Tea Cup Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 It was a nightmare coming over, Rouen was at a standstill much of the time, hopeless diversion signs and grumpy French (and English) drivers. This was 3 weeks ago. It put us way behind schedule, so we stopped at a campsite near Louviers, and a very grumpy campsite person rapped on our windows until we woke up in the early morn, complaining that we hadn't called into reception to pay (at 9.30pm!) when we arrived (couldn't find it) so we must hand over our passports. Didn't we see the sign? Err, no. And the site was nearly empty, with squats in the gents. Needless to say, we won't stop there again. All that's by the way, of course. Nothing like getting a good telling off before you are fully awake.Just adds to the experience I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Don't know about the tunnel, last time we were there it was one of the bridges over the river that was closed and this did cause long delays and much grumpiness (middle of June). Is the tunnel closed, or was this a confusion with the bridge, which has been closed for about two years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaytee74 Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 this business of handing over passports really gets to me the only authority that can ask for or demand your passport are the customs officials of the country your in or the police if you have committeted a crime some jumped little jobsworth full of there own sense of pompus self importannce have no authorty to ask or n demand your passport read (the hauge convention ) and all european countries are signuturies to it at the time and it still applies so you are under no obligation to comply they can demand a security bond refundable on departing the site and you could even offer one but under no circumstances hand over your passport................... question what happens if there is a fire in the site ofice or a robbery a draw full of english or european passports are worth a fortune dont be put of if the site reception says its the rules just tell them that its against the law .......... needless to say no one gets my passport and i have travelled all over europe. jt ps forgive spelling cant be bothered to do spell check Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Lifted this from a French Forum Tea Cup:- Page 1 of 1 Tunnel Closure - Rouen Author Message pressoir Joined: 26 Jan 2007, 19:40 Posts: 178 Tunnel Closure - Rouen The Darnetal Tunnel (Tunnel de la Grand Mare) at the southern end of the Autoroute A28 from Abbeville to Rouen is closed southbound until late August and only one lane is (reported to be) open northbound. I was caught this morning. Suggested diversions are in place via the AutoRoute A29 to Dieppe but (foolishly?) I chanced it and got caught in a jam to join the diversion into Rouen. Best plan seems to be either to take the diversion via the A29 and A151 or leave the A28 at Isneauville and take the old RN road (afraid I can't see what the newer D number of this road is) into Rouen (this road was relatively clear when I finally joined it) There is further information at http://www.dirno.fr. Best Regards 28 Jun 2014, 22:21 pomhorn Joined: 19 Sep 2005, 11:06 Posts: 47864 Location: Eure - ex Deux-Sèvres Re: Tunnel Closure - Rouen Hi! More detailed information. - closed : 23rd June to 8th Agust (1 st work batch - so there will be a second). But only for drivers from Abbeville. - For those i the other direction ( from Rouen ) to reach the A28 motorway towards Abbeville, You can use borrow one lane of traffic in the tunnel. " Further during this road work, a deviation is implemented ( S2 route), from the " Chapitre " interchange , to the JDA interchange , from the RN28, to the SouthGrand'Mare tunnel opening as advised by the local road authorities." Quote with road plan: http://www.76actu.fr/travaux-le-tunnel- ... out_83142/ Yours, pomhorn NB. Pont Mathilde route will according to a June information will only be reopened end of August 2014; 29 Jun 2014, 11:42 ccomley Joined: 04 May 2009, 20:34 Posts: 335 Location: Livradois Forez - Puy de Dome. And Chilterns. Re: Tunnel Closure - Rouen Issneuville or Bois Guillam is our habitual overnight stop (we usually cross around 5pm) so we get off there anyway. But by then we'd seen several signs warning of the closure (though not saying how lnog for). Given Pont Matilde is still a mess too, we've taken to going down the west side of Rouen and crossing the suspension bridge anyway of late. Only takes about ten or fifteen minutes longer i find. 29 Jun 2014, 12:08 GrumpyYorkie Joined: 30 Jan 2008, 18:59 Posts: 7862 Location: Villeréal, Lot et Garonne Re: Tunnel Closure - Rouen Sounds like Rouen is to be avoided for the next couple of months. We're travelling back next week and usually bypass Paris by going Rouen/Evreux/Dreux/Chartres. Anyone know of another easy route back from Calais to Bergerac and avoiding Paris, please? Thanks, S. 29 Jun 2014, 13:54 Fripon Joined: 09 Jun 2014, 17:17 Posts: 552 Re: Tunnel Closure - Rouen GrumpyYorkie wrote: Sounds like Rouen is to be avoided for the next couple of months. We're travelling back next week and usually bypass Paris by going Rouen/Evreux/Dreux/Chartres. Anyone know of another easy route back from Calais to Bergerac and avoiding Paris, please? Thanks, S. Your existing route (Calais - Bergerac) is 844 km's Calais - Caen - Le Mans - Tours (Best City in France) - Bergerac = 918 km's (avoiding Rouen) Difference = 74 km's (40 mins) but is quicker than the other route because you are