driving from Calais to Limoges

[fairies]

Hi.Am driving from u.k to Limoges and wouls appreciate any advice that would prevent me getting caught in traffic jam near Paris.Have read to ignore Sat Nav and intend to do that but we would like to travel the day before we are booked into our accommodation and perhaps go half ways and stop off for the night.Can anybody give me any ideas of pretty places and family accommodation in perhaps small town or village.I would also like same help for return leg and the best and worst times to be on this motorway near Paris.Thank you.

[LEO]

What time of the day are you leaving Calais?

[AnOther]

I agree that time can be a major determinator of which route you take however regardless of whether you go via Paris or Rouen the distance from Calais to Limoges is only about 450 miles and traffic jams or not I think you'll find it hard to make that journey span 2 days. If you really want to take that time then stay off the major roads altogether and just follow your nose.

This is where SatNav will come into it's own because no matter how far you wander off into the hinterland you will only have to tell it to take you to Limoges and it will get you back on track.

Have a safe and pleasant drive [;-)]

[josa]

I normally just do a solid drive to our house about 50km south of Limoges and it takes me about 7/8(ish) hours either way - ie through Paris or around Rouen. However, when I want to take it more leisurely I take the Paris route and stop-over in Orleans. It is a good place for evening dinner and about 1/2 way - so a civilized time for ferry crossing, straight around Paris - my satNav is wonderful there - and an early stop. - Leaves a short drive the next day and arrive feeling refreshed,

[PaulT]

Our house is about 1 hour south of Toulouse so our journey takes us past Limoges. We normally do this in one hit (getting either the 03:27 or 05:50 Shuttle from Folkestone), going via Rouen and Chartres which, at times, perhaps takes a little longer but you avoid the surprise jams. We can do this in 12 hours including stops for food - normally get to Limoges in 8 hours.

I find the Autorouts far less crowded that UK Motorways.

We have left on one occassion in the evening on the day before and stopped in the Ibis hotel in Chartres. By booking ahead the rate was extremely good. On this occassion we were going to meander down via Cantal and do some sightseeing. However, as we were arriving at the hotel there was a violent thunder storm and the next day it was very overcast and rainy - so we just headed down the normal way.

[Hoddy]

I think it partly depends on where in the UK you are starting from and what you are going to. After a drive to Dover we don't always feel like a long drive on the other side. Also, when our house has been shut up all winter we like to have a few hours at least getting it warm and comfortable before we actually stay the night there.

The one thing that is consistent with us is that we always take the Rouen route.

Hoddy

[Belle]

Hello Hoddy, have just been reading the threads re driving from calais, we are doing it the other way round, we are going back to the uk, and will be driving through Rouen, and for some reason, I am absolutly terrified of doing this, I have no idea why, I have never been there, so can you tell me if I need to be this frightened. Is Rouen that bad.Thankyou

[DerekJ]

I've never understood any of the comments regarding problems driving through Rouen. I've always found it very easy coming from either direction.  The odd tunnel and road merging but nothing particularly troublesome IMO.

[Hoddy]

We follow the road signs. If we are travelling south we follow the road signs for Paris and if we are travelling north we follow the signs for Calais/Boulogne. Generally, I think French road signs are much more reliable than UK ones.

I wonder if we've convinced 'fairies' the OP to try our route ?

Hoddy

[ericd]

......... Is Rouen that bad.Thankyou........

Rouen is very very bad, especially for British drivers.

Please do take time to visit the place where Jeanne d'Arc was burned alive whilst you are there.

[krusty]

Don't believe it Rouen is ok , never had a problem..

We like to break our journey and I will PM you a place we stayed at , she cooks great food.

[ericd]

Shame that Krusty failed to notice the humoristic reference to days gone. It made me laugh for a good while.

[AnOther]

I'm with DerekJ & krusty.

Driven Rouen both ways several times, most times with with a 1700kg trailer too, never had any real problems either with traffic or directions.

There is nothing to fear except fear itself [;-)]

[cooperlola]

I must have driven through Rouen nearly 100 times now and my o/h knows it well having visited me in hospital there every day for nearly two months!  Never had  a problem except once about 12 years ago in the rush hour on the Friday of race week when the place was crawling with Brits going south.

[woolybanana]

What race?

[AnOther]

Human............

[woolybanana]

Does that include Brits, then?

[cooperlola]

[quote user="woolybanana"]What race?[/quote]There is only one.

[krusty]

The race is another thing for the OP to consider as they did not say what date they are traveling.

[cooperlola]

Too true, Krusty.  The weekend after next (12th/13th).

[DerekJ]

[quote user="cooperlola"]Too true, Krusty.  The weekend after next (12th/13th).[/quote]

Aaaarghh.  Hadn't thought about that. I'm due off the ferry at Calais around 15:00 on Sunday 13th June, so I guess I'll be in the Rouen area around 17:00.

Do you reckon I'll run into problems?

[DerekJ]

[quote user="cooperlola"]Too true, Krusty.  The weekend after next (12th/13th).[/quote]

Aaaarghh.  Hadn't thought about that. I'm due off the ferry at Calais around 15:00 on Sunday 13th June, so I guess I'll be in the Rouen area around 17:00.

Do you reckon I'll run into problems?

[DerekJ]

Sorry for the echo... it wouldn't let me delete the second post.

[ericd]

.....Rouen is very very bad, especially for British drivers.

Please do take time to visit the place where Jeanne d'Arc was burned alive whilst you are there......

I need to explain that Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc) was burned alive in Rouen by the British Occupation Forces of the time (our King did not have any balls that day so a few years later, we cut their heads off!!!!)

I agree that Rouen is fairly ok to drive through.

[cooperlola]

Going "backwards" you should be OK, Derek.  Just don't come off the Autoroute anywhere around here or you'll spend ages at the payage getting back on.  Race ends these days at 15.00 so most of those heading home on Sunday should be well on their way by the time you get here.

Again with Rouen you ought to be fine going in the opposite direction at that time of the evening, even though you'll hit the first batch of escapees.