Barbel Bob Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Hi,I have to drive to Calais for the first time and am not looking forward to it at all...i know for sure I definitely want to avoid the Paris bit and having researched the forum others have suggested this route:Travel North to Limoges onto Orleans, onto Chartres, then via Rouen to CalaisI know this will add a bit to my journey but want a route suitable for a nervous female driver! with my now very nervous son, and car sick dog!!! If anyone has any suggestions for a more suitable route then please let me know! or any tips to warn me of any surprises or tricky bits along the way?My husband is meeting me in Dover to do the english driving bit to avoid my nervous breakdown!ThanksJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 The signposts for Boulogne and Calais begin before you get to Rouen so you should be OK !There have been lots of threads on this if you've read them all you should be OK. The parts just south of Chartres can be boring and I've sometimes been stuck in behind a slow lorry - I just stay there.Good luck !Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbel Bob Posted April 3, 2010 Author Share Posted April 3, 2010 Thanks for the quick reply Hoddy...I have read many posts and they have made me aware of Rouen...what seems to be the problem there? I hope to catch the 16.10 ferry and i will have my sat nav and just follow the Calais signs! Cannot believe how nervous i am, silly really!J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickP Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 [quote user="Barbel Bob"]Thanks for the quick reply Hoddy...I have read many posts and they have made me aware of Rouen...what seems to be the problem there? I hope to catch the 16.10 ferry and i will have my sat nav and just follow the Calais signs! Cannot believe how nervous i am, silly really! J[/quote]The problem with Rouen is not huge, but you are best to go through the factory estate, do not go through the town center. After Dreux and Evreux just take it easy and follow the signs. When you leave the factory estate via a flyover, get over to the left into the middle lane and keep your eyes out for the Calais signs, you go through a tunnel (Blue signs for the A28). As you are nervous driver allow two and a half hours from Rouen to Calais. Bon Voyage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 I have never understood the difficulties so many seem to have with Rouen, it's well signposted and if you avoid rush hour a doddle.On the same note, if you chose your time to avoid peak traffic Paris is even simpler, follow the signs for Lille on the way up and Bordeaux on the way down, simples ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 There may be big roadworks opening round Paris imminently Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 Chartres is well signposted from the autoroute and when you get to Chartres Rouen is again well signposted.You will got along the N154 then the A154 and join the A13. This can be busy but keep in the nearside lane and you will not have a problem.Calais is well signposted on the A13 and then just follow the 'Calais' signs through Rouen.Rouen can be a little busy but just take it easy and you will be fine.We always go this route. A great deal of it is dual carriageway and quiet. If you are going to take it easy then possibly allow up to 5 hours from Orleans to Calais.I am sure you will find this route far less hectic and intimidating than Paris.As Del Boy would say 'he who dares', or in your case 'she who dares'.Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman II Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 It depends exactly where you are starting from in 24. It may be that Angouleme, Poitiers, Le Mans, Rouen is a better bet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Streason Posted April 6, 2010 Share Posted April 6, 2010 Rouen is not difficult. Calais is well signposted before you get there. The Calais signs follow the industrial estate route everyone was talking about earlier. (Drove through on the middle of Easter Sunday and I was the only one there).I join the N10 north of Angouleme and do Poitiers, Tours, Le Mans, Rouen and apart from the 10 miles or so at Rouen its easy peage or dual carriageway for the whole trip - very easy.Calais about 450 miles from Angouleme and keeping close to the speed limit all the way its about 6.5 hours driving time. I can average 75mph on the whole trip.Toll costs from joining the motorway at Poitiers about €47 one way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbel Bob Posted April 9, 2010 Author Share Posted April 9, 2010 Thanks Stan ... i am coming from Excideuil so the route planners are coming up via Limoges, 8.5 hrs journey time. I spent 2hrs doing a 'street view' on google maps of the whole journey, i feel like i have driven it already!!! At one point i got lost and was heading back towards home. So I will follow the Calais signs and avoid Rouen city centre fingers crossed!J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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