Club Arnage

So as you probably guessed I'm looking for the quickest toll free route down from Calais ... I'm travelling on Thursday morning and hoping to be there just after lunch, all help and advice is much appreciated!

Cheers guys!

Years ago, pre autoroute we used the Calais, Abbeville, Rouen route and thoroughly enjoyed the relaxing drive through some lovely small towns and villages, stopping often for coffees and grub. If you want to be at Le Mans by lunchtime my advice is to set off very early. Whilst the toll-free route is a great experience it's quite a slow 262 miles. You do get lots of French families sat along the roadside offering encouragement  to drivers of rorty machines to "give it some", especially on the Sunday after the race.

try viamichelin.com for a detailed route. Tick the "avoid tolls" box.
Enjoy the drive

Have a look in the CA Annual Le Mans Guide at http://www.clubarnage.com/caguide/ (http://www.clubarnage.com/caguide/).

Look at the 'Boulogne to Le Mans - A pretty route for sports cars – Avoid big towns and boring roads' for a good alternative route.

Used this route from Abbeville to LM last year, excellent roads, lunch in a town square, but it did take considerably longer than batting down the motorways. The saved tolls paid for lunch.   8)

Nice one Barry, I never thought about letting the French Government buy me lunch.

These days it is a lot easier to keep to the limits and put the car in cruise mode while enjoying the countryside. Went down via a slow country route last year and while it took me 45 mins more it was most pleasurable, also going through some of the little villages gives you an idea of different places to stay if on holiday. Not sure if the extra traveling times eats into the lunch money though (no pun) but having changed to Diesel I only use half the fuel anyway, a plus for AUDI DIESEL  ;D

>Martini...LB

There had to be one  ;D

You're quite right. Unless you're on a tight timetable, meandering along the N138 is all part of the event.  There are a number of nice villages with nice cafes to stop at.

Lot of lorries on the old N138, Steve's route is a lot more civilised.

€30.4 each way in tolls.

You'll probably end up using more fuel as it's more of a stop and go type of drive.

Personally I'll be back on the autoroute this year and will do the journey in about 4 hours, thereby arriving on site in time to pitch tent and start the beers!

Good call Paul but Ade jw and I will be on the cold ones from 05.30 on the Thursday courtesy of British Rail. We're letting the train take the strain as we meander through the British and French countryside at high speed, drinking beer and talking rubbish. Just like the Guinness Bar but a bit faster!

THURSDAY.... THURSDAY hopefully we'll all be in hospital with alcohol poisoning by then.  ;D ;D

Do check, as I've been on trains that have a trolley dolly with only tea and coffee :o

Best to take a six pack jic  8)

Indeed,  +1

MG Mark