Route to the Classic - avoiding Rouen

[slamm]

This year we'd like to avoid the crawl through traffic in Rouen to get to the Classic and take a more leisurely scenic drive to the circuit on Thursday 8th. It looks overly convoluted to avoid though and all paths seem to lead back to Rouen, unless we travel via Paris which would be far worse.

Any ideas that have been tried and tested?

[Longers]

Before reaching Rouen I usually go west on A29/E44, then turn off at Yvetot and keep going south until you get back to A28

There are also plenty of cross country routes to the east of Rouen. They can take a bit longer but are worth a look if you have time.

[hurststeve]

Which way are you going? We went from Dieppe to Le Mans this year to find that the new bridge over the river at Rouen is finished and you hardly notice the town at all anymore. I felt quite nostalgic for that no-longer compulsory "oh, we're lost in Rouen again" feeling.

[hurststeve]

Which way are you going? We went from Dieppe to Le Mans for something or other recently and found that the new bridge over the river at Rouen is now finished. We hardly noticed the city at all. I felt a little nostalgic for that no-longer compulsory "oh, we're lost in Rouen again" feeling.

[williamp]

There's always via paris.....

[leyorkie]

slamm said:

This year we'd like to avoid the crawl through traffic in Rouen to get to the Classic and take a more leisurely scenic drive to the circuit on Thursday 8th. It looks overly convoluted to avoid though and all paths seem to lead back to Rouen, unless we travel via Paris which would be far worse.

Any ideas that have been tried and tested?

Which way do you go through Rouen? Do you turn off after the river down to Cow Roundabout and then A28? I find that it's only busy at rush hour and even then traffic moves fairly quickly as it is all dual carriageway.

[Johno]

We have a neat route that follows the river on the east shore and doesn't cross it until further south. Straight through the tunnel, follow the madness for about 3km's and then duck off along river, avoid the cow roundabout and all the other traffic . . hardly ever see another UK car on the way to Le Mans along it . .

[slamm]

The route we take, normally results in us going through a tunnel and then crawling through a large industrial area peppered with sets of traffic lights along the same stretch of dual carriageway. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the road, but I like the sound of the new bridge and the cruise along the river.

Having said that I'm still tempted to avoid the place altogether and rejoin the A28 as soon as possible again as being amongst the Classic pilgrimmage is one of the many things I love about the weekend, so I don't want to miss much of it.

Thanks for your suggestions.

[slamm]

hurststeve said:

Which way are you going? We went from Dieppe to Le Mans for something or other recently and found that the new bridge over the river at Rouen is now finished. We hardly noticed the city at all. I felt a little nostalgic for that no-longer compulsory "oh, we're lost in Rouen again" feeling.

Yes I know that feeling all too well! The Elan Sprint we're taking runs a little hot and we'd like to avoid "oh we've broken down in Rouen" feeling. Next Le Mans Classic we should have sorted that problem out, but for now it's cause for concern. We'll be coming through the tunnel and down from Calais.

[Nick M]

slamm said:

hurststeve said:

Which way are you going? We went from Dieppe to Le Mans for something or other recently and found that the new bridge over the river at Rouen is now finished. We hardly noticed the city at all. I felt a little nostalgic for that no-longer compulsory "oh, we're lost in Rouen again" feeling.

Yes I know that feeling all too well! The Elan Sprint we're taking runs a little hot and we'd like to avoid "oh we've broken down in Rouen" feeling. Next Le Mans Classic we should have sorted that problem out, but for now it's cause for concern. We'll be coming through the tunnel and down from Calais.

All joking aside, and assuming your timing is OK, if you're not stuck in traffic then the quickest route through Rouen is to stay on the road as you exit the tunnel and not exit through after the bridge and go through the industrial area, with all it's traffic lights and trucks.

Just stay in the left hand lane as you come out of the tunnel and keep going straight. Eventually, when you have ignored the signs to Le Mans, you'll go over another bridge into a dual-lane road through the city. About 6 sets of traffic lights and a couple of roundabouts, then it's non-stop dual carriageway on the N338 all the way to the A13, where you can either pick up the old N138 or carry on to the A28.

Have a look on Google Maps (in particular the street view) because there are a couple of under-passes you can use to avoid some busy junctions and keep moving along, which is handy if your car is a bit temperamental on the cooling front.

