Club Arnage

May be going to PQ, but with the price of ferrys, the cheapest I can get is Dover to Calais at £124 return for car & 2 people.
does any one have an idea of the best route down to LM, without touching Paris. We always go via Pompey / Carne so this would be new ground for us.

Brian , have you tried the daily Mail offer , from Portsmouth routes on P&O, its only £29.99 ?


Otherwise click here..... for the fastest ......
http://www.selfpreservationsociety.net/info/getting%20there.html

Done this route before (what a ball breaker), we headed south toward Rouen and then onto Alencon, which you will be familiar with going from Caen.

I think it took us about 5.30 to 6 hours (memory fade!!), but after getting to Dover from Liverpool this is only a short hop ;D

The TW**TS have a route on their webiste which I have used twice and is very accurate. www.the-twats.com

Thanks for the swift response boys, here's hoping.Robbo great detail on your site.
brian.

We have sometime gone via Paris (going around Paris of course). It's mostly motorway and can be quicker.

Calais, Rouen, Caen etc...very quick and simple

did Dieppe, Le havre, Caen last weekend - 90mins tops - with a slipping clutch  :(

 :-* :-* :-*

Hi Liverpool Boys

Another thought crossed my mind re your attendance at PQ

If there is just the 2 of you - why not get a RyanAir flight from Stanstead to Dinard

Me and Mr RS2 will pick you up from Dinard, which is 25 mins from our house and we can all go to PQ together and you can sample the delights of La Fontaine (our house) at the same time.

Mr RS2 got flights for his parents recently at only £26 return inc taxes.

I think you have my contact details but I will private message you my phone number just in case.

It would be great to return a bit of the hospitality you gave to us last year!

RS2 Babe :-* :-*

The link to The T W A T S route is in the help section as well.
Thats what I like about this site and the people on it. Ask for a bit help and you get more offers than Safeway. Fantastic.


Stu

Whoa! Hold it right there.... Calais - Rouen, Caen! very quick and simple and in exactly the opposite direction to Le Mans.

Calais to Rouen - all autorote.
Rouen can be confusing, because 'Direction Le Mans' signs disappear after you cross the Seine. Keep going straight (past rail marshalling yards on right). At T junction, turn right. Straight across next two roundabouts. Then follow 'Cherbourg' slip road onto major 6 lane highway. Pass castle ruins on right - take next exit, signposted Alencon/Le Mans. Take next left (very easy to miss) signposted N138 Alencon. Engage autopilot and be sure to stop at the cafe/bar at La Croix Blanche - their croissants, omellettes and toilets are all very civilised. It's 5 hours if you take it steady.
Given the choice of flying to Dinard for 29 sovs - I know what I'd do!    

as the well known sage said "if I Wanted to go there, I wouldn't start from here" !!!!!!!!!

What a great site this is thanks to all. But after looking at various routes, prices and driving times.
We have booked a flight from Liverpool to Paris for £82 return with good old easy Jet,also  hired a car from airport that we can thrash and I do mean Trash down to LM, for £82. So we will be in LM around 1400 Sat, just need a cheap hotel now, so Ian and I will meet some of you guys down there I hope.
ROBBO DONT FORGET MY MUG.
Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Brian. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
PS. Stu do you want us to tape off some space for u on MB ;)

Lisa & Simon, thanks for the offer but had already booked out of The John Lennon, see you both down there.
Take care.
Brian.

Bri - I am not going to Pre qual - Sorry, but its already in the trailer, ready and gathering dust.

I can always take a spare tent down for you guys if you want??

Brian...

Very true, in chateau JP / rcutler / Steve Brown we'll have tents and gazebo's etc so I'm sure we could rustle up something between us for the Liverpool Boys.

Rick , Steve , Mark.

Can you let me know the best route from Calais, as i have put this one on my web-site but never tried it, and hopefully never will have to , but if its cruddy , i can chage it.

Cheers

robbo

p.s.

Steve your Anglia Club stickers arrived today , they are cool.

The route on your site is the route we always use (it gets a bit complicated around Rouen though) and we never seem to have problems (apart from rain, overheating, running out of fuel, loosing cars in the convoy etc  :-\ )


Way heeey! (photo?)
This is also being printed on our t-shirts (right sleeve and at the back above  www.clubarnage.com)

steve , i havent put it on the trailer yet, but once its done i will post up, either that or save it as a surprise for LM

I'm the same as you Robbo, I normally do the shorter crossing from Pompey (although this year we are going from Poole, over £100 cheaper)

If there's anything we can add about the tricky bit around Rouen we'll make some notes.

Crikey, I've just realised it's only next weekend!!!!!   :D

OK here is the T.W.A.T.S. detailed route from Calais to Le Mans, proven by many drivers to be the fastest route, sub 3 and half hours possible. If you would like this emailed to you in word or pdf format then please request it via our web site...

