the 15th August. After that all holiday destinations are much quieter (and the weather changes)

head for the Smaller Intestine! (Le Petit Ballon)

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 8:36 pm

FLASH wrote:
head for the Smaller Intestine! (Le Petit Ballon)

That's the one!

Boxered · Post by **Boxered** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 7:03 pm

Tres bien, merci mes amis.

Steve