Club Arnage

Thinking about trying a different route this year and contemplating going via Rennes. Its motorway most of the way but also the longest, any views or any personal experience of this routing.

Thats my route via Rouen 5 hours ish 260 miles ish

bit bemused by this?  it seems an odd way of getting to Le Mans  ;D

sorry yes it would be from Cherbourg I go via Calais ferrys much cheaper but past Rouen you join the same road to Le Mans

Pete, i had a really good route that was on my www site, but its gone since the chef changed it round last week.

I will dig it out this afternoon and hopefully publish . If not i will post the detaisl up here. Its a cracking route for a nice little fast fiat like yours.

could you take note that my aged brain and body aren't as fast as the fiat.  That sounds good Robbo, much prefer the backroads.

by the way note is note and not n.o.t.e.

I agree with Robbo that this is a good route if you want to enjoy a decent drive on the way in to LM. The main route between Chrebourg and Rennes is fast dual carriageway most of the way, then from Rennes via Laval on the N157 is a decent drive. Also, as it is less popular than the N138, less plagued by our friends from the Gendamerie.

Seems like you're doing 2 sides of a triangle to me.
We had to do this one about 4 years ago when Brittany fisheries gave away our place on the boat while we were sitting on the dock at Portsmouth. Thought this way was a bit of a nightmare really, we went down to Caen and Alencon which was bad enough, I can't see how the West side would be any better.
Having said that, we were in a vintage double decker doing 40 flat out, so it put quite a lot of time on our journey

Peter

If you are looking for an intresting route down look at the D roads.
I usually go back to Caen via Mayenne/Domfront/Flers great old style French roads.
If I was looking for an alternative route from Cherbourg, would consider dropping down to St Lo, then to Vire, onto Flers/Domfront/Mayenne/Conlie, this brings you out onto the N138 3 kilometers north of the le Mans ring road.

This is not the fastest route, but certainly more intresting than the N roads, and if you are in the spider you can pop past any slow traffic almost as easily as we can on the bikes.

Cheers Barry

I have a route. And it's cunning.
It's from Calais to LM though, taking in the back roads and avoiding Rouen. We did it for about five years on the trot, and would get to LM exhausted but with big grins. We last ran it in about 95.
It's a blow-by-blow set of directions, so it goes on a bit. if anyone's interested maybe Smokie could arrange a link to it somewhere.
H

I wouldn't mind a copy of that if possible, as it sounds like it could be suited to a ur quattro!!!

The link for H's route is  here. (http://www.swr2002.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/maps/scenic%20route.doc) Its in a .doc format. Any probs, mail me and I'll put it up in HTML.

Stu

Yje route "not using the motorways" sounds good. Totally offtopic but relevant I think, in the movie of our life, the hero Michael Thingmy (played by steve something) drives into le Mans down one of those wonderful tree lined Napoeonic Old roads. Can anyone tell me where to find it. Guess who wants photographs?

Every year I make a photoCD of unedited crap shots (but oozing memories style of thing) and I want the shot from that road for the cover.

Last year it was the pitwalk from the roof of the Dunlop buiding inside the "welcome area" on my cover.

I send them to people that I want to make jealous who didn't come with us. Rotten sod ain't I?

 ;D

bill

I usually just phone them at the start of the race from the pit straight!!  ;D

Or phone them and leave messages on their answer phones - great ain't it  ;D

Oh yes, I aint that soft.... I do that too! Last year (Nearly wrote this year!) I phoned SWMBO from Tetre Rouge corner just as the first cars went by... "What's all that bloody awful noise?" was the dumb question.

 ;D

O happy days......

bill

We can dial straight into the works tannoy from outside. So a few times in the past at around 3 in the morning, they've had Danes singing, airhorns, 15 mins from Arnage corner to name just a few (it took a bit working out they said). Course I always deny it on my return when the gaffa tries to bollock me.

Thanks for that Stu, got route off and it looks like it could be fun, will let you know how I get on, cheers Gordon.

Thank Big H for sending it to Smokie and then Smokie for sending it to me.

Note the date on the bottom of the route - 1992. Could be that some small changes might be in order!

Barry, yes it is a sceanic route used last year for the PQ's and enjoyed its many sweeping pieces of road.

Also have looked at the route on Aysedasi's web page which is similar so may try that for a change.  He has other suggestions from Caen and Calais as well.  Rather be travelling the quieter French roads enjoying the scenary.  Hope to catch up with you guys in a few weeks.  all the best Peter

http://www.aysedasi.btinternet.co.uk/2002/directions/lmcherbourg.htm