Calais to Royan

[ScouseIan]

What is the best way for this route?

Its either go towards Paris and I've no experience of driving anywhere near Paris so I don't know what the traffic is like; or go around the outside through Rouen and down to Alencon and, Le Mans and Tours.

Thanks

 

[LesleyRussell]

I think I'd probably go for the route via autoroute A16, A28 past Dieppe, A29 past Le Harve, A13 - round Caen, A84 to Rennes, N137 to Nantes, A83 then A10 towards Bordeaux then - exit at Saintes towards Royan. May be a little longer but it would be my preferred route and perhaps less traffic. I would probably be looking to have a stop overnight half way may be just past Avranches.

 

[ScouseIan]

Thanks Lesley

Avranches is 277 miles from calais. Won't be doing that at 10pm when I land in France as I will also just have driven from Liverpool. But yes that was my first thought for a route. Most of the motorway is free too...)

Or it used to be anyway

Happy days

 

[ValA.]

Ian, presuming you're the same Ian asking the question about overnight services, I'd suggest the Rouen route too - by far the best way to get to Royan from Calais - and you can stay at Baie de la Somme service area, too. See mappy.com for details. Don't go via Paris unless you absolutely have to - and if so travel on the E104/A104/N104 (whatever it's been renumbered) which is the outer/outer/outer Paris ring road - and actually fine, but you shouldn't need to go this way.

We stayed at Baie de la Somme in May this year - and it was lovely. We've overnighted there several times now, with no problems - although it does get busy. There is a dedicated caravan area in a cul-de-sac to stop HGV's getting in, but it fills up early. This year we stayed nearer the service station, but it was quiet, and we had a really good sleep, and an equally good free shower in the morning, plus a lovely breakfast of croissants, orange juice and coffee in the service area!!1

 

[ScouseIan]

If anybody gives you directions that have the phrase outer/outer/outer ring road then you simply have to go with the alternative route.

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Paris is a no Brainer. Rouen every time.

 

[ScouseIan]

I've just had a look at the route in detail.

I'm considering avoiding Rouen and going across the Pont de Normandie at Le Harve. This looks a bit iffy to me.

This will be only my second (or maybe third by then) time out towing a 'van. Not sure I want to tackle an incline like that. I have an irrational fear of high bridges, but only in a vehicle. No problem climbing snowdon/hanging off edges, but driving up to that bridge would probably make me physically sick.

Anybody been over it towing?

 

[LesleyRussell]

I've just had a look at the route in detail.

I'm considering avoiding Rouen and going across the Pont de Normandie at Le Harve. This looks a bit iffy to me.

This will be only my second (or maybe third by then) time out towing a 'van. Not sure I want to tackle an incline like that. I have an irrational fear of high bridges, but only in a vehicle. No problem climbing snowdon/hanging off edges, but driving up to that bridge would probably make me physically sick.

Anybody been over it towing?

Yes Ian, quite a few times - towing a twin axle 1850 kilos. A great experience and no problem towing - it looks worse than it is. Good views from the top (for the passengers) or even yourself if you slow up a bit.

 

[JimC1]

Last year we went via Rouen, stayed at Beaumont sur Sarthe, which is about half way, then headed for Angers on the A11, then onto the A83 until jct 7 then head for La Rochelle, Rochefort as it's toll free road and onto Royan.

The year before we went again via Le Mans but then to Tours, Poitiers and off at Saintes on the N150, this was mainly toll road and as we did it both ways it cost us around

 

[Woody3]

Go to www.autroutes.fr (a little French helps) and input your start and destination, select motorways (expressways the call 'em) or not, and tick that you are towing. It will give you the best route, some of which may include short pieces of chargeable autoroute (like the A16 around Boulogne) but otherwise, from my experience, undoubtedly the best route.

 

[Alimac1]

like Woody, go to the french autoroute website, very good, we stay north west of Scotland so always a long drive, Pont de Normandie is great, especially flares from the petrochemical works stacks. All the tolls are before this part of the journey however I have always found french auto routes to be very queiet compared to our motorways and good times can be made, after the bridge it is all free to Normandy/Brittant, though don't know about routes south from there

 

[Lee.C]

Hi IAN thought you might have gone Portsmouth to Caern thats what we do then on to Royan via Avranches

 

[ScouseIan]

Hi Lee

Yes, would probably prefer that route, BUT its coming up at

 

[Mike_5100596]

Hi Ian,

I too am travelling from Calais to Royan this year and it is only my second time of towing abroad. Due to the high cost of tolls I am looking to do the Rouen, Caen, Rennes, Nantes, La Rochelle route as it is only approximately 50 miles longer than the peage motorway route but about 70 euros cheaper each way. I agree with you on the cost of the Portsmouth - Caen ferry crossing as we too are travelling from the North West. Just cannot justify an additional

 

[ScouseIan]

Well put Mike. Same thought process as myself.

 

[ShadySadie]

Back again to toll cost issue. Look at the steady speeds you can travel at and the lack of stop start driving on the autoroute. Wear and tear on car and caravan and less stress for driver and passengers the majority of the time on autoroute compared to many of the rural cross country routes.

We enjoy non autoroute driving for exploring but for towing I doubt overall there is much if any savings not using tolls.

 

[ShadySadie]

Back again to toll cost issue. Look at the steady speeds you can travel at and the lack of stop start driving on the autoroute. Wear and tear on car and caravan and less stress for driver and passengers the majority of the time on autoroute compared to many of the rural cross country routes.

We enjoy non autoroute driving for exploring but for towing I doubt overall there is much if any savings not using tolls.

wear & tare

 

[Mike_5100596]

I agree with you Sadie - but the route I have proposed is nearly 80% motorway - just non-peage motorway instead of the toll motorway route via Le Mans and Tours. Some small parts of it are toll roads but instead of the 90 euros I would pay on the other route I will only pay approximately 20 euros and I could avoid that by using the normal roads instead.

Regards

Mike

 

[AndyR]

Done this route several times. I would ALWAYS go via Rouen then A28 - Le Mans, Tours etc. The Paris peripherique is a nightmare - junctions every few hundred yards, as busy as the M25 in rush hour - not relaxing at all.

The only drawback with the A28 is that at times, it can be very boring, as it's so quiet, and the scenery's all very similar!