Driving routes in Normandy France!!!
Discussion
Yes at last am taking TVR across to France this Sunday a week driving around Normandy with the misses!! Rouen,Caen,Bayeux,St Mont Michel,down to Sees,Chatres,back u to Paris,Beauvais,Calais!!! mega.My first trip abroad in the TVR,does anybody have any tips and advice please,on all aspects,and some possible nice roads around the places I've mention.
Any info most welcome.Have got my 4.4ml to the inch AA road map of France and have got ideas already,but heah any input welcome.
Cheers guys & dolls
P-lou
Any info most welcome.Have got my 4.4ml to the inch AA road map of France and have got ideas already,but heah any input welcome.
Cheers guys & dolls
P-lou
Autoroutes are smooth and boring... unless you need to get somewhere quickly I wouldn't bother. Far more fun to take the local roads or buzz through the towns - you get to see so much more 
Off the big roads the quality can vary... felt like the suspension was earning its money as I toured through France and Spain.
There are plenty of places to have a break on the N roads, so take advantage of them... get some fresh food from the local shops and it's cheaper too... far more fun.
The French seem to like TVRs so it's not unusual to come back to find you car surrounded... they're perfectly nice and just interested in what it is.
Be careful with the road signage.. they don't use them in the same way we do... no point in looking for the Nxxx to somewhere - just look for a destination in the direction you want to go...! It's a bit odd, till you get used to it.
Other than that.. enjoy... oh, and if you've not booked anywhere buy the Alistair Sawday B&B guide to France - worth EVERY penny.
Off the big roads the quality can vary... felt like the suspension was earning its money as I toured through France and Spain. There are plenty of places to have a break on the N roads, so take advantage of them... get some fresh food from the local shops and it's cheaper too... far more fun.
The French seem to like TVRs so it's not unusual to come back to find you car surrounded... they're perfectly nice and just interested in what it is.
Be careful with the road signage.. they don't use them in the same way we do... no point in looking for the Nxxx to somewhere - just look for a destination in the direction you want to go...! It's a bit odd, till you get used to it.
Other than that.. enjoy... oh, and if you've not booked anywhere buy the Alistair Sawday B&B guide to France - worth EVERY penny.
P-Lou,
I haven't any particular roads in mind to mention as I generally jest keep off the autoroutes, going through the country roads,villages and towns and always head for the centre-ville if poss you'll feel as though you're streaking through Oxford street the way heads turn.
I have previously stayed at the Hotel Luxembourg in Bayeux, excellent hospitality, food and if you're a little paranoid about safety like me, the Hotel has secure parking, as you drive through an archway which has the gates locked @ 10.00pm and opened only by the night porter.
The above said I have never had anything other than good comments and admiration about the car when in France, the French have totally different attitudes about personal property and belongings etc than we encounter in the UK.
In my experience they do not seem to envy anyone that appears to be more affluent than themselves, they just get on with enjoying the life they have. This is borne out by experiences with the villagers I have met through our friends, that have properties in the Breton region.
I hope you enjoy your travels as much as we have done in this region, TVR's were built for roads and countryside like what you are about encounter.
Best Regards,
James Sim.
I haven't any particular roads in mind to mention as I generally jest keep off the autoroutes, going through the country roads,villages and towns and always head for the centre-ville if poss you'll feel as though you're streaking through Oxford street the way heads turn.
I have previously stayed at the Hotel Luxembourg in Bayeux, excellent hospitality, food and if you're a little paranoid about safety like me, the Hotel has secure parking, as you drive through an archway which has the gates locked @ 10.00pm and opened only by the night porter.
The above said I have never had anything other than good comments and admiration about the car when in France, the French have totally different attitudes about personal property and belongings etc than we encounter in the UK.
In my experience they do not seem to envy anyone that appears to be more affluent than themselves, they just get on with enjoying the life they have. This is borne out by experiences with the villagers I have met through our friends, that have properties in the Breton region.
I hope you enjoy your travels as much as we have done in this region, TVR's were built for roads and countryside like what you are about encounter.
Best Regards,
James Sim.
Hi Everyone
Many thanks for all of your replies to my posting,loved the pictures really nice.All your comments and advice have been most helpful and reassuring and am really looking forward to our weeks holiday,still a bit nervy about driving in central Paris,but heh ho am sure it'll be fine.
After all I did win the Autotest competition at Back Home 2002 so quite good at tight manouveres!!
I've got all the accomodation pre booked on the internet,much cheaper,we are staying in a Chateux near St Lo one evening its at
www.chateau-de-la-roque.fr/uk/index.html looks really nice.
Cheers Keith Hearnshaw
Many thanks for all of your replies to my posting,loved the pictures really nice.All your comments and advice have been most helpful and reassuring and am really looking forward to our weeks holiday,still a bit nervy about driving in central Paris,but heh ho am sure it'll be fine.
After all I did win the Autotest competition at Back Home 2002 so quite good at tight manouveres!!
I've got all the accomodation pre booked on the internet,much cheaper,we are staying in a Chateux near St Lo one evening its at
www.chateau-de-la-roque.fr/uk/index.html looks really nice.
Cheers Keith Hearnshaw
Went there in may for the bank holiday. We took d roads the whole way down and we stayed at a little chateau we know between lisieux and caen www.chateaulesbruyeres.com/ I can highly recommend it but it sounds like you are sorted.
As for roads, I am yet to find a single road in france thats not a pleasure to drive in a tvr. But we found a greate gorge south of caen that we enjoyed driving through.
But... just watch out for the speed traps on straight roads!
Also, never under estimate the time it takes to get across the huge country. Calais to caen on d roads took all day!
Finally I can only echo the french's love of TVR's. When we went with furball5000 we had a great time and the two trips we have taken have shown the french really do like a quality british motor!
As for roads, I am yet to find a single road in france thats not a pleasure to drive in a tvr. But we found a greate gorge south of caen that we enjoyed driving through.
But... just watch out for the speed traps on straight roads!
Also, never under estimate the time it takes to get across the huge country. Calais to caen on d roads took all day!
Finally I can only echo the french's love of TVR's. When we went with furball5000 we had a great time and the two trips we have taken have shown the french really do like a quality british motor!
Why don't you come to the south East (it s the mooment, the weather is fantastic!!!)!
A Cerbera owner we met at LeMans came yesterday from Perpignan he was coming back from Malaga...
He made a detour just to come to see us and we were very happy! And we can take a look at your car before you take the road again on the way back to home.
I know some absolutely amazing roads round here!
Cheers
Romain
A Cerbera owner we met at LeMans came yesterday from Perpignan he was coming back from Malaga...
He made a detour just to come to see us and we were very happy! And we can take a look at your car before you take the road again on the way back to home.
I know some absolutely amazing roads round here!
Cheers
Romain
brentstevens said:
Unrepentant
Is your second photo of a small chateau just outside Bayeux (walking distance)? Forgotten the name as it's about 6 years since I last went there.
Planning a trip to Normandy in November and wondered if it was still as good as I remember it.
Brent
No, its at Monhoudou, between Alencon and le Mans.
These Chateaus all look the same.
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