Teamedup Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 All you drivers, how do you cope with the contre-allees. The other day I missed my turn onto one and what a carry on I had getting to where I wanted to be. No u turns allowed on the main dual carriage road and anyway, I couldn't have got across even if I had been able to turn. I really don't know what to make of them, although sometimes they seem like very handy areas for parking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 We haven't got any near us but my experience of them in Paris and other major cities is that if I go down one the way will inevitably be blocked by a delivery van. [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fulcrum Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 [quote user="Teamedup"]All you drivers, how do you cope with the contre-allees. The other day I missed my turn onto one and what a carry on I had getting to where I wanted to be. No u turns allowed on the main dual carriage road and anyway, I couldn't have got across even if I had been able to turn. I really don't know what to make of them, although sometimes they seem like very handy areas for parking.[/quote]Hi TeamedupCould you explain what contre-allees are. Just in case I come across any. [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 They are the little sideroads that run parallel to the main roads. Like on the Champs Elysées, where Teamedup has her residence secondaire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 Residence Principale, if you don't mind Cassis.They are for varied reasons, to allow vehicules to turn left, where as it is not permitted to do so on the main thoroughfare and also access to buildings on the right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fulcrum Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 I am more than a little curious as to how you have managed to avoid seeing or using contre-allées in France, if ofcourse you are a driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fulcrum Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 [quote user="Teamedup"]I am more than a little curious as to how you have managed to avoid seeing or using contre-allées in France, if ofcourse you are a driver.[/quote]I didn't say I had managed to avoid seeing or using them. I just wouldn't have known what to call them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Are these the access roads you have just passed when you see the cafe and decide to stop for coffee ?...........[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 No, they're the ones situated in front of the public loos you've just passed.....[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Or the ones you make an awkward turn into against the traffic because you've seen a parking space and then when you get there it's handicapé and you now have to make a left turn against traffic in the middle of a set of traffic lights...(St Hilaire du Harcouet, every time Julie wants to go to Maison Maison) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jc Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 You missed out the ones used to get to the front of the traffic jam that you're sitting at the back of(a preposition is a word you should not finish a sentence with!!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fulcrum Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 I think I understand what a Contre-allee is. I will now be seeing them everywhere. [:'(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 Many round here have a little sign with fleche,saying 'contre-allée' anyway. Is that just here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allanb Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 I had never seen or heard the phrase contre-allée before, but now that I've looked it up, I can say fairly confidently that there's nothing uniquely French about it. It appears to mean a road that runs parallel to a main road but separate from it and with limited access from it, the idea being to prevent local visits, deliveries, etc, from causing obstruction to the main-road traffic.If that's what it is, there are plenty of them in the UK (and elsewhere). I think I've heard them called "service roads". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted February 19, 2007 Author Share Posted February 19, 2007 Hmm not quite the same though. AND contre-allée are also used in big towns and even in some smaller ones to turn left, not that they look as if they have this important function, but they do. And I know that if I miss them, my 'main' road can whisk me off in directions I really do not want to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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