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I think I've cracked Rouen!


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This time driving south, alone, so no navigator, and needing to move speedily, I decided on the A13 towards Paris route for two junctions. taking the A154 towards Evreux etc and onwards towards Dreux, Chartres and the A10 south.

Well it took 15 mins from the arrival on the "outskirts" of Rouen (where you come off the motorway) to joining the A13. 

Signposted all the way, though not to Paris, only A13/A28 until near the end.  Only one point to watch, you have to turn off the "main" road to the right, but it is well signposted, just don't rush and watch the signs.

About 10.30am, loads of lorries (a Friday) but for those fainthearted, if I can do it, anyone can.

The bugbear is past, I will no longer fear Rouen!

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Well done Judith for slaying one of your dragons but TBH I struggle to understand why people have such problems with Rouen.

Sure if you hit it at the wrong time you catch all the traffic but for actually finding your way through it, coming or going, I have never found it a problem.

Most times I've driven it it's been with an 8m3 box trailer on the back too.

It's all relative I suppose [;-)]

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I've cracked it on many occasions, and during road works or some other such have also missed turnings and ended up having to reroute, even with TomTom areas are not detailed, changing instructions 3 or 4 times within a few hundred yards (sorry metres).
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It is strange which places make us anxious before driving through/round.

I have driven all over, including in Paris, not worried and yet London is still the place that makes me nervous.

 

 

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Idun

We're all different.  I lived in London for 20 years, so the bits I know are no problem, but the bits I don't - I still hate!  But I don't think I'd ever face Paris in a car!

But yes, I'm as happy as a sandlark driving country lanes, with or without signs, as long as I've got a map (and on this trip I had to do that twice in the UK, with only a small scale map (I didn't expect to have to go cross-country!) and no signposts.  But I kept my head and my bearings and came out on top.

But towns, with traffic on all sides, and difficulty reading signs these days, are very difficult for me, so I'm doubly glad that I've cracked Rouen as it's a necessary evil to get to the north .....whereas Paris CAN (and is best for me) avoided.......

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Fantastic, Judith!!

I remember back in the 1970s when we used to drive from Calais or Dieppe to the Vendee with a carload of children, we would ALWAYS get lost in Rouen. I worked out loads of routes to avoid the place, including crossing the Seine on those cute little ferries at - if I remember rightly - Caudebec-en-Caux.

I haven't tackled Rouen for more than 30 years - though people keep telling me what a lovely town it is and worth staying a night or two.

Angela
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Congratulations on solving the Rouen mystery.

Now someone posted a while back that there is a route whereby you turn off before the A13 sign to get to the A13 or you can go past the A13 sign to get to the A13. Have not tried the other ways - perhaps some day when I do not mind getting lost.

Paul

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Useful to check on local "chantiers" for possible delays.

For example the Pont de Flaubert will be raised tomorrow evening, wednesday, to allow a ship to pass.

Levée du pont Flaubert – passage de bateau

Du 04/05/11 20:00 au 04/05/11 23:00

RN1338 (PR 9+000 au PR 10+000)
PONT FLAUBERT

Déviation de la circulation par le Pont Guillaume le Conquérant

http://www.inforoute-nordouest.fr/

http://www.enroute.nord-ouest.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/article.php3?id_article=184

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We visit Rouen fairly often (and drive through it very often as we use the Newhaven - Dieppe route to go south) and it's a great town for a long weekend.  The Best Western hotel in the old market has an excellent location in a pedestrian zone and has underground parking (yes, you have to drive around the pedestrians to get to it) - really handy for a tour of the local restaurants, shopping etc etc.. The Sunday market is a few minutes walk away and is a traditional, bustling affair.....

Well worth a visit.

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[quote user="PaulT"]

Congratulations on solving the Rouen mystery.

Now someone posted a while back that there is a route whereby you turn off before the A13 sign to get to the A13 or you can go past the A13 sign to get to the A13. Have not tried the other ways - perhaps some day when I do not mind getting lost.

Paul

[/quote]

Thanks, Paul.

Yes, I looked at all the advice given on here before I travelled, and decided that it was easiest just to follow the signs, regardless of short cuts, which would turn out to be anything but if not found, and since on my own I cannot watch for everything at once, cow roundabouts etc, I decided that short cut or not, I'd just do as it instructed on the signs.  In the past, I have always tried to avoid autoroutes, but this year, with a good car and a doofer, it made the trip on my own feasible and do-able.  As it was, I was tired enough when I got back, it would have be impossible if I had spent hours looking for side roads and signposts!.

And since the A/N154 has been so much improved (until Dreux at least) it made that whole part quite a sensible option now, though next time I might also take the longer way round (via A11) to get to the A10 at Orleans, as the part from Dreux to the A10 on the single track N12 / N154 was slow and tedious (thought I detoured via Nonancourt to get some fuel from Carrefour there and got home on that fill up which pleased me greatly).

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I'm on the side of 'I have trouble with Rouen'

I don't really know why but I have a knack for ending up down side roads and/or driving through the middle of town in rush hour - hey-ho

Slightly off-topic but the one time I stayed there for a weekend I arrived on 'The Night of the Museums' which was great, free entry to all the museums until midnight I think.  Had a great time and would like to do it again, I've looked on the Rouen tourist board website but I can't find if there's going to be another one anytime soon - anyone know?

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[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]I'm on the side of 'I have trouble with Rouen'

I don't really know why but I have a knack for ending up down side roads and/or driving through the middle of town in rush hour - hey-ho

Slightly off-topic but the one time I stayed there for a weekend I arrived on 'The Night of the Museums' which was great, free entry to all the museums until midnight I think.  Had a great time and would like to do it again, I've looked on the Rouen tourist board website but I can't find if there's going to be another one anytime soon - anyone know?

[/quote]

14th May is the next Nuit des Musées

http://nuitdesmusees.culture.fr/
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Judith - congratulations.

The thing that makes Rouen so hard is that the roads leading to it and from it are so straightforward one is totally unprepared. Miss one unexpected and not very well indicated marker then you are sunk.

The cow roundabout is pure satire on the lost Anglais.
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[quote user="Renaud"]Judith - congratulations.

The thing that makes Rouen so hard is that the roads leading to it and from it are so straightforward one is totally unprepared. Miss one unexpected and not very well indicated marker then you are sunk.

The cow roundabout is pure satire on the lost Anglais.[/quote]

Reanud, thanks.

Indeed, you sail along the A28 all beautifully signposted, and and suddenly, wham, you are in a dual carriageway which then suddenly takes more notice of side roads than the main road ......

I always though that Rouen was a city which really needed a bypass but then I stayed at a B&B which had a relief map of the area - and now I know why it hasn't got a bypass - the hills go straight down to the Seine and there is no-where for one.  It was the sign problems which made me decide to opt for the A13, I thought, if that isn't marked, nothing will be ..... but I was surprised that Paris itself was not indicated until quite late in the day.....

Mind you, now I've travelled Bayonne to Santander (as I did at the beginning of this trip) and experienced Spanish motorways, I will never criticise Rouen again!

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Wish I had chosen to go via Rouen on Good Friday. It took over 3 hours from Charles De Gaulle airport on A1 to the A10.

Coming back that way  last Sunday only took about an hour though

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