Fed Up of the Motorway

[Jack the Hat]

This probably seems a simple question, SORRY. So N138 / N139 I have been going to Le Mans for some years and since they have opened the new Toll Road we have been using it. When we first started going we used, as everyone did a small single carridge way road i think it was the N138. I have tried to plot a route along it this year using google maps but it only gives me a distance of 49 miles on it i can remember being on it for a long long time. I also remember a cafe opposite a church which was roadside as a nice spot to stop for a spot of lunch whilst watching all the mad dogs and englishmen drive down, i think this was south of Alencon. I would love to go via this road this year but i am having trouble finding out more about it as i dont want to use the long Toll Road 89 miles of boredom. So any help would be great

[SL]

Hi,

I think that some of the roads have now been re-numbered partly due to the EEC road numbering system and partly due to the toll road being finished and the old 138 route no longer an N class road.

However, the 138 route more or less follows the toll road but as a lot of the towns now have bypasses / ring roads locating this one cafe could be a bit hit and miss. There are several places that you could stop en-route though, try Bernay or Sees as both are fairly large and both should have a choice of roadside cafes.

If I can locate my "old" map I might be able to list the towns you need to pass through.

S

[6 Euros - JD]

A lot of the major roads were re-numbered in 2006 - 2007.

I don't think this had anything to do with the EU though. The E designations have been the same for years before this and since.

The N road is simple to follow on a map. The A28 doesn't depart from it by more than a couple of miles anywhere between Rouen and Le Mans.

I think that the village / town where you watched the propcession from a cafe was probably Beaumont s' Sarthe. It's about midway between Alencon and Le Mans and has several suitable establishments.

[6 Euros - JD]

Meant to add that the new road numbers are D438 from Rouen to Alencon and D338 from Alencon to Le Mans

[Jack the Hat]

Thanks for the help chaps i will try planning this years route via the D438 and D338. I much preferred the drive down with all the different towns roundabouts and cafes it was all part of the trip. Thank you again.

[Canada Phil]

Hi Jack,
            Sees is worth a short visit. Twin spire cathedral and quaint village however it is off the road so no passing traffic or sidewalk cafe. Nice bakery though.  I certainly prefer the old road too.
Phil

[Jack the Hat]

Hi Phil
 Thanks for that, I will see about putting Sees into the road planner for the trip down. It just feels like we have been missing something for the last few years, maybe i just  enjoy getting lost in Rouen every june all the rounabouts on the old road all the small villages. Getting stuck behind some Frenchman in a Renualt 4 TL with chickens flapping about inside it.