Sadly we're having to resort to the route through the industrial area as dad's motorhome is probably a bit too tall for the underpasses, and would be a bit fun through the first part of the city, so best to give him somewhere with a bit more room

[hornetrider]

Abbeville > Marseille-en-Beauvaisis > Gournay > Les Andelys > Evreux > Conches > l'Aigle > Alencon

Job's a good 'un! We always take this way(ish) on the bikes.

Not too many twisties but mile after mile of high lepton gendarmerie free roads

[nutsytvr]

Longers said:

Before reaching Rouen I usually go west on A29/E44, then turn off at Yvetot and keep going south until you get back to A28

There are also plenty of cross country routes to the east of Rouen. They can take a bit longer but are worth a look if you have time.

Hey thanks - been going to LM for 20 years and not tried that. It looks good on the maps - I'll try that Friday morning.

Thanks again
Nutsy TVR

[blackcossiestu]

slamm said:

The route we take, normally results in us going through a tunnel and then crawling through a large industrial area peppered with sets of traffic lights along the same stretch of dual carriageway. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the road, but I like the sound of the new bridge and the cruise along the river.

Having said that I'm still tempted to avoid the place altogether and rejoin the A28 as soon as possible again as being amongst the Classic pilgrimmage is one of the many things I love about the weekend, so I don't want to miss much of it.

Thanks for your suggestions.

That the bit of road with the Shell garage on it? Always a good stretch of road to lose the rest of your convoy lol


We're doing a really short drive this year, Derby to Portsmouth, then LeHarve to Leman....never tried this route so will see how it turns out for us

[The Leaper]

Yes, from Calais the Yvetot route is really good and offers a number of cross country alternatives depending on how far west you are willing to go.

R.

[Nick M]

Longers said:

Before reaching Rouen I usually go west on A29/E44, then turn off at Yvetot and keep going south until you get back to A28

There are also plenty of cross country routes to the east of Rouen. They can take a bit longer but are worth a look if you have time.

Hmmm, just been looking at that route, and it looks interesting - about 13km longer but not much extra time, according to Google Maps...

Is it 'motorhome friendly' ?? Just thinking of avoiding Rouen in the 'Bus'.

[Longers]

Nick M said:

Longers said:

Is it 'motorhome friendly' ??

One word of advice... Do not be tempted to go south from Yvetot on the D5 to cross the river at Duclair - even though it seems a bit shorter you have to cross the river by boat rather than the bridge at Caudebec. Don't ask me how I knoe this!!

[Nick M]

Longers said:

One word of advice... Do not be tempted to go south from Yvetot on the D5 to cross the river at Duclair - even though it seems a bit shorter you have to cross the river by boat rather than the bridge at Caudebec. Don't ask me how I know this!!

Noted, thanks !

[slamm]

blackcossiestu said:

That the bit of road with the Shell garage on it? Always a good stretch of road to lose the rest of your convoy lol

Yup - that'll be the one - hope the new route works out for you and that you get a convoy together. My husband and I are taking a car each so we'll have a very small convoy unitl we get joined by one other at the tunnel.

[slamm]

Nick M said:

Longers said:

Before reaching Rouen I usually go west on A29/E44, then turn off at Yvetot and keep going south until you get back to A28

There are also plenty of cross country routes to the east of Rouen. They can take a bit longer but are worth a look if you have time.

Hmmm, just been looking at that route, and it looks interesting - about 13km longer but not much extra time, according to Google Maps...

Is it 'motorhome friendly' ?? Just thinking of avoiding Rouen in the 'Bus'.

Seconded. Definitely like the look of this. Thanks.

[//j17]

hornetrider said:

Abbeville > Marseille-en-Beauvaisis > Gournay > Les Andelys > Evreux > Conches > l'Aigle > Alencon

Job's a good 'un! We always take this way(ish) on the bikes.

Not too many twisties but mile after mile of high lepton gendarmerie free roads

That's more or less the route we take to the 24hrs every year. Early morning Chunnel, re-fuel in Abbeville, then via Grandvilliers to Les Andelys for lunch before hitting Evreux, L'Agile and Bonnetable arriving on the West side of Le Mans.

Never seen a policeman, hell you hardly ever seen another car!