LMC - Tour de France / Rouen

[burriana]

I know Gixer mentioned starting a thread but I can't see one so I thought I'd better post it in time for people to make alternate route arrangements if they wish.

The Tour de France sets off from Rouen on Thursday. Not in the morning as most might think but lunch time.

The main caravan (cavalcade) sets off from Rouen at 11am but, the actual race does not set off until 12.45, heading East South East on the D6014 towards Boos and Charleval.

The Tour caravan with all the sponsors' vehicles and so on takes a good hour to pass before the race arrives and, the crowds are huge. Le Tour makes our Olympic torch relay look like Mrs Brown's coffee morning.

Here's the link for the route out of Rouen. No idea of the best way to skirt around it or, how bad the congestion will be?

Tour route out of Rouen

[leyorkie]

Don't worry, the start of a Tour stage is much less congested than a finish. Last year Le Mans had a stage start and there was no congestion other than large queues for parking. All the media and sponsors have gone to the finish.
As long as you don't cross the route you won't see a thing, most spectators line the route.

Where's the Yorkshire meeting for the Classic being held?
I'll be there.

Yorkie

[furtive]

Use this route to avoid Rouen:

http://goo.gl/maps/rd5c

[Cerberowner]

furtive said:

Use this route to avoid Rouen:

http://goo.gl/maps/rd5c

Might not appear to be a good route for the Wednesday as it seems to use some of the same road as the Tour to the west of Rouen?

[windy1]

Are there crossing points assuming the road is going to be closed? It is a leisurely drive for us so it could be quite good to see a bit of the tour if we stumble across it. Lunch time in Lyons La Foret maybe?

[leyorkie]

Roads are closed approx 4 hours before the published time and each junction will have a police presence and you are not allowed to cross the route. They do open up very quickly once the peloton and associated vehicles have passed.

[windy1]

Ok so when do you reckon the road will be opened at Lyons La Foret then?

Might have to skirt round the tour if it is going to hold us up too much.

[Camberwell]

Hi,

does anyone know if the normal route from Calais to Le Mans - N28 going south I think, going through that industrial area - will be blocked for this?

Cheers!

[jpp]

burriana said:

I know Gixer mentioned starting a thread but I can't see one so I thought I'd better post it in time for people to make alternate route arrangements if they wish.

The Tour de France sets off from Rouen on Thursday. Not in the morning as most might think but lunch time.

The main caravan (cavalcade) sets off from Rouen at 11am but, the actual race does not set off until 12.45, heading East South East on the D6014 towards Boos and Charleval.

The Tour caravan with all the sponsors' vehicles and so on takes a good hour to pass before the race arrives and, the crowds are huge. Le Tour makes our Olympic torch relay look like Mrs Brown's coffee morning.

Here's the link for the route out of Rouen. No idea of the best way to skirt around it or, how bad the congestion will be?

Tour route out of Rouen

Phew - I knew there was a good reason for a late crossing (ie travelling with a lardy)

[gavgavgav]

Thanks for posting this, I had not considered to check the tour(!) and will take a different route now.

[leyorkie]

windy1 said:

Ok so when do you reckon the road will be opened at Lyons La Foret then?

Might have to skirt round the tour if it is going to hold us up too much.

According to the route info the caravans passes at 11:45 with the latest time for the peloton at 13:30 so should be open at 14:00 BUT if there are any delays it could be later.

http://www.letour.fr/2012/TDF/COURSE/us/500/etape_...