Favourite route to Le Mans

[maidstonelad]

We have travelled to Le Mans on a number of occasions and always used the toll motorways.

This year we are driving from Calais in x2 Caterhams and a Cayman so are looking to find some more interesting roads to take. Would appreciate anyone’s thoughts on their favourite route to Le Mans.

[The Outsiders]

The D roads south of Rouen through Bernay are the typical routes but if you have the time head out to Caen and take the route back to Argentan and then refreshment at the Hotel Au Normandie in Sees makes for a great run through

[Poshbury]

From Sees you can go through Bagnoles de 'Lorne, Ambrieres les Vallees, Mayenne and on to Le Mans. It's a lovely quiet route.
Caen to Le Mans can be driven via Thury Harcourt, Conde sur Noireau, Flers ring road, Domfront, Ambrieres les Vallees, Mayenne also. That's another nice quiet route.

[Printertosh]

My favourite route is: At Rouen go east of the river (opposite side to train yard) through and over Pont-de-l'Arche, join free motorway A154 to Evreux then continue on it in direction of Dreux, at the end of the motorway turn right on N12 (away from Dreux) towards Mortagne-au-Perche go through the town and out the other side on D938 towards Belleme then D301 towards Bonnetable continue on D301 towards Savigne l'Eveque then at roundabout after the towns bypass take left turn towards Le Mans on D20 BIS (Little gate house on corner) keep following this road and at the end it merges onto D323 which is the dual carriageway that passes the circuit.

There's a few speed cameras, but most are on the N12 towards Mortagne-au-Perche.

We drive a motorhome but I've driven the route in my BMW when we went on a summer holiday and it was far more interesting than the toll roads.

[//j17]

The Pas de Calais is just boring so you might as well Autoroute through it, but a waste of road to stick on it all the way to Rouen/Sees.

Drop off the Autoroute at Abbeville and drop due south to Grandvilliers.
From there south west through Gourney-en-Bray to Les Andelys.
Drop through Bouafles to take the second crossing over the river Saine and on to Everaux.
Keep heading south west through Conches-en-Ouche then turn south through L'Agile, Belleme and Bonnetable.

Terrible route if you like traffic and police, great if you don't.

[L500]

Our route (14th time);
On leaving the eurotunnel terminal follow A16 direction Boulogne / Le Touquet
At Abbeville follow A28 direction Rouen
At Junction 11 follow A29 direction Le Havre
At Junction 9 follow N29 direction Yvetot
Follow signs for Pont de Brotonne and onto Bourg-Achard – Turn right at traffic lights and park up 100 yards on left. (Stop here for lunch)
Continue towards Bourgtheroulde turning right and following signs for Le Neubourg.
Continue onto Conches-en-Ouche, Breteuil and Verneuil-sur-Avre on D840
Then follow signs to Mortagne & Alencon N12
Come off N12 at 2nd turning for Mortagne-au-Perche and then look for signs to Belleme where we stop prior to heading to Le Mans.
Follow signs for Bonnetable & Le Mans D938
Just after Savigne L’Eveque take 1st exit on roundabout D20 Change
This feeds onto D323 heading towards Le Mans. Come off at junction signed Circuit Des 24 Heures

[Dblue]

Auto route to Blangy s/Bresle, then a follow the B roads north of the autoroute through Grandcourt and Londinieres , St Saens and onto Lyons La Foret (Great stop for lunch ) . Les Andelys and onto Evreux and rejoin the autoroute around Sees.

[Kev_Mk3]

D13
D213
D323


Done but I go from somewhere in france

[old'uns]

same neck of the woods occasionally then
after a nice meal at the Auberge or a cake from the square?

i'm down jct D141 / D188 further down river

[fatboy18]

Out of Calais ....
Two Choices, either head towards St Omer on D943 then head south on D928 down to Abbeville
Or Motorway A16 to Abbeville.
From there head to Neufchatel en Bray either by using A28 motorway or D928.

From Neufchatel head towards Gournay en Bray using D1314 / D915

then onto Gisors D915 then to Magny en Vexin using D983

Continue onto Mantes la jolie, here you pick up the A13 for about 1/4 mile (no more than that) and immediately turn off and head for Dreux on the D928
continue on D928 to Nogent le Rotrou picking up the D323
The D323 will run you in directly to Tetre Rouge corner (South of Le mans) missing all the Traffic.

Longer route, yes and of course you have to watch out for the Rozzers and fixed speed cameras in the entrance of a couple of towns. But so much more of a real drive.

