La Bouille ferry over the Seine

[silverback]

Has anyone (when going through Rouen) done the slight detour and taken the little ferry across the river at Le Bouille? https://maps.app.goo.gl/7GXxdb78zPRLmwHN8

I know it certainly won't be any quicker but will it be that much slower? Might make a change from the route through the city which takes you past endless railway sidings (from memory, not driven to LM in a few years).

Is there always a massive queue? Is it a nightmare? Or is it worth a try if you're not in a huge rush?

[AndrewCrown]

Well yes... and we do not know how we ended up going this way... I think it was an early exploratory use of Waze.
This was 3rd September 2024 so we were clearly coming back from our French place after summer.

From memory, no queues and I do not think we were charged. it took about 5 minutes all in.

Very pleasant alternative route!

[mtvessel]

Second the above. We used to do an overnight in a hotel nearby when going south-north later in the year, No queues, 5 min bank to bank.

[davidd]

We have been over the bridge to the west a few times. Much better than traipsing through Rouen...
https://maps.app.goo.gl/JMxfntiJLrXWp8NN7

[DMN]

I've used it a few times when heading towards Dieppe. Waze often has it as the fastest route.

[Northcote67]

I similarly used the ferry purely by accident on the way to Le Mans thanks to Waze.

Made a nice change to the journey and the thing that surprised me as previously mentioned was unlike if it was in the UK, the ferry was free. Great service.

[RL17]

Again Waze took me over river on a ferry at Petit-Couronne (a bit up river) after we diverted from a normal route to go to an Esso station on duel carriageway just past the junction I was supposed to take.

Drove through a flat industrial zone and stopped behind two cars at a red traffic light and a minute or so later we were on a ferry - free and very quick journey.

[DMN]

Another route worth considering, and one I learnt from here some years ago, is via Yvetot. Its to the North West of Rouen and is itself a great stop for food. From there you go South over Pont de Brotonne. Time wise its considered around the same as going through Rouen itself.

[croyde]

Feb 2025 and I was driving to Spain and on to Tenerife.

Waze took me off the autoroute and I finally followed a long road to the river.

Thought that there must be a bridge, there wasn't

Was about to turn around when I saw the ferry and I was the last car on.

It was a very pretty detour but I had a long ways to go so headed off the ferry on the other side to find the autoroute.

[silverback]

croyde said:

It was a very pretty detour but I had a long ways to go so headed off the ferry on the other side to find the autoroute.

Yeah, it looks like you can join the Autoroute (or indeed the D438/old N138) just over the other side. Might well give it a go then!

[DMN]

You can, its a steepish twisty road up to it.

[Den Den]

DMN said:

Another route worth considering, and one I learnt from here some years ago, is via Yvetot. Its to the North West of Rouen and is itself a great stop for food. From there you go South over Pont de Brotonne. Time wise its considered around the same as going through Rouen itself.

Yes, that's a nice route, I generally stop for lunch in Yvetot at a place opposite the St Pierre church, Le Six I think it's called.
Another route around Rouen is to leave the A28 at the N15, Cergy Pontoise turn off. You can then go south on the East side of the river on the D6015/D7, and onto the A13 Westbound near the Tourville retail park, it's quite a pleasant drive compared to going through the city.

[DMN]

Den Den said:

DMN said:

Another route worth considering, and one I learnt from here some years ago, is via Yvetot. Its to the North West of Rouen and is itself a great stop for food. From there you go South over Pont de Brotonne. Time wise its considered around the same as going through Rouen itself.

Yes, that's a nice route, I generally stop for lunch in Yvetot at a place opposite the St Pierre church, Le Six I think it's called.
Another route around Rouen is to leave the A28 at the N15, Cergy Pontoise turn off. You can then go south on the East side of the river on the D6015/D7, and onto the A13 Westbound near the Tourville retail park, it's quite a pleasant drive compared to going through the city.

Le Six is the same place we ate at. It was fairly rammed when we arrived at around 1pm local, but they found us a table.

[Den Den]

DMN said:

Den Den said:

DMN said:

Another route worth considering, and one I learnt from here some years ago, is via Yvetot. Its to the North West of Rouen and is itself a great stop for food. From there you go South over Pont de Brotonne. Time wise its considered around the same as going through Rouen itself.

Yes, that's a nice route, I generally stop for lunch in Yvetot at a place opposite the St Pierre church, Le Six I think it's called.
Another route around Rouen is to leave the A28 at the N15, Cergy Pontoise turn off. You can then go south on the East side of the river on the D6015/D7, and onto the A13 Westbound near the Tourville retail park, it's quite a pleasant drive compared to going through the city.

Le Six is the same place we ate at. It was fairly rammed when we arrived at around 1pm local, but they found us a table.

It's always busy when we get there, but we go in the bar next door and they give you a shout when there's free table.

[JamesW]

One of our lot got lost and ended up on it last time - with a car that wouldn't go into gear as he'd burnt the clutch out!

Said it was quite fun, but did need a push to get off

[Den Den]

Your paint job matches the ferry!

[Manners79]

Used it last year when camping overnight nearby and taking a (deliberate) minimal highway route. Very pleasant, short / no queues (got on the first ferry that arrived) and very free! And that was at about 0830 so (presumably) rush hour - if such a thing exists in rural(ish) France.