Credit Card Touring

Spawn of Cabbie

I wonder if the forum can help?

I'm doing a bit of credit card touring between Dieppe and La Clusaz in the Alps this July.

We'll be staying in places like

Chartres
La Charite-sur-Loire
Moulins
Macon
Annecy

Does any one know if you can just roll into town and check into a cheapish hotel or if it's better to book in advance?

Thanks

tatanab

Specifically those towns (what time of year?) I do not know. When I go cheap hotel touring I simply go and find a hotel when I've had enough for the day. Booking in advance constrains you, or gives you a target depending on your mindset.

I've had problems finding hotel rooms in a few places, and at unexpected times of the year, but in general things work out ok.

djmc

14 July might be a problem as it is a public holiday but normally it is easy. Formule 1, Brit Hotels, Campanile etc are usually cheap but always in an industrial estate right by an autoroute / main road on the outskirts of town. Logis de France tend to be either in towns or villages and are often a lot nicer. I've never had serious trouble finding a hotel. If you start looking about 5pm then you have about 2 hours before you need to eat which should be ample. This means that if you're going well then you can carry on further, and if you have problems then you can stop sooner.

Spawn of Cabbie

We should be leaving in about 5 weeks time.

Those towns are just the biggest on the route. They're also quite a distance away from each other so I don't want to commit fully to those at the end of each day.

However, neither do I want to waste hours looking for hotels. Is it a question of heading for the local tourist office or just pot luck?

KeithG

The local tourist office are a good standby if you are reaching the end of the afternoon and are getting worried about somewhere to stay, they will search for beds for you at your price range albeit for a fee.
This is important if your group is large because things are a LOT easier when you're alone and looking for a room.
A problem arises when you reach about mid afternoon, I find, and don't want to stop yet but are some distence from the next town. Having said that France in July is a lot quieter than in August, so you should get away with it OK.

GeorgeShaw

My head office is in Annecy, and it will be heaving in July, as it attracts foreign as well as French tourists. So if you want to stay in town, I'd advise you to book. However if you don't mind staying (well) outside town then, as mentioned above, in July shouldn't be a problem to find spare rooms.