Rouen

Author
Discussion

Steve Maund

Original Poster:

436 posts

230 months

Sunday 6th April 2014
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Are there still problems getting through Rouen?

Steve

Jos Notstoppen

495 posts

140 months

Sunday 6th April 2014
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Rouen is always a problem.

If you are refering to the broken bridge, then yes it is still closed undergoing repairs, last year we followed the diversion and made it through without issue. If possible avoid the rush hour times.

Oldwolf

928 posts

192 months

Sunday 6th April 2014
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The closed bridge made us take a run through the countryside for the first time since the autoroute from Rouen was opened and it reminded us of what it's all about, beautiful French countryside and fast open roads. Will definitely be taking The Long Way Down again this year, I can thoroughly recommend a bit if time planning with a map

gt6

1,422 posts

184 months

Monday 7th April 2014
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Agree with that completely the Le mans experience is not about driving on motorways, the detour before rouen takes you on a great route and then you join the old road to le mans and you wonder why anyone would use the autoroutes on the way down

Spiritual_Beggar

4,833 posts

193 months

Monday 7th April 2014
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Avoiding Rouen has it's advantages...and disadvantages;

On one hand, you can take a trip through the French countryside, and bypass all the traffic and problems associated with travelling through a city centre.


On the other hand.....you miss out on a bit of Tunnel Fun xD

DMN

2,983 posts

138 months

Monday 7th April 2014
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Oldwolf said:
The closed bridge made us take a run through the countryside for the first time since the autoroute from Rouen was opened and it reminded us of what it's all about, beautiful French countryside and fast open roads. Will definitely be taking The Long Way Down again this year, I can thoroughly recommend a bit if time planning with a map
A good sat nav with instructions to avoid tolls is all you need.

We've done the old route the past two years. With the Ferry arriving in Dieppe at 4am the roads are empty and Le Mans can be reached very quickly. Then on the Monday with the ferry not leaving till 6pm, its a lot more fun to enjoy the twisty route than the long boring straight that you have to keep paying for. There also seems to be less Gendarmes hanging around.

S A B

44 posts

119 months

Monday 7th April 2014
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I went down passed Rouen a few weeks back. I took the A29 just north of Rouen towards Le Harve for one junction and then the A151 to the A150 south to pick back up the A28. It was my best trip ever through Rouen.

kel176506

211 posts

186 months

Monday 7th April 2014
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S A B said:
I went down passed Rouen a few weeks back. I took the A29 just north of Rouen towards Le Harve for one junction and then the A151 to the A150 south to pick back up the A28. It was my best trip ever through Rouen.
That sounds good to me, does anyone have any other (dare i say better) routes for avoiding Rouen? Last year coming back was a bit of a nightmare. The old N138 route i appreciate is still the classic route but the autoroute is so much quicker/convenient. Can anyone suggest from experience the best of both?

fatboy18

18,930 posts

210 months

Monday 7th April 2014
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gt6 said:
Agree with that completely the Le mans experience is not about driving on motorways, join the old road to le mans and you wonder why anyone would use the autoroutes on the way down
EXACTLY smile

Great Dane

2,719 posts

165 months

Monday 7th April 2014
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Supergrass even wrote about the experience

old'uns

540 posts

132 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
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kel176506 said:
That sounds good to me, does anyone have any other (dare i say better) routes for avoiding Rouen? Last year coming back was a bit of a nightmare. The old N138 route i appreciate is still the classic route but the autoroute is so much quicker/convenient. Can anyone suggest from experience the best of both?
I'd say you've answered your own question.........what's best for some doesn't work for others, depends mainly on how soon you need to get there/back?
Probably 99% are there only for the race using the least holiday leave.

I do Ypres rally each year, decided one year to do non m/way which is probably 6 hrs , south le mans......N roads took close on 11, great roads and scenery but f**k me our arses were sore!!!

Great Dane

2,719 posts

165 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
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Picture even taken on the motorway near the town


stevewak

495 posts

129 months

Sunday 3rd July 2016
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Resurrecting this looking at next Friday drive down to Le Mans from tunnel.

What's the latest on Rouen this year? Tunnel and bridge. Two years ago tunnel was closed southbound I think and traffic was painful. Thanks.

