South or West to Dordogne (1 Viewer)

[taralabradog]

Hi folks. We are taking our first trip to France in the van next week.
We will be gone for about 2 months so no hurry.
The loose plan is to head for the Dordogne area and then meander around making the most of the weather.
Our basic route was to go down the A26 taking a couple of days to get to Troyes then across to Orleans . Then head South to the Dordogne.
However when I come to browse the threads on here about routes everyone seems to head West from Calais through Rouen and then head South. Is there a good reason for everyone doing that route and not going the way I was thinking about?

 

[Clarky]

Hi folks. We are taking our first trip to France in the van next week.
We will be gone for about 2 months so no hurry.
The loose plan is to head for the Dordogne area and then meander around making the most of the weather.
Our basic route was to go down the A26 taking a couple of days to get to Troyes then across to Orleans . Then head South to the Dordogne.
However when I come to browse the threads on here about routes everyone seems to head West from Calais through Rouen and then head South. Is there a good reason for everyone doing that route and not going the way I was thinking about?

Your route looks to me like going round the sun to reach the moon.
Also, the A26 is peage so will not only be very boring but you will pay through the nose for that boredom.
Unless you have good reason to want to take that route, like visiting somewhere special, I would take the Rouen, Chartres, Orleans, Limoges route.
If you have two months why rush down toll roads?
If you want to avoid Rouen and its notorious underpasses take a detour west to La Mailleraye-sur-Seine for a day or three at a lovely aire, then go south of Rouen to pick up the N154.
You can get to the Dordogne on excellent roads without paying for any tolls.

Which ever way you decide to go enjoy your trip.

Richard.

 

[taralabradog]

Which ever way you decide to go enjoy your trip.

Thank you and I am certain we will enjoy it.

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[laneside]

oi do not dash through the Limousin, in many ways it is better than the posh Dordogne

 

[taralabradog]

oi do not dash through the Limousin, in many ways it is better than the posh Dordogne

We had a villa for a couple of weeks in Arnac Pompador two years ago so know what you mean. The only strange thing was that the whole area seems devoid of human life forms!

 

[mikebeaches]

Your route looks to me like going round the sun to reach the moon.
Also, the A26 is peage so will not only be very boring but you will pay through the nose for that boredom.
Unless you have good reason to want to take that route, like visiting somewhere special, I would take the Rouen, Chartres, Orleans, Limoges route.
If you have two months why rush down toll roads?
If you want to avoid Rouen and its notorious underpasses take a detour west to La Mailleraye-sur-Seine for a day or three at a lovely aire, then go south of Rouen to pick up the N154.
You can get to the Dordogne on excellent roads without paying for any tolls.

Which ever way you decide to go enjoy your trip.

Richard.

Clarky has hit the nail on the head - his suggested route is used by many on here. There is plenty of free autoroute and dual carriageway going that way, but obviously you have the choice whether to use it or not. And it keeps you well clear of Paris.

At Rouen, we stay on the east side of the river and completely avoid the city centre.

In any case, have a great trip.

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[chaser]

Hi folks. We are taking our first trip to France in the van next week.
We will be gone for about 2 months so no hurry.
The loose plan is to head for the Dordogne area and then meander around making the most of the weather.
Our basic route was to go down the A26 taking a couple of days to get to Troyes then across to Orleans . Then head South to the Dordogne.
However when I come to browse the threads on here about routes everyone seems to head West from Calais through Rouen and then head South. Is there a good reason for everyone doing that route and not going the way I was thinking about?

Well you might know I'd be different but we always go east of Paris down , much what you plan and then we come up the west coast.

 

[chaser]

Just read other posts and you can go down the east of Paris with no tolls, no need for motorways.