Driving to Le Mans

[V8 Junkie]

I have driven down to Le Mans for the last 4 years starting from Calais or Dunkirque and this year would like to avoid Rouen I always seem to avoid it on the way back any suggestions?

[catretriever]

Aren't you a bit late ?

[rsvmilly]

catretriever said:

Aren't you a bit late ?

Could be the Classic?

[mr toad]

you can go via Paris but I always rather like the mess of Rouen...

[Guy Humpage]

Other than going via Paris the bypassing of Rouen is probably more effort than going through it. Since they've finished the roadworks it's not a problem these days, just one junction to watch out for (the loop off the flyover down to the road along the railway line) and then follow the correct signs to the autoroute (Caen not Paris from memory). There should be no non-dual carriageways involved.

[Mrs_T]

Why not try peage down to Le Harve, head due South to Alencon and finally Le Mans. Good roads, great scenery and quick.
Karen

[V8 Junkie]

Guy Humpage said:

Other than going via Paris the bypassing of Rouen is probably more effort than going through it. Since they've finished the roadworks it's not a problem these days, just one junction to watch out for (the loop off the flyover down to the road along the railway line) and then follow the correct signs to the autoroute (Caen not Paris from memory). There should be no non-dual carriageways involved.

[forever_driving]

So it's not just me that has problems naviagting around that infernal town!

[N17 TVR]

The best directions I have found to date for navigating Rouen were on the T.W.A.T.S web site (sorry don't have the URL to hand) - they are very good.

[john yates]

Avoid Rouen! No you can't the noise through the tunnels is awsome and the flames too!
Chimaera S3TAY

[furby]

Rouen is one of the good parts of the journey IMHO. Lots of confused TVR's, Porkers, Ferraris, Lambos and a black mini legging it around, through the tunnels etc, what better traffic jam is there than a bunch of Brits in exotics in the middle of France all trying to find the same way out. And did i mention the tunnels??

Also the nice hills on the way out have the Frite van on the hill. A regular, nourishment and pee stop.

[Bobo W]

Follow the signs to Paris and you'll end up the other side.

[N17 TVR]

Here it is, as mentioned earlier, how to navigate the concrete cow

www.the-twats.com

all power to them, they are solid directions.

[charlescrawley]

Yup, it's traditional to get lost in Rouen every bloody time...
This time, we managed to arse up getting onto the right road after Rouen as well, due to my navigator (DaveG) being particularly incompetent when it comes to, well, navigating...
In the end we had to rely on Tony Perello's satnav to get us out of the mess.

[harrop]

furby said:

Rouen is one of the good parts of the journey IMHO. Lots of confused TVR's, Porkers, Ferraris, Lambos and a black mini legging it around, through the tunnels etc, what better traffic jam is there than a bunch of Brits in exotics in the middle of France all trying to find the same way out. And did i mention the tunnels??

Also the nice hills on the way out have the Frite van on the hill. A regular, nourishment and pee stop.

black mini? wait a sec...thats me!

we got 135 out of a mini oneD full to the brim

thats a good thing BTW.

[rossybee]

Bit of a delay in posting......

[JD streetlifeTV]

I'm so glad i'm not the only one to get lost in that damm place, every year i manage it, worse still this year i even had sat nav & still managed to get lost.

i normaly look for the nearest british exotic to follow & then try to keep up, which in a LWB LT van is not so easy lol

[Alex@POD]

JD streetlifeTV said:

this year i even had sat nav & still managed to get lost.

That will be why. It was my first time through Rouen this year, I found it pretty straight forward...

[JD StreetlifeTV]

the way back was fun too, just hitting the outskirts of Rouen, sat nav taking me off onto the slip road, just hit the point of no return & bang complete GPS backout till we get out the other side.

I shall be studying the map books for next year, i'm adamant that i'm not going to get lost on my 3rd trip down lol so if anyone seems a white van looking lost through the streets of Rouen then you know things didn;t go quite to plan again lol

[littlegearl]

as much as i enjoy the tunnels of rouen as an older car driver the traffic jam is too much of a worry for me. plus i hate traffic jams anyway! - even if the one i was in at rouen last year i was surronded by about 14 ferraris

anyway, i don't really want to give my route away as it's a bit of a secret and is generally only occupied by a couple of local frenchmen but i'll give you a clue, look east from rouen and you'll see a village marked forges-les-eaux... go exploring around there!