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A28 Viaducts

KathyC

By KathyC
in Travelling to/from France

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KathyC Newbie

KathyC

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We're thinking of using the A28 for the first time later this month and I gather there are viaducts. I know this sounds daft, but can anyone tell me how scary the viaducts are? Are we talking little bridges going over a river or great soaring constuctions ? I'm talking as someone who reversed away from the bridge at Rochefort (yes I know, more dangerous than doing it) and has driven miles to avoid the Pont du Normandie. Some idea where the scary ones are might be useful as I'm adept at navigating around and time's no problem. I'm sitting here shaking at the thought! Thanks a lot.
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YCCMB Newbie

YCCMB

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They're a LOT less scary that the Rochefort one. Just little bridges in fact. They certainly don't rear up at you out of the landscape, and they are so short you don't have time to notice you're crossing them. On the downside, the road actually narrows down to 1 lane in each direction over each of them at the moment, although I believe someone said (and I think they may have begun work) that they're already widening them, or planning to. Don't be scared, they're teeny, honest.

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Alcazar Newbie

Alcazar

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[quote user="KathyC"]We're thinking of using the A28 for the first time later this month and I gather there are viaducts. I know this sounds daft, but can anyone tell me how scary the viaducts are? Are we talking little bridges going over a river or great soaring constuctions ? I'm talking as someone who reversed away from the bridge at Rochefort (yes I know, more dangerous than doing it) and has driven miles to avoid the Pont du Normandie. Some idea where the scary ones are might be useful as I'm adept at navigating around and time's no problem. I'm sitting here shaking at the thought! Thanks a lot.[/quote]

 

Oh good grief!

And they gave you a license and let you out on your own????[;-)]

Alcazar

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zeb Newbie

zeb

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Well, as someone who also suffers the same phobia - they are not a piece of cake for me!!

One of them is short and straight, that I could handle, but the other one is much longer and curved! so I don't take the chance of driving over them, MOH does any sections which we know have bridges/viaducts. Are you able to share the driving, Kathy?

I'll pm the exact locations when I get my map back (car is en panne at the garage today!) - all viaducts from Boulogne to Poitiers (well, actually, just south of Tours) are marked with a big red cross!

Don't worry, you are not alone!! There are several of us around who need therapy!
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KathyC Newbie

KathyC

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[quote user="zeb"]Well, as someone who also suffers the same phobia - they are not a piece of cake for me!! One of them is short and straight, that I could handle, but the other one is much longer and curved! so I don't take the chance of driving over them, MOH does any sections which we know have bridges/viaducts. Are you able to share the driving, Kathy? I'll pm the exact locations when I get my map back (car is en panne at the garage today!) - all viaducts from Boulogne to Poitiers (well, actually, just south of Tours) are marked with a big red cross! Don't worry, you are not alone!! There are several of us around who need therapy![/quote]

Zeb

How wonderful, you're a star! If I knew whether you were male or female I'd offer to marry you.

Unfortunately I'm the only driver so it's detour or nothing.You do get to see some lovely parts of France this way although it adds to the driving distance.

Thanks a lot.

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Cassis Newbie

Cassis

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If you drive over them at night you won't see them.  I didn't the first time I did Rouen to Alençon on the A28. I didn't even know there were any until someone later mentioned it to me.  Mind, it was very foggy as well. 

So if you can wait for a foggy night you should be okay!

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powerdesal Newbie

powerdesal

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KathyC,

As others have said, you are not alone, but they are not as scary as you think they are if you can force yourself. Easy to say I know, but the pont de normandie even worried me the first time, much to my wifes surprise. As a trained parachutist I should have had no probs but it really threw me the first time. Now its not a problem. Hang in there.

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Cassis Newbie

Cassis

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There's the answer - wear a parachute.

Only kidding. [:)]

I have to say the Pont de Normandie is an absolute cracker - has anyone been over the whacking big one down at Millau?  That's a stonker!

