Does anyone have an alternative scenic route to Le Mans Classic? I did a trip a couple of years ago to the 24 hr avoiding the autoroutes & it was fab, great country roads & pretty villages.

If looking for something alternative after Rouen, then junction 24 after Rouen on the A13 (5 miles after joining A13 towards Le Harve) then N138 (D438) all the way to Le Mans.

This route intersects a few times with the A28. Allow approx 2 1/2 hours for this alternative with a popular lunch/coffee stop being the small town of Gace on the way.

Take the ferry to St Malo (not compulsory)and graze ones way to Le Mans. Been doing it for years. Get off the motorways and just about any route is pleasant.


N.B. "To graze" - to travel through France by interesting backroads stopping at pretty villages to indulge in coffee and cake. Also to be entertained by chatting with locals (in very poor French) about your interesting cars.

Although I would not disagree with the N138 route in general, I found it frustratingly slow this year to the extent that we ducked out eventually and autorouted it for a bit. Too many slow Lorries and not enough passing opportunities,
Some judicious planning of a route on the yellow D roads rather than RNs I reckon is best if you have time.

Have a check here:

http://www.pistonheads.com/Gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...