# Rouen nightmare - beware



## jenniedream (Jul 19, 2009)

If coming north on A13 thru Rouen to N28 Calais aware that Pont Mathide is closed and diversion signs are not helpful. I eventually managed to negotiate crossing the old bridge over the river by big church. It was ahem and even lorries were clearly getting frustrated and were taking no prisoners!
I am stopping in Abbeville on way to tunnel tomorrow but had I been on way direct I would have panicked. 
Just hope this may help someone.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-139840-pont.html+matilda


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## iconnor (Nov 27, 2007)

Yup we came through there last week and it is mayhem. Also after the bridge you get signs "For Boulogne suivre Calais". When you arrive at the relevant junction Calais is signed right and Boulogne left. We barged across to the left and that is the road you need for going north.
So after the bridge you turn right onto the inner ring road, keep left as you need to be over that side to make the left turn.


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

Sorry I but have been via Rouen many times since bridge shut last year and official diversion via A29 A150/A151 is very easy. I wish I had been doing for years and will not go back to old way when bridge reopens.In fact if you read what French say it is likely that all through traffic
In particular HGV will be made to use this route in future.


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

@BrianJP I presume you mean the route below? In which case yes, it's very straightforward in both directions. 

Before I took this route a few weeks back, I watched the traffic on Google Maps at various times of various days, and it always seemed to keep moving.

Don't bother trying to follow French diversion signs - you can guarantee they'll stop signing them at some crucial point on the route :lol:


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## Glen432 (May 9, 2005)

BrianJP said:


> Sorry I but have been via Rouen many times since bridge shut last year and official diversion via A29 A150/A151 is very easy. I wish I had been doing for years and will not go back to old way when bridge reopens.In fact if you read what French say it is likely that all through traffic
> In particular HGV will be made to use this route in future.


Came back this way from Spain in March and stopped at really nice aire in Cleres just off N151, it has electricity and toilet near sports ground.


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## Geriatricbackpacker (Aug 21, 2012)

We went around Roeun on the route highlighted by Morphology on Friday and circumnavigated it via the southern ring road; we were approaching from the South East and it was quite painless and the traffic flowed at a good pace. 
We had a stopover on the Aire at Montville which is next to a lovely lakeside park and has free Wifi. The site is also free and in a great position 2 minutes from the town, close to the railway station should you wish to visit Rouen without the fear of having your roof reduced under one of their notorious low bridges. :footballhelmet: 

Terry


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## blondy (Aug 23, 2007)

We never go through Rouen, I put Igoville into Tom Tom which takes us 
Down the left of the river, we often stop at Pont de larche,then head south, or west, simples, never had a hold up.
Don't tell anyone or the site will get to busy at pont de larche.


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## delawaredandy (Oct 12, 2012)

Went through Rouen a week ago knowing bridge was shut no problems all they way down to Pont- de- Larche, and that was with daughter navigating ( Jesus Christ ) but got there ok, 

Scale of 1 to 10 ( if you can do the M25 on a Friday night the diversion around Rouen ( Piece of P*SS)


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## alhod (Nov 1, 2010)

Since the bridge has been closed we now always use the Western route, N150/151, and have never had any delays.

Alan


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## gavinskii (Dec 31, 2012)

I went through Rouen during the Summer and it was quite busy, so when I noticed an underpass moving a lot quicker, I decided to give this a shot....... I hadn't spotted quite how low it was...and was very lucky that the guy in a car behind me backed all the way into the main drag of traffic to let me reverse out  

This was a classic newbie lesson, that I won't be making again in a hurry - so do be warned if you are going this way :!:


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## Camdoon (Sep 21, 2012)

Surely the nightmare is to set off from Spain and not check the route around Paris. Find yourself going through the centre of Orleans, then in the centre of Paris (Friday late afternoon) with your TT set to a car which is then trying to send you down a road with a 2m height restriction and which TT will not recognise as being blocked . Rouen would never satisfy a true masochist.


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Going south I managed to miss a turn and had the chance to explore some of the more interesting features of the harbour and docks in Rouen. This was not previously included in our itinerary. Unfortunately the authorities had not anticipated this detour and insisted we returned several kilometers towards Le Havre along the same approach road. Making the necessary U.E. eventually we were more than delighted at the number of earlier tight turns and tyre scrapings that had preceded us.
As refreshment facilities in the harbour were very limited (well I saw none), we will not be pressing the tourist board to promote this potential money spinner. However it all went together to enrich our experience of France.

Alan


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Travelling South West we ended up crossing the Seine from the AutoRoute via this bridge
http://www.flickr.com/groups/pontflaubert/

Just glad it wasn't "lifted" when we were still on it!!

No problem with traffic though-a straightforward drive-by Rouen


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