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  Go to Michelin site .......put the start town in and the destination town in ...it will do a route for you let you know how far it is...... what the toll costs will be .....plus the fuel cost and give you the lot  including the time to do the run in hours and minutes.

Even tells you where the speed cameras are !   Good luck ...will be there myself next month . The BB hotels site wiill give you all the locations they are like Travel Lodges 35 euros for a double room  extra 5 for a fry up breakfast........you  help yourself .  

If you take your reference point of Le Mans I can't see how Michelin can say that distances and time are similar. Calais is approx 270 miles from Le Mans and Caen (Ouistreham) I know is 105. Can't advise on toll cost unless you say how you are travelling.

As vanman says, use the Michelin route planner. It'll work everything out for you as long as you put in the correct details.

harryb

Towing a caravan you will pay double what we do with a folding camper - Bless the french they count it as a trailer..  The tolls are not cheap - the bridge at Le Hvre alone costs 5euros, if I remember correctly from last year - and that's before you get to Caen.  I seem to think the cost was in the region of  25euros in total going via Caen.  Cannot comment on Le Mans route - other than to say it may well be the long way round!  You will hit 3 toll roads using this route to Nantes.

You need to carefully balance toll costs against ferry costs, i believe it would take an unusually large toll bill to offset the difference in ferry costs. Calais is approx £125 for car + van, when booked with either CCC or CC. Long crossings, such as Caen or St Malo, are generally nearer £400, more if you go overnight as you will need to book some sort of accomodation. Therefore, excluding fuel costs for the moment, you'd need at least £100 each way in extra toll charges to make it worthwhile from a cost point of view.

It depends what your priorities are and whether you'd rather spend 5 hours on a ferry or driving..

We're doing the Calais-Le Mans-Vendee route in August, as we have family in Loire region. Should be fun!

hi we took that route last year calais to vendee on the way i took the michalin way

wow too expensive 3 tanks of fuel (galaxy + senator camargue) becouse it avoided the tolls

so on way back i took my own route

straight up the 174 i think it was anyway straight up to rennes then accross to cean on toll road ten euros to cross the bridges then from there toll road to calais think that cost around 20 euros

long story short 1 full tank of petrol less 20 miles longer 4 hours shorter so over all saved around 50-60 euros on fuel and restless 4 children cant beet it

i know its quicker from cean to vendee than calais is but calais dover is a lot cheeper in the pocket

if you want the route ill get you it its pinned to my lads wall (he nicks the map every year lol)

The A28 is indeed completed. Has been since just before Christmas! It could shave off a considerable amount of journey time from the NE, but not sure of the toll costs as we haven't used it yet.

If you need a stopover for a few days to rest up, drop us a line, and we'll see what we can do for you?

Quote: Originally posted by Floydfan on 14/2/2006

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The A28 is indeed completed. Has been since just before Christmas! It could shave off a considerable amount of journey time from the NE, but not sure of the toll costs as we haven't used it yet.

If you need a stopover for a few days to rest up, drop us a line, and we'll see what we can do for you?

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Floydfan, I have just taken a look at your website, your place looks fantastic!  I will be in touch soon to arrange something.

Hi Carlito.

Thanks for the compliment, we think it is too! You're welcome here anytime! Just drop us an e-mail?

Thanks PP!

I dunno what you'd call it, but 'giting' sounds ok to me! LOL! It really is a delightful spot, as you say. Even when the winds are gusting in the trees, and the rain's coming down sideways! I have just crossed the courtyard here to get to our grenier where we're working at the 'mo, (converting it into 4 bedrooms and a bathroom), and I just stopped to have a look. The lake's full behind our land, the trees are just starting to bud. The daffs are showing colour, and the birds are going crazy! I just love it here! Hope to see you next year!