Discussion
Left Le Houx at 1.15pm didn't get out of Le Mans for 4 hours then held up at toll road as mentioned for another 2 hours ,our journey took 16 hours instead of the normal 9 hours.
I've been a few times before and never had delays anything like this, suppose a major downfall an hour or so before the endof the race didn't help, couple of hundred thousand people decided en mass to get the bloody hell out of it resulting in gridlock.
Seemed a lot more people there this year and the sanitary arrangements could not cope by the looks of it with gangs of men urinating just about anywher at anytime.
Mind you we stil had a great time, just hope the weather's better next year.
Steve
I've been a few times before and never had delays anything like this, suppose a major downfall an hour or so before the endof the race didn't help, couple of hundred thousand people decided en mass to get the bloody hell out of it resulting in gridlock.
Seemed a lot more people there this year and the sanitary arrangements could not cope by the looks of it with gangs of men urinating just about anywher at anytime.
Mind you we stil had a great time, just hope the weather's better next year.
Steve
A bit of traffic management coming out of Houx/Houx Annexe would have helped. It seems there were 5 exits all converging onto one mini-roundabout (the next one down from the "mad Friday" r'bout). The Gendarmes were sheltering from the rain in their vans and it became a free-for-all. We found it pretty easy going once we got up to Tertre Rouge.
Went through Rouen with relative ease at 7.30pm..just the usual crawl around Maison brulee/Les Essarts..where was the 3 hour queue ?
We guessed that a lot of you guys had missed the cut as the 10.40pm ferry was only 1/2 full.
Anyone responsible for re-modelling their Cerbera near Abbeville ?
Went through Rouen with relative ease at 7.30pm..just the usual crawl around Maison brulee/Les Essarts..where was the 3 hour queue ?
We guessed that a lot of you guys had missed the cut as the 10.40pm ferry was only 1/2 full.
Anyone responsible for re-modelling their Cerbera near Abbeville ?
[quote=s,one]Left Le Houx at 1.15pm didn't get out of Le Mans for 4 hours then held up at toll road as mentioned for another 2 hours ,our journey took 16 hours instead of the normal 9 hours.
I've been a few times before and never had delays anything like this, suppose a major downfall an hour or so before the endof the race didn't help, couple of hundred thousand people decided en mass to get the bloody hell out of it resulting in gridlock.
Seemed a lot more people there this year and the sanitary arrangements could not cope by the looks of it with gangs of men urinating just about anywher at anytime.
Mind you we stil had a great time, just hope the weather's better next year.
Steve
[/quote]
same here. Left Houx at about 13:15, also got held up there for a good 3 hours, then again at the toll for a good 2.
We travelled through the night and caught a slightly earlier ferry than planned. Got back about 3 hours ago after a 20 hour slog with a caravan accross france / UK
I've been a few times before and never had delays anything like this, suppose a major downfall an hour or so before the endof the race didn't help, couple of hundred thousand people decided en mass to get the bloody hell out of it resulting in gridlock.
Seemed a lot more people there this year and the sanitary arrangements could not cope by the looks of it with gangs of men urinating just about anywher at anytime.
Mind you we stil had a great time, just hope the weather's better next year.
Steve
[/quote]
same here. Left Houx at about 13:15, also got held up there for a good 3 hours, then again at the toll for a good 2.
We travelled through the night and caught a slightly earlier ferry than planned. Got back about 3 hours ago after a 20 hour slog with a caravan accross france / UK
after going nearly 35miles in the wrong direction after leaving le mans
. Then hit the nasty traffic going back to Calais
. we missed our 10:15pm ferry and made the 10:40pm, not 2 bad really !
i loved the aqua-plaining on the soggy french roads. i couldnt belive how fast some where travelling in near zero visability
. i guess thats wy we sore that blue cerb facing the wrong way with a nasty lump out of the front!. great weekend shame about the weather really.
. Then hit the nasty traffic going back to Calais. we missed our 10:15pm ferry and made the 10:40pm, not 2 bad really !i loved the aqua-plaining on the soggy french roads. i couldnt belive how fast some where travelling in near zero visability
. i guess thats wy we sore that blue cerb facing the wrong way with a nasty lump out of the front!. great weekend shame about the weather really.Yep, we got stuck in the queue at Rouen. Left Annexe around 6ish, not too bad, we went out the back exit so only queued from there till about Tetre Rouge. Queued for a couple of hours at Rouen, then made it to Calais for 0030 and got moved on to the 0120 tunnel. Made it home for an early breakfast.
