Best route from Calais to Le Mans
Discussion
fatboy18 said:
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I've mentioned it a few times on here, but the Le mans weekend for me is a Driving holiday with a Motor race thrown in
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Where as I no longer go because the drive down has been ruined by massively excessive policing. Such a shame since this used to be 50% of the pleasure of LM. You may as well rent a Prius and use the saved fuel money on warm Kronenbourg now I've mentioned it a few times on here, but the Le mans weekend for me is a Driving holiday with a Motor race thrown in
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fatboy18 said:
What route did you used to take then?
The same as everyone else - head for Amiens, then the huge traffic jam in Rouen 
then Alencon. There were some lovely byways years ago... I've done Ouistreham on a couple of occasions, and Paris to LM several times. Paris to LM can be a joy still, but let's keep that to ourselves
TimJMS said:
fatboy18 said:
What route did you used to take then?
The same as everyone else - head for Amiens, then the huge traffic jam in Rouen then Alencon. There were some lovely byways years ago... I've done Ouistreham on a couple of occasions, and Paris to LM several times. Paris to LM can be a joy still, but let's keep that to ourselves
Have to agree the route is no longer the same 
Have been about 18-20 times and the last five years have three or four small white pieces of paper that cost me a fortune .......
Just outside sees on the 138 is always the worst bit so take care ...
would be interested in alternates especially with small villages and long straights in between ...
Ty
Have been about 18-20 times and the last five years have three or four small white pieces of paper that cost me a fortune .......
Just outside sees on the 138 is always the worst bit so take care ...
would be interested in alternates especially with small villages and long straights in between ...
Ty
TvR Driver said:
any alternates especially with small villages and long straights in between ...
France is a big country....and pretty much all of it qualifies. Spend an evening with Google maps and plot a route from ferry port of choice to Le Mans avoiding the auto-route as much as possible.Whilst I enjoyed the old wacky racers style journey heading down the N138 in the past, I've avoided it for a number of years. Too crowded, too many people trying to make progress at the same time and far (far) too many accidents. I was almost run off the road because some halfwit in a 911 in front pulled out to overtake....despite the fact I was already alongside him. These days I take my Midget so speeding not really an issue...I just dont want to be on that stretch of road. There are better roads with very little traffic on to use.
Edited by DeanoX on Friday 2nd May 16:29
Edited by DeanoX on Friday 2nd May 16:30
We did a route in 2009 through the Somme and stopped off at some of the memorials to pay our respects. Very sobering experience and I don't think any of us said a word the whole time we were there as we were all too immersed in what had taken place on that same ground. Glad we got to see it.
Steve Maund said:
Cheers !fatboy - is your route roughly the same ?
PM Sent. I don't really want to paste it up on here as up till now the roads have been bloody great. But it is a BIG drive, so if you just want to get there in the shortest time stick to the toll roads.
The best bit is coming in to the circuit with ZERO traffic and the same when leaving, however with the other routes there will be people lined up in Villages waving flags etc on the way home. You wont see any of that the way I go
The best bit is coming in to the circuit with ZERO traffic and the same when leaving, however with the other routes there will be people lined up in Villages waving flags etc on the way home. You wont see any of that the way I go
fatboy18 said:
PM Sent. I don't really want to paste it up on here as up till now the roads have been bloody great. But it is a BIG drive, so if you just want to get there in the shortest time stick to the toll roads.
The best bit is coming in to the circuit with ZERO traffic and the same when leaving, however with the other routes there will be people lined up in Villages waving flags etc on the way home. You wont see any of that the way I go
Ah bless you !The best bit is coming in to the circuit with ZERO traffic and the same when leaving, however with the other routes there will be people lined up in Villages waving flags etc on the way home. You wont see any of that the way I go
Many thanks for the PM, it's great to have some options for us. On the way down I'd like to take our time, and on the way back just avoid tolls but get back quicker.
We always go down the West of Rouen and stop of at the lovely port of Honfleur for lunch. Fantastic roads across the open rolling countryside and then through the forests. You do end up coming in with all the other traffic from the North and, I don't know what happened last year but it took us about three hours to do the last couple of miles, the traffic chaos was ridiculous.
Calais - Blangy-sur-Bresle: 85 miles – 1.25 hrs
- Leave the terminal, keep left up to big roundabout and head left on A16/E402 (Boulogne sur Mer/Abbeville)
- Before Abbeville bear right on A28 peage (Rouen) and continue to J5 (Blangy-sur-Bresle)
Blangy-sur-Bresle - Pommereval: 25 miles – 0.75 hrs
- Come off peage and take D49 (Monchaux Soreng/Inchville) then after about 1.5 miles left on D149 (Grandcourt/Fresnay Folny)
- Just through Fresnay Folny turn left on D1314 to Londinieres, through Londinieres onto D12 to Silo and Bures-en-Bray (crossing over D1) and down to Pommereval (nice twisty bit).
Coffee stop somewhere between Bures-en-Bray and Pommereval
Pommereval - Honfleur: 65 miles – 1.25 hrs
- From Pommereval cross over D99/D915, still on D12 to St Saens (another nice twisty bit ☺ ).
- From St Saens take the D929 right, which runs parallel with the A29/E44 peage heading West to Yerville then, just through Yerville drop onto the A29/E44 peage to Honfleur.
