From Calais : Follow the Al 6, then take the A28
signposted Rouen. Choose the N138 through Alencon to Le Mans. Avoid the route via Paris,
as it is much slower (260 miles/six hours).
From Caen : Catch the overnight ferry at Portsmouth. From Caen take the
N158 and the N138 via Alencon to Le Mans. Follow the 'Rocade' ring road south to Tours and
then signs for '24 Hours' (100 miles/three hours).
From Le Havre : Leave Le Havre on the A 131 and cross the bridge. Follow
signs for Lisieux, then take the D597 to Vimoutiers, followed by the D979 to Gace. From
there join the N 138 to Alencon and on to Le Mans. When you get to Le Mans, take the
'Rocade' ring road south to Tours and follow signs for '24 Hours' (130 miles/four hours).
From Cherbourg : Take the N13 to Caen, then the N814 ring road around the
town. Exit onto the N 158 to Falaise, then the N 1 38 via Alencon to Le Mans (170
miles/four hours).
From Dieppe : Take the N27 and follow signs for Rouen. In Rouen, follow
the N138 to Alencon, then Le Mans (190 miles/four hours).
BY TRAIN
Le Shuttle : drive down the M20 directly to the shuttle
terminal at Folkestone. You and your car will be taken under the Channel to Calais in 40
minutes. From Calais follow the road directions listed above.
Eurostar from Waterloo stationin London, take the train and leave your car
behind. Change at Lille for an SNCF train to Le Mans. There are three Le Mans trains a day
(two hours to Lille, one hour 45 minutes to Le Mans). Alternatively, change at Paris Gare
du Nord. You can then get one of the hourly TGV trains from Paris - Gare Montparnasse
direct to Le Mans (three hours to Paris, 55 minutes to Le Mans).
BY AIR
You can fly to Paris and hire a car or take a train to Le Mans (from
Paris Orly 125 miles/one and a half hours; from Paris Charles de Gaulle 145 miles/two
hours).
