PH convoy to the Classic

[Hoonigan]

lowdrag said:

Ben Lowden said:

I appreciate everyone will be on different crossings – but I'm wondering if there's a significant amount doing a particular crossing that might fancy a PH convoy?

We've always shot down the motorway, but want to take an interesting route this year. We haven't booked our crossing yet so are open to doing Folkstone > Calais and driving down from there, or Portsmouth > Caen.

We'll be in a Mustang Mach 1 and shooting a Dream Drive feature, so naturally want to find a fun route and get some PHers involved if we can!

If you are doing Portsmaouth/Caen, look at my thread on a lovely back roads route.Great fun and scenery.

I’m
Gonna try it, thank you Lowdrag…

lowdrag said:

On leaving the ferry follow the green signs to Falaise

On the ring road of Falaise leave the N158 and follow the D909 towards Putange-Pont-Ecrepin. There is a lovely hotel there right by the river called Le Lion Verd. Good spot for a coffee and a croissant. They speak English.

Continue south to Rânes, over the crossroads and on towards Carrouges on the D909

Follow the D909 until you meet the N12, turn right and go through Pré-en-Pail. There is a service station there if you need fuel.
Go through the town and then follow the D20 left signposted Villaines-la-Juhel. You will travel through a forest with beautiful swinging roads.
Now follow the D13 to Courcité and from there the D16 to Sillé-le-Guillaume and from there the signs to Le Mans.

[Taffy66]

We're catching the Eurotunnel at 7:39AM on Thursday. Was going down on the Motorways as this is our first time but open to join convoys with others who know much more scenic routes. Maybe a good idea for a rendezvous somewhere convenient near Calais for coffee and croissants and take it from there ?

[hunter 66]

HI Taffy 66 , will be about the same time at the tunnel , but need to get down to scrutiniser .....so will be motorway for me sadly ... Car is ready though

[hunter 66]

See you there , come around for a beer

[Taffy66]

hunter 66 said:

HI Taffy 66 , will be about the same time at the tunnel , but need to get down to scrutiniser .....so will be motorway for me sadly ... Car is ready though

Looks great Peter. Look forward to seeing you down there. Sadly we're now coming in our Cayenne as after doing five track days far away from home since March decided my over worked back wouldn't take the 600 mile trek in the RS' LWBS.

[hunter 66]

Haha will be taking my RS down as usual , I find the seats comfortable on long runs , just the toll booths are a drag

[LesXRN]

Nah! Tolls are a good place for a drag race.

[handyman 1417]

Hoonigan said:

MrC986 said:

We’re on the 21.30hrs Portsmouth-Caen Wednesday night ferry if you fancy joining us Ben to “convoy” down on the Thursday morning?!

Same crossing as us, Convoy, Convoy, Convoy….

We’d be delighted to join you if possible.

[cn7k7]

[quote=hmg]

Any tips for waypoints south of Rouen pls
[/quote

Au Normandy Restaurant in Sées, under the shadow of a cathedral in a small town….great place with lovely food, been going there for 20 years

[MrC986]

handyman 1417 said:

We’d be delighted to join you if possible.

If we aren't able to identify each other before/on the ferry from Portsmouth, can I suggest we gather in the car park just outside the ferry entrance to discuss which route & where we're stopping for brekkie etc.!

I'll be in this (& hopefully you won't be able to miss it in the car park )

[handyman 1417]

MrC986 said:

If we aren't able to identify each other before/on the ferry from Portsmouth, can I suggest we gather in the car park just outside the ferry entrance to discuss which route & where we're stopping for brekkie etc.!

I'll be in this (& hopefully you won't be able to miss it in the car park )

That’s a good idea. We’ll be in this.

[RL17]

Definitely need to meet up outside port as queuing for an hour or so for French passport control and letting a car out every 2 to 5 mins or so can disperse the ferry cars and make the roads down pretty quiet.

[Dblue]

Sortie 10 said:

No good driving north of Rouen? You cannot be serious...
My username gives a clue as to where you should turn off the Autoroute - checkout:
Forges les Eaux, Lyons la Forêt (stunning village - one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ) Les Andelys (so you miss Rouen)
If anything the Jimmer Le Mans crew prefer the roads north of Rouen to those south - mixture of cracking twisty D roads, arrow straights, woodlands.
Will probably be fined heavily by the committee for disclosing our route!

Absolutely - Mystifying statement. Get off the autoroute a few Ks south of Abbeville, Blangy s/Bresle is a good start, work your way across the Bresle and down to Lyons La Foret. Skirt Rouen through Les Andelys and rejoin A28 at Bernay or Gace.

Do a bit of route planning in advance , it's well worth it.

[Ben Lowden]

Right then – I’ve stitched together a couple of route options based on various suggestions and other threads on PH.

Option one: Calais to Le Mans, 6hr30, 442km taking in:

• Forges-les-Eaux
• Lyons-la-Forêt
• Les Andelys
• Le Neubourg
• Conches-en-Ouche
• L'Aigle, 61300
• Mortagne-au-Perche
• Mamers
• Le Mans

Route map here https://goo.gl/maps/jkGCHMPWPLfoS1Wr7

(Thanks Sortie 10 & Dblue)

Option two: Calais to Le Mans via Caen, 6hr09, 514km taking in:

• Fastest route to Caen from Calais (3hr30)
• Le Lion Verd
• Pré-en-Pail
• Courcité
• Saint-Saturnin
• Le Mans

Route map here https://goo.gl/maps/41Byv4z13eSbz3Q97

(Thanks lowdrag)

I’m undecided on which route we’ll take yet, but any further suggestions on tweaks and places to stop will be much appreciated!

[V12 Migaloo]

Thanks Ben, Lowdrag and Sortie 10.... we will be exiting Sortie 10 and will use one of those suggestions, and if you see a supp'd up XJ in your mirrors, move over!!!