Mark Hone Posted 23 May , 2005 Share Posted 23 May , 2005 Has anyone any knowledge of the location of this Formula 1 hotel? I know what this chain is like but I'm wondering if this particular one is in the middle of an industrial estate , miles from any bar or restaurant, or within reasonable walking distance of facilities. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Cross Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Worst location I ever stayed at - alongside the motorway with only motorway facilities. Definitely not recommended. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 24 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2005 I'm currently trying to find the most economical accomodation in the Somme area for a small group, within striking distance of the main battlefield sites. I don't mind camping, but a colleague who is coming with us is, shall we say 'more senior' than me and would prefer not to go under canvas, if it can be avoided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 I would avoid Formula 1 and Comfort hotels unless you are really forced into it. Among the cheaper hotels ,Premiere A are passable and you could do well at Albert or Amiens. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 24 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Thanks Malcolm. Do you mean the Premiere Classe chain? The nearest one of those seems to be at Glisy near Amiens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 I've stayed at the Premiere Classe at Glisy. It is convenient for nowhere. It was like sleeping in a kitchen cabinet. Gave up after two days and moved to the de la Paix at Bapaume. I recall eating at the Campanile opposite the Premiere Classe. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marco Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 All depends on what you want. "All Hotel rooms are the same size once you close your eyes". Don't go to F1 if you are with a group and want to hang around with each other in the hotel or even your room. Do go to F1 when you come back from the battlefieds at 20:00, eat till 22:00, have 2 large whiskeys (in France Bushmills 10 Y is 30% cheaper then in Holland) in your room by yourself and pass out. As we do. F1 Peronne I can not recommend. It's actually alonside the motorway (peage) and you can not drive up to the hotel from Peronne but have to walk through a gate. Cambrai is my prefured base op operations for the Somme. Either in F1, premier classe, Ibis or anything else. Large choice, nice town and the drive from Bapaume to Cambrai never gets boring. I.m.h.o. naturally. Regards, Marco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marco Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Oh yes. BIG advantage with a group in Cambrai is that the Ibis and F1 are on the same spot, sharing the parking area. The Scots and the Dutch can go to the F1 while the rest can go to Ibis. Regards, Marco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 24 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Thanks for the further advice. I think we've given the F1 the heave-ho, but are still pursuing other alternatives suggested. I hadn't considered Cambrai , although I have visited it and it is a nice town. I always think of it as a lot further from Albert than e.g. Amiens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marco Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Have a memorable time. b.t.w. Pozieres - Cambrai = 41,5 km Pozieres - Amiens = 35,9 km but Cambrai is easier = quicker to get out! (again i.m.h.o.) Regards, Marco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 What about the large hotel in Rancourt? A great location but I have not stayed there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 24 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Paul-As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I have fond memories of the Rancourt Hotel from the fantastic WFA tour of 1988 and a couple of subsequent visits. Don't know anyone who has stayed in it very recently. Probably a bit expensive for my school trip which we are aiming to do at the lowest cost possible. I must look in at Rancourt when I'm next on the Somme, possibly this summer. Marco-there's obviously not that much in it between Cambrai and Amiens regarding distance. I didn't look it up on my computerized routeplanner but just assumed, from gut instinct, that Cambrai was a lot further. Can confirm difficulties of navigating round Amiens. On a stormy night my wife and I got completely lost in the outskirts and never found the hotel we were aiming for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Thanks mark, it does not look like an expensive place and I am curious about it, sort of strange none of us seems to have stayed there recently. It sure looks big for a small Somme village. Maybe you can check further or someone will know more. Recommendations are certainly helpful. Our US group traveled from Arras daily and while it's a really nice town that shoots a lot of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredJCarss Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Hi Paul I have stayed in the IBIS at Cambrai twice before as a base for a few days and have booked again for my next trip. So I can recommend it. Good food, small bar and comfy beds. I have often wondered about F1 but never took the plunge so in my booking this year I have booked one night at the F1 in Cambrai as its right next door to the Ibis and the other nights in the Ibis just in case. Cambrai is a good location for your wanderings Enjoy your trip - I know I will as I return every year for my battlefield `FIX'. Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 25 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Fred-Thanks for your post. Sorry to bang on about this, but are the Ibis/F1 at Cambrai in walking distance of eateries etc? This is going to be important for us. We're quite happy to rough it-I spent a week in the worst dorm in Napier Barracks Folkestone a couple of years ago- as long as we can go somewhere to eat in the evening within easy reach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 I know this is outside your specified area, but at times when it’s been impossible to stay in the immediate Somme area, we’ve stayed in Laon, using the St-Vincent motel on the outskirts, which has an adequate restaurant but is across the road from the Campanile where the buffet breakfasts are much better. Laon has the usual chain motels. It’s quite quick to reach the Somme region, especially using the autoroute, but it also has its own Great War attractions such as the Compiègne area and the extraordinary Fort de la Pompelle at Reims. For more, see Rose Coombs. In general my observations are that virtually all Première Classe hotels are on the same land as Campaniles, where you can eat reasonably and inexpensively. If staying in a Première Classe again (or similar motel) I would have breakfast at the neighbouring Campanile. It’s good value, extensive and sets you up for the day. (In fact, as we always drive overnight to mainland Europe, we often pull in at a Campanile to refresh and have breakfast.) My objections to Première Classe were that the noise of neighbours wandering up and down the deck access was very intrusive and, in a snowy February, the rooms were perishing. The heating went off at what the French considered bedtime and the room was not draught proof. I could put up with the preformed bathroom and furniture. Are Campaniles or Novotels outside your price range? I concur with your observations about Amiens, having got completely lost both in daylight and in the evening darkness. It was rewarding once in there. Gwyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Buck Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Some mention of Campaniles on this thread. We have used them for both eating and sleeping and found to be of reasonable quality and cost for both. However, like many of this type that are aimed at motorists, they are often not in accessible locations for a walk into town. Campaniles are part of the Envergure Group and you can book online and can find the website here. We have eat at the Peronne Camapanile but stayed in a good Chambre d'Hote midway between it and Albert. Send me a message if you want details. We have also used the camp site at Peronne with our motor caravan which has chalets to rent, details here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredJCarss Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Mark I have generally eaten in the IBIS which is good and value for money. There are alternatives locally but to be honest I have used them on my way back (I'm just lazy) to save going out again as I find after a lot of walking during the day I would take the car anyway. Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 25 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Thanks everyone for your help. As I say we are trying to keep the cost down as low as possible as a small school group is inevitably more costly per head than a 40 or 60 person tour. We shall investigate the different options people have mentioned. The curator at Fort De La Pompelle used to be the son of a former colleague of mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Some mention of Campaniles on this thread. We have used them for both eating and sleeping and found to be of reasonable quality and cost for both. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Brian, What sort of food do they do?? I have only stayed in Campaniles in Paris and that was about 10 years ago. I do recall them doing food Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marco Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Fred-Thanks for your post. Sorry to bang on about this, but are the Ibis/F1 at Cambrai in walking distance of eateries etc? Apart from the mentioned Ibis there is a Buffalo Grill nearby. I think F1 - Cambrai center is 2-3 km. Never walked it. Regards, Marco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ypres1418 Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Mark, last time we stayed at Rancourt was after it had been taken over in 91, have to admit that they did not seem to like us vary much, ignored us in the restaurant both in the evening and the following morning, we moved out straight away and have not been back! If it's changed hands again it might be better! Mandy ps Julie Renshaw for those who want to camp and B&B for your other one! she now has two showers and it is on the battlefield! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 25 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Re. Rancourt. M. Hochard, the owner in the 1980's was, if my memory serves me correctly, from Verdun of all places. He had no interest whatsoever in the Great War but was pleased to see British tourists at his hotel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Gray Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 I usually stay at the Hotel BB on the outskirts of Amiens, (Longeau), the rooms are very basic but comfortable, and very reasonably priced at 51 euros for a room for 4 people, with a hot breakfast at 5.30 euros per person. They are part of a big chain with Hotels all over France & Germany. It's within a 10 minute walk from the Buffalo Grill, (good value steak house). It must be OK because it is full most nights with French travellers..!! UK Coach tour companies use it as a stopover hotel, so they're used to catering for big parties. The downside is that if you want serious nightlife you have to take a 10 minute taxi ride into the centre of Amiens, and on one side of the building some traffic noise can be heard as it overlooks the main ring road around Amiens. Try their website: http://www.hotel-bb.com/index.phtml?NumLangue=2 Rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 26 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 26 May , 2005 Thanks, Rob. I hadn't heard of these before. Lack of serious nightlife is absolutely no problem for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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