Irish Mini Owners Club

The Marcos Graveyard wrote:Where would you propose to stop-over ?

Blois perhaps ? It's roughly 6 hours drive from the boat, should be there for Tea time Should be able to get a cheap hotel for under €40 a room.

The last time TMG suggested this, it cost us 270dm (each (about €90) to stay less than 6 hrs in a room in Baden Baden.

Cos yeare weaa thit !!

madjackjr wrote:Well myself and Rosalie are planning to go. Looking to my mother and sisters for tesco vouchers so i think i'm sorted there. Plus Rosalie dose speak french and german

John, all the vouchers need to be in one name if you want to redeem them for the ferry i.e. you can't mix and match. If you don't have enough in one name, the alternative is to do what I did for the trip to Beaulieu in September. Have the outward ferry in one name and the return in another.

Billy

Tesco vouchers arrived today so I now have €90 in vouchers towards the ferry

As for hotels in Blois... Holiday Inn was coming in at €65 a night for a double/twin with Otel.com based on having credit points built up.


Tony

Thanks Billy I’ll see what they have each, both sisters shop Tesco’s one sister has a couple years worth of vouchers to use
And Gareth ya she knows a bit of French and probably more English than me
TMG I don't get the joke of the pic maybe I'm slow but I do like the pic

madjackjr wrote:TMG I don't get the joke of the pic maybe I'm slow but I do like the pic

Think of Cheryl Coles accent as you pronounce 'cos you're worth it.......'!!!!!

Here are some more (cheap) hotel options for Blois:

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.ht ... nth=2011-6


Tony

Toney I bow to your wisdom obviously I haven't been watching enough x factor

Premiere Classe Blois Nord is a basic low budget hotel.
We have stayed in this type of place on the way to and from previous IMM. Similar to the Formula 1 hotels.
Rooms are generally a double bed with single bunk overhead.
Rooms have TV and a desk but no fancy artwork or minibars .
Shower and toilet are en-suite.

Prices are per room with up to 3 occupancy . Breakfast not included, but is available .

Cost of room per night €39.00 .

Back in '98 we drove 3 Minis from Cherbourg to Dole in one day. Dole is southeast of Dijon.

We were younger then.

And there were no trailers or Rapidos in the convoy. Towing reduces Max MPH/KPH allowed.

Probably won't bring the Rapido and use the extra bobs for ferry/fuel on motels.

depending on route, and it looks like route nationale, the average speed would be a deal lower than last years blast down the 'bahn. I for one am quite happy to enjoy the countryside; the journey is as much fun as the destination?
Le Mans for the track & museum... any place else that springs to mind?

ive been looking on google for interesting roads. theres a number of large forests but most of the twisty stuff seems to be in or near Switzerland.

also, i'm waiting to hear back from my insurance co, as Switzerland is technically outside the EU. and may not be automatically covered.

Thanks to Ed Fahey who informed me that Le Mans 2011 is on the same weekend as the IMM i.e. June 11/12:

http://www.lemansrace.com/news/book-le- ... -2011-/79/

It probably won't affect us as our plan would be to visit Le Mans on June 7th en route to Switzerland.

Here's details of the museum: http://france-for-visitors.com/loire/le ... useum.html

Billy

Will there be an IMOC group booking for IMM 2011????


Tony

Just checked Irish Ferries and the price hasn't jumped. If anything it has reduced slightly. I was quoted €526 return for 2 adults, 2 kids, 2-star 4-berth cabin with window. That would be heading out on Monday June 6th and returning June 15th.

I also checked Rosslare-Roscoff which leaves on Saturday June 4th with a view to stopping at Disneyland Europe and/or Paris on the way over and come back via Cherbourg. The price is still the same at €526 for the four of us.

For those travelling from Munster, I also checked the possibility of travelling from Cork to Roscoff with Brittany Ferries on Saturday June 4th and returning with Irish Ferries on June 15th. The outward cost would be €305 and the return €238, giving a total of €548. You would save on the petrol to/from Rosslare but Brittany Ferries don't accept Tesco vouchers.

Clearly the costs would be less than those given above if there are less than four in your Mini.

My own plan is to go with Irish Ferries in both directions and use Tesco vouchers to cover the whole trip.

Billy

Holy crap. A one-day ticket to Disneyland Paris for 2 adults and 2 kids is €216!!!!! Flup that.

And if we bring the Rapido and take cabins without windows, it will work out at €586 (or nothing with Tesco vouchers).

Just had a look there at the Rosslare-Roscoff €286 for myself and rosalie with just reserved seats its cheaper than the plane tickets to her home place.
don't worry disney land is over rated i heard

Hey guys, Im from the north and I'm looking to go to this IMM in june however I don't want to travel down on my own. I'm not part of a club up north and i'm a mere forum stalker. I would love to join this club (even if it ment paying the fees) if you were planning a convoy down if someone could fill me in on travel times boats etc. Cheers

Just checked the ferry prices again, and it's cheaper to go directly to France than to go through the UK.

Stena Line Dublin-Holyhead-Dublin works out €254 for 2 adults + Mini.

Celtic Link Roslare-Cherbourg-Roslare works out €228 for 2 adults + Mini.
( you may wish to add overnight accommodation to this at a cost of roughly €30 per person per night each way)

You would need to start making a commitment to this if you intend going as 2 birth cabins on these crossings can sell out very early in the year which may force the costs up considerably.

Booking to the IMM itself is €60 per adult if made before 31st March, after that the price rises by €10 per month up to €90 if you just turn up on the day.

One thing that has become apparent is the very high costs of transferring money to the host Club in Switzerland, they do not and will not set up a PayPal account due to high transaction charges their end, so all fees have to be sent via bank transfer.

I would envisage that the IMOC will make one Club Booking for all those members who have paid their entry fee prior to the 24th March. Thereafter it will be up to each individual attending to make their own booking and bear any extra booking/banking fees involved.

TMG

How do we convert Lidl's rugby http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20110124.index stuff into IMM shirts?

It looks like I'll be flying and training up to the IMM

I haven't looked into the flight/train option but perhaps you could put up any information/costs that you have.

OK folks,

This is how I'm going to IMM (flights are booked)

Friday 10th June:

- Depart Dublin with Aer Lingus @ 06:50 to GENEVA (arrives at 10:00)
Cost with NO bags (hand luggage only) is €70 including taxes & charges

- Train to St.Stephan and the IMM site. (approx €36)
The train station is at the end of the air strip where IMM is taking place.
Journey time is about 3 hour 15 mins, 2 changes and hourly train departures.

Arrive on site about 3pm.



Monday 13th June:

- Train from St.Stephan to ZURICH. (approx €36)
Journey time is about 3 hrs 25 mins with 2 changes half hourly train departures.

- Depart ZURICH with Aer Lingus @ 20:50 to Dublin (arrives at 22:05)
Cost with NO bags (hand luggage only) is €93 including taxes & charges.


Total plane & train cost to get to IMM is approximately €235.
IMM entry fee €50.

Tony

Great stuff Tony,

That's a serious alternative for anyone who mightn't have the time off to do the whole road trip.

Billy