Susan and I have driven to Tours many times. It takes about an hour 20 minutes, which, using the Australian rule of thumb must mean it is a distance of about 100km when you take into consideration all the villages you drive through.
I was playing around with Google Maps the other day, and just out of curiousity used the "directions" function to see how it would get us from home to Tours. For some reason it suggests an odd dog-leg through St Maure de Touraine for a trip of 1hour12 minutes. I then entered the route we take to Tours, only to find out it is only 70km. 43 miles (click here for our route) in 1hour 15 minutes!
I can't believe how slowly I obviously drive. I know I am the slowest car on the road (excluding tractors and self propelled sewing machines) because I obey the speed limits, but still...
Talking of Noddy cars, don't you like the way this Ligier has been customised with the application of 'leccy tape pinstripes? Classy! Note also the Hi-Vis jacket slung over the back of the seat. Carrying one of these inside the car is now compulsory - I assume people have them this way so that they aren't stopped to be asked if they are carrying.
Simon
5 comments:
Simon, I'm pleased that I'm not the only person that finds this strange.. We are so used to thinking that the "shortest route is a straight line" but it is rarely that simple.. Nice post.
Simon
So you can save yourself 8 mins by getting on the A10 at Ste Maure :-) Do you have to pay for this autoroute?
Beaver.
You do have to pay, indeed. Directions given online never take into account the fact that it can take 5 minutes to get through the payage, nor any of the random thing which can happen to slow you down. We always take the country route now (once upon a time we didn't, we went by autoroute to Chatellerault) and find it just as quick and a lot more relaxing (mobile roadblocks aside) than compteting on the Autoroute.
Simon
Hello Simon & Susan,
What a pleasant surprise to discover your blog :)
I'm a US expat & blogger who is married to a Frenchman.We live in the South suburbs of Paris.
My Hubby's maternal family is from the South of Touraine ! He does his genealogy, and in his ancestry you find a lot of your neighboring villages .
We will actually be in Touraine tomorrow & Friday, also.We have genealogy work & will be taking a short jaunto to Grandma's village... Chaumussay.
I hope to see you online. You are welcome to come & visit my blog.
Have a good day .
Hi Barbara. Chaumussay is one of my favourite villages. Have a nice time there, won't you. I checked out your blog, and your sister's website too. We are 'aunty and uncle' to a pair of dachshunds, so I forwarded the site to the dogs' 'dads'.
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