Best driving route into Le Mans

[Blues]

I haven't booked my ferry yet, so have an open mind in terms of the French start point, I dont want to take the motorway, so which are the best roads, what is your favourite route down and why?

[E36GUY]

You take the motorway to Rouen then turn off and take the old N138 (now D338 iirc) down to Le Mans. Lovely road but keep the lead off your foot. Gendarmes aplenty

[Blues]

Thanks Guy, that's the route i took last year
Which other routes are fun, and not swarming with les gendarmes?

[Vette_1978]

Blues said:

Thanks Guy, that's the route i took last year
Which other routes are fun, and not swarming with les gendarmes?

For the Classic we took the coast road to Dieppe and then down to the west of Rouen onto the N138. Would have been nice apart from the monsoon conditions and the fact two u-joints collapsed on the Vette. So it was 50mph max, clunking a-plenty, fingers crossed and about 60 tabs to calm me down!

[SEE YA]

Well now with that new ferry route from Ramsgate Port of Boulogne-Sur-Merto.
Are there any good routes from there?.

[Blues]

Vette_1978 said:

Blues said:

Thanks Guy, that's the route i took last year
Which other routes are fun, and not swarming with les gendarmes?

For the Classic we took the coast road to Dieppe and then down to the west of Rouen onto the N138. Would have been nice apart from the monsoon conditions and the fact two u-joints collapsed on the Vette. So it was 50mph max, clunking a-plenty, fingers crossed and about 60 tabs to calm me down!

That sounds like you avoid Rouen, which has to be good

[Truckosaurus]

SEE YA said:

Well now with that new ferry route from Ramsgate Port of Boulogne-Sur-Merto.
Are there any good routes from there?.

Boulogne is right next to Calais, so any routes from there will equally apply.

If you are feeling keen then get a copy of a Michelin road map, most branches of WHSmiths, Waterstones etc. will stock them, this will have 'Scenic Routes' highlighted.

[SEE YA]

Thanks for the help.

[collieek]

I use Google Earth to plan routes it will calculate distance and show you hotels.

[Stevem5]

We did D338 on the way down last year, and saw no speed traps!

[Mark B]

'I don't want to take the motorway' so the first reply advises the motorway... good work!

Never seen the appeal in taking the main roads to Le mans, I've gone Cherbourg, Dieppe, Le Havre, Caen and even St Malo, all with great roads and fabulous scenery all the way to LM. Excellent opportunities to enjoy the road side cafes and bars too.

Once close, the main roads are infested with Gendarmes so keep off the gas. But for 100 - 150 miles before hand you can enjoy the fabulous roads...

If you want nice roads, avoid Calais and Boulogne as start points.

[burriana]

Blues said:

Vette_1978 said:

For the Classic we took the coast road to Dieppe and then down to the west of Rouen onto the N138. Would have been nice apart from the monsoon conditions and the fact two u-joints collapsed on the Vette. So it was 50mph max, clunking a-plenty, fingers crossed and about 60 tabs to calm me down!

That sounds like you avoid Rouen, which has to be good

Yep, there was one superb little road cross country that comes out just by Yvetot and bypasses Rouen to the south west.

Vette uses his u-joints as an excuse but even before they broke he was only doing 50mph