Travelling to The Dordogne in August

[inkycat]

HELP! We are travelling to the Dordogne on the Saturday the 11th August which i think is the day the French all start their holidays we are getting the 7ish crossing from Folkestone and just do not know which route to take. When we first went to the Dordogne we went via Paris (2005) which was a nightmare, we then went again and went via Rouen, Chartres, Orleans which was slow because of tractors and lorries on a single lane road and we have also done the route via Rouen , Le Mans, Tours but this feels like we are going miles out of our way. Last year we came back via Paris trying to find the A86 but ended up the perph. which wasn't too bad except our satnav kept losing signal but we got through it. I have heard that the A86 has now opened but consists of mainly tunnels and there is supposedly a height restriction (we are taking a roof box on our Estate), but when i go on Via Michelin it won't show that route but the AA route planner does. I prefer the Via michelin route planner its easier to read and shows the tolls Help i am now sooo confused my gut instinct is to stick to the LeMans route as we know it well. Any information or recommendations would be gratefully rcvd.

I put DH on the case:

Having done most ways, last time we went (last year) we took the Rouen, Chartres route. Once through Rouen, the route is improved with dual carriageway between Dreux and Chartres. There is only a 20 minute difference in travel time (dont forget to allow the obligatory 'lost in Rouen' leeway in your plans!).

If it helps your decision the tolls are 20 euros each way via Rouen & Chartres and 40 euros each way via Paris.

We prefer the Rouen route basically because it isnt going via Paris (if we have to go via Paris we use the A104 but it is very bitty and no decent stops)

If it helps you at all 11th August is definately not the day the French start their holidays. Schools break up this Thursday, and the traditional time for holidays is between the bank holidays on 14th July and 15th August.

That is not to say it won't be busy, but maybe not as bad as you fear. The route avoiding Paris is more than an hour longer so that will allow for quite a bit of traffic problems.

My site is showing tolls to be 39? via Paris and 48? via Rouen. The Rouen route is also 10? more expensive in petrol.

I am not a great fan of SAT NAVs particularly in France. When going round Paris on the way down just follow signs for Orleans and Bordeaux and on the way back just keep on the Lille road.