TVR travelling to France

[rjben]

Morning People,

In 3 weeks I’m off to France in my newly acquired Cerbera. Planning to go down as far as the Loir valley. Can anybody recommend any good routes there and back or even essential detours? What I’d really appreciate is an insight into the attitude of the French police when ‘pushing on’. Also, what is France like for speed cameras? Are the payages any worst than the normal a / b roads etc? And one last thing, if I get caught speeding in France is it 'just' a fine or can I expect points when I get back?

Cheers,

Rob

[gemini]

Ive heard that if you pop into the first poloice station and make a contribution to their widos and orphans fund (nice sticker for winscreen)

put sticker in prominent place - makes big difference when and if stopped


as for places to visit - there all pretty - just pity theyre french!

[rev-erend]

The french police are currently on a real blitz
on the English - fines are huge... I was stopped last
week near Le Mans (N23) and fined 750 Euros (540GBP)
for 90mph in a 60mph...

The car was a beaten up renault estate (grey) darkened
windows to hide the camera..

The payages are now easily the best way to get around quickly - 130kmh (85mph) is allowed in the dry and
110kmh (65mph) in the wet.

Oh the police attituite is - payup or we take your car !

[jonesg1002]

Are you sure that wasn't just because it was le mans 24h, I have seen similar when going to spa.

I have only been stopped once last june over the alps, and hand to pay a reasonable fine.

[thegamekeeper]

Morning Rob and welcome back to sensible motoring. I organise a group of up to 20 TVR's travelling in France most years and if you are sensible you will never see a French policeman. Unfortunately a large number of us Brits go to Le Mans each year and drive like total maniacs, so obviously the frogs will target the routes used and collect a large ammount of money for their christmas parties. This is not the norn for France.
You are unfortunately going at exactly the wrong time while the schools are on holiday and most of the peages and route nationales become car parks and scenes of multiple coach crashes.
Stay off the main roads, buy a large Michelin French road atlas and use the "yellow" roads, slow down through the towns and villages and you can within reason drive at whatever speed is safe. The mistake most people make is using the "Lemming" routes, driving at warp speed and not ever seeing France.If you just want to use France as a race track perhaps you should save on the ferry and book a couple of track days.
Buy the Michelin map book, give me a ring and I will give you a route which you will thoroughly enjoy( and have enough opportunity to excercise the Cerby) and if you dont then you can always drive back at 150mph on the peage.
sTeVeR

[rjben]

Thanks for the suggestions gents.

Rev-erand - Jeez! Thats a bit steep!

SteveR - Thanks for the advice. I certainly don't want to use France as a race track. I won't deny that I like speed and I think your bang on with your use of the phrase 'slow down through the towns and villages and you can within reason drive at whatever speed is safe'. I’ll be in touch with regard to route in a week or so – your help is much appreciated.

Cheers,

Rob


>> Edited by rjben on Wednesday 9th July 10:07

[tbloke99]

I am also so off to the loire valley in 3 weeks time but because the missus wont drive the 4x4 with a "ahem" caravan on the back, I am prevented from taking the cerb as well.
We normally travel down past Rouen, le man and then onto Tours / Amboise. The roads seem pretty good. If you see a Landcruiser flash you, it probably be me. Also be very jealous.

[rev-erend]

My speeding fine was last week and not 'Le Mans 24hr week' - I was just heading past that way to show
my girlfriend what she missed, take a few photo's
etc..

She was actually driving my SEAC and got pulled
when she was really enjoying it...

Some of the deserted back roads (D) are still great
but be very wary of the N (National) routes ..

I talked to another brit who lives out there and she got pulled with her GB registered car out of a whole
live of french cars... her speed was not excessive either.

She refused to speak french / understand them, just stayed in the car and said 'no money', heading to
calais... I think she keep this up for a about 1 hr
and they let her go .. but she still got the fine
(small around 100 euros) thru the post to her UK
address.

France used to be my speeding group (Le mans every
year exceeding 150..) but I think I need to find
somewhere else - I hear Germany still has the odd
good road.

[thegamekeeper]

Germany has a similar attitude to speeding as UK. There are nearly as many gatsos and lots of unmarked plod.There are a few unlimited autobahns but where is the fun in driving in a straight line for hours on end.

[burriana500]

Steve - that interesting bit of info on the roads is handy for me too as (I'm sure you'll have heard on here sorry!) I'm driving thru France down to Spain.

As my sole purpose is to get to southern Spain as quickly, and with as little agro as possible, am I correct to go straight down the motorways or are there equally as fast/less busy/nicer A-roads? I am going on 9th August via the Chunnel. I'm hoping to get France done in about 10 hours driving and similar for the spanish leg.

Any suggestions or tips gratefully received!

ps. sorry for sharing the thread!

[Thom]

thegamekeeper said:

Stay off the main roads, buy a large Michelin French road atlas and use the "yellow" roads, slow down through the towns and villages and you can within reason drive at whatever speed is safe.

