| > So, does anyone have any idea how long it would take to drive from Le
> Havre to Cannes?
684 Miles is what I measured it as last time.. Relistically, this is going to
be around 15 hours if you're going to have half a chance of arriving in a fit
state for anything.
I did it in one hit last time, I wouldn't do it again. These days I do 5 or 6
hours as two seperate days.
> I would travel on the overnight P&O Portsmouth to Le Havre, which gets
> in to Le Havre at 06:15.
It's difficult to get a decent sleep on these ferries which emphasises my point.
> into 8 hours solid driving? It seems to be autoroute almost all the
> way.
It is, but it's very boring. If you take longer as I suggest, you can keep off
these and really not lose very much time. The autoroutes you're talking about
are also toll roads.
M.
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Depends on the day Peter. You have to remember that French Autoroutes
are, mostly, 2 lanes. This tends to lead to heavy congestion at
holiday times, (and at other times). You also have to slow down on the
peripherique bits, especially since you will be there at peak time...
Also, don't forget the tolls, filling up (though i suspect you will hit
us with the one about your diesel driving from London to Rome and
still having enough left...).
I would allow 10-11 hours for the 688 miles. Assuming you cruise at
90-95 on the bits you can.
Nigel
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I do Reading/Cannes twice a year by car. I take two days, even if
towing trailer. Can be done in 1, but what a waste of pleasant French
townships & countryside.
Last time was 4 weeks ago. Left Dover @ 0815, stopped about 50km beyond
Lyon first night. Easy day's driving, with few stops. Mainly autoroute,
typically at 140-150 kph -- the roads were so empty that I was able to
use that most useless of fittings, cruise control, for many kms. Arrived
Grasse about 1600hrs next day after very leisurely day on Route de
Napoleon. (Driving was easy & quick, but lunches/ scenic stops were very
lengthy!)
An easy return trip is by autoroute to near Lyon, as Cannes/Lyon is
good viewing & easy driving. Adds a fair mileage to the most direct
route, but is undoubtedly faster/easier if you do not enjoy mountain
roads. You can then easily make Lyon up to your stopover by a variety of
routes. I have just found a superb hotel in Joinville that will now be
my permanent stopover on the return run -- 4 of us stayed in two
ensuite rooms, with the most magnificent 5-course dinner, for #100 for
the lot...
I've tried many routes. If I'm by myself I use RN's all the way. More
intimate involvement with France than flashing along the autoroute. The
family prefer the autoroutes, to my disgust. If you are determined to do
the run in 1 day, you'll have to use the autoroute. There are theoretical
speed limits, but even when I've been in cars travelling at 200 kph+ you
still get passed by chaps really travelling. Spot fines do exist, & some
people get caught.
One advantage to the driver of RN's is the inevitable change of pace
between open sections, towns etc. Keeps you awake -- lack of variety
can be a genuine risk on autoroutes if you do very long, unbroken,
stints as a solo driver. I'd recommend 2 hour stretches, even if you
only have a 5 minute break to stretch legs & re-focus brain.
99.99% of French drivers are truly excellent on the autoroutes. Lane
discipline is superb, & folk only venture into outer lanes to overtake.
Once past, they revert to inner lanes just like the highway code says
should happen here. They drive quickly, & expect others to do the same.
I can't remember much of the Route du Soleil being 2 lane. It might be
-- just haven't been held up very often. Not yet possible to do coast
to coast on autoroutes -- looks as though that's next summer at the
earliest, judging by the construction activity.
Only twit I saw last time over was a Mercedes driving at 120kph in the
outer lane, with both inner lanes empty. Blocked the traffic for 3 or 4
kms. Needless to say, it was a Brit ........ There must be some
ferocious law aginst overtaking on the inside, because although there
was a long line behind this chap all flashing away, no Frenchman would go
past. I was most curious -- very unusual reticence for French drivers. In
the end, some non-French "encouraged" the Mercedes back to where he was
required to be.
The RN's are very good. Careful use of the map will reveal many miles
of very straight RN's where right-hand drive is no real handicap
(providing you have decent power to overtake when gaps occur). Typical
cruising speeds would be in the 60-80mph range, but do observe speed
limits very closely in villages & towns. The French take these limits
as seriously as they ignore the limits on open roads, & there are
frequent radar traps in villages along main roads.
It's a great drive, especially as you get into the foothills & begin to
sense the change of climate, flora & fauna. There are some real
problems to be avoided :
a. any autoroute near large towns on any peak holiday weekend
b. Lyon, at virtually any time -- terrible natural bottleneck
c. the Cote d'Azur in July & August -- all those other people!
All except c. can easily be avoided by use of a decent map.
Areas I especially enjoy en route include the first glimpse of the
mountains as I get near to Clermont Ferrant, the mountains near Le Puy,
the whole area that lays to the south east of Lyon if you take the
back roads from Lyon to Cannes (Crest, Die, Castellane, Route de
Napoleon etc.)
Many happy memories of going down to Decville with large trailer &
never once holding up another motorist, even on mountain passes with
multiple hairpins & steep passes. Can still smell cooked brakes, hot
engines, & the challenge of full lock, full power in 1st or 2nd on
hairpins to pull the back of the trailer round without losing momentum
- can't have the ultimate disgrace of getting it 6 inches wrong, &
having to back up & try again 'cos you're in the mountainside
otherwise, can we.....
Who says motoring has lost it's fun. Not me. The delight of France is
that it is a big country, with multiple options for route & driving
style preference. There's something for everyone, including a big
welcome. Just adapt to the French driving style & you'll find it all
very easy.
Colin
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