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We are travelling for the first time from Le Havre to Royan area with our folding camper in July. Does anyone have any tips, recommended routes or other advice.

Many Thanks

Check out the viamichelin website or francethisway.com to give you routes and times. I personally would go via Caen, Rennes, Nantes as you are dual carraigeway/motorway to south of Nantes and because that route is virtually toll free as the other option via Le Man, Tours, Poitier is not. The first route is a lot of the way through Brittany and they dont charge for their autoroutes, everywhere else does.

Still a fair drive whichever route you take but take it steady and have a couple of stops and enjoy it as part of the holiday

Further to my last post I checked out viamichelin for you which gave the following:

Caen/Rennes/Nantes - 377 miles (312 on motorway)

Toll cost £10.81 GBP - Time 6 hours 33 min

Le Mans/Tours/Poitiers - 378 miles (342 on motorway)

Toll cost £43.58 GBP - Time 6 hours 04 min

Think I would rather take half an hour longer and save £33.

Having travelled the route many times we prefer the Le Mans - Tours - Poitiers off at Saintes route  -  yes it costs in tolls but there is a partial saving in fuel consumption ( extra 5mpg in our case) over the approx 350 miles of autroute.  It is possibly also easier for a first timer, access to service stations etc. if need be.  Also I have found the travel time difference to be much greater than viamichelin has quoted. 

Below Nantes to Royan can be time consuming (N137 now D137) has holdups in villages.

However we have used the Caen, Rennes route when we have wanted to stop over at Rennes and above Nantes it is pretty easy.

Juliesh - you hit on a site yet? if not what are you looking for?

Quote: Originally posted by jandjstott on 08/6/2011

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Further to my last post I checked out viamichelin for you which gave the following:

Caen/Rennes/Nantes - 377 miles (312 on motorway)

Toll cost £10.81 GBP - Time 6 hours 33 min

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Hi Llanidavis,

Checked again and it has come up with a different figure of £13.38 for tolls. This route is over the Pont Normandy which is a toll bridge and another couple of short sections which are toll. I used the michelin recommended route so it obviously thinks Pont Normandy is the best route.