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DIRECTIONS
Directions
from Calais to Le Mans.
With
thanks to Francis Griffin for allowing me to
post his handywork
We have followed two routes, via
Paris or via Rouen. Our much-preferred route is via Rouen, but if driving
conditions are bad then we will still use the Paris route,
which is
motorway almost all of the way.
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Paris
Route
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Rouen
Route
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Driving
time, about 5 hours
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Driving
time, about 5 hours.
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Advantages
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All
Autoroute, apart from a short section
round Paris. If you use the A/N104
only the N104 section if not
Autoroute, but even this is dual
carriageway.
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Autoroute
Calais-Rouen, then mostly single
carriageway road. The drive is
pleasant through the French
countryside.
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Easy
motorway driving. Only the A1, and
the roads around Paris are busy.
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About
80 km shorter
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Low
Autoroute tolls, currently E10.30.
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Disadvantages
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Paris
is difficult to get around. You
either risk the peripherique (we
never have) or the A/N104 (the
Parisian M25)
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The
Rouen-Le Mans section can be bad if
there are a lot of HGVs on the road.
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About
80 km longer.
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High
Autoroute tolls, about E18? depending
on the time of day.
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The
Paris route is easy to follow if you have an
up to date road Atlas for France, the
Michelin version is readily available in the
UK. The problem of getting around Paris is
not insurmountable, but does require calm
nerves!
The
Rouen route is more complex, and is described
in detail below.
Calais
- Le Mans
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Directions
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Comments
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Last
updated 03/06/01.
A
new Autoroute is being built between
Rouen and Le Mans, currently only the
section between Alencon and Le Mans
is open.
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Entire
driving time is about 5 hours from
Calais to Le Mans, depending on
traffic etc.
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1.
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From
the tunnel, follow the signs for the
A16 to Boulogne.
From
the Ferry, follow signs to Boulogne
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The
Tunnel exit is straight onto the
Autoroute.
From
the ferry, you must take the road
around Calais before you can join the
Autoroute.
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2.
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On
the A16, follow signs to Abbeville.
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Pick
up a Toll ticket just after Boulogne.
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3.
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Stay
on A16 until junction 23, signposted
Rouen, A28
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Pay
the toll at the motorway exit,
currently E6.20.
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4.
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Near
Rouen, the road ceases to be classed
as Autoroute, but stay on it as the
N28. You will go down a hill and
through a long tunnel.
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5.
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After
the tunnel the road has many exits.
Follow Autre Directions or Le Mans
whenever possible.
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A
lot of traffic joins from the right
at this point.
The
road bends a bit, but keep going
straight on until the bridges, then
…..
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6.
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As
the road crosses the river it becomes
three lanes, stay in the central
lane; after the longest of the
bridges take the exit marked Le Mans
which will take you to the right,
through a 270 degree turn, and under
the road you have just driven on.
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The
net effect of this is to turn left.
The
junction is being re-modelled at the
time of writing. I don’t know how
it will turn out!
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7.
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After
a while you will drive alongside a
large railway depot, keep following
the signs for Le Mans or Caen.
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The
railway depot is on you right.
Occasionally tracks cross the road.
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8.
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After
the railway depot you will come to a
roundabout with several life-size cow
sculptures. Take the 2nd
exit (straight on).
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We
call this the “Cow roundabout”!!
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9.
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After
a while you will come to another
roundabout, take the 2nd
exit, (straight on), then keep in the
right hand lane.
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This
has Greco-Roman columns on it.
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10.
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The
junction for the Autoroute A13
follows shortly. Turn right to follow
the sign for Caen, Le Mans is not
signed at this junction.
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There
is a sign saying “Le Mans, suivre
Caen” just before the junction.
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11.
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Once
on the motorway A13, follow the signs
for Le Mans, Alençon, or if all else
fails, Caen.
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There
are several junctions around here. It
can be quite confusing!
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12.
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After
a few km, an exit for Le Mans is
signposted, junction 24.
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The
exit is just after a spectacular
medieval castle, built astonishingly
close to the road.
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13.
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After
the exit, you will drive alongside
the Autoroute for a short while, then
follow the sign for Le Mans and
Bourgtheroulde, the N138, turning
left.
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This
junction is quite easy to miss.
