2018 anniversary trip 200 / 100 max miles per day for 22 days

[funflair]

I didn't see any of the trucks sticking to the 80kph when we travelled the N154 and a bit of the N10 just a few weeks ago.

Martin

 

[peterc10]

80kph will be boring enough on those long straight country roads but the N10 is almost motorway standard. Get in a long convoy of trucks that you can't pass (legally) and you are soon yawning. I really can't understand why the limits were introduced.
What effect the general 80kph limit will have on truck drivers remains to be seen. I expect to still have them breathing down my law abiding (mostly )neck.

Richard.

I think the 80kph only applies to single carriageways, not dual carriageways. Having said that large lengths of the N10 already have 80kph limits for anything over 3.5t anyway, even though they are dual carriageways. And over 3.5t and you are not allowed in the outside lane to overtake as well!

 

[DavidG58]

Just had what my daughters would call an epic fail

Turned into Le Clerc car park off a roundabout, or so I thought, I was now committed to fuel only, luckily a 3.4m canopy so 3.33 with sat dome just cleared but unlike virtually every other supermarket fuel stop this one still had a caisse and one of the tightest turns and narrowest exit roads ever

So my option now was to reverse out of the fuel area round a blind bend shielded by huge conifers, which led to my misroute in the first place, or take on the exit


The entrance also came straight off a roundabout so really wasn’t on so took on the exit, then realised it wasn’t a caisse although the kiosk was there as an auto pay point with a barrier

We had not bought fuel, so even if I could get into the exit lane we had nothing to pay for, contemplated entering the pump number for the moped just filling leave them confused and stuck but fuel paid for

Then luckily spotted that there was actually still Someone inside the kiosk, really just as well because backing out through pumps with a queue already behind me really wasn’t an option now

Now parked 50m further on in car park waiting for my BP to recover to normal levels while Bev shops for fruit tarts to go with the new dessert wine later

Edit - I should add the girl in the kiosk just gave us a bemused look and raised the barrier, no need for words

 

[Oscar]

You poor sod - we feel your pain, been there, done that & got the scars to prove it Hope your day gets better

Alb & Elaine

 

[Lenny HB]

B

I totally agree, but it is free and we are heading north (home) so cash poor and just need to cover miles

On the weight front, we have noticed far more weight limits of 3.5T on town and smaller country roads, some have a lorry symbol so we then reckon they mean lorries only, but an awful lot just quote the weight

I hated it, got flashed loads of times, cut across to the A20 that is free from just south of Orleans to Brive and a much better road.
Haven't they now turned the N10 south of Bordeaux into a toll road?

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[Lenny HB]

80kph will be boring enough on those long straight country roads but the N10 is almost motorway standard. Get in a long convoy of trucks that you can't pass (legally) and you are soon yawning. I really can't understand why the limits were introduced.
What effect the general 80kph limit will have on truck drivers remains to be seen. I expect to still have them breathing down my law abiding (mostly )neck.

Richard.

Won't have any effect the limit hasn't changed for over 3500 kg always been 80kmh.

 

[Lenny HB]

Just had what my daughters would call an epic fail

Turned into Le Clerc car park off a roundabout, or so I thought, I was now committed to fuel only, luckily a 3.4m canopy so 3.33 with sat dome just cleared but unlike virtually every other supermarket fuel stop this one still had a caisse and one of the tightest turns and narrowest exit roads ever

So my option now was to reverse out of the fuel area round a blind bend shielded by huge conifers, which led to my misroute in the first place, or take on the exit


The entrance also came straight off a roundabout so really wasn’t on so took on the exit, then realised it wasn’t a caisse although the kiosk was there as an auto pay point with a barrier

We had not bought fuel, so even if I could get into the exit lane we had nothing to pay for, contemplated entering the pump number for the moped just filling leave them confused and stuck but fuel paid for

Then luckily spotted that there was actually still Someone inside the kiosk, really just as well because backing out through pumps with a queue already behind me really wasn’t an option now

Now parked 50m further on in car park waiting for my BP to recover to normal levels while Bev shops for fruit tarts to go with the new dessert wine later

Edit - I should add the girl in the kiosk just gave us a bemused look and raised the barrier, no need for words

Steer clear of the Auchan on the west side of Orleans, only went in the petrol station to turn round, fully automated with barriers at the exit so narrow between the bollards only just squeezed our 2.22m wide van through no chance if you are 2.35m wide.

 

[funflair]

B
I hated it, got flashed loads of times, cut across to the A20 that is free from just south of Orleans to Brive and a much better road.
Haven't they now turned the N10 south of Bordeaux into a toll road?

