Best route from CDG airport

[redstu]

I drove to Le mans from CDG Paris last year.

I usually get the TGV to Le mans, but the buggers were on strike.

The traffic was Fn awful, probably partly due to the strike.

The route I took was the most direct (From the RAC routeplanner) and skirted Paris by the south east.

As I'll be hiring a car again this year can anyone suggest a longer but quicker route.

thanks

[gibberish]

I've driven around paris from CDG many times, and i can't think of a better route.  your only problem is contending with the Periferique ring road which is always a nightmare, but its the quickest way onto the A11, and then straight into Le Mans.  Any other direction is goint to take you so far out of the way as to be ridiculous.

Hope that helps.

[Matt Harper]

My brother Dave and I drive from Paris CDG. The Peripherique isn't the 'big scary monster' it used to be (lots of road widening in recent years) and at least the traffic keeps moving - sometimes at hair-raising velocity, unlike the north/south circular. I suppose it depends on what time your flight gets in.
We follow A11 and made it to Le Mans last year in less than 3 hours.
Doing the same this year - flight gets in around 9.00am on the Thursday - it's a breeze.

[Lawnmower Man]

One of my mates is going to be going Via CDG then the TGV.  It looks pretty easy you can get the TGV from CDG direct to Le Mans.  Does anyone know
if they run hte Buses on the Friday.  Or is one of us goiong to have to remain
sober enough to drive to Pick him up?

May be we should start a thread to lifts & so on.

[IanB]

Brian and I are doing CDG airport and  hirecar for the Pre Qual next weekend(YIPEE) so we will let you know how we got on wether Nightmare or nice

[Dave H]

I just did the drive this past week, and back-up to Paris today.

The Peripherique is your problem.  I'd strongly suggest taking the A1 from the airport to the A3 and pick-up the Peripherique on the East side (around 3 o'clock) and avoid a large slow section of it.  Then follow round clockwise to the A6 (6 o'clock ironically) down to the A10 and onto the A11 (start of the peage).  All in, with some hanging around on the Peripherique, it took me 2 hours exactly to the track exit at le Mans.  Piece of piss - I hung-out at a steady 160 Kph, but did see what I assumed were a couple of radar vans on the opposite side of the freeway - unmarked red vans with what looked like a couple of radar cameras on tripods pointing back at oncoming traffic.  I'll be thumping back down to pick-up the Mrs. and crumb snatcher on Thursday.  Good luck!

[redstu]

Dave

Thanks ' I'll plan to go the way you mentioned.
I think I was a bit unlucky last year as at one point the traffic stopped for about 15 mins or more as I then took a slip road and got stuck in anpother (moving) jam.


Stu

[Werner]

Coming from Germany, we drove via CDG to Le Mans almost every year. Just avoid rush hours, (e.g. 5.00 - 8.00 pm) and there should be no problem. In case of a traffic jam theres not much point in looking for a detour, unless you know Paris very well. Just sit in the car, turn on the radio, snatch a beer from the trunk and wait...

[redstu]

Werner

You're right, unfortunately I now know small areas of Paris much better than I needed to, and I didn't have any Beer!

It will be different this year as I'm not driving and should have plenty of beer inside already!