Driving Directions to Ancinnes, near Alençon

We are 9km - 10 minutes - from the A28 Exit 19 Alençon South (coming from the north) or the A28 Exit 20 Rouessé-Fontaine (from the south).

We are in the village centre but the house is out of sight from the main road. Our driveway is marked by a circular, green and yellow "Gites de France" sign next to a Cross, on the left 50 metres downhill from the church.

Crossing the Channel to Normandy

Normandy and Western France are extremely well served by ferry services from Britain and Ireland. If arriving by ferry or Eurotunnel, click on the port in the box (top right) to see a route map and approximate drive time.

 

Channel Ferries and Eurotunnel - which route?

There are many options so it depends on what port/price combination is best for you.

Bear in mind that the shortest ferry crossings from England to France tend to leave the longest drive on the French side, but are generally quicker overall. Even from Boulogne, the drive can be done in about 3 hours 30 minutes without breaking any speed limits, but it is best to allow a little extra for stops and delays en route.

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Rail travel in France

We are 10 minutes from the railway station at Alençon, which is served by frequent trains from Caen and Le Mans. Le Mans is served by both high-speed and regular trains from Paris Montparnasse.

Journey time:
Le Mans to Alençon in 30 minutes
Caen to Alençon in 1hr 10 mins
Paris to Alençon via Le Mans in just over 2 hours

The French train companies are TGV, Corail and TER; timetables can be checked and tickets purchased online from Rail Europe.

Car Hire or Public Transport ?

If arriving by train or plane (nearest airports Tours or Paris) then you really MUST hire a car in order to enjoy a stay in rural or semi-rural France. Public transport is virtually non-existent outside major towns and taxis are expensive, plus they are in short supply in evenings (they have to be booked well ahead).

How much does car hire cost in France? Well, at time of writing in 2010 you can hire a car for 3 days for under £115 from Tours airport - see here: novacarhire.com. You could easily spend more than that on train fares and a few taxis, not to mention time wasted waiting for taxis and train connections and the freedom that having your own wheels gives you!

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