Best route to Annecy?

[AndyR1]

Hi All,

We are thinking of heading to Annecy next summer. What is the best route from Calais south? We are thinking of stopping at Troyes on the way south.

Cheers

Andy

 

[Woody3]

Look at

www.autoroutes.fr

and click on the Union flag top left.

It will work out your route without using motorways if you wish, with towing, and a stop in Troyes. 813Km, 14 hours, fuel cost of 71.55 for diesel.

 

[AndyR1]

Thanks Woody,

Any ideas which is best :-

1/ The A40 towards Geneva then the N508 to Annecy (this looks like a twisty route)

or

2/ The A42, A432 (around Lyon), A43 via Chambery and Aix-les-Bains then Annecy.

Andy

 

[Colin_374427430]

Hi Andy,

Take the A40 route towards Geneva then the N508 to Annecy. IMHO to go towards Lyon then back via Chambery and Aix-les-Bains will add miles and time to your journey.

I/we have been to Annecy for the last 5 years (my wife many more than this) and we always take the Calais-Reims-Langres-Bourg-en-Bresse-Annecy route. This year (2009) the journey times were Calais-Langres 6 hours driving time (7 hours 15 mins total time with stops). Night stop, then Langres - Annecy 4 hours 30 mins driving time (5 hours 45 mins total time with stops). This route does have a 'steady climb' on the A40 just before the Nantua tunnels. Time your arrivial in Annecy for early afternoon as after this the traffic becomes awful especially in July and August. Our return journey is a retrace of the route this time stopping in Troyes rather than Langres.

We tow a Sterling Eccles Onyx with an Audi A6.

Hope this helps

Colin & Joyce

 

[AndyR1]

Hi Colin & Joyce,

Thanks for that. I don't think I would have thought of the N508 route. We are stopping at Camping L'Escale in La Grand-Bonard about 15 miles outside Annecy. The scenery looks fantastic. We are stopping at Troyes on the way south. What sort of costs are we looking at for the tolls? On our return we are going to Caravanning Des 4 Vents so we can take our daughter to Euro Disney.

We tow an ACE Jubilee Equerry with a Hyundai Terracan.

Cheers

Andy

 

[Woody3]

If you use the autoroutes web site I gave earlier and you want to use autoroutes, it will also tell you the autoroute costs.

 

[RayS]

If you are stopping near Troyes, there is an excellent site just to the south west at Eaux Puisseaux. It's in the CC Europe 1 book, quiet, rural with some very large pitches.

The municipal at Tonnerre is nearer a town and is on the riverside - easy to find - but unmarked grass pitches and can get muddy after rain.

 

[DavidKlyne]

Andy

We have been to L'Escale a couple of times and we really liked it there. Our route has taken us down the A26 to Troyes where we stayed at the Municipal. From there we took the Bourge en Bress autoroute (A40) signed for Geneva and then cut off through Flangy to Annecy. I think there is a bypass round Annecy but if you miss that head for the Lac and them Thones, La Clusac.

David

 

[Colin_374427430]

Hi Andy,

You enquired about our road toll costs, this year (2009) we paid the following.

Calais - Ardres/Tournehen/Nordausques _3.30

Ardres/Tournehen/Nordausques - Reims Nord _30.20

Reims Sud - Langres Nord _27.70

Langres Sud - Eloise _34.40

Therefore a total of _95.60

Also the road number has changed from the N508 to the D1508

Have a good journey

Colin & Joyce

 

[AndyR1]

Morning Folks,

Thanks for all your replies they are most appreciated. I have tried booking the Troyes Municipal site but just get an answering machine, their e-mail doesn't seem to be working either. I suppose they could be shut down now till next year.

The only other site to book is Black Horse Farm and that will have to wait till the fun of Dec 2nd.

David,

It was after reading your diary of your trip to L'Escale that started us thinking about this trip. We are all really looking forward to it.