[lowdrag]

For anyone coming down from Caen or Le Havre I recommend turning right at Falaise to Putange Pont Ecrepin, (lovely little hotel there on the riverside called the Lion Verd; good stop for a coffee) on througn Ranes, down through Pré-en -Pail, Villaines, Courcité, Sillé-le-Guillaume which will bring you out at Saint Saturnin just north of Le Mans. I have been using and recommending this route for nearly 30 years now, and it is a delightful trip through winding back roads, little town and villages with bars, and most importantly I have never seen the BiB.

[m60ddy]

lowdrag said:

For anyone coming down from Caen or Le Havre I recommend turning right at Falaise to Putange Pont Ecrepin, (lovely little hotel there on the riverside called the Lion Verd; good stop for a coffee) on througn Ranes, down through Pré-en -Pail, Villaines, Courcité, Sillé-le-Guillaume which will bring you out at Saint Saturnin just north of Le Mans. I have been using and recommending this route for nearly 30 years now, and it is a delightful trip through winding back roads, little town and villages with bars, and most importantly I have never seen the BiB.

Nooo honestly really not a good route??? 😜.

Shhh Lowdrag. You told me this route a few years ago and we love it!!!!!

[purple haze]

I can also confirm this. First stayed at the Lion Verd some 30 odd years ago. A very traditional and good Logis

[gt6]

maidstonelad said:

We have travelled to Le Mans on a number of occasions and always used the toll motorways.

This year we are driving from Calais in x2 Caterhams and a Cayman so are looking to find some more interesting roads to take. Would appreciate anyone’s thoughts on their favourite route to Le Mans.

Well have done same trip for well over 30 years now, and tried loads of different routes, from Maidstone to Le mans.

To be honest once you get the other side, Do motorway to Rouen, only part toll and after that you will be bored of motorways, after Rouen you have a short spell on the motorway (a couple of km) then turn off onto the old n138 (d337 now). The road is the one i always use and you pass through some really interesting small towns (by passes can often be ignored). shorter, quicker and no tolls. Some of the road is dead straight as it follows the old roman road. We have stopped at many places on the way, Bernay is great for lunch and shopping (Not cleaned out by all us brits like le mans supermarkets).

As you approach Le mans stop for a relaxing break at beaumont sur le sarthe, sit in the little square, chat to people and watch all the great cars heading past.

[delta0]

gt6 said:

Well have done same trip for well over 30 years now, and tried loads of different routes, from Maidstone to Le mans.

To be honest once you get the other side, Do motorway to Rouen, only part toll and after that you will be bored of motorways, after Rouen you have a short spell on the motorway (a couple of km) then turn off onto the old n138 (d337 now). The road is the one i always use and you pass through some really interesting small towns (by passes can often be ignored). shorter, quicker and no tolls. Some of the road is dead straight as it follows the old roman road. We have stopped at many places on the way, Bernay is great for lunch and shopping (Not cleaned out by all us brits like le mans supermarkets).

As you approach Le mans stop for a relaxing break at beaumont sur le sarthe, sit in the little square, chat to people and watch all the great cars heading past.

This is the route I’m considering this year. Also did you mean D438 and then D338?

Edited by delta0 on Monday 19th March 15:12

[lowdrag]

If I was coming from Calais, or any of the North East ports I wouldn't take the old Route Nationale after Rouen. if you want pleasant scenery take Evreux, Verneuil, La Ferté Vidame, and head through the National Forest to Nogent le Retrou. then La Ferté Bernard, Connerré, Changé and then the ring road to the circuit, avoiding Le Mans. A really pleasant drive, and again, I have never seen the BiB on that route.

[gt6]

sorry yes d338

[lowdrag]

The roads used to be the N158 and N 138 from Caen, but since the opening of the motorway A28 they were downgraded to B roads, which means that the county council is responsible for maintenance and not the government so they are no longer "N" (Nationale) but "D" (Départmentale). Confusing, isn't it!

[delta0]

What’s it like for cameras and Gendarmes down the D438 and D338? I’m definitely not one for speeding but need to know how hard I need to be looking for speed limit signs. Don’t know how sneaky they are going to be.

[lowdrag]

If the BiB are going to be anywhere, it will be on the main axes to Le Mans, and that will be the old Route Nationale (D338) and the A28. There are the odd fixed cameras here and there, but not many. But strangely I haven't seen a mobile radar in yonks now. Which is why I have suggested alternative routes just in case.