Amboise to Calais

MaxHeadroom
MaxHeadroom Forum Participant Posts: 110

Hi, Next weekend we embark on our trip to France. From Calais we go to Camping Des 4 Vents at Crèvecoeur-en-Brie and then on to Amboise. The route seems fairly straight forward. Can anyone suggest the best route back to Calais from Amboise? It looks like
there are two main routes:

 Route1:  A10 -> A28 up through Le Mans but looks a little sticky around Rouen (A13) as you get back on the A28 towards the A16

Route 2:  A10 -> A6 -> A3 around Paris then the A1 -> A26 to Calais.

Both the above routes are by Google Maps. My SatNav may offer something else entirely of course!

Any suggestions/experience would be helpful, Andy.

Comments

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited August 2016 #2

    Route 3 instead. The N10 via Chateaudun  and Chartres, and then the N154 to  Rouen. I use the AA Big Road Atlas. 

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited August 2016 #3

    I would do Eurotraveller's route, too, which is the way we often used when our caravan was in storage in that area.  It's straightforward, towing, and costs very little in terms of tolls.

    The route around Rouen is straightforward if you keep 'east of the Seine' via Pont de l'Arche, and then follow the Calais signs.

  • MaxHeadroom
    MaxHeadroom Forum Participant Posts: 110
    edited August 2016 #4

    Many thanks for your suggestions. Looking at viamichelin, although the eurotravellers route is shorter it takes nearly an hour longer. That said looking at the route around Paris the traffic/queues sound like a nightmare so should probably avoid this too.
    The N10 looks to be around 75 miles long - is it all single carriageway or a bit of both? Also, are you suggesting to avoid the A28 because of the tolls or for another reason? I don't mind paying the tolls as it's a one of trip for this year. I thinking the
    return leg will take about 6 hours.

    You help is very much appreciated.

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2016 #5

    The route from Chartres to Rouen is not very fast. Parts are OK but there are also slow sections with endless roundabouts. I did it this year in June and understood why an Autoroute is being considered. I dislike the route but understand that it is quite popular with others. Generally if you are coming from Clermont there isn't much choice but from Amboise you can go Le Mans using Autoroute and that would be easily the fastest and simplest if you are OK with tolls. Avoid Paris. Rouen is fine and Calais is very clearly signposted.

  • Fozzie
    Fozzie Club Member Posts: 551
    500 Comments
    edited August 2016 #6

    Max

    Having just completed this journey albiet from Cheverney we came back to Calias the following way.

    From Blois D924 to Chartres via Chateaudun

    Chartres to Rouen via Dreux,Evreau on the N154

    From Rouen autoroute back up to Calais.

    This first part is single carriage way with some sections dual.All I can rememer it was a very pleasant and stress free trip back up.We,like you do not mind paying tolls but this part of it took us no longer than on the way down using the autoroutes.Also
    again you say 6 hours, thats what it took us with one fuel stop and one dinner stop.Our trip was in the so called "fuel crisis"

    Michelin map used.

     

  • InaD
    InaD Club Member Posts: 1,701 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited August 2016 #7

    From Blois D924 to Chartres via Chateaudun

    Chartres to Rouen via Dreux,Evreau on the N154

    From Rouen autoroute back up to Calais.

    We had a few days on our way back to the tunnel at a municipal site at Muides-sur-Loire, which is near Blois.  We took the exact same route back as Fozzie described above; from Amboise, where you are, it's very easy to pick up the N10 to Chartres, it's no problem at all, and time-wise not much difference to autoroute.  We've done this route for many years; only tried it round Paris once, and never again!

  • MaxHeadroom
    MaxHeadroom Forum Participant Posts: 110
    edited August 2016 #8

    Thanks for the advice. I suppose that some degree of map reading will be required rather than totally relying on the Satnav which could take you via all sorts of unsuitable routes.

    Just bought a big 'easy-read' map of France so hopefully we're well prepared.

  • MaxHeadroom
    MaxHeadroom Forum Participant Posts: 110
    edited August 2016 #9

    On reflection, our first port of call is Caravning des 4 Vents. Is the route provided on the club web site the best way to get there considering the previous posts about avoiding the queues saround Paris?

     "At Calais take the A26-E15 in the direction of Arras. At Arras take the A1-E15 in the direction of Paris. Take the motorway A104 direction A4 Metz-Nancy Marne-la-Vallée, then A4 direction Metz Nancy, exit junction 13 onto the D231 direction Provins..."

    Just wondering :)

  • InaD
    InaD Club Member Posts: 1,701 ✭✭
    500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited August 2016 #10

    Can't help with that one I'm afraid, as it's not an area we visit. However, we have tried, when coming from Burgundy, to use the A104 (La Francilienne) on one occasion.  It was ok on that occasion, but I think it is very much luck of the draw with that one, as it's obviously quite close to Paris.  When we did it, the route north which we were on was ok, but on the opposite side, south, there was a vehicle on fire, and the queues stretched for many miles.  But then again, that can happen anywhere of course, but the volume of traffic on there does mean that if anything does happen, then the jams will be bad.  We know easier routes from Burgundy and we didn't particularly like that route so we've not repeated it.  When we have gone that way around Paris, we've done Beauvais, Senlis, Meaux and Sens, broadly speaking, but then we tend to potter and not do the autoroutes.

    No doubt someone on here will have done that route and be able to give you the advice you're looking for.

    Just edited to say in response to your other post about not relying totally on a satnav: definitely DON'T just rely on a satnav, always use a map.  We use a satnav, but always plan a route beforehand with the map and check it with the satnav; invariably it wants to take a "shortcut" which might save 100 yards or a couple of seconds, but which invariably takes you down unsuitable roads.

  • Sandgroper
    Sandgroper Forum Participant Posts: 210
    edited August 2016 #11

    Would heartily second the map advice! I have always printed off directions from AA or RAC route finders. Just found ViaMichelin which has a 'caravan' option. I usually follow the route on the map as part of the holiday preps. Part of the fun!

     We have been directed by the SatNav down odd backtracks not suitable for Caravans!!!!