I?m expecting to be taking a break (in June) in the Lot-et-Garonne (near Villeneuve). I know the area fairly well as we?ve been to the Dordogne area several times. I usually go from Calais on the toll A26, A1 and then turn off by C-de-Gaulle and take the N104 around the eastern outer suburbs of Paris until I reach the A10 then overnight at Orleans in the Novotel (now 90Eu!)and onto the A71 and onto the free A20 and exiting somewhere around Brive depending on where we are staying.. It?s usually quite straightforward.
However the tolls are creeping up along with the cost of fuel (petrol Mazda 6 2.0) and hotels.. I?ve often thought of heading out of Calais on the A16 past Boulogne then onto the free A28 to Rouen. Then on the RN to Evreux, Dreux, and overnight at Charters (there?s a nice Ibis for 39Eu) then picking up the A10 and A71 around Orleans.
The viaMichelin puts the distances virtually the same at 886km for the former route and 893km for the latter and only 30 minutes longer but considerably cheaper on tolls - in fact I see that if I take the N20 between Orleans and Vierzon instead of the tollA71 then the only toll part of the second route would be the stretch between Boulogne and Abbeville.
Does anyone use the second route (or part of) when going to south west France - I believe the roads approaching Rouen have been upgraded. Specifically can anyone advise if there are any problems around the Rouen - Everex -Dreux - Chartres route and the condition of the N20 Orleans to Vierzon (ie is it single or dual carriageway).
I?ll be travelling on a Sunday afternoon/Monday morning and returning a week later Monday/Tuesday. I?m an experienced European driver but I don?t want to pick a duff route with loads of delays.
I would be grateful to hear of any recent experiences.
Thanks, Jacks
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I know what you mean - tolls are now over ?1/10km on the autoroutes. But I did Le Havre - Tours and return recently, and they were so clear it was a pleasure to drive 400 miles.
I expect you are looking at over ?50 each way on tolls for your trip?
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Unless you are in some sort of hurry, why not just stay in France on departmental and national A-class roads instead of using the hyperspace of toll motorways, which might be anywhere? It's what I would do anyway if not pressed for time.
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That must be the cheapest Novotel in France.
Ibis or even Etap hotels are perfectly adequate, I have always found, if you want to stay with the monolithic Accor Hotels group. Otherwise Kyriad have an excellent chain of two star hotels and, in my recent experience, their restaurants are better. Anywhere displaying the Logis de France sign is likely to be welcoming as well, with excellent local dishes.
I second Lud's advice - if you aren't in a hurry stick to (preferably) D roads. They tend to be better than UK A roads and much quieter. And you get to see a bit more of the real France...
If you have a rainy afternoon in Villeneuve, find the Jaguar specialist just on the right off the big roundabout on the far southern outskirts of town and see if he's managed to sell that fantastic Rolls-Royce Phantom II sedanca de ville for 400,000 euros. He always has other interesting stuff there, too. ;-)
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Do this direction regularly.
Go Calais -Boulogne - Rouen - Dreux -Chartres - Orleans
marginally slower, but much more pleasant, cheaper.
It is even worth going thro the centre of Chartres, rather than ring road with tight roundabouts if avoiding school/commerce times.
Miss out all the chain hotels and find yourself a 'Logis' in a small town bypassed by an Autoroute sometime in the last 10yrs. Many are struggling for trade and will welcome you at competitive prices.
p
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Just got back today from taking that route. We went to somewhere near Tours. Rouen is fine BUT my tomtom is wrong for getting through Rouen (I needed to take the exit after the one it said, which after not being able to take a turn it said got me lost in Rouen centre!). Apart from that it was a very pleasant journey. The RNs have plenty of passing places.
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Rouen is easy if you just follow the signs! Not like 20years ago when it was a nightmare.
p
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Used the Chartres Evreux route several times. Quicker than messing about round Paris and a fair bit was on fast dual carriageway.
Never been the same way twice through or round Rouen!!
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PMH2's route is the one to take. The N154 becomes more of a dual carriageway every year. The worst bit from Chartres to Orleans should be even better this year as they were by-passing a village that is a bit of a bottleneck.
Edited by Robbie on 21/04/2009 at 10:22
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Regular mobile speed cameras on this section of N154.
Often placed in layby very close to the regular pull off marked by unoccupied white plastic chair. Regular france travellers will recognise significance. Altho recent improvements in standard of living in France have resulted a white vans.
p
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That must be the cheapest Novotel in France.
Well - that's the pay up front no cancellation rate, the rack is much higher. we used to use the Novotels and Holiday Inn's when travelling with the children as the rooms slept 4 and the kids ate on a special rate. The Novotel at Orleans Sud also has a very nice pool! But now it's just my wife and I we no longer need that facility.
Thanks to those who replied and confirmed that the Rouen Chartres is the best way to go.
Jacks
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Heading that far south I would happily pay the additional fees for the Tolls. Travelling that far using national routes would take an age!!
Also, have you looked at Campanile hotels? We used them for the first time last month, room rates are quite good, ours was ?60 for the night and most have restaurants attached as well as free wifi (when are the hotels in this country going to wake up to free WiFI!!), nothing special but perfectly adequate and comfortable for stop overs.
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I agree about using the RN's for very long distances but this particular route has long stretches of free - non toll - motorways. ie from Abbeville to Rouen the A28 is non toll and the longest stretch of the route Vierzon to Brive is also on the toll free A20.
Other BR's have confirmed that that alot of the N road sections -particularly the N154 is dual carriageway.
I wouldn't contemplate doing 900Km on single carriageway tree lined RN "Napoleon" roads stuck behind trucks.
We often go to St. Raphael (between Cannes and St. Tropez) and we always use the toll motorways in that instance.
The exchange rate is the problem now,60E used to be very cheap but now it's 60 quid.
I'll probably use the Ibis at Chartres (39eu) on the outward and look out for some independent hotel to use on the way back whilst I'm on the way down - if that makes sense!
Probably further north than Chartres as I've a 3 hr UK drive from Dover.
Free WiFi ? I don't have a laptop and if I did my wife would take a dim view of me taking it on holiday. I don't even have a SatNav (whatever they are) - just an old fashioned map!!
cheers
J
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I often do this route (partially) and, as I need to do my journey in one day tend to use the tolls. As regards hotels, don't forget other chains like premiere classe, b&b(a chain),fast hotel, charme, etc. Used to be more like 30 euros, don't usually have a restaurant attached, but, as they are usually grouped together,there is usually a more expensive chain nearby where you can use the restaurant.
p.s. As pr{p} noted, on the jorney round rouen my tom tom wants to take me through the centre. I now ignore it for that part.
Edited by maximus on 21/04/2009 at 20:36
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I have lived in, and bummed around, France for the past 40 years.
Why arrive too knackered to enjoy it? Forget the autoroutes and the neolithic hotels. Look at www.logis-de-france.fr , use a map and take it easy -- and cheap. See a bit of France while you're at it.
You'll arrrive in better condition.
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