File - monpetitcoeur

Directions to La Menantelierre from
The Channel Tunnel
According to Google Maps the distance is 632
Kilometres from the Tunnel to L’Absie taking the
route we normally take, however this distance
probably assumes you go into both Thouars and
Parthenay, more of which later in the directions.
From the Channel Tunnel take the A16
heading for Boulogne.
There are no Street view images for the
Channel Tunnel exit but the signs should be
fairly clear.
On this map you will be on the road going
up towards the large circular pond and
then going round if in an anti-clockwise
direction to get on to the A16 headed for
Boulogne.
Stay on the A16 as you pass Boulogne –
just after exit 29 you approach the first of
two viaducts, the first one has Tolls so be
ready for them.
You need to be heading for Rouen on the
A16 as signposted.
About 100 Km (60 miles) from Calais you
will pass the Baie de Somme services – it is
quite a nice place to stop.
You cannot miss it as it has a large single
wind turbine.
When leaving the Baie de Somme services
you need to ensure you take the A16
heading for Amiens, Paris and Rouen.
About 3 miles after leaving the Baie de
Somme services you need to take the
turning off the A16 at Junction 23 heading
for Abbeville Centre and Rouen.
Once clear of the Tolls you need to be in
the right hand lane and to take the slip
road turning right signposted for the A28
E402 Le Treport, Rouen and Le Harve.
Watch out for the Speed Camera @ 30
miles after getting on to this road!
Keep on the road to Rouen – eventually as
you approach Rouen you will descend a
long hill and enter a tunnel.
This picture is not long before the tunnel
and has height limit barriers in place to
avoid tall trucks getting stuck in the tunnel.
Watch out for the Speed Camera just
before the tunnel!!
THE ELEMENT OF THE ROUTE THROUGH ROUEN IS THE MOST
COMPLICATED PART OF THE JOURNEY SO PLEASE HAVE YOUR WITS
ABOUT YOU WHEN FOLLOWING THIS PART OF THE ROUTE UP
UNTIL YOU GET ON TO THE E5 SOUTH OF ROUEN.
On exiting the tunnel keep on the N28
E402 following the signs for Rouen Centre
and Autres Directions.
Keep on following the signs for Rouen
Centre and Autres Directions – the road is
very twisty and there are quite a few
junctions after you exit the tunnel.
You will see a signpost with the AutoRoute
for Paris, Caen and Le Harve – head in that
direction
The road will change from two lanes to
four lanes and you need to be in the lanes
on the left hand side heading for Paris, Le
Harve, Le Mans and Caen.
As the road splits you will enter a small
tunnel as shown here.
Soon after emerging from the tunnel you
will be crossing the river Seine.
As you cross the river you need to be in the
middle lane.
Follow the signs for the A13 Elbeuf and le
Mans at this point the right hand lane
filters off and you are down to 2 lanes.
DO NOT follow the turning here for the
A13 Elbeuf and Le Mans.
You will now need to be moving over to the
left hand lane as the right hand lane filters
off reducing the road to just one lane going
in the direction of SOTTEVILLE.
From this point it is @ 15 miles to the A13
Autoroute south of Rouen.
The road bends to the right and you are
now on the Boulevard d’Europe. Stay on
this road, it will pass through several traffic
light controlled crossroads.
Eventually you come to a roundabout, you
need to head straight on at this
roundabout.
On exiting the roundabout you will see a
tramline in the middle of the two
carriageways. Continue on this dual
Carriageway.
Eventually you arrive at a roundabout
Follow the signs for the A13 Elbeuf, Le
Mans, Dieppe and Le Harve
Continue on the road heading straight on –
you will again cross one or more Traffic
light controlled Crossroads before
eventually seeing this signpost – you need
to be in the left hand lane heading for the
A13, Elbeuf and Le Mans.
Stay in the left hand lane!!
Shortly after this sign you will go through
an underpass which is only a single lane
wide in each direction.
Soon after emerging from the underpass
you will see a signpost for a roundabout –
you need to head straight on in the
direction of the A13 for Elbeuf and Le Mans
–
NOTE: You may be able to take the
underpass that was under construction –
this will be signposted for the A13 for
Elbeuf and Le Mans.
Once you are the other side of the
Roundabout or the Underpass you are on
the Voie Rapid Sud dual carriageway.
Stay on this dual carriageway as you head
out of Rouen in a southerly direction – you
will go through at least one underpass and
under plenty of bridges before you see this
sign – again ensure you are heading for
Elbeuf and Le Mans on the A13.
Along this dual carriageway do not be
alarmed if you see signs that do not
mention Elbeuf or Le Mans- they do
eventually reappear.
Eventually signs for Calais and Amiens
disappear leaving you just with the choice
of heading for Elbeuf and LeMans on the
A13 and the A28.
You are now on the N138. Keep following
the signs for the A13 and A28 Le Harve,
Caen, Elbeuf and Le Mans. This will mean
staying over to the right hand side.