Andy

 

[DavidKlyne]

Andy

I would be surprised if there was an actual need to book the Municipal at Troyes. Providing you are not planning to arrive late afternoon/early evening I don't think getting a pitch would be a problem. They have quite a high daily turnover of pitches as its not a site where generally people stay more than a few days with the majority being overnighters.

David

 

[Paul_5074021]

Hi All

Another site near Troyes well worth considering is at Geraudot -on the nothern side of the Lac de La Foret d'Orient. The site is just back from the lake along a lane on the other side of the road around the lake. Like most french sites, booking is not required, except possibly between 14 July and 15 August. This is a mixed 'staying' and 'transit' site, so even then you should not have problems if you arrive reasonably early. There are some good walks/cycle paths around the lakes. See page 384 of Caravan Club Europe 1 (2009).

While in French mode, there is also a gret little site just a bit futher north, near Vitry le Francois - Aire Naturelle Camping Nature - at Luxemont-et-Villotte, see page 751 of CC Europe 1. A small CL-type site, with fishing/swimming in a nearby lake and walks/cycle rides on a canal towpath or around the nearby Lac de Der.

Cheers

Paul

 

[BigTim]

Hi Andy

After spending a lot on tolls on last year's trip to the Pyrenees in 2008 on our 2009 Alps trip we resolved to mainly use the N/D roads.

We arrived at Dunkerque at the end of July and first stopped at Chateau Gandspette - a quick "chill" near to the ferry!!

We then took the toll free A25/E42 to Lille and then the N43 to Cambrai where we joined the N44 and travelled south via St Quentin, Laon, Reims (we did go on the autoroute for a short distance to bypass Reims.) We then took the A44 again as far St Dizier and the took the N67 to Chaumont before joining the N19 to Langres. For our first night halt we stayed at Lac de Liez near Langres - a pleasant site overlooking a lake and near to the lovely old walled town of Langres. We arrived at c5.00pm having left Chateau Gandspette at c9.00am.

We then continued on the N74 towards Dijon which we again bypassed on the autoroute. We then turned south east on the N5 to Dole and Poligny. As we were unsure about using the Col de Facille towing we turned onto the N83 to Bourg en Bresse. From there we "cheated" and took the toll autoroute to Passy.

We stayed at Iles de Passy, Passy - this was own main site for visiting Chamonix which about 15 miles away. A basic but pleasant site adjacent to a large public lake. The lake had swimming and lovely views of the Mont Blanc range. We stayed for just over 2 weeks and then moved on to Lake Annecy. We used the toll autoroutes to Annecy as it wasn't too far. We left the E712 at Junction 16 and took the N25 along the side of Lake Annecy. That route avoids the centre of Annecy which gets very gridlocked. We stopped for 13 nights at Camping Lac Bleu near Faverges at the southern end of Lake Annecy - we actually had a pitch on the lake shore - sublime.

On the way home we started in the afternoon and took the autoroute to Camping Pleine Tonique, Montrevers en Bresse - a huge holiday complex with lots of amenities but we only stopped for the night. We then continued North on the N975/N74 to Dijon and then took the N71 toward Troyes. We bypassed Troyes on the autoroute and then continued north on the N77 to Chalon en Champagne.

We stayed at Camping Municipal in Chalon en Champagne. A popular night halt with British caravanners as it is near the autoroutes and only about 200 miles from Dunkerque/Calais. It is set in a pleasant park on the southern edge of the town.

Finally we "cheated" again and took the E17/A26 north to Dunkerque. We had intended to join the toll free A25/E42 at Lille but missed it. We slept our final night for free in the car park adjacent to the Norfolk Line ticket office at Dunkerque.

I have put reviews for all the above sites here in the "campsite search" section of ukcampsite.co.uk and the Caravan Talk website.

I hope this helps.

Regards

Tim

 

[AndyR1]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for your reply. I will be having a look at lunch time at your route.

Cheers

Andy