Seconded, however you may find painful and tiring dragging along at painfully low speeds on the "yellow" roads (routes départementales), especially in a Cerb !
Make sure to really slow down in towns. I have had heart attack moments in the last days seeing white or grey 306 and 406 estates with tinted windows hiding in small towns - these bs are everywhere ...

>> Edited by Thom on Wednesday 9th July 13:49

[icamm]

Thanks for the comments on here (and for starting the thread). I'm off to the South of France in a few weeks myself in the Griff. Thankfully I get back just before the French holidays start. Unfortunately my dates were pretty fixed as we are going over for my parents 40th wedding anniversary (My siblings and I have paid for their flights and hotel and are all meeting them there).

[Lensey]

I'm off to Spain in the Griff on the 26th, I will be going via Rouen and Le Mans and then straight on the autoroute at Tours. I'll keep an eye out for them on the way. I estimate being on the Costa Blanca in about 16 hours (as per last year in the golf)

[burriana500]

Lensey - where did you cross the Pyrenees? Over the top or around the side? I take it you're ferrying it to Le Havre as you mention Rouen. I'm doing Calais so I think I'm stuck with dropping down thru Paris and hopefully finding the bypass!

16 hours sounds damn good going! How long to the Spanish border? Do you think i would make it over the Pyrenees on the first day, bearing in mind i will be clearing Calais at 06.30 on the Saturday morning.

al.

[thegamekeeper]

So much depends on whether you want to approach Spain from the Bayonne direction ie the north of Spain or the Perpignan direction.That to a degree depends on where you are going to in Spain. From Calais I would head towards Paris and go round it on the ring road. Personally I would head towards Orleans,Vierzon, Clermont Ferrand, Montpellier and then Perpignan. This may appear to be slighly more east than you would think to be most direct but it is a much more plasant route, and the tolls are much cheaper for some reason. Perhaps Thom could enlighten us why the tolls vary so much and in fact which routes are the least/most expensive. I know that it would almost be cheaper to build your own road than use the one from Paris/Lyon/Avignon.
It is true to say the Peages are a quick ay from A to B and compared to UK are very quiet. Also if I am not mistaken lorries are prohibited from moving at weekends(Thom??)
However like all motorways if you get stuck on one and a couple of years ago I was stuck on one for 16 hours near to Lyon while they cleared away 2 seperate coach crashes it can make an awful mess of your journey planning.
It is possible to cover large distances in France but beware of trying to do too much at once or you may spend days recovering from being knackered from driving

[burriana500]

keep it coming Steve, it's all invaluable knowledge

I was thinking of calais - Paris - Limoges - then either Toulouse or Tarbes.

I want to go over one of the scenic Pyrennes routes so maybe stay the first night near Lourdes and go over the tops first thing in the morning.

As a rough guide, how much on the autoroutes one way? Are we talking £50 each way or £150? If it's going to cost me an extra £300 quid or more, then I might aswell get the ferry to Spain!!

[Lensey]

I'm going on the Calais ferry too, I am booked on the 1215am ferry so plan to cover quite a lot of France by the time everyone wakes. I will cross the Pyrenees at Perpignan on the Autoroute, I'm only going for a week so I need to get down there ASAP. We are taking it in turns to drive so this will cut down on stops. I came back last year in the Golf and hardly stopped, (apart from petrol) got back to Calais in 16 hours but I was really knackered and wouldn't recommend doing it that way. Roughly it is about 900 miles through France and there are so many places to see I would love to spend a couple of weeks driving down and taking in the country but unfortunately I don’t get the time. I pay about £60.00 on the Autoroute including Spain and I stay on that all the way down to Denia, I wouldn’t even try going on the coast road in Spain as it travels through all the small towns and villages and is like driving through the centre of Rome.

Hope this helps?

[Le TVR]

Watch out for delays on the A9 between Perpignan and the border. A good guide of points to avoid is available here:

[pic]www.bison-fute.equipement.gouv.fr/Ete2003_ptschauds/ptschauds.htm [/pic]

Speed cameras are not an issue here
But watch out for the radar traps (usually the little tripod + a couple of bikes).

You can probably leave the roof at home, its only rained once here since mid May

[burriana500]

Thanks for that Lensey £60 each way I can cope with!

Everyone seems to go round one side of the Pyrenees or the other, which, is probably far quicker, but I can't bear to miss out on the opportunity of such spectacular driving. Does anyone know the best route over the Pyrenees to catch both the fantastic views whilst at the same not losing too much time.

I need to be coming over them fairly central or towards the West, as I am dropping down to Madrid. That's why I'm guessing that the Pau - Zaragoza road is the most direct

[burriana500]

Bollox!

Thanks for the info Le TVR... it looks like there are roadworks round the East of Paris on the ring road. Any idea how bad these are and is there a route round to the West?

al.