[img]http://www.millau.fr/MAIRIE9_WEB/Viaduc1.jpg[/img]

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Cassis Newbie

Cassis

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Coincidentally, just visited Pegasus Bridge today.  So I learned about the troops that landed in gliders to secure the bridges downstream from Caen and Parachute regiments that landed to destroy the bridges to the north.  If you want a half-baked account of the opening hours of the D-Day landings prior to the main débarquements (first glider landed at Pegasus at 00.16h), I'm currently your man.

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powerdesal Newbie

powerdesal

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I did Pegasus bridge, beaches etc last year with son, sons-in law and assorted grandchildren (including St Mere Eglise), grandchildren know more of the history than me, but dad is army so that possibly accounts for it. They were well impressed this year with the handgrenade that I found in a shed (deactivated I might add).

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KathyC Newbie

KathyC

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[quote user="Cassis"]There's the answer - wear a parachute.

Only kidding. [:)]

I have to say the Pont de Normandie is an absolute cracker - has anyone been over the whacking big one down at Millau?  That's a stonker!

[img]http://www.millau.fr/MAIRIE9_WEB/Viaduc1.jpg[/img]
[/quote]

Gee thanks Cassis, I've been trying not to think about Millau since I started this thread. I would never even visit France if you had to drive over this when leaving the port. (If you see what I mean).

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Cassis Newbie

Cassis

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On this occasion the Outlaws ran out of steam after the Caen Memorial and Pegasus, so the planned trip down the coast to Arromanches was cut short.  Jude and I may do it alone soon.  I also want to visit the German wargraves near LMS Michel next time. 

The rest of them missed the film towards the end of the Caen Memorial visit because the Outlaws old legs were giving out, sadly - I insisted on my seeing it so I went in to the theatre while they munched a picnic near the British Memorial garden.  I choked up watching the film, like I always do with these things.  Very well done, mainly music, sound effects and archive footage and some good split-screen effects to show what was taking place simultaneously on the Allied and Nazi sides.

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powerdesal Newbie

powerdesal

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I haven't been to the Caen Memorial, daft really as its only an hour up the road. Have seen the photos of pont l'eveque - horrendous. You really do feel close to the history in Normandy. During the recent operation Cobra tour I was quite choked in the village when a local lady said 'thank you for our freedom'

it really puts things in perspective.

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Cassis Newbie

Cassis

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[quote user="KathyC"]

[quote user="Cassis"]

I have to say the Pont de Normandie is an absolute cracker - has anyone been over the whacking big one down at Millau?  That's a stonker!

[img]http://www.millau.fr/MAIRIE9_WEB/Viaduc1.jpg[/img]

[/quote]

Gee thanks Cassis, I've been trying not to think about Millau since I started this thread. I would never even visit France if you had to drive over this when leaving the port. (If you see what I mean).

[/quote]

So you're not casting your vote in favour of the new IOW-Cherbourg bridge, then?  [:D]

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Cassis Newbie

Cassis

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[quote user="powerdesal"]I haven't been to the Caen Memorial, daft really as its only an hour up the road. Have seen the photos of pont l'eveque - horrendous. You really do feel close to the history in Normandy. During the recent operation Cobra tour I was quite choked in the village when a local lady said 'thank you for our freedom'

it really puts things in perspective.

[/quote]

There was a lot of footage in the film showing shots immediately before and after the Allied bombardments.  I think the only thing standing in Pont l'Eveque (if I'm remembering the right bit - no guarantee as my vision was a bit blurred) seemed to be a church steeple.  Every other building appeared to be flattened.  But there were a number of similar shots of various strategic towns so I may be wrong.

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KathyC Newbie

KathyC

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[quote user="Cassis"][quote user="KathyC"]

[quote user="Cassis"]

I have to say the Pont de Normandie is an absolute cracker - has anyone been over the whacking big one down at Millau?  That's a stonker!

[img]http://www.millau.fr/MAIRIE9_WEB/Viaduc1.jpg[/img]
[/quote]

Gee thanks Cassis, I've been trying not to think about Millau since I started this thread. I would never even visit France if you had to drive over this when leaving the port. (If you see what I mean).

[/quote]

So you're not casting your vote in favour of the new IOW-Cherbourg bridge, then?  [:D]
[/quote]

Not even Ryde to Portsmouth, I'm a tunnel woman myself.

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