New Motorway to LeMans
Discussion
Just thought i would post some info on this new motorway.
It took us from Calais to Le Mans in just under 4 hours.
There is only one petrol station on it, 111kms from the start, so make sure you fill up before you join it!
its bloody fast, and i am sure they built it with TVR owners in mind, there is an emergancy phone every 100meters!!
It took us from Calais to Le Mans in just under 4 hours.
There is only one petrol station on it, 111kms from the start, so make sure you fill up before you join it!
its bloody fast, and i am sure they built it with TVR owners in mind, there is an emergancy phone every 100meters!!
The ViaMichelin site has maps and directions using the new road. It seems you still have to use a small section of the N138 to cut the corner from Maison Brulee so the Amoco Cadiz corners (named after a softly sprung motor car's attempt at rounding them at high speed in previous years) are still en route.
sankey said:
Just thought i would post some info on this new motorway.
It took us from Calais to Le Mans in just under 4 hours.
There is only one petrol station on it, 111kms from the start, so make sure you fill up before you join it!
what it's road Number or does it extend a present one?
its an extension of the a28...
and the french have been very clever with it. there are very few (If any, to my memory) exits once your on - hence my warning regarding fuel - you can see the N138 winding through the hills at some parts too.
also to my memory there are only a couple of speed cameras down (many more back) but loads of police waiting bays, and bridges for potential police vantage points
The road is very smooth and winding... great for bikes.
and the french have been very clever with it. there are very few (If any, to my memory) exits once your on - hence my warning regarding fuel - you can see the N138 winding through the hills at some parts too.
also to my memory there are only a couple of speed cameras down (many more back) but loads of police waiting bays, and bridges for potential police vantage points
The road is very smooth and winding... great for bikes.
See this thread as well.
We've used this new section of the A28 from Rouen-Alencon 5 or 6 times now since it opened in November 05. The two viaducts are impressive and both have speed cameras just as you go onto the bridge (although with UK plates you've no need to worry about French fixed cameras until 2010 anyway). The road reduces to 1 lane at each viaduct.
Overall the engineering is awesome and it's an excellent road for blasting south. As has been said, Calais to Le Mans in under 4 hours is 'easy going' if you set cruise control at 130kph and have a stop en-route. It's very achievable in under 3.5 hours for those that press on a little. It would certainly be do-able in under 3 hours for those with the correct vehicle - while still maintaining safe driving as there's hardly any other bugger on the motorway.
No fuel after Rouen until you reach Alencon some 80-85 miles later, however it does have quite a few exits where you can get off and find some.
My favourite bit is around KM marker-posts 200-205 where there's a great sweeping downhill section with fantastic visibility. Any vehicle should be capable of V-MAX at this bit. As long as you phone ahead and request the gendarmes close it off as a private test track of course
All French peage tolls have gone up in the last 18 months. The A16 peage (Boulogne-Abbeville) was €4.50, it's now €6.00 (a rise of 33%) and the new A28 Rouen-Le Mans section is not cheap at over €14.00. Mind you, compared to UK road congestion and poor road surfaces, it's a steal.
We've used this new section of the A28 from Rouen-Alencon 5 or 6 times now since it opened in November 05. The two viaducts are impressive and both have speed cameras just as you go onto the bridge (although with UK plates you've no need to worry about French fixed cameras until 2010 anyway). The road reduces to 1 lane at each viaduct.
Overall the engineering is awesome and it's an excellent road for blasting south. As has been said, Calais to Le Mans in under 4 hours is 'easy going' if you set cruise control at 130kph and have a stop en-route. It's very achievable in under 3.5 hours for those that press on a little. It would certainly be do-able in under 3 hours for those with the correct vehicle - while still maintaining safe driving as there's hardly any other bugger on the motorway.
No fuel after Rouen until you reach Alencon some 80-85 miles later, however it does have quite a few exits where you can get off and find some.
My favourite bit is around KM marker-posts 200-205 where there's a great sweeping downhill section with fantastic visibility. Any vehicle should be capable of V-MAX at this bit. As long as you phone ahead and request the gendarmes close it off as a private test track of course
All French peage tolls have gone up in the last 18 months. The A16 peage (Boulogne-Abbeville) was €4.50, it's now €6.00 (a rise of 33%) and the new A28 Rouen-Le Mans section is not cheap at over €14.00. Mind you, compared to UK road congestion and poor road surfaces, it's a steal.
20vt_mk2dub said:
Doesnt this new motorway include the huge suspension bridge that the featured on an episode of Top Gear?
No that’s the Millau viaduct on the A71 between Clermont-Ferrand and the Mediterranean coast right down in the South West nearish the Spanish border.
I’ve been over it several time’s. It’s pretty amazing but also costs 8 quid a pop.
If you go over it on your way to Le Mans you’re lost… badly
I was going to meander down from Dieppe Thursday afternoon on the back roads, but on advice about the local roads around LM being closed from about 4pm for race preps, I shall be heading straight down the A28.
If lots of us take the nice quiet A28, wont that just be putting the traffic problems off till we get back off the A28 at the southern end? Not that Ive got a choice here
If lots of us take the nice quiet A28, wont that just be putting the traffic problems off till we get back off the A28 at the southern end? Not that Ive got a choice here
"Toutes Directions, Rodney!"
What a superb online route guide! Even got the road signage, speed cam positions, and fuel/toll calculator!
I've taken the liberty of linking the routes from Calais and Caen.
Calais-Le Mans
Caen-Le Mans
Dave
>> Edited by DJFish on Friday 20th January 13:26
What a superb online route guide! Even got the road signage, speed cam positions, and fuel/toll calculator!
I've taken the liberty of linking the routes from Calais and Caen.
Calais-Le Mans
Caen-Le Mans
Dave
>> Edited by DJFish on Friday 20th January 13:26
DJFish said:
"Toutes Directions, Rodney!"
What a superb online route guide! Even got the road signage, speed cam positions, and fuel/toll calculator!
I've taken the liberty of linking the routes from Calais and Caen.
Calais-Le Mans
Caen-Le Mans
Dave
>> Edited by DJFish on Friday 20th January 13:26
€26 and €11 respectively for petrol?
In the past I'd agree with you.
Last year the trip down just seemed to be a police led convoy between speed cameras.
This year I shall be mostly blatting down on the toll roads as simply and quickly as possible, silly bo###cks hooning in and around the circuit, and enjoying the superb French A and B roads in the few days after the race.
That's the plan anyway.....
Last year the trip down just seemed to be a police led convoy between speed cameras.
This year I shall be mostly blatting down on the toll roads as simply and quickly as possible, silly bo###cks hooning in and around the circuit, and enjoying the superb French A and B roads in the few days after the race.
That's the plan anyway.....
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