Best route to Le mans?

[DeanoX]

//j17 said:

We Autoroute from Calais to Abbeville, just to get out of the toilet that is North East France then work our way ->Amiens->Les Andelys->lunch->Evreux->Bonnetable->Le Mans from the North East and have yet to see any French police.

Another vote for this route. Evereux is the only blight - we're tried several options north and south to avoid it totally but the rest is stunning with empty roads. Section through Bezu-La-Foret and then lunchtime Steak & Chips next to the square in Les Andelys always a highlight.

[Craigyp79]

I've just been working out a good route for my first journey down to the LM24, following some advice I've worked out this map;

Linky


Looks like a good one to me as I've driven down that Autoroute a couple of times and it's soooo boring!

[JordanVXR]

This is my journey as I travel from Dunkerque (ferry £38) return :-), I usually just follow the A28 route, Nice steady drive and to be honest hassle free.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en

[storeys66]

SO I've been having a look at the map, reading the various posts on here, and generally having a think, and the following routes look like they could be interesting (apologies for the massive links):

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Calais,+Franc...

or

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Calais,+Franc...

Any thoughts?

[Stedman]

If any of you are going through the tunnel at Rouen, enjoy it I'm lucky enough to go through them a few times a year (and ps off wake up the locals

[tvrman]

All I will say is use back roads as much as you can, and stop in the centre of Gace for a coffee. Always some very interesting machines turning up.

Ian

[yeti]

So from a satnav point of view...

From Caen, if we enter Le Mans as the destination but specify 'no autoroutes/motorways' is it going to give us one of these decent backroads drives down? Or is it just going to stick us on the autoroute anyway?

[lowdrag]

yeti said:

So from a satnav point of view...

From Caen, if we enter Le Mans as the destination but specify 'no autoroutes/motorways' is it going to give us one of these decent backroads drives down? Or is it just going to stick us on the autoroute anyway?

I posted this on page 1, but it won't hurt to repeat it:-


If you take the D338 (old N138) from there you are missing a great country route with loads of bars/restaurants. On the ring road of Falaise, take the exit towards Putanges Pont Ecrepin. There, if it is that time of day, have lunch (or breakfast) at the Lion Verd, a Logis de France by the river in the town square. You won't regret it. From there it is Ranes, Carrouges, Pré en Pail, then the magic Corniche de Pail, then on through Villaines to Sillé le Guillaume and to St. Saturnin before rejoining the ring road D338 to Le Mans. A magic route, hardly any traffic, and one I've used since the early 90's. On the other hand, don't bother. I'll just keep it to myself.

You'll thoroughly enjoy it. Well signposted, and just write down the name of the towns mentioned and follow them

[davidd]

So, plotting the route suggested by lowdrag and then adding eurotunnel in at the beginning..

http://goo.gl/maps/q59B

This adds 90km and 2 hours to the journey...

I think that is pretty tempting as it also avoids Rouen..

[Chris71]

Is there anyway to avoid getting snarled up around Rouen if you take the straightforward motorway route?

There's a sort of bridge or flyover bit where my sat nav always directs me off the autoroute just beforehand and onto a maze of urban roads. I'd got wise to this by last year and tried to avoid it by just following the signs and still seemed to end up going down there.

Bizarrely, it takes me on a completely differently route on the way back that goes through a much quieter leafy area instead.

[lowdrag]

Rouen isn't ever easy, but ignore the GPS and just follow the signs for Le Mans which will take you through the railway area. On leaving Rouen you lose the signs for Le Mans for a bit but just follow the Caen signs and later on you'll pick up the A28 south. I still prefer my route though

[will_]

If you're going to the Classic, best avoid Rouen in any event on the 4 and 5 July, as the Tour is around that area:
http://www.letour.fr/2012/TDF/COURSE/us/le_parcour...

[Chris71]

lowdrag said:

I still prefer my route though

I would love to do it on the N-roads one day. I can't claim going to Le Mans is anything less than fantastic, but it is technically a work trip so I have to minimise the time spent travelling really.

[David W.]

will_ said:

If you're going to the Classic, best avoid Rouen in any event on the 4 and 5 July, as the Tour is around that area:
http://www.letour.fr/2012/TDF/COURSE/us/le_parcour...

Thanks for the heads up, was planning to be going down that way on the 4th!
dw

[captain jack]

Does the autoroute at Rouen get snarled up then? At what time of day? I'm heading down for the Classic on Friday 6th.

[Chris71]

captain jack said:

Does the autoroute at Rouen get snarled up then? At what time of day? I'm heading down for the Classic on Friday 6th.

It's not so much busy as confusing. On the whole the route is very simple and the small number of slip roads etc. you do need to take are very clearly marked.

The one exception is Rouen where it appears you have to take some of the more minor roads through the industrial area to get past the town. IIRC you then have to dogleg along the A13 briefly before you rejoin the A28. After that it's all plain sailing again.

My sat nav always get in a bit of a flap at Rouen on the outbound journey and then takes me on a totally different - rather more scenic - route at a similar point on the return journey! As such I shall be ignoring it for that section and following Lowdrag's suggestion above.

[rossc]

Alternatively take the A29 north of Rouen, then the A151 and onto the A150 south then back onto the A28 once past Rouen. This does look a bit further on the map but its no slower time wise and is quicker if Rouen is busy through the industrial zone

[FranzKlampon]

lowdrag said:

If you take the D338 (old N138) from there you are missing a great country route with loads of bars/restaurants. On the ring road of Falaise, take the exit towards Putanges Pont Ecrepin. There, if it is that time of day, have lunch (or breakfast) at the Lion Verd, a Logis de France by the river in the town square. You won't regret it. From there it is Ranes, Carrouges, Pré en Pail, then the magic Corniche de Pail, then on through Villaines to Sillé le Guillaume and to St. Saturnin before rejoining the ring road D338 to Le Mans. A magic route, hardly any traffic, and one I've used since the early 90's. On the other hand, don't bother. I'll just keep it to myself.

You'll thoroughly enjoy it. Well signposted, and just write down the name of the towns mentioned and follow them

May I compliment you on this recommendation. We picked up this route from Caen, and had a wonderful traffic free, and bib free, journey down. Fantastic drive.

Edited by FranzKlampon on Saturday 23 June 21:34

[RichB]

FranzKlampon said:

lowdrag said:

If you take the D338 (old N138) from there you are missing a great country route with loads of bars/restaurants. On the ring road of Falaise, take the exit towards Putanges Pont Ecrepin. There, if it is that time of day, have lunch (or breakfast) at the Lion Verd, a Logis de France by the river in the town square. You won't regret it. From there it is Ranes, Carrouges, Pré en Pail, then the magic Corniche de Pail, then on through Villaines to Sillé le Guillaume and to St. Saturnin before rejoining the ring road D338 to Le Mans. A magic route, hardly any traffic, and one I've used since the early 90's. On the other hand, don't bother. I'll just keep it to myself.

You'll thoroughly enjoy it. Well signposted, and just write down the name of the towns mentioned and follow them

May I compliment you on this recommendation. We picked up this route from Caen, and had a wonderful traffic free, and bib free, journey down. Fantastic drive.

A route we always use from Caen is to follow Thury Harcourt, Flers, Domfronts, Mayenne, Sille le Guillaume, St Saturnin etc. One of these towns has a castle on the hill another has a lovely spot beside the river for coffee or lunch. I don’t know the road numbers because, as Tony says, we just navigate by road signs and town names.

[madbadger]

We used lowdrags route too. Was excellent. However it was a slog getting to Caen from Calais. Will use the route again, but will use the other ferry instead.