Best route to the Massif Central

[AL Peen]

Planning a holiday to the Massif Central next summer, by car of course, from the tunnel @ Calais. Looks like there are two options:-

1) A26 to Troyes ( a motorway I'm very familiar with) and then cross country to Auxerre/Nevers/Moulins/Clemont Ferrand. This would mean an overnight stop as I've got a 200 mile journey to start the day off, getting to the tunnel @ Folkestone. From experience, once off the motorway network in France, it can take an awfully long time to cover the big distances.

2) The direct route via A16 to Paris and then A10 / A71 to Orleans & Clemont Ferrand. I've never driven near Paris so would appreciate first hand experiences. Looks like I'd come off the A16 @ Jn 10 and follow the outer ring road anti-clockwise to Versailles, and then N10 onto A10.

Is this the notorious Paris ring road or is that the inner ring road ? I'd be passing through at around midday.

[KTMsm]

We did the direct route this summer

The Paris ring road was congested just like any big city, maybe 30 minutes of nose to tail driving

It's been awhile since I'd been before that and they've reduced the speed limits on their A and B roads and have a large amount of speed traps and cameras in the middle of nowhere

[chriscoates]

Another option is the A16/A28 to Rouen, then the N154 past Evreux, Dreux and Chartres to pick up the A10 south of Paris. A good chunk of it is still dual carriageway and avoids the chaos of trying to navigate Paris. Google says around 30 minutes longer with no traffic but that can easily be eaten up by jams on the more direct route and it's a more relaxing drive. As the previous poster mentioned just watch out for speed traps and keep a close eye on speed limit changes when you're off the autoroutes.

[blue_haddock]

chriscoates said:

Another option is the A16/A28 to Rouen, then the N154 past Evreux, Dreux and Chartres to pick up the A10 south of Paris. A good chunk of it is still dual carriageway and avoids the chaos of trying to navigate Paris. Google says around 30 minutes longer with no traffic but that can easily be eaten up by jams on the more direct route and it's a more relaxing drive. As the previous poster mentioned just watch out for speed traps and keep a close eye on speed limit changes when you're off the autoroutes.

We always go this route when heading down to the south of france via the massif central.

[littleredrooster]

Having fallen foul of the Paris outer-ring a few years ago, I'd avoid going anywhere near it again!

Given that you have a 200 mile trip before the Tunnel (we have 300), would a ferry not work better? We are regular visitors to France (4 times so far this year), and our usual routine now is to travel down to Portsmouth for the afternoon ferry to Caen, have a nice meal on board, disembark at 22:00 and drive 10 mins to an Ibis at Herouville (there are two to choose from).

An early brekkie next day means that the middle of France is fairly straightforward in one day at about 400 miles, rather than 470 from Calais, and it avoids going anywhere near Paris.

[littlebasher]

chriscoates said:

Another option is the A16/A28 to Rouen, then the N154 past Evreux, Dreux and Chartres to pick up the A10 south of Paris. A good chunk of it is still dual carriageway and avoids the chaos of trying to navigate Paris. Google says around 30 minutes longer with no traffic but that can easily be eaten up by jams on the more direct route and it's a more relaxing drive. As the previous poster mentioned just watch out for speed traps and keep a close eye on speed limit changes when you're off the autoroutes.

That's the route i used in August, with no bother

Coming back i went through Paris and quickly realised why i went down the other way.

[AL Peen]

Thanks chaps, some useful intel there.

I did consider a dog leg route to the west of Paris but didn't really pick up on the N154. That looks the best option

[Boxster5]

chriscoates said:

Another option is the A16/A28 to Rouen, then the N154 past Evreux, Dreux and Chartres to pick up the A10 south of Paris. A good chunk of it is still dual carriageway and avoids the chaos of trying to navigate Paris. Google says around 30 minutes longer with no traffic but that can easily be eaten up by jams on the more direct route and it's a more relaxing drive. As the previous poster mentioned just watch out for speed traps and keep a close eye on speed limit changes when you're off the autoroutes.

Yes that’s the route we’ve used numerous times to get to the Dordogne. N154 is a pretty good road unless you get stuck behind slower moving traffic but it’s a break from the Autoroutes (as good as they are).

[Boxster5]

chriscoates said:

Another option is the A16/A28 to Rouen, then the N154 past Evreux, Dreux and Chartres to pick up the A10 south of Paris. A good chunk of it is still dual carriageway and avoids the chaos of trying to navigate Paris. Google says around 30 minutes longer with no traffic but that can easily be eaten up by jams on the more direct route and it's a more relaxing drive. As the previous poster mentioned just watch out for speed traps and keep a close eye on speed limit changes when you're off the autoroutes.

Yes that’s the route we’ve used numerous times to get to the Dordogne. N154 is a pretty good road unless you get stuck behind slower moving traffic but it’s a break from the Autoroutes (as good as they are).

[trunnie]

It depends what you mean by the Paris ring road. The Péripherique, built on the old town walls, is more likely to be congested and can be "interesting" from a traffic behaviour perspective. The A86, which is the outer ring road and which I think you are referring to is variable. The section that is a moderately expensive toll route, from Rueil Malmaison past Versailles, is a tunnel (known as the Duplex) and due to it having a toll fee is usually quiet (though has speed cameras on the roof of the tunnel), the other sections around Argenteuil where you join the A86 from the A16 and the section after Vélizy to where you join the A6, which turns into the A10 are variable in terms of traffic, but certainly better avoided around morning or evening rush hour. I live close to the Southern A86 so use that stretch regularly. Generally, I'd prefer the A86 over the Péripherique, but would agree that you're more likely to get stuck in a jam around Paris.