The Run Down

[tmo]

Consensus of opinion, which is the best route down from Calais
Done both but the Rouen one was a nightmare last time, then again I don't fancy Paris roulette   >:(again !!

[Rusty]

We go Rouen each time. Haven't encountered any problems except poor navigation in the early days. I don't listen to map readers anymore, my lot are w**k*rs and couldn't find their way to the bog let alone through France.
Rusty

[tmo]

Cheers for that, just i thought  - blame the navigator, it works every time.

Looks like rouen then.

[freddie]

I'd go (in fact i will in June) Rouen way; it's got a hell of a lot better in the last year or 2 with the addition of several autoroutes, some tolled some not.
We've done coast to Le Mans many times now as we've family south of the great city and have tried both routes. The last time we attempted Gay Paris we hit the outer bypass at about 9pm on a Friday night and it was absolute chaos (for the non-french driver anyway!), 3 or 4 lanes chokka, all doing 85+ miles/hr, overtaking,undertaking, changing lanes without the slightest hint of indicating or even making sure whether the next lane was clear. I think i aged about 10 years on that journey, however mrs fred and the fredlets fared even worse! I don't really think there's a lot in it time-wise either now and it's a much more pleasant route to go via Rouen, just don't miss the turn-off that takes you over the river in the town centre!

[SL]

There is a sneaky which avoids Rouen completely, and it's really quite easy

The trick is to take the autoroute out of Calais, pointing to Rouen as per normal, and head as far as Neufchatel en Brae. Just after N-en-B, junction 11, take the A29 where the road splits, as far as Junction 5 (You could take the N29) turn off to Yvetot. Take the small D131 road southbound, (don't miss it - Yvetot is pretty, but tight to manouvre through if you're still familiarising yourself with continental driving.)

Assuming you've spotted the D131, this takes you to the Pont de Brionne suspension bridge across the Seine (4 euro toll, I think) this somehow turns into the D913 and comes out at Bourgtheroulde/Infreville. A right turn at a traffic light puts you on the traditional N138, and you've successfully avoided Rouen altogether.

I find it takes about the same time as tackling Rouen in the mid-morning commercial traffic.

Anyone got anything to add to that route?

S

[Kpy]

Anyone going to PQ this w/e - Go via Rouen!
This is a holiday w/e in France and getting round Paris will be murder!!
You have been warned.

[rory]

we did the dieppe crossing for many years and used that rouen bypass via yvetot and pont de brotonne.  it's great although i'm not sure it saves that much time.  it just means less strife, especially if there's a bunch of you.  one other thing to add is that they were the best driving roads of the whole trip.  long straights with great views ahead, and fantastic sweeping bends.  except we did meet an offduty copper who gave chase to us on a big bike.  his english was far too good when he came up alongside at us at some village lights.  oops.

[andy t]

I would go Rouen every time. Too many mistakes getting round Paris especially if in a convoy. That is as long as your dad i.e. the navigator tells you which autoroute junction your supposed to take to cut across to Rouen. Otherwise you just end up back in Paris again . Thanks dad. I hired new navigators the following year!

[president]

here is the T.W.A.T.S. sat-nav guide updated with 2003 toll charges as used by us for PQ last weekend... a copy is also available on our web site or send me an email for a copy in MS Word.

Getting to Le Mans from Calais
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 and hopefully Bleu camping.
(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, then just after the Bleu car park or your right, turn right into the Bleu campsite, hopefully!!!).
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 on the right, then turn next right into the Bleu campsite.
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 Bleu campsite or follow the coloured campsite signs.

The President
www.the-twats.com

[tmo]

 
thanks for that, comprehensive to say the least

cheers  

[president]

it has to be comprehensive for my lot to get there! to many lost people in the past led to these directions being created a couple of years ago. we use them at PQ to test out any changes and update the toll charges.

[tmo]

Sounds good to me  

The last time we tried the Rouen route, it was more luck than jundgement that we all made it to the through !!

[freddie]

Of course, the other thing to do at Rouen is get one of those 99p stick-on compasses from Halfords with the sucker on the bottom. Once you fall off the autoroute near the centre of town look at your compass and head south. Eventually you'll get spat out of Rouen and heading roughly the right direction (hopefully....).

Downtown Rouen is a funny place, we once spent about 3 hours trying to find the campanile on the north side of town. By the time we got there the sun was starting to come up again and it was hardly worth going to bed!

[BigH]

sucker on the bottom.....