Saw the race finish (did the Pugeot reallly die that close after the finish line?), despite suggesting to my co-driver at 14.30 we should depart early! However tent etc was already packed so got back to Expo changed into dry clothes and left campsite at 15:30. Made it to Le Havre by 19:00 and ferry by 20:00. Saw the queue for Rouen and was grateful we weren't going that way!
Traffic seemed good to me! Steady 70-80mph on the motorway slowing on occasions for dreadful visibility.
Traffic seemed good to me! Steady 70-80mph on the motorway slowing on occasions for dreadful visibility.
Yes, I too ripped through France in glorious sunshine having left at about 10.00 Sunday morning. Stopped some 150kms from Calais for a lovely four course lunch at a street side restaurant for just 15 euros. Got the 17.00 Sea France ferry instead of my booked 18.25 one. Couldn't believe it when my mate told me they'd had 4 hours of continuous rain at the circuit! I've realised over the years that it's a case of leave early Sunday or wait till Monday. I really can't be arsed with traffic jams any more, least of all in a great driving country like France.
Inevitably, I was brought back down to earth on arrival in the UK. Took half an hour to get off the ferry and out of Dover only to be stuck in a massive jam on the M20, followed by a never-ending succession of middle lane hoggers all the way back to Chelmsford. I really find it quite depressing arriving back in England - the contrast with a country separated by just 20 miles of sea never ceases to amaze me. And while I'm in rant mode, aren't the French people so much more relaxed, friendly and helpful than the aggressive chav dross we have to contend with over here. I lost count of the number of French people who stopped to photograph or video my TVR, and who came up to enquire politely about it. Great country and great people in my opinion.
Inevitably, I was brought back down to earth on arrival in the UK. Took half an hour to get off the ferry and out of Dover only to be stuck in a massive jam on the M20, followed by a never-ending succession of middle lane hoggers all the way back to Chelmsford. I really find it quite depressing arriving back in England - the contrast with a country separated by just 20 miles of sea never ceases to amaze me. And while I'm in rant mode, aren't the French people so much more relaxed, friendly and helpful than the aggressive chav dross we have to contend with over here. I lost count of the number of French people who stopped to photograph or video my TVR, and who came up to enquire politely about it. Great country and great people in my opinion.
Left Beausejour at 2:30 - took just over two hours to get to the camp exit onto the road. We were then herded along roads through detours by the gendarmerie (which has never happened before) - missed our 9pm Boulogne ferry - got one at Calais at 1am instead. Never experienced chaos like that. Whoever was in charge of traffic flow before the plod took over should be shot.
ps First time at Beausejour - couldn't get usual Blue Nord tickets as left it too late. Be warned - awful campsite - miles from the track, not enough showers - which are ice cold first thing in the morning. Book early for next year.
ps First time at Beausejour - couldn't get usual Blue Nord tickets as left it too late. Be warned - awful campsite - miles from the track, not enough showers - which are ice cold first thing in the morning. Book early for next year.
Left last night at about 7:00 not a single problem, srtaight out of Houx Annexe, stopped in Alencon for a Mac D's had a small 4/5 minute hold up at 1 of the toll's and that was it.
Tom Tom satnav took me a superb way through Rouen that i never new existed, what a nice place that can be if you bypass that industrial route I normally seem to drive past. Very quick aswell.
Tom Tom satnav took me a superb way through Rouen that i never new existed, what a nice place that can be if you bypass that industrial route I normally seem to drive past. Very quick aswell.
We moved the car from Karting Nord to Anarge at about 9am Sunday morning, straight after the race jumped into the car and headed for Rouen, where like many we got stuck for about an hour in the penge and roadworks queue. Lucky for us we had a room booked in the Comfort Inn, in the centre of Rouen. A quick breakfast and back on the road around 9am saw us get to the Dunkirk ferry for the earlier sailing at mid-day, it took 30 mins to clear Dover though
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