The A20 to Brive is indeed free but if you want to go further South you are then on toll roads the N10 South of Bordeaux has I think 3 toll booths as opposed to toll sections so you can quite easily get around them driving less than 7500kg, I say quite easily except the last one if you are heading to the border with Spain will take you via Bairritz and a few other coastal towns, might be OK at the start of the day but not at the end of a long day and that's even for me a fanatical "non toll" user.

Martin

 

[Clarky]

We used the N10 south from Bordeaux in December but decided that trying to bypass the tolls, which we did the last time we went that way, just wasn't worth the agro and extra distance. Just paid up and enjoyed an easy run to Biarritz.

Richard.

 

[Lenny HB]

We used the N10 south from Bordeaux in December but decided that trying to bypass the tolls, which we did the last time we went that way, just wasn't worth the agro and extra distance. Just paid up and enjoyed an easy run to Biarritz.

Richard.

How much?
I'm allergic to tolls.

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[Oscar]

We did this route late January this year from Portugal, in Spain we paid 2.52 euros at the toll just before Irun, then 2.60 euros just before leaving Spain, 3.50 euros at J4 on A63, 5.50 euros at J8 on A63, 90 cents at J23 on A10 and another 90 cents at J19 of the A10. It was exactly the same on the journey out to Portugal. At that time we had a 7.4m Autotrail weighing 3.9 tonnes and went through as Classe 2

 

[Clarky]

Won't have any effect the limit hasn't changed for over 3500 kg always been 80kmh.

You and I know that Lenny but has anyone told the truck drivers?
The standard speed for trucks on single carriageway French roads seems to be 86-87kph...........unless approaching a known speed camera when they will magically slow down.

Richard.

 

[Clarky]

How much?
I'm allergic to tolls.

So am I, but some times it's just worth biting the bullet and paying up.
From my records the tolls from Bordeaux to Biarritz were €5.40 x2. €5.90 and €1.90.
From Biarritz to the border with Spain was €1.90, €2.60 and €2.43??
All according to the navigators notes.

Richard.

 

[funflair]

They wanted €14 off us for class 3 for the same toll as was €5.40 for class 2 thats why I avoid tolls, OK I know it our fault for having a big heavy van and before anyone suggests it pushing the button very rarely works as let's face it we are class 3 so how can I argue it.

I would rather have a big van and avoid the tolls than have something that would go through as class 2 though

Martin

 

[DavidG58]

Well we have arrived nice and early at today’s stop, a free aire in the outskirts of Roullen St Estephe a few miles south of Angouleme. Even better Phil and Andrea were not long behind us

I am now convinced that at least in this area 3t weight limits are appearing all over the place. Today we got banjaxed at Libourne on our way from Bergerac to the N10 the only option was Bordeaux or virtually double back, we couldn’t go into Libourne to get to the D670 towards the N10. Having been forced right we then missed a critical turn but found our way

And got here before the Boulanger closed and the rugby started

The local church has wire cages all over to stop pidgeons roosting, but they overlooked a design feature / flaw

Only 7C here but as ever lovely behind glass

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[DavidG58]

Up for bacon butties with P & A before dumping duty and refilling clean from free service point

Drove back through the village to the artisan boulangerie which we went to yesterday and were pleased to see they open on Sundays, things have changed a lot in France over the years

If stopping here the boulanerie we used is on the far side of the village about 100m further on from the first you will bump into which was shut all weekend. The whole village is only about 100m across and only about 200m from the aire

Just stopped a lovely wooded aire about 20 miles south of Poitiers on N10 having failed to even park at one just before due to lorries, it’s lovely not to share the road with them on Sundays but parking is much harder

But this made up for it

On our way to Saumur got a couple of aire choices there, partly depending on weight restriction crossing the Loire

 

[Scout]

David thanks for your conpany last nightm we really enjoyed it, have you arrived yet? We got here around 4:30 i managed to get the sat nav working again using you method, it took us right to the camperstop . I got flashed by a speed camara going unto some road works on the a63. Enjoy you run home

 

[DavidG58]

we have followed your lead P & A, ended up in Bauge, when you said the name it seemed familiar but the photos on CC didn't give me a clue, but as we got close I remembered it. looked up Bevs records, we were here in Feb 2016, that time my Sat nag brought us in via the old town roads that were very marginal on width, this time coming in from the south it was so much easier

Although we did our best to complicate it , looked at a couple of aire options in Saumur, or just on the outskirts, but north of the Loire, which gave an option for an alternative route in with a river crossing outside of the town, we then decided to go a little further north picking Bauge, but stuck with the 'alternative' route

Firstly it took us on two of the longest straightest bits of road we have possibly ever used, although France does have plenty of very straight roads, the whole route on google maps is 99km, when you take the turn to Saumur about 10 miles out from Poitiers, it is then dead straight until about 10miles short of Saumur apart from passing round 2 towns mid way

we actually went straight on at Fontevard l'Abbaye bumping into this bridge issue that we hadn't expected

