LE MOULIN VERNEAU, PARCAY-LES-PINS, 49490, MAINE-ET-LOIRE,

There are several ways to reach us. We use the Eurotunnel so our journey begins on the motorway at Calais. It takes around 51/2 hours if not totally ignoring speed limits, that includes a brief stop or two for fuel and ‘comfort breaks’. You can enter Le Moulin Verneau on google maps/ imaps and some SatNavs and it should come up. There is no road name or number, it’s the countryside you know!

This is our tried & tested route.

From Eurotunnel exit/Calais take the A16 towards Abbeville & ROUEN

At Abbeville we join the A28, to ROUEN.

As you approach Rouen, you go through a long tunnel, from this point there is a short period of concentration required to get across the city.

Follow signs for A28 & A13 Le Mans

As you enter the city centre you will cross the river on the bridge (Pont Mathilde) keep in the right-hand lane, there are two slip roads off right. Take the 2nd slip road in the direction of D18/E402/E46/A13. I know – it sounds vague, trust me. → →

You will drive through the industrial area, with train lines on your right, industrial parks on your left and lots of sets of traffic lights. You’ll eventually pass the tall chimneys on your left before you reach a roundabout with life-size cows on it! Go straight ahead here, and after a minute or two another roundabout with columns in the middle! Shortly after there is a slip road off to join A13.

Continue to head towards the A13 in the direction of CAEN/LE HAVRE. You are on the A13 for about 10-15 minutes before re-joining the A28 in the direction of LE MANS. You’ll see an enormous grey-patchwork warehouse as you rejoin the A28.

[We usually stop around half way at the Aire Domaine de Harcourt as we have the dogs. It has loos (not special) and a small café but nothing else. If you want a proper service station (with better loos) there are many, but we sometimes break at Aire/Services Harras, which is about 20 minutes after D.Harcourt, so about 40 minutes after Rouen.]

Stay on the A28 for 100 miles TO LE MANS – you have two options at this point.

1. You can head in the direction of Tours on the A28, and then use Sat Nav to navigate via Le Lude & Noyant to Parcay- les-Pins then imaps for Le Moulin Verneau. (About 30 miles off motorway).

OR, as we do…

2. Head towards and NANTES on the A11, (this route has more motorway, so is a good mile cruncher.) (About 15 miles off motorway)

[SatNavs may give you a further option to exit the A11 in the direction of Bauge-en-Anjou, which is another route we have taken. The roads are still good, but not motorway. After Bauge you would head towards Noyant/Breille and then into and out the other side of Parcay-les-Pins, if you do this, you would have to rely on google/imaps not the local directions below.]

Our tried and tested route is to stay on the A11 until A85 /Tours coming off at Junction 3 - SAUMUR, and after the toll station take the 3rd exit off the roundabout (left) to VERNANTES.

There is another roundabout, go straight across, still heading to VERNANTES. The road is long and forested until you come into VERNANTES.

DETAILED LOCAL DIRECTIONS FROM VERNANTES. (useless if you come from another direction).

After the tiny (Super U) Superette on your right, then the hotel Le Pelican on your left, and the Pharmacy on your right, turn right on the D58 towards VERNOIL-LE-FOURRIER. You’ll drive between the two churches. As you leave Vernantes, and enter VERNOIL-LE FOURRIER, there is large Super U on your left, on a small roundabout. Go straight ahead here, passing the Town Hall, with flags outside, on your left. Take the left turn between Le Myrianne 2 Bar, and the Pharmacy, signposted to PARCAY-LES-PINS D53

Follow this road through farmland, and after a couple of miles passing a lovely long cottage on your left-hand side, set amongst the trees. It’s called Pont Renaud.

After about another mile there is a staggered crossroads up a slight hill. There is a small cross and a property map, by the side of the road on the right-hand side, turn right here.

Follow this road through the trees, and it bends left,

Turn right towards the poly tunnels and the farm, La Pelouse which will be on your left.

At the next crossroads turn left and Le Moulin Verneau is on your left.

If you follow SatNav or Google/iMaps, you are likely to arrive from the North of Parcay-les-Pins, travelling through Le Lude and Noyant. (& La Pellerine).

Do not enter the village but take the D53 out of Parcay-les-Pins towards Vernoil-le-Fourrier and Vernantes. After a couple of miles, you’ll come to the staggered crossroads as mentioned above, but from the other direction so you you’ll be turning left instead of right. You can then follow the remaining directions as above.