Calais to Tours - Options?

[GJOB]

We're heading over for a cheeky week to see family in Tours, arriving in to Calais, and have a couple of questions if you don't mind.

We're travelling with a young baby so will likely need to stop regularly, we're not opposed to spending the night somewhere on route, so:

Do we stick to the motorway and just try and make good time?
Is there anything worth seeing or anywhere worth staying in Evreux, Dreux, Chartres?


TIA
GJOB

[Sortie 10]

When are you thinking of going? Chartres is special, but more so on 21 July when a (possibly defining) stage of the Tour de France will finish in the city; could be a historic day if Bradley Wiggins retains (or regains) the yellow jersey.

On the other hand - if you dont like crowds (or think the baby will prove to be a handful) give the city a wide-berth.

If you are travelling in July, check letour.fr for detailed routes & steer well clear if you don't want to get involved in the disruption.

[GJOB]

We arrive on the 5th July, leave on the 12th. I'd forgotten about TDF... thanks for the link, very helpful. So is Chartres an OK place then? I suppose it must be...

[magooagain]

Calais to Tours will be 5 hours driving steady if you use the toll roads. Only tricky bit is Rouen where you drive through the town follow signs for Le Mans and Caen ,then back onto Mway and look for blue sign for Le Mans.

[Chris_]

magooagain said:

Calais to Tours will be 5 hours driving steady if you use the toll roads. Only tricky bit is Rouen where you drive through the town follow signs for Le Mans and Caen ,then back onto Mway and look for blue sign for Le Mans.

This is the route that I usually use. The motorway (A28) from Rouen to Tours is usually very quiet and stress-free. There are plenty of service stations, which only tend to get busy around lunchtime when the French all seem to pull in for lunch.

Personally, I would opt for 5 hours of fairly easy motorway, against the hassle of an overnight stop with a baby.

[Gixer]

Yep, agree nice 5 hour drive.

Came back past Tour last week. One thing to be aware of is the motorways around the city that used to be 110kmh are now 90 which is really hard to do on a 3 lane rd especially when most the locals are still zipping past. Must be a new thing in France it was the same story around Bordeaux

[GJOB]

Thanks chaps, having discussed with the wife we've decided to stopover in Rouen, We're 3 hours from the the tunnel so to have another 5 afterwards is pushing it.

We're then going to take our time the following day so if there is a recommended sightseeing route that would be nice too.

[Gixer]

We've had a break in Tours before and often stay with friends near Le Mans. Personally I would get further down nearer Le Mans and then take a scenic route to Tours. Lots of nice roads running into Tours. We usually go from our friends at Lavanay towards Renault Chateau and then onto Tours. Quite a nice run. You could even stop for lunch at Hotel De France

[jimbo fr]

Just a thought its the le mans classic 24hrs and it starts on the 5th July so lots more traffic around and lots more police controls !!

[GJOB]

I'm hoping to lose the family and pop along. Yes, we'll be wary of the mobile cash extractors