Lunch by the harbour in the centre of Honfleur
Honfleur - Lisieux: 21 miles – 0.5 hrs
- Leave Honfleur on D579 (Pont-l’Eveque 8 miles). This is where it needs a bit of care to get onto the nice road as opposed to the main road
- As we approach Pont-l’Eveque, we pass under the main A132 to the junction.
- Turn left on the D677 into town centre to a roundabout and turn right onto D675 (Rue Launay).
- Go under the railway bridge and about ½ mile later turn left onto D48 (Coquanvilliers/Lisiuex).
- Stay on D48 right into Lisieux where we need to pick up D579 (Livarot/Vimoutiers).
Lisieux - Vimoutiers: 18 miles – 0.5 hrs
- Take D48 past Livarot to Vimoutiers.
Vimoutiers - Carrouges: 35 miles – 0.75 hrs
- Just before entering Vimoutiers bear right on D916 to Argentan (via Trun).
- At Argentan turn right on D958 for about two miles then turn right on the D924 (Ecouche/Flers).
- After about one mile bear left on D2 (Fleure/Bouce) to Carrouges.
Coffee/beer stop at Carrouges (we ended up heading to Gace as Carrouges was a bit quiet).
Carrouges - Alencon: 20 miles – 0.5 hrs
- At Carrouges left onto D908 (Sees).
- After about 8 miles turn right onto D26 (Alencon).
Alencon – Le Mans: 40 miles – 1 hrs
- At Alencon pick up the A28/E402 and hoof it down to Le Mans.
As a guide, leaving Calais at 9am, you should reach Le Mans about 5pm allowing a good hour for a relaxing lunch at Honfleur.
Calais - Blangy-sur-Bresle: 85 miles – 1.25 hrs
- Leave the terminal, keep left up to big roundabout and head left on A16/E402 (Boulogne sur Mer/Abbeville)
- Before Abbeville bear right on A28 peage (Rouen) and continue to J5 (Blangy-sur-Bresle)
Blangy-sur-Bresle - Pommereval: 25 miles – 0.75 hrs
- Come off peage and take D49 (Monchaux Soreng/Inchville) then after about 1.5 miles left on D149 (Grandcourt/Fresnay Folny)
- Just through Fresnay Folny turn left on D1314 to Londinieres, through Londinieres onto D12 to Silo and Bures-en-Bray (crossing over D1) and down to Pommereval (nice twisty bit).
Coffee stop somewhere between Bures-en-Bray and Pommereval
Pommereval - Honfleur: 65 miles – 1.25 hrs
- From Pommereval cross over D99/D915, still on D12 to St Saens (another nice twisty bit ☺ ).
- From St Saens take the D929 right, which runs parallel with the A29/E44 peage heading West to Yerville then, just through Yerville drop onto the A29/E44 peage to Honfleur.
Lunch by the harbour in the centre of Honfleur
Honfleur - Lisieux: 21 miles – 0.5 hrs
- Leave Honfleur on D579 (Pont-l’Eveque 8 miles). This is where it needs a bit of care to get onto the nice road as opposed to the main road
- As we approach Pont-l’Eveque, we pass under the main A132 to the junction.
- Turn left on the D677 into town centre to a roundabout and turn right onto D675 (Rue Launay).
- Go under the railway bridge and about ½ mile later turn left onto D48 (Coquanvilliers/Lisiuex).
- Stay on D48 right into Lisieux where we need to pick up D579 (Livarot/Vimoutiers).
Lisieux - Vimoutiers: 18 miles – 0.5 hrs
- Take D48 past Livarot to Vimoutiers.
Vimoutiers - Carrouges: 35 miles – 0.75 hrs
- Just before entering Vimoutiers bear right on D916 to Argentan (via Trun).
- At Argentan turn right on D958 for about two miles then turn right on the D924 (Ecouche/Flers).
- After about one mile bear left on D2 (Fleure/Bouce) to Carrouges.
Coffee/beer stop at Carrouges (we ended up heading to Gace as Carrouges was a bit quiet).
Carrouges - Alencon: 20 miles – 0.5 hrs
- At Carrouges left onto D908 (Sees).
- After about 8 miles turn right onto D26 (Alencon).
Alencon – Le Mans: 40 miles – 1 hrs
- At Alencon pick up the A28/E402 and hoof it down to Le Mans.
As a guide, leaving Calais at 9am, you should reach Le Mans about 5pm allowing a good hour for a relaxing lunch at Honfleur.
Oui, unless Summer in France is nearly over;)
Even got it's own website...
http://www.pontmathilde.com/
Even got it's own website...
http://www.pontmathilde.com/
fatboy18 said:
PM Sent. I don't really want to paste it up on here as up till now the roads have been bloody great. But it is a BIG drive, so if you just want to get there in the shortest time stick to the toll roads.
The best bit is coming in to the circuit with ZERO traffic and the same when leaving, however with the other routes there will be people lined up in Villages waving flags etc on the way home. You wont see any of that the way I go
The best bit is coming in to the circuit with ZERO traffic and the same when leaving, however with the other routes there will be people lined up in Villages waving flags etc on the way home. You wont see any of that the way I go
Any chance you could message me with the route? we are currently looking at a few different routes to the 24 to try and see some of france instead of the Auto routes!
Cheers
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