Directions to La Verdonnerie

Arriving in France at Calais take A16 motorway towatds Amiens and at exit 23 (Abbeville) leave motorway and transfer to A28 motorway to Rouen. At Rouen you come down through a tunnel, cross the river and then turn right and follow signs to A13 motorway to Paris and Caen; on reaching motorway head towards Caen and then take the A28 towards Le Mans. At Le Mans transfer to A11 direction Paris for 5 minutes then return to the A28 to Tours, where you join the A10 direction Bordeaux to cross Tours.  

Leave A10 at exit 25 (24 to 25 is a fairly long leg – and beware of new exit 24.1) and turn right to Ste Maure; after c 300m turn right at roundabout onto bypass, and then at next roundabout take second exit onto the D910, direction Poitiers. Continue (c 5 miles) on D910 until you reach a roundabout as you approach La Celle St Avant where you turn left towards Descartes on the D750. Straight over a roundabout at Le Grignon, and at next roundabout take third exit to bypass signed ” Le Blanc” (do not follow sign to Balesmes/Descartes). At the next roundabout take third exit towards Sepmes and Civray (D101) and after half a mile take the left hand road towards Sepmes when the road forks. La Verdonnerie is signed at the next turning to right (half a mile) – go up short hill and take first turn to left and we are the green gate, with gravel drive, just before the tarmac stops. The owners or housekeeper will normally be there to welcome you, but if not you will find the house open.

Driving time from Calais is around 5.5 hours, plus whatever breaks you choose to make. Apart from the sections around Calais, Rouen and Tours the traffic is usually light.

NB This route avoids Paris. If you want to try it, then from Calais take A26 to Arras, then A1 to Paris; at Paris follow signs to Bordeaux (A3, A6 and A10) and you will eventually get on to the A10 and arrive at Tours. If you get a clear run this route is very direct, but both Paris and the start of the A10 can be very congested – especially at peak holiday periods - and you do not see the centre of the city. The A28 motorway is much easier driving.