# Route to Saumur



## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Hi, I am hopeing some one can help us, We are (Thats Gill the 2 kids and me) going to France for the first time later this week and would like some advise for a route to Samur.

On via Michelin it recomends the A16 , A28 , A11 , A85.

It says it will be 35 Euros for tolls.

Q1, Is there a better route? Will will be overnighting in Calais and plan to be travelling by 09:00 so should have plenty of time

Q2, Will the tolls on Via Michelin be that same as for our M/H which is 3500kg?

Or one other question am I better of using the M20 to Folkstone rather than the M2/A2


Ricahrd...


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Hi Rihcard! A point of clarification, if you will. Are you talking about Saumur, on the River Loire?

"AutoRoute2005" is showing 341 miles from Calais to Saumur, travelling via Rouen. If you're happy to pay the tolls, then use the autoroutes by all means. But you will not see a great deal of France. You may as well stay in the UK and drive up and down the M1, although French autoroutes are generally very quiet. If you want to get to Saumur in a hurry, then use autoroutes. 

If you want to see France, SLOW DOWN, get onto the D roads and see the villages. In June, Auntie Sandra and I took two days to get to Amboise, just along the Loire from Saumur. Crikey, did we see some gems along the way!!  

Now, if you are not going to Saumur but SAMUR, then I've just written a load of drivel!!  

Whichever, enjoy your gem-spotting holiday.


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Thanks Unclenorm

Yes we are going to Saumur, I have edited the title now.

I didnt really want to stop on the autoroute but need to get from Calais to Saumar in the same day.

Richard...


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

RichardnGill said:


> Thanks Unclenorm
> 
> Yes we are going to Saumur, I have edited the title now.
> 
> ...


We used to drive from Calais to Bordeaux in a 40 ton truck in the same day, don't worry its probably about 6 or 7 hours for you as first time.
My route would most likely be.
Rouen
Alencon
Le Mans
La Fleche
Saumur
The only bit of peage will be between Calais & Rouen (cost us 10.5 euro each way last year and that was the only tolls that we used and we went way down south)
This year, I will be coming off the ferry at Dunkerque at 1800 hrs UK time and I expect to be around Orleans by midnight or there abouts.


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## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

RichardnGill said:


> Hi, I am hopeing some one can help us, We are (Thats Gill the 2 kids and me) going to France for the first time later this week and would like some advise for a route to Samur.
> 
> On via Michelin it recomends the A16 , A28 , A11 , A85.
> 
> ...


That's the route I have used and found it reasonably straight forward. Keep your heads up and looking for road signs around Rouen as that can get a bit complicated. That aside the route is manageable in a day.

The tolls will be class two and if you do a search you may be able to find a motorway sight that gives the tolls.

Folkstone is my usual route


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## allan01273 (May 23, 2007)

Rouen 
Alencon 
Le Mans 
La Fleche 
Saumur 

We did that last year, we always get lost in Rouen but thats part of the fun. This year we have Tomtom so it should be a better journey. We did not use the peage between Calais and Rouen. Infact we never use peage as I want to see France and not zoom past everything.

We stopped in La Fleche for a couple of days beside the river, its a nice little town with good cycling.
Saumur is really nice, the Aire for the water is on the island but motorhomes park freely alongside the river close to the main town centre. (The Caravan site on the island looked expensive)

Call in to the Tourist Info. Office in the town to pick up lots of ideas on what to do whilst you are there, we used their walking tour map to have a wander through the town and up to the chateau.

Allan


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

*Aire near Saumur*

HI,
We have just been looking through a few old MMM mags and found a really beautiful Aire near to Saumur right by a river and with a park behind it.
It is between Laval and Saumur and is called Chateau Gontier.
If you are in the area I would most certainly recommend a visit.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I don't think you will have trouble going around or through Rouen.
If heading for Orleans, turn left before the river and run along with the river just on your right.
If heading for Le Mans, go over the river and follow the Caen signs and then turn off to Alencon & Le Mans.
Hope this helps
edit ps.
Don't go all the way to Caen as the Alencon road is just out side Rouen near to where you could get onto the A13 to Caen


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

I used to dread going through Rouen. Every single time it was...


Are you sure of the route.
yes dear.

Certain you know, 'cos the turn off by the river is .....
Yes Dear.

OH ......( rude word)....missed the turn.

I thought you knew the turn off...
Yes Dear.

Dont you Yes Dear me....

But, then all of a suden we went right through, didnt get lost in Rouen any more. The autoroute afterwards however is still a bit of a problem.

However, I now know 2 routes through Rouen on the way back to Dieppe though.


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

allan01273 said:


> Saumur is really nice, the Aire for the water is on the island but motorhomes park freely alongside the river close to the main town centre. (The Caravan site on the island looked expensive)
> Allan


Nah ! the camp site on the island is only a couple of euro more than the Aire [which is alongside the campsite] - but has no showers / toilets . . pay the extra and really enjoy the facilities [water / hook-up / luverly showers & clean toilets :wink:


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

vicdicdoc said:


> allan01273 said:
> 
> 
> > Saumur is really nice, the Aire for the water is on the island but motorhomes park freely alongside the river close to the main town centre. (The Caravan site on the island looked expensive)
> ...


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## Frantone (Sep 6, 2006)

*Saumur site?*

Isn't the Saumur island site Isle d'Offard? You can walk along the river side back to the bridge and into town.
TonyP


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## allan01273 (May 23, 2007)

Ile D'offard Camping is 25.5 euro for a motorhome and 2 people in July August
Its good See here
And here

Along side the river at Boulevard Henri Dunant is closer to the town and FREE, but you need to go to the Aire on the island for the FREE water. We stayed there for two days with many other motorhomes. A very nice pitch and we would not hesitate to return.

Allan


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

After all the worying of the route for our first journey in France things could not have gone easier.

We left Calais early as the seagull on the aire in Calais were up befor 05:00   

After all the planning of the journey all I did was set the Tom Tom to toll free and put the adress in and off we went. We were very supprized how quiet it was, does anyone use cars in France?

We had a leasurly jounrney down stopping for lunch and a kip and 7 hours after we set of we were there. Thanks to the tom tom we spent nothing on tolls and have a nice easy journey.

We even managed to get to Calais we the fuel light on and filled up with cheap fule in calais. The M/H even returned over 30MPG on the French part of the journey.

Richard...


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Richard - brilliant    

So glad your first experience was really good. When are you booked to go again!

We will be doing the same route for the first part of the holiday starting 11 August. 

I think most of the French will be in their cars on the coming holiday weekends. They were probably just conserving their energy for the several hours they will spend in traffic jams then. Best idea is to travel only on weekdays in August.

Sue


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