Hi,
In March i will be taking a trip to visit friends who live in a small town in Normandy called Vimoutiers. I'm flying from Manchester to Paris and renting a car from the airport. Via Michelin has given me three different routes to take (i'll link below) could anyone advise me on which is the best to take? I will be setting off at approx. 13:00 on a Friday. Thanks!
Based only on looking at the map, I'd pick #2 because it keeps you farther from Paris than the others. Why get onto the Peripherique if you don't have to?
Via Michelin is useful for planning, but its time estimates are probably too low, especially on a Friday afternoon.
Coming only from the UK, you won't have the time change and jet lag issues that make driving on arrival day such a bad idea for those coming from North America.
I have driven many times around Paris following different routes and times and think this are the options you have for driving from CDG to Vimoutiers. There is a lot of slow moving traffic getting worse during rush hour, best to avoid that.
For going to the N12 freeway south of Versailles you have to or can follow the A86 for driving around Paris. You can do that counterclockwise along the westside or clockwise along the eastside. With the first you have to go trough the Duplex toll tunnel part of the A86 east of Versailles, with the latter you can avoid that (follow A3 Nantes-Bordeaux to A86 from CDG). For the CCW option follow A1 St. Denis to A86 from CDG. Both routes have almost the same length, it depends more how lucky you will be not getting stuck in one of the Friday afternoon traffic jams.
Know that between Verneuil sur Avre (Verneuil d’Avre et d’Iton) and Vimoutiers you have to follow local roads and can easily take more time as the routeplanners tell you. That’s the downside taking the N12.
You can also take from Paris the tollroads A13 (direction Rouen) and A28 (direction Le Mans) to Vimoutiers. Follow the A86 clockwise and turn off to A14 near Nanterre (btw not to confuse with Nantes) for driving to the A13.
You can do that clockwise along the westside or counterclockwise along the eastside.
From CDG via A86, would it not be counterclockwise on the west side and clockwise on the east side of Paris if you are driving from the north to west? The OP does not mention going to Versailles, so I would not even consider using A86 to the east of Paris, particularly on a Friday afternoon when traffic can be intense as many leave the city for the weekend. It just adds distance and traffic.
I would agree with Dick that route #2 keeps gobrien31 as far away from traffic as he can be and I would further advise that getting underway as soon as possible would be in gobrien31´s interest to avoid as much traffic as he can.
Thank you for pointing to my mistake, you are right.
Following route #1 around Versailles works only if you are coming from the périphérique. In that case you drive along the north- and westside of Versailles following A13 and A12 for going to the N12. But coming from the A86 is doing this possible too, but you have to pay toll for driving through the Duplex tunnel and to my opinion it’s better to avoid the périphérique and paying if not necessary. The N12 starts south-east of Versailles, following the signposts along the A86 you drive to it, not in to it.
Route #2 is actually what I suggest with the last option I mention. Question is if you gain much time with using local roads N13 and D613 between Mantes-la-Jolie and the A28 instead of following the A13 and A28 only.
Think too that driving to the A14 and later A13 is the quickest way, but it’s up to gobrien31 if it’s worth paying toll or not.
Thanks for your replies, I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out! Bonne journée 😊
