best roads to use in West France (1 Viewer)

[nicklu]

we are going to West France in April this year and have read that it is best to use the small roads and villages to keep off motorways because of the prices of the tolls, is this advisable? we will be using the areas sites too, are these ok? any help we would be very gratefull.

kind regards nick & lu xx

 

[slobadoberbob]

it is possible to go North to South without motorways

we are going to West France in April this year and have read that it is best to use the small roads and villages to keep off motorways because of the prices of the tolls, is this advisable? we will be using the areas sites too, are these ok? any help we would be very gratefull.

kind regards nick & lu xx

Goes West direction out of Calais the motorway is free until junction 30.. then you can duck down and run on the national routes that take you to Rouen A28.. even getting around Abbeyville is not a problem.. the roads are good and fast and plenty of places to stop and buy the bread and get fuel. We travel all the way to the South of France and we do not pay tolls very often... have nipped on and off the motorways, but it is expensive in an RV with a trailer.. But I like seeing the country and hate motorways and especially paying to use them.

Try it and you will soon agree.. the National routes do have trucks on them, but there are a lot less traffic than you get in the UK, so the roads are faster.. remember to slow down at the villages.. often there are several speed limits .. the outer one, then the centre and often even another lower if there is people crossings..

Bob

 

[Reallyretired]

The other advantage of using the N roads is that you are much more likely to find aires, which are not signposted from the motorways but often are from the N roads.

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[Enjoy_Yourself]

Certainly agree with Bob about seeing more on National Routes. Expect to half your speed compared with Autoroutes though. Just depends how much time you have and whether you are trying to get somewhere in a hurry. Came all the way back from Biarritz last year without paying a toll but we split it into three days of driving. Last leg was quite short in order to get back to Calais in time to get a place on the aire but first two days were long ones.

 

[spudandpatricia]

Hi Nicklu already popped you a private message

My way would be take the slow lane, if you are in a hurry, why have a motorhome. Take as long as you can. As mentioned Aires you find on the small roads and in the villages. MW you will not see any.

 

[patyogi]

The other advantage of using the N roads is that you are much more likely to find aires, which are not signposted from the motorways but often are from the N roads.

We always use the N's or the truck roads as they are called, just use them to see why. The two down the western side are N10, and slighty further over the N20. Both good for aires and c/sites. Of course saving a fortune in tolls if your not in a hurry, which can be almost as much as the fuel on your trip down.
Don't think of these roads as small alternative routes, some of them are dual carriageways. Good thing about travelling this way through the towns and villages is you can pick up fresh bread and vino each day. Necessarily fuel of life.oh:

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[joner8888]

It is SO nice ,driving in France, relaxed driving ,empty roads,clean services, cake not chip shops and when there are any road works--you can keep driving at a speed , not lights ,signs and 1000`s of cones !

Until--you get back to the U/K--- off the ferry- straight back in to the usuall summer turmoil !
Je veux aller en France maintenant!:thumb:

 

[Hollyberry]

I've just driven into the neighbouring department this afternoon, roads very quiet. Aire in the large village/very small town I visited with friends, and also free motorhome parking near the river. I am going to a local lake at the weekend in the motorhome. I'll be really surprised if I pass more than a few dozen cars on the way.

Just check your map for low bridges / very narrow villages. Take it slowly. You can park in most supermarket car parks to buy supplies==go to the farthest end from the store and you'll have plenty of room.. My small village has 2 car parks large enough for motorhomes and also a small aire.

Park up near a lake or a river and enjoy the scenery, local markets etc...

 

[Stephen & Jeannie]

The aire Pauline mentions is nice and peaceful and just on the outskirts of Tocane St. Apre ! Convenient as a stop off on the way South !!!:thumb: Also free !!

See you in April Pauline on the way back North !!!:thumb:

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[Gromett]

I don't actually think there is much difference cost wise as on the autoroute you can sit at a steady 55-60 to maximise fuel efficiency which offsets the tolls.
On the National roads I found I was speeding up and slowing down so much that my mpg dropped dramatically.. I have not done a scientific test on this but my feeling is that it costs little if any more to peage it...

