Route to Le Mans

[Hammond1073]

I remember last year someone smarter than me put together a feed where everyone added the route they were taking

Can anyone start one for this year?

[F18RSC]

You have!! Haha!

[SEE YA]

New route for me, Plymouth looking forward to it. Nice cabin on the ferry, for nine hrs then under three hrs to the track campsite.

[adsvx220]

Hi are you going from Calais??

The route I've done a couple of times is a nice mix of motorway and nice roads. It also misses Rouen which can be a pig.

Calais-A16 Boulougne Sur Mur-A16 Abbeville-A28 all the way to Le Pucheuil this is the junction of the A28 (Rouen) & A29. Stick on the A29 to Yvetot - once in the town of Yvetot look for the D131. Follow this road all the way down, eventually this will get you back onto the A28 or you can stay on the small roads D438 and D338 which takes you all the way to LM. We done the small roads in my Caterham a couple of years ago and with a few stops and great weather it took 8hrs. If dropping back onto the A28 it takes similar to going through Rouen so 4hrs ish.

It's a good route as it gives you stuff to look at. From Yvetot you find yourself going over a massive bridge across the river seine and through a national park. The more you stick to the small roads the better the villages and towns. The attention my bight orange stickered Caterham got was amazing whilst filling up in small town petrol stations and refreshment stops at the odd pub or bakery/patisserie.

To me the drive is part of the weekend so the route and experience is a big thing. Enjoy!!!

[barpilot]

After 5 years of successful Calais-Yvetot-Le Mans routeing, this year we'll be out of Zeebrugge and skirting around Paris. Just for a change of scenery really and hoping to stay off tolls on the journey down.

[Oldwolf]

We've gone through Rouen and gone North and gone South - East.
All are good if you're in the mood, the journey through France East of Rouen is good, lots of beautiful country but you need to allow a little more time.

[Hoolio]

Binsted -> Portsmouth -> Caen -> Le Mans. Will be avoiding ALL tolls as cycling down this year

There is a thread/sticky at the top of the section if you're interested in why I'm doing the trip by bike.

Safe journey down everyone and give us a if you see us on your way down.

[DMN]

barpilot said:

After 5 years of successful Calais-Yvetot-Le Mans routeing, this year we'll be out of Zeebrugge and skirting around Paris. Just for a change of scenery really and hoping to stay off tolls on the journey down.

I'm sailing to Zeebrugge this year, is going via Paris that much quicker? Coming back I'll be going Rouen -> Calsis aanyway as my dad is going via the Tunnel.

[Hammond1073]

We will be taking the tunnel on the Thursday. 2pm crossing then a nice run down to Le Mans. Not sure on the route from Calais to Le Mans yet though. Porsche Boxster and Jaguar XK8

[ellroy]

Paris is quicker, but, and it's a big but, think JLo, if you get caught on the peripherie you can be there a long, long time.

I'd also think twice about that route for older cars, there's a lot of traffic and overheating could be an issue.

[barpilot]

ellroy said:

Paris is quicker, but, and it's a big but, think JLo, if you get caught on the peripherie you can be there a long, long time.

I'd also think twice about that route for older cars, there's a lot of traffic and overheating could be an issue.

Thanks for the heads and we won't be in an classics sadly.

[DMN]

I think based on those comments I'll stick to the tried and tested route to Rouen and down.

[Stevorocket]

Portsmouth Caen, 5.5 hours on the boat then 100 miles to Le Mans area using the easy A28 toll road with very little traffic.

Have a blipper which opens the toll automatically and saves stopping and getting out of the car to collect tickets and pay. Charges direct to bank account.

[fatboy18]

Depends what you want I guess? Easy route and generally less hastle is to stay on the toll roads and just cruise down,
If you want to go non motorway expect to add at least 3hrs on the journey, but the drive can be great

So if you fancy something different you could try this....
From Calais/Dunkirk to Abbeville Two choices 1, stay on the A16 and cruise down or Head across to St Omer and get on the D928 Now this stretch can be used by lorries and may have the odd mobile speed trap on it so be careful!

