How wonderful to see that the inner workings of the ACO remain a complete and utter mystery to all .... 

I think if you cut to the left you cross the central reservation - I've never tried it myself, but ....

I gave up trying to read a map and driving at the same time - also no longer let the wife look at the map and say things like 'You have to turn left somewhere up ahead', 'This road isn't on the map' and 'I think you should have turned left back there'.  Just keep a list of major towns along the route, follow any signs for the same and if in doubt keep straight on.  Crap advice?  Maybe, but it works for me.  I think the buggery bit  is when you hit that bit where you have to filter right, you're trapped in the left lane and have to cut across to the right - woooaaaaahhh!

Yep, it is a pretty neat thing for them to add speed camera locations to route directions, isn't it?  One thing, though - it's been in the news recently that they are investing in more speed guns for mobile patrols - toys for les flics to play with if they get bored polishing their other guns.

Just after Le Mans this year they interviewed the chef cochon of the Sarthe who proudly reported a record number of breath checks as well during Le Mans race week.  But the only Brit they copped wasn't even there for the race! 

Ta v much, Steve - will do!   

Point taken about Yvetot maybe being the better option to avoid Rouen's jams at peak traffic periods.  ViaMichelin still recommends the eastern route http://tinyurl.com/du5q3
I particularly like the instruction at stage 5 - 'Pass Rouen' HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Yep - the Rouen western bypass is at the planning stage and the (badly needed) eastern bypass is still under consideration.  So the stop-start-beat-the lights-chop-the-lanes game around Rouen goes on for the time being.  You don't want it too easy, do you?  

The new bit fills in the gap in the the A28 - it now runs from Calais to Le Mans and on to the south-west of France.  Until October there was a gap between Rouen and Alencon and you had to take the road of death, the N138.

I don't know what the signposting is like around Rouen for the new motorway, but here in Alencon they forgot to put up any signs for it.  And when they did they pointed the sign for Rouen in the direction of Le Mans!
 

Some people might be interested to know the good news that the A28 (motorway) opened between Rouen and Alencon at the end of October.  This cuts aboout an hour off the journey from the northern ports of Dieppe, Calais etc. and means that if you're in a rush you can take motorway all the way to Le Mans.   

Bad news is it's a peage and costs 10 euroquids.   

Absolutely right.  I'm listed as a bloke but everyone knows I'm really an old woman ...   

So you haven't made up your mind aboout it yet, then? 

Has anybody been to the 24 hour truck race at Le Mans?  One of our neighbours reckons it's canny, but he's a French farmer so he likes tractors and cows more than cars.  Is there a good craic to be had there?  No rush, obviously, but I do have to put in me holiday form with the wife if it's worth spending some brownie points.   

You're obviously not coming our way, then - had our first sprinkle of snow over the Le Mans area last night!
 

Sorry, I didn't mean to stir anything up! 

Anyway, I've stuck a link to Club Arnage on our website links page and I'll leave it there regardless, as I think what you've got going here is really useful for visitors to the 24hrs, especially those who haven't been before.  I wish you'd been around when I first headed to Le Mans - but that was before the Internet, of course!

I love the idea of making a profit, by the way - maybe in about 10 years I'll see some  !

All the best   

Geordie