The
N138 goes all the way to Le Mans
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14.
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Bourgtheroulde
has a by-pass, keep following the
N138
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Bourgtheroulde
has more roundabouts per head of
population than Milton Keynes.
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15.
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At
Brionne, the signs for Alençon and
Le Mans are missing at the
roundabout. Go straight on (2nd
exit)
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The
sign says Lisieux, N138
Brionne
is a pleasant town for a stop.
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16.
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Broglie
is now by-passed.
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More
roundabouts.
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17.
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Through
Nonant le Pin
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18.
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Join
the A28 at Junction 18 north of
Alencon, take a ticket from the
booth.
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Just
before Alençon there is a sequence
of roundabouts. Follow the signs for
Le Mans, these roads are not
signposted N138.
Currently
there is no toll on this section.
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19.
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The
A28 narrows to just one lane in each
direction just after a junction (20
or 21)
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The
problem seems to be caused by a
narrow bridge, traffic can slow down
considerably here.
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20.
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As
you reach Le Mans take the A11
signposted Tours.
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This
will take you onto the A11 for a few
minutes. Make sure you get the
direction correct.
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21.
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The
next junction of the A11 is for the
A28. Take this exit, once again
follow the signs for Tours
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There
is a service area with fuel on this
link of the A11.
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22.
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There
is only a short run on the A28 to
junction 23, take the exit.
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Currently
the toll from Alencon is E4.10
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23.
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After
paying the toll there is a
roundabout, follow the sign for
Tours, Le Mans Sud, and the 24hr
circuit.
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Make
sure you get the correct exit, which
is all the way around the roundabout.
Don’t follow the other signs for Le
Mans, it must be Le Mans Sud and the
Circuit 24hrs.
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24.
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This
road will take you straight to the
circuit. There are signs for the
various campsites as you approach.
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Currently
there are road works along this
stretch as it will eventually be dual
carriageway.
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Le
Mans - Calais
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Directions
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Comments
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1.
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From
the circuit follow the directions for
the A28
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2.
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Join
the A28 and pick up a toll ticket,
after the booth head for Rouen
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For
Rouen take the right hand lane
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3.
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There
is a short stretch until you join the
A11, again head for Rouen
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Don’t
take the filter to Paris
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4.
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The
first exit on the A11 is signposted
A28, Rouen, take it.
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There
is a service area with Petrol in this
stretch of A11.
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5.
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The
Autoroute currently ends at Alençon.
The toll is E4.10
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6.F
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You
rejoin the N138 north of Alençon, it
will take you all the way to the
Autoroute just short of Rouen.
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After
the end of the Autoroute there are a
number of roundabouts, follow the
signs to Rouen.
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7.
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Join
the A13 after Boutheroulde, follow
the signs for Boulogne.
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The
slip road for the Autoroute appears
rather abruptly towards the top of a
steep hill. You must be in the right
hand lane.
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8.
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Exit
the Autoroute at junction 22,
signposted Boulogne.
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9.
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Follow
the dual carriageway, past the Roman
and Cow roundabouts, the rail yards
(on your left) until the road briefly
becomes three lanes before some
traffic lights.
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At
this point make sure you are either
in the central or left hand lane.
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10.
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The
left hand lanes are signposted Autre
Directions, turn left at the lights,
but take the right hand lanes the
other side of the road.
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This
is a tricky moment, made worse by the
fact that it is currently being
remodelled.
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11.
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The
road bends around to the right and
over the bridge. Keep on the road and
you will eventually go through the
Rouen tunnel.
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This
section of road is very busy with
lots of exits. Keep heading for
Boulogne, don’t take any exits.
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12.
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After
the tunnel you go up a long steep
hill, signs for Calais appear
shortly.
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Signs
for Calais, hooray! Home and dry!
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13.
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Follow
the A28 until the junction with the
A16, signposted Calais. Pick up your
toll ticket and follow the signs for
Calais.
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14.
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Signs
for the ferries or Eurotunnel abound
in Calais.
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Useful
French words and phrases.
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English
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French
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Petrol
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Essence
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Regular
Unleaded
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Sans
plomb 95
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Super
unleaded
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Sans
plomb 98
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Leaded
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Super
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Deisel
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Gazole
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Thanks
Francis!
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