Cars and Cathedrals Tour - Reims to London and review

 


The last car hurrah was the old Reims Formula 1 circuit (or what’s left of the Grand Stand and pits at any rate).





It is not usually our thing to go driving around from hotel to hotel.  It was more a thing for my parents in Europe and at times for the in laws.  Save for a couple of two week motorhome trips we have been more inclined to go for a single destination.  Even then it has tended to be self catering for anything longer than a weekend.  


We were musing in the car re price, expectations and value.  Can’t fault the cheapest in the Loire Valley.  Granted it was the most basic so less to pick fault with.  Then there was its restaurant.  The food was some considerable way off basic and we certainly couldn’t find fault with that.  


Any minor dinner service irritation in Rouen might well have been down to the May (Labour) Day holiday.  Reims was pretty much unbeatable location wise and Monday breakfast aside the service was in a whole different league.  Monday breakfast was, however, bad.  I do not expect to have to go searching for a plate, mug and glass nor for ‘hot’ food to be cold in a 5* hotel.  Tuesday breakfast was an entirely different experience.  No idea about the restaurants for dinner as we either couldn’t get in or weren’t really in the mood for that level experience/price tag.  Embarrassingly, given  the American and British clientele, they have they might need to consider getting larger bath towels and bath robes.  


We were not anywhere long enough to try out gyms, spas, swimming pools, bars, terraces etc.


So whilst we would happily return to the Relais de la Loire in peaker season that might be easier said than done given its size.  The Holiday Inn at Calais Coquelles we may well return to as a base to explore the Normandy coast.


It has, however, reinforced our plans for a motorhome for retirement or, at least, the initial years.  The sooner we get to retire the more those years will be but equally we are not blind to the funds that are required for this.  We have worked out what we want.  This will involve me in having some driving lessons as it is BIG (and left hand drive) which makes me a bit nervous but S can’t do all the driving.  Though I am not so sure I am going to be that keen on hair pin bends to alpine resorts no matter how many lessons I have.


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