VanquishRider

496 posts

151 months

Sunday 3rd July 2016
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Trust me. Go via the Yvetot route. You will never go through Rouen again. Just look at it on Google maps. I used it two years ago. Could not believe how many UK cars on the same route. I was clearly slow on the take up.

Rouen will never be used again. Why would you? It is only being used by people to scared to be bold? (Here comes the objectors?) Only those using routes to the south of Rouen have a valid point to an alternative route.

stevewak

495 posts

129 months

Sunday 3rd July 2016
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VanquishRider said:
Trust me. Go via the Yvetot route. You will never go through Rouen again. Just look at it on Google maps. I used it two years ago. Could not believe how many UK cars on the same route. I was clearly slow on the take up.

Rouen will never be used again. Why would you? It is only being used by people to scared to be bold? (Here comes the objectors?) Only those using routes to the south of Rouen have a valid point to an alternative route.
Thanks Vanq. Google maps on iPad is resisting a 'stopover' at Yvetot but I will look properly at a desktop tomorrow and plan on my iPhone Garmin accordingly. It's worse going south through Rouen, partly because it's a working day. Coming home I think the final toll pre-Rouen gets the jam. And then fuel stop after Rouen.

Make you wonder why we do it...

tjdixon911

1,911 posts

236 months

Sunday 3rd July 2016
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stevewak said:
Thanks Vanq. Google maps on iPad is resisting a 'stopover' at Yvetot but I will look properly at a desktop tomorrow and plan on my iPhone Garmin accordingly. It's worse going south through Rouen, partly because it's a working day. Coming home I think the final toll pre-Rouen gets the jam. And then fuel stop after Rouen.

Make you wonder why we do it...
I used this route for the first time this year both ways, we travelled up the A28 with a group who were on an earlier train than us, we split off at the last tolls and got to Calais 20-30 minutes ahead of them.. they still managed to get on an earlier train than us though...

I didn't see another british car using the route either way - the only mistake I think we made was to go through the town, I think there is a ring / outer road that may have saved a bit of time.

Think I will use that route again.

Nick M

3,624 posts

222 months

Sunday 3rd July 2016
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I normally do the Yvetot route, but went through Rouen on the way down to the main race but got held up with the single lane through the tunnel - but other than that, it was a clear run through (around 2.00pm Wednesday).

On the way back, the two car convoy I was in got split at the toll-booth at the top of the A28 just south of Rouen - I went 'bridge', they went 'Rouen'. I had a mostly clear run, aside from some slow traffic, but got to the services just north of the A28 / A29 junction around 15-20 mins before the other car, as they'd got caught up in traffic at the tunnel (they'd closed one lane again).

I'm heading down on Thursday evening this time, so I may do Rouen again and keep my fingers crossed they were only dicking about with the tunnel because it was the main race weekend - at the right time of day / without roadworks in the tunnel I'm convinced it's actually quicker.

On the way back on Sunday evening though, it will be bridge, if only to break up the drive a bit.

Le_Mans

237 posts

271 months

Monday 4th July 2016
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VanquishRider said:
Trust me. Go via the Yvetot route. You will never go through Rouen again. Just look at it on Google maps. I used it two years ago. Could not believe how many UK cars on the same route. I was clearly slow on the take up.

Rouen will never be used again. Why would you? It is only being used by people to scared to be bold? (Here comes the objectors?) Only those using routes to the south of Rouen have a valid point to an alternative route.
I'll second that - we have taken the Yvetot route to Le Mans for three years now...

stevewak

495 posts

129 months

Monday 4th July 2016
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Great stuff. Just loaded it into Garmin selecting bridge at Caudebec-en-Caux (Pont de Bretonne) as stopover. Should detour Yvetot itself.

Thanks for all your help.

VanquishRider

496 posts

151 months

Monday 4th July 2016
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stevewak said:
Great stuff. Just loaded it into Garmin selecting bridge at Caudebec-en-Caux (Pont de Bretonne) as stopover. Should detour Yvetot itself.

Thanks for all your help.
Correct no need to go into Yvetot. I just select Yvetot when leaving Calais. Then when I get near just switch to Le Mans and it re routes me just fine.

At the Classic 2 years ago (Bridge closed in Rouen) We saw what seemed like everybody going that way. No way I would ever use the old route again. As this route will never have problems. It's a roll of the dice at best in Rouen.