Paris Ringroad

[Busman]

Annual holiday being taken in Limousin area this year at end of July,have not had pleasure of this famous route before and was wondering if anyone else has had any experience on a Saturday morning at approx 10am, or should i take longer route ie Rouen/Le Mans ect.

[Davetheref]

Been round it a few times in the past at different times of the year and day. Always a bit busy and you can never tell especially with the French having holidays at wierd times. If you pick the wrong weekend it can be a nightmare. Best thing to do is check if that is potenially a busy French weekend i.e. bank holiday etc. If not you should be ok at that time.

[Andrew T]

Going down to Western France a couple of years ago I tried to avoid Paris by going to Rouen and then South on the old Routes National to emerge on the Paris-Bordeux Autoroute somewhere near Chateau Reneault, and I certainly wouldn't reccomend it. S.Rouen was a bottle neck and once clear of it you are slowed down by a Village with a 40KMH speed limit and pedestrian crossings every four or five miles. It was pain in the arse of a route which I will never use again. By contrast we came back through Paris (at 10.00am on a Friday) and it was easy. A hint for Navigating around paris is look for a long distance destination and just keep following that at every junction. If you're heading back for calais follow "Lille" If you're heading anywhere West use "Bordeaux".

[AndeeeH]

The A28 is now complete from Rouen to Le Mans so my preferred route for bypassing the potential traffic nightmare around Paris would be the A16 from Calais to Abbeville, the A28 from Abbeville to Rouen, N28-N338 through Rouen, turn right onto the A13 south of Rouen, after 6 miles rejoin the A28 heading south for Le Mans, by-pass Le Mans on the A11, rejoin the A28 towards Tours then join the A10 Paris-Bordeaux heading for Poitiers. Have a great trip, :lol: Andy.

[El Dingo]

I think you'll be just fine at 10:00am on a Saturday in late July... Mind you, the caravan might not prove so popular! :lol:

The worst time (IMHO) is 4pm on a Friday. For really good fun try the Arc de Triomphe (with or without trailer) - it just defies logic (or at least defies logic if you learnt to drive in Blighty).

Edited May 27, 2007 by El Dingo

[Dave-G]

I'd rather take all saturday morning going round Paris Hilton :P

[Sher]

The French start to evacuate Paris at the end of July and head South with some of the most horric accidents and traffic tailbacks.

So if you are one week ahead of the main rush it will still be busier than usual as people arrange to escape early.

 

If you can manage it try after 2a.m. and before 6a.m. ( no later)

 

France has a similar population to the UK but manages to kill about 9000 per annum on its roads.

In the UK we manage about 3000. If you compare this with the Dutch and compensate for their smaller population we have about the same mortality rate

 

Makes UK drivers quite reasonable despite all the hype.

 

The Periferique with a caravan is just not worth the effort any time of day and perhaps most of the night.

 

Passing around Lyon is also a bit of a nightmare but better than Paris.

[Busman]

Good advice, thanks so far we did go down to angers area last year advoiding Paris and found Motorways quiet and easy to drive on without seeing any breakdown or accidents in 360 miles on 1\2 tank of diesel ,however got myself a tom tom this year and forgot to mention i dont have a caravan just a topbox and 3 bike tailgate carrier.

[philip]

Annual holiday being taken in Limousin area this year at end of July,have not had pleasure of this famous route before and was wondering if anyone else has had any experience on a Saturday morning at approx 10am, or should i take longer route ie Rouen/Le Mans ect.

It is not a good idea to travel any ware in france on saturday in july, as all perisians start there holidays and there is usually 10 mile jams recomend you go during the week on sunday. Rouen is a good way to go as they have inproved the moerway network get a new map

Philip

[Ex-Vec]

Late reply, but just got back from a few weeks away.

 

 

As an ex European Coach Driver I can whole heartly agree with the stay away comments. The Peripherique or to call it by it's UK Coach and Truck drivers nickname "The Terror-pherique" is no place for man and caravan at the end of July on a saturday morning. The bit about 2am to 6am doesn't always work in your favour as the often close great parts of it to you have to go the long way around wether it be East or West., Est or Oeust, and it gets busy even then!

 

Go an alternative route, after driving 40 foot 18 tonnes for years around this route, I would NOT even take my own car around it, let alone with my caravan!!!

[mikeohope]

"Rouen is a good way to go as they have inproved the moerway network get a new map"

 

 

 

Has this changed since last year? Went through Rouen on a Saturday last year and it was an absolute nightmare.

Edited June 24, 2007 by mikeohope