Should we avoid Paris / E15?
Hello All,
We're planning our first long distance trip to the south of France, I've seen lots of suggested routes with good info, all of which are to avoid the Paris outer ring road.
Has anyone actually tried this road with a caravan? Is it bad (worse than the M25 at rush hour)?
I've driven without a caravan in France and always found the going very relaxed and can't see why everyone desperately tries to avoid the (allegedly) quickest route south.
Many thanks for any advice offered...
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I have towed a caravan on all three ring roads on the east side of Paris and I am sure you will get answers saying avoid all three.
However, I wouldn't use the inner ring again - the Peripherique.The middle ring - Super Peripherique, A86 - is moe reasonable than that and would be my choice. The outer ring - La Fracilienne ,A104 - struck me as tortuous and going on forever.
But as with the M25 in the UK time of day and day of the week is everything - and for certain parts of the south of France you needn't go anywhere near Paris at all. Where are you heading ?
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I would echo the view about the Francilienne. There are a couple of confusing junctions which are easy to overshoot and with no way to correct and get into the correct lane. As eurortraveller says, it seems interminable.
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Once many years ago was enough for me towing, but was encountered around mid day. The E15 route IMO comes too close into the city. Even the more outer routes can be challenging hit at the wrong time.
Even outer the biggest issue when busy but still moving at a reasonable speed is the number of entries and exits resulting in those who know what they are doing interlacing at speed in what was to me a frigteningly dangerous manner.
I have to say I am and always have been a country dweller so major city driving is not inherent, I am not phased by the M25 just find that tedious not dangerous.
Therefore I would if unavoidable try to plan hitting Paris at a quieter period.
You can virtually "drive" it using Google Maps street view on your computer to see if it is an environment you feel you are comfortable in.
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You don't say which part of the South of France you are heading for? Since the opening of the A75 a lot of us have avoided Paris completely and used the route via Rouen. Before that we used to go straight down through France via the A26. The old 104 route around the south of Paris via C de G Airport is OK but as others have explained you have to pick your time if that is possible, the weekend probably being the best.
David
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A good day on the Périphérique.
It was very similar to this the day we had to use it.
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Avoid - even solo, never mind with a caravan. The last time we used it (solo) we were held up for four hours due to a combination of too much traffic and a serious accident. The last time my son used (solo) it he was help up for hours and eventually diverted through central Paris due to a combination of too much traffic and a serious accident! (Note the theme.........)! If in any doubt watch the traffic on a live webcam and see if you fancy it!
As someone says, above, a better route will depend on where you're heading - if the western Med then the Rouen/A75 route is the best, if the eastern end, then the A26 is a much better route, but the Rhone Valey will be the stumbling block especially peak weekends.0 -
OK thanks everyone, always good to hear some first hand experiences and I shall certainly heed your advice and avoid the area.
We are heading to Bezier via Eastern France as we've never been that side, returning via the West and Le Mans so we'll probably use the A75 to return.
Thanks again for all your advice.
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As well as the traffic there is the problem of navigation. It can be confusing to see an Autoroute sign with the destination rather than the Autoroute number. For example, you may be looking for the A6 and see “Marseille”. It may seem obvious with hindsight but can be confusing in the heat of the moment with traffic on all sides. After some bad experiences on the Peripherique with taking the wrong exit we now avoid Paris altogether.
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Good morning Dipingin. I used to live near Beziers and our route was always Calais, Rouen, Chatres, Orleans, Clermont Ferrand, Beziers. It is a simple straight forward drive; ok a little boring in the Dreux/Chatres area but compensated for by the beauty of the A75 south of Clermont. About a two and a half day easy drive with plenty of overnight stops and with few toll sections! We always avoided Paris and it's environs like the plague. As you wish to visit the east side of France just keep well north of Paris on the Laon/Rheims route. When are you going? If peak season warning about Black Weekends in second half July and August when the population of Europe clogs up the French road system. I don't know when you last drove in France but the 80kph limit on French non dual carriageway roads is strictly policed (a friend had 2 speeding fines waiting for him when he returned home earlier this year!) and don't get me going on the rumble strips and roundabouts that have been spreading up all over the French road system. Driving on the straight quite roads of rural France is not as pleasant as it once was I'm afraid. Don't forget to join ACSI if travelling out of peak periods.
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A while ago I compiled a Blog illustrating the two main routes to the South with maps and campsite suggestions en route. See here http://www.davidklyne.co.uk/the_route_south_2.html
David
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DK, That's really helpful. Thank you.
But with the Club offering such bargain fares from Portsmouth to Caen that ferry route shortens the driving mileage from Calais, and avoids the Rouen, Dreux, Chartres section which often causes angst and frustration
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agree with ET, an easier route....and saves just over an hour on the drive south and 100km or so....although, with the OP from Norfolk, Portsmouth is 30 mins and a few miles further...
personally (even from Norfolk) id take the Caen route.
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The OP may well prefer the ferry but all my post above was doing was illustrating a couple of possible routes down through France which avoided Paris which was what the OP asked about and I thought my maps and campsite suggestions might be of interest to him? He can pick up the map from any Port be it Calais or Caen although if he decides to travel down through France via the A26 and Lyon, Caen might not be so convenient as a means of avoiding the Paris area.
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A lot depends on which part of the 'south' is the destination. If following the A6, then the fork decision left or right is at Orange. However if heading anywhere west of Montpellier, then the A75 will save a lot of toll fees.
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i dont think anyone was criticising DK's post, in fact the opposite....Et said how useful it was....merely offering up a different starting point might make the avoidance of Paris (the nub of the OP) a bit easier, and reduce travelling time.
as CY says, using the A75 to Beziers seems a no brainer, but the route to Clermont Ferrand is three hours longer from Caen non-toll, compared to toll, so even with half the route being toll free, there is still the decision to make about time/cost....
the south of france is a mighty long way and the above decision usually depends on how much 'dawdling' time there is in the overall trip.
we are off shortly and have no real desire to linger in central france in January.....the return trip in April might be another matter
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I don't get the widespread feeling that one has to avoid Paris at all costs.
We have stayed there twice with caravans - once at Maisons Lafitte on the west of the city - approaching from junction 10 of the A16 motorway on to the N184, and later using that same road south towards Versailles.
The second time when heading north we stayed at Camping Beau Village at Villiers sur Orge , about 15 miles south of Paris, but close to an RER station, and came home around Paris on the east side, on the A86 ring road as I mentioned earlier.
Nether route around the city was any great problem - we just picked Sunday mornings.
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