driving on autoroutes. God I am alittlebitgood 29 Jun 2014, 14:40 rothgen Joined: 26 Aug 2007, 18:36 Posts: 388 Re: Tunnel Closure - Rouen The detoure route - A151, A29 has always worked well for me, its seems to be just as quick as the route through Rouen ( but with a silly toll for c 6miles on the A29) 29 Jun 2014, 14:47 GrumpyYorkie Joined: 30 Jan 2008, 18:59 Posts: 7862 Location: Villeréal, Lot et Garonne Re: Tunnel Closure - Rouen Thanks, guys. Will have a look at those. S. 29 Jun 2014, 15:23 pressoir Joined: 26 Jan 2007, 19:40 Posts: 178 Re: Tunnel Closure - Rouen I came back to the UK today and used the west side diversion via A151 etc with no problems. As has been said it only takes a few minutes more than driving through Rouen. I decided not to chance the usual route through Rouen as I was travelling just after the evening rush hour and with only one lane open through the tunnel suspected there would be at least some congestion and I was pushing it a bit to get to Calais in time for my booked shuttle. Best Regards 30 Jun 2014, 23:35 GrumpyYorkie Joined: 30 Jan 2008, 18:59 Posts: 7862 Location: Villeréal, Lot et Garonne Re: Tunnel Closure - Rouen Thanks, P! S. 01 Jul 2014, 14:14 GrumpyYorkie Joined: 30 Jan 2008, 18:59 Posts: 7862 Location: Villeréal, Lot et Garonne Re: Tunnel Closure - Rouen Update ........ followed the diversion signs (travelling from Calais) and easy to follow west and south. As mentioned, there is an additional toll. Overnighted in Le Mans instead of usual Chartres in order to avoid the crush south around Orleans but still encountered some stop-start around Tours (was Fripon on the road? ). Thanks to everyone for the tips ........ seems the tunnel is out until the end of August and the Pont Mathilde until the middle of August ........ sorry, Mrs Gy didn't catch the exact dates. S Dave ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tea Cup Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 Needless to say we did not hand over our passport, but merely said that we'd pay there and then, and never darken their door. Actually we didn't add the last bit, we were too groggy with sleep. As regards was it tunnel or bridge, when we looked down, we saw the tunnel entrance. So no bridge starts that low! Well, not there, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 jaytee74 - 2014-07-20 7:12 PM this business of handing over passports really gets to me the only authority that can ask for or demand your passport are the customs officials of the country your in or the police if you have committeted a crime some jumped little jobsworth full of there own sense of pompus self importannce have no authorty to ask or n demand your passport read (the hauge convention ) and all european countries are signuturies to it at the time and it still applies so you are under no obligation to comply they can demand a security bond refundable on departing the site and you could even offer one but under no circumstances hand over your passport................... question what happens if there is a fire in the site ofice or a robbery a draw full of english or european passports are worth a fortune dont be put of if the site reception says its the rules just tell them that its against the law .......... needless to say no one gets my passport and i have travelled all over europe. jt ps forgive spelling cant be bothered to do spell check Anytime I have been in Spain/France have been asked at reception to provide passport as they are required to do so. No big problem and everybody is happy. Edit Receptions now tend to have photo copy machines so your passport is out of your hands for the time it takes to book in. Well its been like that for the last 4/5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 sshortcircuit - 2014-07-20 9:51 PM jaytee74 - 2014-07-20 7:12 PM this business of handing over passports really gets to me the only authority that can ask for or demand your passport are the customs officials of the country your in or the police if you have committeted a crime some jumped little jobsworth full of there own sense of pompus self importannce have no authorty to ask or n demand your passport read (the hauge convention ) and all european countries are signuturies to it at the time and it still applies so you are under no obligation to comply they can demand a security bond refundable on departing the site and you could even offer one but under no circumstances hand over your passport................... question what happens if there is a fire in the site ofice or a robbery a draw full of english or european passports are worth a fortune dont be put of if the site reception says its the rules just tell them that its against the law .......... needless to say no one gets my passport and i have travelled all over europe. jt ps forgive spelling cant be bothered to do spell check Anytime I have been in Spain/France have been asked at reception to provide passport as they are required to do so. No big problem and everybody is happy. Edit Receptions now tend to have photo copy machines so your passport is out of your hands for the time it takes to book in. Well its been like that for the last 4/5 years. Do not go to Spain much these days but never, ever been asked for a passport in France. Usually just show ACSI card and they sometimes hold onto that but most do not even do that. As for Rouen just avoid the place until they sort it out, easy to do even though you have to use some minor roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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