The T.W.A.T.S. ‘Sat-Nav’ Guide
The most direct route from Calais to Le Mans is via Boulogne, Abbeville, Rouen and Alencon.
Journey Times
Calais to Rouen approximately 1¼ - 1½hours, Calais to Alencon approximately 3¼-3½hours.
From Calais to Le Mans is 260 miles (415km) and takes approximately 4 – 4½hours (record 3½ hours, 2002PQ, 2001, 2000) and costs just fewer than 10 Euros each way on the tolls.
READY  3 – 2 – 1  GO…
CALAIS - After leaving the train and once you have gone past the terminal petrol station on your left, keep in the left-hand lane and follow the signposts for Boulogne and Rouen (A16/E402).
BOULOGNE - From Boulogne follow the signs for Amiens, Abbeville, Rouen, which will put you on the A16 Autoroute toll road. Exit this Autoroute at Abbeville Junction 23 signposted to Rouen, payment at Abbeville is 6€30 (2003).
ABBEVILLE - After payment, stay in the right-hand lane and follow the signposts to Rouen (A28), this is a free Autoroute all the way to Rouen.
ROUEN - At the end of the Autoroute just north of Rouen remain on this non-Autoroute road, you will eventually go through a long tunnel; follow the signposts to Rouen Centre/Toutes Direction. Shortly you should start to see signposts to Caen and Le Mans, when you do, stay in the left-hand lane. Once you have gone through two under passes get into the centre lane, you will then go over some bridges. Immediately after you have crossed over the river Seine, and after the Rouen Centre exit, move into the right-hand lane. DO NOT TAKE THE ROUEN CENTRE EXIT. Take the next immediate exit on the right signposted Le Mans, which bears round sharply to the right and back on underneath itself leading onto the dual carriageway D18E.
Continue on this dual carriageway through the industrial areas of Rouen, running parallel with the railway on your right, following the signposts for Le Mans. At the first roundabout (with concrete cows on it!) go straight over, at the second roundabout go straight over but stay in the right-hand lane, at the fork in the road you will then need to turn right, joining the A13 Autoroute at Junction 22, signposted to Le Havre and Caen (A13).
Follow the signposts on the A13 motorway to Le Havre and Caen, as the road climbs up and out of Rouen stay in the centre lanes, signposted Le Havre and Caen. You will then start to see signposts to Le Mans for Junction 24, which is 7kms away. Once you have gone past a castle on the right, stay in the right-hand lane and take the next exit at Junction 24.
You will now be on a road with two lanes in your direction, stay in the left-hand lane and very soon you will go past a Total garage on your right and an Elf garage on your left where you must turn left. This junction is not very well signposted and the turn is easily missed.
N138 - You are now on the N138 to Alencon and Le Mans, stay on this entertaining road and follow the signposts to Alencon and Le Mans.
ALENCON - Just North of Alencon turn right at the roundabout onto the bypass (N12) signposted Peage Autoroute and Le Mans, follow this dual-carriageway for a short distance and then turn right at the next exit signposted Peage Autoroute (A28) and Le Mans. At the roundabout bear round left following signposts to enter the Autoroute (A28), which will lead you onto the toll road, then remain on the toll road until you are just North of Le Mans.
LE MANS – As you approach the end of the Autoroute (A28) just north of Le Mans stay in the left lane signposted Le Mans and Tours, (DO NOT take Le Mans University exit on the right). On exiting the toll 3€20 (2003), you will come to a roundabout with a McDonalds and a Buffalo Grill, bear left around this roundabout and follow the signposts to Le Mans (N138) for 2kms. On the N138 towards Le Mans you will go past another McDonalds on your right, at this point stay in the right-hand lane, and take the right fork sign-posted Toutes Directions (E502/N138R),      DO NOT FOLLOW THE SIGNPOSTS TO LE MANS CENTRE.
E502/N138R Ring Road - You will then be on the ring road signposted E502/N138R Toutes Directions, around Le Mans. Once on the ring road start looking out for signposts to Angers and Tours. Ignore any signposts to the circuit at this stage, until you go past an Intermarche supermarket on your left-hand side in approximately 7kms, then keep in the right-hand lane from now on as you need to turn right at a set of traffic lights (D315), signposted to the Aerodrome.
(If you miss this turning, then take the next right, which is signposted to Tours E502/N138, which eventually goes onto the Mulsanne straight. This road will bring you past another McDonalds and a Carrefour supermarket on your left-hand side. Continue on this road straight over the lights and when you have past the Green Seven Hotel on the left-hand side you will need to turn next right (Rue du Panorama) just before Tertre Rouge Corner, signposted to Tertre Rouge/Expo campsites. Go past the Tertre Rouge campsite on your left, and then at the T-junction at end of this road turn left. Go past the museum and grandstands on your left, the airport should be visible on the right.)
Follow this road for approximately 2kms towards the Aerodrome, at the next major roundabout you come to (where you should be able to see the Airport and grandstands in front of you in the distance) take the exit signposted to the circuit (I think it’s the third one, N23) not the exit to the Aerodrome or Arnage. This takes you over a fly-over, which bears right round and brings you onto a dual carriageway (N23), stay in the right-hand lane and take the next exit right towards the circuit (D139). At the crossroads opposite the Main Circuit Entrance turn right onto the D139, continue past the grandstands on your left and past the Bleu car park/campsite on the right.
After a few hundred metres you should come to a crossroads, turn left, go under the track (Porsche Curves), continue past the Beausejour campsite on your right, then take the next left. Follow this road until you see the entrance to Karting Nord campsite on your left near a roundabout, you made it there!
If you get lost; in Le Mans head for Tours, this should bring you out onto the E502/N138 towards Tours and the Mulsanne Straight (see above). Otherwise head for Arnage village, as this is not far from the campsite or follow the coloured campsite signs.