Driving from Cherbourg to Nurburg ring

rodderss

I have the ferry booked in august and was wondering if, anyone has done this journey,can you reccomend anywhere to overnight, we disembark around 4.30pm so ideally no more than a 2 hour drive from Cherbourg . Its only me and my son so were easy once its safe and clean and theres food.

munchkin_utd

I dont know quite what you are trying to do. You have quite a long drive ahead of you and you plan on only doing 2 hours on the first leg and parking up long before its dark but I presume its to get dinner rather than you not being able to drive more than 2 hours after having an 18hour + break on a ferry.

But anyhow, if you really want to stop on the first day for food after 2 hours and eating on the ferry isnt an option then one place might be Caen. We had the same issue a few years back, where do you go with irish kids, and we stumbled on a place called Buffalo Grill which is an american themed steakhouse, so burger or steak and chips which surely would be ok. Its out by the hospital on the ring road and fairly easy to navigate to and they have a carpark.

For an overnight nearby theres "B&B HOTEL Caen Mémorial". Its cheap and cheerful but beds are comfy and carpark is gated so the car is relatively safe. Personally I'd just get up the road nearer your destination after the food when its still evening time.

Another couple of hours up the road is Amiens and theres a REALLY good hotel in the suburbs 5 minutes off the motorway "The Originals Boutique Hôtel Amiens South" , its brand new and rooms are kindof spartan but with a designer feel. I stayed there at christmas on my spins and would definitely stay there again.

rodderss

The total journey is almost 9 hours i am not going to do that in a day with a child so to do a couple of hours one day and the remainder the second day mades sense , to me anyway.

Marcusm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120743228#Comment_120743228

A nine hour drive split between a 2 hour and a seven hour would not be ideal, especially if you plan on doing to ring the following day. You’d be well rested from the ferry, I’d try to do 4-5 hours the first day or else you’ll be very knackered on the third day when you want to drive the ring itself.

XsApollo

ive travelled many time from Cherbourg across Europe, never actually driven to the Nurburgring ring tho, but might as well have.

I agree with the above I’d be looking to get to Germany at least after the ferry, you’ll be nice and fresh after the ferry, and driving in the evening through Belgium is a lot easier than driving during rush hour day. Presuming you are going through Belgium of course, either way it’s plain sailing in the evening with alot less traffic.

Germany is well set up for people doing long commutes in cars so find a hotel anywhere on the route there and pull in at night.

make sure you are nice and fed before you get off the ferry ,and 6-7 hour drive is nothing really.

10-10-20

I'd agree, I'd aim to get about 3 or 4 hours out of the way on the first day. Rouen or even Amiens at best. Even if you were to stop at a road-side restaurant for dinner at 18:30 and then get another 2hrs of driving out of the way after, Buffalo Grill and Courtepaille are good ones to look out for.

XsApollo

Oh and you can make up serious time in Germany and if you’ve never been there before the novelty of being able to put the boot down will keep you entertained.

although you won’t be going too far into Germany so maybe that point is moot.

there is also a nice theme park in Bruhl if you’re spending time around that area.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120752667#Comment_120752667

Doh! Courtepaille just went bust this week.

Irish_wolf

I did this about ten years ago with the brother and it was brilliant. Smart move avoiding England and taking the ferry, we took the ferry to hollyhead and then the euro tunnel, great experience, would never do it again. Getting in after 4pm obviously isn't ideal so really I'd be putting down as much mileage as I could and just stay wherever is at the 3-4 hour point on the road. If you could push it, me and the brother went to Paris for the night and then to the Nurburgring the next day, but we could take turns driving so it wasn't too bad. Not sure how much you'd see getting in late in the evening, but you could take the morning and see the sights.

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058301758/driving-from-cherbourg-to-nurburg-ring

just use any booking aggregate site to look and book, they have reviews location etc

munchkin_utd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120743228#Comment_120743228

To me splitting the journey makes sense, but a split of 2 and 7 hours is not remotely splitting it evenly.

Take your current plan. You get off a ferry after a massive 18 hour rest and then drive a measly 2 hours in one go partially to get food which you could have gotten on the ferry to start with. The 7 hours on the second day is is pure driving time but not the total journey time. Youll have to add in say 2x 20 min breaks breaks, probably a 3rd longer break for dinner. I wouldnt even be surprised if you needed a 4th short break in there too because the longer the journey the more of a trudge it becomes towards the end. The end result will be quite a long day, more like 9 hours on the road on the second day than 7. A 9am departure will be very easily a 6pm or later arrival in Germany, the day gone.

On the other hand if you overnighted at Amiens you have a 4hour/ 5hour split, the 4hours has you to Amiens in at say 9pm with one break somewhere midway. The second 5hour leg needs just 1x break and overalll the break is early enough and the journey short enough that you wouldnt need to get food until at the destination.

If it was me I'd even try to get further up the road like other posters mention. Ive gotten that ferry before arriving in at 4pm to Cherbourg and on my way to Germany I'd get as far as Metz or even the border just by Saarbrucken. Yes, its a late arrival but it shortens the road for the next day which I find to be worth it. The French roads tend to be quiet and doing that late in the evening is a doddle, if not a little tedious as its just too handy.