France, a west coast route

[Don Madge]

I've invested in a route planning map of France (last of the big spenders) as the 2001 vintage one was falling apart. I see that one can now travel from Calais to Tours via Rouen by Autoroute (Motorway) some being "Peage" (Toll road). I think the cost of the peage is about £20. For many years we used the following route, Calais, Rouen, Evreux, Dreux, Chartes, Chateaudon, Vendome & Tours. This route was a bit hard going at times if you were unfortunate to get stuck behind a truck or a caravan. Has anybody used this route lately, has the opening of the A28 Autoroute made any difference to the traffic conditions on the route. It's some time since we used the route and there were a lot of roadworks that didn't help. Any info will be most welcome Safe travelling Don

[Mel E]

Don, we've used this route a lot up to last year - it fits well with going on to the autoroute down over the millais viaduct to the south of France. A lot of it is now dual carriageway and if you can time the single carriageway bit between Chartres and Orleans or Vendome to the truck drivers' long lunch break it's an excellent route. But I doubt the completion of the Rouen > Le Mans autoroute will have made much difference - there are still a lot of French truck drivers that prefer not to use the autoroute.

[coach2000]

Don, I returned by the Chartres route on Monday last and I thought it was worse than ever. I much prefer the new motorway section even though I think it is expensive and a long way round. Clive.

[John H]

Hi Don, Mel & Clive, We are thinking of heading from Calais towards the Conques/Millau area next May/June for the first time. I take it from your messages that the A16, A10, A71 & A75 would be the wrong route to take? Is the route you describe the best way to get past Paris or is it the more picturesque route? Sorry to be so ignorant but as I said, it will be the first time we will have gone in that direction. Regards, John.

[coach2000]

Hello John. Sorry for the delay in replying. I would not recommend the route you suggest. I missed my turn off for Rouen on the A16 once and ended up going through Paris. If I remember rightly, the motorway ended before the periferique and it was not easy. Especially at night. If you want to go via Paris on the motorway, then the A26 out of Calais then the A1 to Paris, then onto the periferique, then onto the A10. I myself have not been down the route towards Milau and was also going to do it next year. The route I would recommend is the one through to Chartre's, and then the N154. onto the A10. There is no need to go anywhere near Tours unless visiting the place. Most of the route is motorway and dual carriageway all the way from Calais till you get a long way the other side of Rouen, it is not as bad as you think for 2 lane traffic. For what you save on the tolls and less milage, it is definatley worth considering. Hope this helps with the planning. Clive.

[John H]

Hello Clive, Thanks for your reply. Since I posted the message, I have been advised by my partner to avoid the periferique at all costs. When I asked why, she said "It's like playing high speed dodgems". I might have enjoyed that when I was a bit younger but now I am more for the quiet life. We will definitely follow your recommended route. Regards, John.

[Brian Kirby]

If you want to avoid getting caught in traffic in Rouen, go round it to the North and West thus: follow the A29 to junc 9, between Yerville and Yvetot, leave A29 here and pick up the N29 towards Yvetot.

From the N29 Yvetot by-pass, turn left (S) onto D131, direction Pont de Brotonne.  (There is a small toll for the bridge.)  This road becomes the D940 shortly before reaching the bridge, continues as the D490 after the bridge, and then becomes D913/D313 running down to the Bourg-Achard junction on the A13 Autoroute Normandie. 

Take the A13 towards Paris, but leave it at the Louviers junction onto the A154/N154 direction Evreux, then follow Nonancourt, Dreux, Chartres.  Go round the Chartres ring to the West, pick up the N154 again towards Orleans and leave this to join the A10 at juncs 12 or 13.

Alternatively, if you want a country route to the East of Rouen, leave the A25/A28 at junc 10, just past Neufchatel en Bray, and turn South onto D915 to Forges-les-Eaux and Gournay-en-Bray, continuing via Gisors towards Pontoise.  Turn right onto D983 about 5.5Km South East from Gisors, follow this through Magny-en-Vexin, to cross the Seine at Mantes-la-Jolie.  Just after crossing the Seine at Mantes, turn left onto N13 towards Paris and right off this onto the D191 just past Mezieres.  Follow D191 until it reaches the N10 just North of Rambouillet.  Turn South onto N10, direction Orleans, by-passing Rambouillet, and continue to Ablis, where you turn left onto N191 (interchange) direction Etampes. 

Follow N191 South East to A10 junc 11, and join A10 direction Orleans.  Follow A10 to junction with A71, just West of Orleans, then take A71 and head South to Vierzon, where switch to the A20 for Toulouse or stay on A71/A75 for Narbonne.  However, if you bought a bus instead of a motorhome, you may find parts of this latter route need a bit of care :-)

All road numbers subject to change, but should be identifiable on current editions of Michelin 1:200,000 scale France atlas.