The easiest way to Blois

1. From Northern Europe and U.K.

Join highway A1 to Paris, either from Holland or North Germany through Belgium via Namur, Charleroi and the French border, or from Calais and drive the A1 to its bitter end at the Paris entry gate "Porte de la Chapelle". Then take the circular highway around the capital (Boulevard Périphérique), which unfortunately is unavoidable. Traffic is heavy and a little bit crazy here. Be careful with your glider trailer.

Driving through the city of Paris with a glider trailer is nearly impossible. Therefore be extremely careful not to miss the access to the circular highway when arriving at the "Porte de la Chapelle". If you drive straight-on there, you will end-up right into the city without further warning.

Before entering the circular highway, you have the choice between rounding up the city on its east or west side. The east side is preferable, because somewhat shorter, so take one of the left lanes towards "Périphérique Est". Stay on the circular highway until you reach the south side of the city at the "Porte d’Italie". There, you will follow the signs showing highway A6 towards "Lyon" and "Orly Airport". Soon after entering the A6, you will find the first signs showing towards highway A10, "Chartres", "Orléans", Bordeaux. Stay on the right lane and follow these signs.

Highway A 10 really starts in "Palaiseau". From there, straight-on towards the toll-station of "Saint Arnoult".

Just after having taken your ticket there, the highway splits : Right lanes towards "Le Mans" and "Nantes" (A11), left lanes towards "Orléans" and "Bordeaux" (A10). Follow the A10, cross "Orléans" and then turn south-west along the Loire river which will lay approx 3-5 km on your left (You will not see it) and exit highway A10 in "Blois".

After paying the toll, you will have to cross 2 successive roundabouts. At the second, turn right towards Chartres/Le Mans. Then you will follow the highway A10 you just left for maybe 1 km. It will be on your right. At the end you will end-up on another round about where you have to turn right, direction Vendôme. Then drive under a bridge supporting the highway you left a few minutes ago and leave the Cora shopping centre on your right side. Then comes a roundabout: continue straight-on.

You will then cross the villages of "Fossé", "Beauregard" and, after 6 or 7 km "La Chapelle-Vendômoise". Cross this latest village and soon after (maybe 100 or 200 metres) take left towards "Landes le Gaulois" and "Herbault".

After 1 km you will see a very small forestry area on your right side. Immediately after you turn right towards the Farmhouse of Villeroux which you can see 500 metres in front of you.

2. From Eastern Europe and Germany

Cross the French border in Saarbücken on the highway or in Iffezheim/Rastatt on the Rhine river in Alsace.

From there, take highway A4 to Paris.

There are 4 possibilities to round-up the city of Paris :

• Far away : Leave the A4 in Chalons sur Marne and take the highway towards Troyes, then Sens. The highway ends-up in Sens for the time being. From there take road RN 60 towards Montargis and Orléans. The road is OK, although trucks and trailers may give you a hard time. When arriving in Orléans, take highway A10 towards Blois. From my point of view, it is the nicest and cheapest itinerary, but not the shortest. Recommended when traffic is expected to be heavy in the Paris area.

• 30 km short of Paris, take the N 104 towards south (Do not confuse with A 104, which would lead you north !) and follow it until you arrive in Palaiseau and take highway a10 from there.

• Around 10 km short of Paris, take the A86 towards south: Short, but complicated. At a certain time, you will find Yourself driving the A6 back to Paris for a short while. Very disturbing, because you get the impression to be wrong ! At the end, you will also reach Palaiseau and be able to take the A10 from there.

• Drive right to the city border Paris and the circular highway which you enter at the "Porte de Bercy". Then take the "Boulevard Périphérique Sud" and proceed to the Porte d’Italie (rather short distance). From there on, proceed like your colleagues coming from the north. This route is the best if you are sure to reach Paris at a time where no heavy traffic is expected (Sunday morning or at late night). It is the shortest way.

Once you left Paris behind, follow the same procedure as in paragraph 1.

3. Some driving advises

Speed limits :

Highway : 130
Open road : 90
4 lanes road with separation : 110
In town : 50
Circular highway around Paris : 80

Almost unknown, but very tricky : If the road is wet, speed limit is down to 110 on highways and 80 on open roads,

Kilometres per hour, not miles per hour !

Vehicles entering the circular highway in Paris have priority on the first right lane !

Speed limits are valid with or without trailer. Radar checks are frequent and usually well concealed.

Maximum booze concentration is 0,5 mg/l

Police forces are very often at the toll stations on the highways and check if your seat-belt is fastened, also for back-passengers.

When caught at exceeding the speed limit, foreigners must pay a bail of 900 Francs immediately on site. As I never experienced it, I can’t tell if credit cards or eurocheques are accepted. My guess is, they are not ! So better carry enough cash, otherwise your vehicle and its content will be put under custody. What an exciting way to start your holiday !