Help with road-trip planning around Northern France (Le Touquet/Le Havre/Normandy)

rossyl

Member
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3,312
Hi Guys,

We are going to have a short 4 day trip on the Eurotunnel to France for a weekend. We don't want to go too far into Frnace, hence the plan to stay around the Le Touquet/Le Havre/Normandy area.

Does anyone have any tips for:
  • good roads
  • good hotels
  • good restaurants
Would be great to have some tips.

Thank you!
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
I seem to recall the D940 was a nice road down to Le Touquet. As for Le Touquet itself, the bicycles are difficult to park and some of the guests at the hotel can be a bit touchy about noisy cars! :p
 

Zep

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9,110
We stayed in the Grand Hotel, it was nice if you can avoid the enraged Welsh rugby props.
 

safrane

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16,748
Le Touquet Westminster is a lovely old hotel 1930s style.

Nice bar and good food... oh and I love the classic old lift they have.
 

BillyBob

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107
If you're happy going as far as Le Havre, then I can definitely recommend Deauville / Trouville. There are 3 1 Star restaurants there - we went to L'Essential and really enjoyed it. The place is a nice old fashioned seaside resort.

Quick question - what are you planning to do with your headlights - put beam benders on, or wing it?
 

Wanderer

Member
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5,791
If you're happy going as far as Le Havre, then I can definitely recommend Deauville / Trouville. There are 3 1 Star restaurants there - we went to L'Essential and really enjoyed it. The place is a nice old fashioned seaside resort.

Quick question - what are you planning to do with your headlights - put beam benders on, or wing it?
I was in Normandy last year and due to the advice here winged it as I was assured they're not necessary with the Xenon type beams. Did't sound right but I had my beam adjusters in the car anyway and was going to play innocent.

Don't forget your France kit, spare bulbs (any, there's no way you'd be able to replace a Xenon and ballast on yer own) triangle, two breathalysers, and two hi-vus jackets, the later must be in car not in boot.

I never saw one plod, took mostly A roads to get there and ended up with a €70 toll charge, for 10 days and and I have a tagger.
 

Doctor Houx

Member
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791
I live half my life in France often driving U.K. reg cars. Don’t worry about beam converters, bulb kit or the breathalyser kit as the law for the latter was never passed.

Do carry the high vis vests and triangle as these are the things you do actually use if you breakdown, and the Gendarmes will fine you if they come across you and you are not using these. Speeding is getting more of a problem now their cameras data that catch you can be used courtesy of the DVLA bow sharing keeper details. 3 fines in last 12 months for me :-(
 

Wack61

Member
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8,764
I read as well as having them in the car if you get stopped put the hiviz on before getting out

Waze works , it doesn't show speed camera locations like it does in the uk but it does show the police and notifies you when the limit changes

On the D roads the 50kph speed limits apply even if there's no signs as I found out when I arrived into a hamlet of 4 houses , the truck that'd been up my **** at 80kph suddenly backed off

Luckily no cameras
 

Wack61

Member
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8,764
some of the guests at the hotel can be a bit touchy about noisy cars! :p
When we went to france last year we stayed in a Britannia hotels golf and country club in southampton the night before, got there about 9pm

At breakfast the golfers were up early , the 2 on the next table were chatting , I heard one say , did you get a good nights sleep

Did I **** , had an early night, was just dropping off when billy big ******** drove in in that ******* yellow car and woke me up.

They obviously didn't know it was me but the tears rolling down my cheeks and stifled laugh might've given it away :D