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@47.2...4!1sgKf8tK5B349E9hGCKzWnjg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

even as you approach the metal structure it doesn't look too bad, we knew we would fit for height, but about 50 yds in a warning sign says something about 2m, I think what it means is the road is literally 4m wide, it did seem narrow but luckily for us we were following a transit sized van who suddenly put his hazards on as a car approached which only just got past him and barely passed us

The van then left his hazard lights on and straddled the white line and drove a bit quicker across, I chose to keep up with him and nothing else entered the bridge which is about 400m long at a guess, had a van or worse another MH entered the structure from the other direction we literally could not have passed, a road to avoid

just used google street view to look from other direction, they do have this sign going south, which is a larger version of what I saw part way over for the first time

but it all adds to the fun , this is where we are tonight

 

[Oscar]

David, we also got caught out on that same bridge in July! As you say from that direction you are on it without much warning, we crossed it as fast as we could, but had to pull over when a car came in the opposite direction, which resulted in a loud crash as our wing mirror hit the barriers. We did wonder why the sat nag didn't warn us!

Alb & Elaine

 

[DavidG58]

couple of fuel and budget updates

No fuel yesterday, small supermarket shop, then boulangerie, total €22

swapped gas cylinders again last night, another 8 days only one on hook up and still very cold and all meals eaten in so not at all bad

today needed fuel again, drove into Loudun south of Saumur to avoid conflict with auto pay and tight access at supermarket option, found a Total garage, attended service by a young mademoiselle I had pulled up by the super fuel not normal, but only a few cents more €1.47 instead of €1.43, but attended service on a Sunday as well €94 more cash given away and probably still not enough to quite get us back to Calais

Vet booked for tomorrow 16:15 at La Mailleraye, €14 plus worm tablet, price depends on weighing Lola first

then to decide between a meal out at Montrieul sur mer then an early dash for the chunnel on Weds, or slum it in the supermarket car park that everybody apart from me raves about at Cite de Europe and a few minutes more sleep in the morning

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[Scout]

David we we on the pitch next to the one with the works van, there is free electric if you can find a socket on the bourne multi plug. That bridge is horrendous we didnt like doing it in a car let alone a mo ho, safe onwards travel, were billy no mates here mo ho keep pulling on and then off, i hope they dont know something we dont

 

[DavidG58]

forgot to add miles, today we did 152 with almost identical to do tomorrow, yesterday was 99 miles

 

[DavidG58]

as really can only happen to us, having only just said we might eat out at Montreuil we decided to confirm our crossing time on Wednesday

well, sometime ago we must have decided to cross on Tuesday, I do seem to recall suggesting Canterbury overnight on Tuesday before taking on the drive through the UK, we just forgot to lodge it properly in the memory bank

as it happens it just works with the vets timing, but only just we will then drive straight to the tunnel on Tuesday morning, crossing back at 18:20

 

[FIDGET]

Hi David , I think you will find it's 15 euro's at the vets , or was sept last year for our cocker.

 

[Figaro]

I still have a smudge of paint on my mirror from that bridge in Saumur. Already committed when I saw the 2 metre sign and met a MoHo coming other way !
He was able to fold mirrors in and there wasn't more than a cigarette paper between us. I just gently scraped the mirror on steelwork.
Not a bridge I want encounter again.

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[gus-lopez]

Just stopped a lovely wooded aire about 20 miles south of Poitiers on N10 having failed to even park at one just before due to lorries, it’s lovely not to share the road with them on Sundays but parking is much harder

But this made up for it

View attachment 215352

View attachment 215353

On our way to Saumur got a couple of aire choices there, partly depending on weight restriction crossing the Loire

Yes there area couple of nice ones along there.

 

[Clarky]

We have been over that bridge too. It was a few years ago and I still remember it. Now we bypass Saumur to the east where the road is dual carriageway and head down to Montreuil-Bellay with its free aire, just south of Saumur.

Richard.

 

[jollyrodger]

Did you miss this one David on the D374 near Anglers ?
Usually stop there as free ehu and individual hedged off pitches

https://www.campercontact.com/en/fr...home-parking-aire-de-repos-de-la-briande.aspx

Not a lot else there but tourist info,(free WiFi)but quiet ,

 

[Kim H]

as really can only happen to us, having only just said we might eat out at Montreuil we decided to confirm our crossing time on Wednesday

well, sometime ago we must have decided to cross on Tuesday, I do seem to recall suggesting Canterbury overnight on Tuesday before taking on the drive through the UK, we just forgot to lodge it properly in the memory bank

If you were mine, we wouldn't be talking now

 

[Dizzy Izzy]

We went over that bridge last June,no warning from Sat Nav...scary !

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