From Abbeville to Neufchatel-en-Bray, again 2 choices, either rejoin motorway A28 or get on the B road which runs parallel to the motorway the N2028
Now its here where the big split starts, the next way point is to head for Gournay en Bray using the D915, then onto Gisors and pick up the D181 which will take you down to Veron
Note, you are heading for DREUX If you miss the turning for the D181 its not a problem, you will just be going a little more south east towards Mantes where you can pick up the 928 and pass through the picturesque hamlet of ANET..Nice Spot to break for lunch.
Continue on the D928 to Nogent le rotrou then pick up the D923 (N23) Which will bring you Directly into Tet Rouge corner South of Le Mans. Do not be tempted to follow signs for le mans as you start getting near as Le mans will be North of you, this route takes you directly to the circuit.

This route will not be for everyone but I have done it several times and enjoyed it
Its the same when you leave, Zero traffic using this route and hardly any Bib

Edited by fatboy18 on Tuesday 23 February 11:53

[49neil]

fatboy18 said:

Depends what you want I guess? Easy route and generally less hastle is to stay on the toll roads and just cruise down,
If you want to go non motorway expect to add at least 3hrs on the journey, but the drive can be great

So if you fancy something different you could try this....
From Calais/Dunkirk to Abbeville Two choices 1, stay on the A16 and cruise down or Head across to St Omer and get on the D928 Now this stretch can be used by lorries and may have the odd mobile speed trap on it so be careful!

From Abbeville to Neufchatel-en-Bray, again 2 choices, either rejoin motorway A28 or get on the B road which runs parallel to the motorway the N2028
Now its here where the big split starts, the next way point is to head for Gournay en Bray using the D915, then onto Gisors and pick up the D181 which will take you down to Veron
Note, you are heading for DREUX If you miss the turning for the D181 its not a problem, you will just be going a little more south east towards Mantes where you can pick up the 928 and pass through the picturesque hamlet of ANET..Nice Spot to break for lunch.
Continue on the D928 to Nogent le rotrou then pick up the D923 (N23) Which will bring you Directly into Tet Rouge corner South of Le Mans. Do not be tempted to follow signs for le mans as you start getting near as Le mans will be North of you, this route takes you directly to the circuit.

This route will not be for everyone but I have done it several times and enjoyed it
Its the same when you leave, Zero traffic using this route and hardly any Bib

Edited by fatboy18 on Tuesday 23 February 11:53

I have used this route several times, works really well, you don't see much traffic!

[fatboy18]

I think the only downside to this route is once you turn off the motorway you don't see anymore stickered up cars!

[OvalOwl]

fatboy18 said:

I think the only downside to this route is once you turn off the motorway you don't see anymore stickered up cars!

That is so true. But you can make the locals stop and stare at yours.

[pem]

hi all

last year 2015 I did the bypass Rouen route - via Yvetot and across the bridge over the Seine.
It was scenic and I stopped off for a coffee in a village but it took slightly longer than the direct route through Rouen.

word of warning - there were a couple of speed cameras hidden away - I got flashed by a speed camera whilst going around a twisty road just outside a small village (cannot remember which)
I am sure I was doing the legal speed limit at the time and did not get a speeding notification

[OvalOwl]

pem said:

hi all

word of warning - there were a couple of speed cameras hidden away - I got flashed by a speed camera whilst going around a twisty road just outside a small village (cannot remember which)
I am sure I was doing the legal speed limit at the time and did not get a speeding notification

I was pinged a couple of years back by a fixed camera at the level crossing before Yvetot on the D929 where an otherwise 90kph road drops to a 70kph. Nothing heard from that.

However, when are offences picked up by fixed cameras going to be passed on to the UK authorities? in the past the only way les flics could get you was to fine you in person after clocking you with a mobile camera or speed trap.

[nick francis]

My route, Portsmouth to Santander then down to southern Spain for a couple of weeks, head north then across Pyrenees stopping in Vielha then on to La Romieu for a few nights before routing north to Le Mans in time for Thursday qualifying.