For me the decision is based on how much progress I want to make. If I have a destination to reach ie being at a friends for a certain date then I will use the autoroutes and get down quickly. If I am just meandering my way down I will use the autoroute to Rouen then move onto the national routes.

I am quite happy to sleep in the van in Autoroute Aires on the peage sections as well but not the ones with services.

 

[patyogi]

aires w/france

Just returned from Spain via N10, used a couple of lovely aires, within striking distance of the Spanish border.
City of Angouleme, aires just outside at Nersac & Jarnac both with FREE lecky, have used a couple of times because they have such lovely towns to visit. Room for about 6 m/h on each.
You could actually spend a couple of weeks just exploring this area, tasty vino as well. Plus the cognac factory on the riverbank.:Blush:

 

[Reallyretired]

I don't actually think there is much difference cost wise as on the autoroute you can sit at a steady 55-60 to maximise fuel efficiency which offsets the tolls.
On the National roads I found I was speeding up and slowing down so much that my mpg dropped dramatically.. I have not done a scientific test on this but my feeling is that it costs little if any more to peage it...

For me the decision is based on how much progress I want to make. If I have a destination to reach ie being at a friends for a certain date then I will use the autoroutes and get down quickly. If I am just meandering my way down I will use the autoroute to Rouen then move onto the national routes.

I am quite happy to sleep in the van in Autoroute Aires on the peage sections as well but not the ones with services.

Fuel economy is a funny thing. I got stuck behind a tractor locally for miles and miles at 25-30mph and was surprised at the improvement in mpg (from the display). I reckon I could save 20-25% on fuel if I travelled everywhere at 30mph. I'm not going to of course, but does tend to explain why my mpg always seems worse on the autoroutes than the N roads. The N road route is often shorter (in miles not time) as the autoroutes take a more circuitous route in many cases to avoid towns. Not always of course The Millau bridge saves around 30miles compared to saving the very small toll by taking the country route.

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[TDH]

Everything they said really. It depends on whether you see the journey as part of the deal or a means to an end.

Another reason we avoid the autoroutes is that The Rosabella is so old I'm sure she'd fall to bits if we pushed on for hours!! (The same goes for Kay!)

 

[hdvrod]

Useful info,Thanks

 

[mondo]

Every time we visited France and when we went to Spain for the winter in 2008/2009 we used the N roads exclusively..we kept off the peage..as every one has said the N routes let you see more of the country and the sort of REAL France..and as I'm a Yorkshireman of Scots extraction I'm twice as miserly as anyone else!!..The pace on the N routes is a tad slower but hey who's in a hurry...

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[yodeli]

And..... when you take the National roads , you go through the little villages which need you! And there, you will find.... only by the so nice smell of it: the bakery "boulangerie" where you will find your morning croissants or a still warm "baguette" ..you will be able to park on their tiny parking place and go along the village outside market, to choose your vegs and summer fruits ......all the small villages smell so particular!!! Motorways ?????yes it is a way to go from A to B usually when you have no time, your work is calling ,I do use them a lot with my car ....but to me... errrkkkk only awfull smells , rubbish coffees and deep frozen bread. But it has been said , it all depends on what YOU want for your travel!.


Amicalement

Frankie:Cool:

 

[slobadoberbob]

well in an RV it does make a differance

I don't actually think there is much difference cost wise as on the autoroute you can sit at a steady 55-60 to maximise fuel efficiency which offsets the tolls.
On the National roads I found I was speeding up and slowing down so much that my mpg dropped dramatically.. I have not done a scientific test on this but my feeling is that it costs little if any more to peage it...

For me the decision is based on how much progress I want to make. If I have a destination to reach ie being at a friends for a certain date then I will use the autoroutes and get down quickly. If I am just meandering my way down I will use the autoroute to Rouen then move onto the national routes.

I am quite happy to sleep in the van in Autoroute Aires on the peage sections as well but not the ones with services.

It does make a difference in an RV.. the national routes work out a lot cheaper... plus I can get fresh bread and cheaper fuel and often pass nice aires and stopping places on sides of rivers or lakes. But for me it is the saving in the pocket that counts... anyway I can do 55mph in the UK in France I want to see the place.

Bob

 

[novawight]

Just wondering can I use my blue badge disablement in France.....Del