Eventually the road splits with the left hand
side heading off to Evreuz –
MAKE SURE YOU STAY ON THE RIGHT
HAND SIDE HEADING FOR Le Harve, Caen,
Elbeuf and Le Mans.
Keep heading for Le Harve, Caen and Le
Mans on the N138.
Eventually the N138 narrows down to a
single lane before filtering onto the
You are now on the E5 heading west, you
will see signposts for Le Mans, Alencon,
Caen, Le Harve and Pont Audemer. Stay on
this road.
Heading west on this road you will
Aire Nord de BOSQUET is a services area
which may be worth stopping at as it is a
long way to the next services on the A28 at
Alencon.
After leaving the services you will see a sign
showing that the Autoroute intersection is
approaching.
Take the right hand turn off on to the A28
heading for Bordeaux, Le Mans, Lisieux and
Alencon.
Once you have taken the spur turning for
the A28 you will arrive at the tolls.
Keep heading south on the A28 – it is 174
Km or @ 110 miles to the junction with the
Autoroute on the outskirts of Le Mans.
You may wish to stop at the services at
Alencon
At the end of the A28 you need to take the
right hand turn heading for Rennes, Nantes
and Le Mans Universite
You will have turned on to the E50 & A11
and will be heading up hill.
You will need to get over to the left hand
side as the road splits towards the top of
the hill, you need to be peeling off to the
left headed for Nantes, Angers and Le
Mans Universite.
After @ 45 miles you will reach the
junction for the A85 heading for Saumur
and Tours. Take the right hand turn
signposted for the A85 heading for Saumur
and Tours.
After about 20 miles you will see the signs
for the services at Aire de Longues la
Couait – you may wish to stop here as it is
the last services before you get off the
AutoRoute system.
About 10 miles after the services you will
see the turning for Saumur.
At the roundabout after the Tolls take the
first turning heading for Saumur.
The road crosses over the Autoroute and at
the next roundabout take the second
turning heading for Saumur.
You are now on the D347
After about 3 miles you arrive at a
roundabout – head straight on following
the signs for Saumur, Cholet and Niort.
After crossing the River Loire you need to
be in the left hand lane and follow the
signposts for Niort, Poitiers and Cholet.
After about 3 miles you will have crested a
hill and be heading downhill to a
roundabout – head straight on for Poitiers
and Niort.
After about 3 miles you will arrive at
another roundabout – take the turning
heading for Poitiers and Niort.
You will see a lot of Electricity pylons off to
the left as you head on the D347 for
Poitiers and Niort.
At first roundabout at Montreuil Bellay you
take the road straight on heading for Niort,
Poitiers and Chatellerault
The road loops around by-passing the town
of Montreuil Bellay – after about 3 miles
you will see a sign for a roundabout – take
the turning signposted for Niort.
Approaching Thouars stay on the main
road as it turns gently to the left and rises
over the railway lines outside Thouars.
At the first roundabout after crossing the
railway lines head straight on.
At the next Roundabout head straight on
following the signs for Niort.
At the next Roundabout there will be a big
Super U supermarket to your left – head
straight on for Niort.
At the next roundabout you need to head
straight on heading for Niort, Parthenay
and Bressuire.
There is a Weldom supermarket on the left
hand side as you approach the roundabout.
The road sweeps around to the right and
starts going downhill.
At the roundabout take the second turning
heading for Niort.
The road goes across a small valley with old
building in the town of Thouars visible to
the right and the hotellerie St Jean is on
the left hand side.
At the next roundabout head straight on
for Niort.
You will pass an Aldi on the left and a small
Total garage on the right hand side.
The road continues to climb before
levelling out – at the next roundabout take
the road heading straight on for Niort.
Take the D938 heading for Niort. It is 37 km
or @ 23 miles to Parthenay.
This road is a mix of single and dual
carriageways.
Approaching Parthenay the road goes
gently downhill.
At the roundabout take the first turning
heading to the right towards Niort.
After about a quarter of a mile at the next
roundabout take the second turning
heading for Niort and La Rochelle.
After about 3 miles you need to turn off
the D743 taking the road signposted for La
Roche sur Yon – Le Tallud, Secondigny and
Fontenay le Comte
At the end of the slip road turn right on to
the D949 heading for La Roche, Le Tallud,
Secondigny and Fontenay le Comte.
Stay on the D949 heading West for @ 10
miles to Secondigny.
At Secondigny the road narrows and you
will arrive at a crossroads controlled by
Traffic Lights – head straight on for La
Roche and L’Absie.
After about 10 Kilometres @ 7 miles having
passed through Vernoux en Gatine you will
approach L’Absie. The road dips down and
has a bit of a kink before rising uphill – at
the top of the hill there is a crossroads –
the turning to the right heads for La
Chapelle and Largeasse.
Take the turning on the left signposted for
Le Busseau and St Hilaire de Voust.
Follow the road up the hill and down the
other side to the junction – at the T
junction at the end of this road turn left
heading for St Hilaire and Scille.
After about 300 yards the Traiteur is on
your right hand side – take the right hand
turn heading for St Hilaire de Voust.
I guess you will know the way from here!!