Maureen & Trefor Mitchell
Le Moulin des Ances
2 Impasse du Moulin
Les Ances
17700 Saint Germain de Marencennes

+33  (0) 546 01 49 60
+44  (0) 78 03 14 83 97

  trefor@maisons-mitchell.eu

WELCOME

We very much hope that you will enjoy your stay
at Le Moulin des Ances and that it will meet all your expectations.

They say that getting there is half the fun.

Well we hope that you have more fun at the house than you do travelling but the following pages are meant to get you off to a good start.

The pages are organised according to your starting point and then the final pages are the detail of finding the house itself. You can print whichever pages are relevant to you.

In an emergency you can call us on the mobile number above and we will give whatever help
we can.

Bon voyage.

Maureen & Trefor

CHECKING IN

 

Check-in time is from 16h00 onwards.

If you can please let us know at what time you expect to arrive so that we can be ready to meet you.


FROM LA ROCHELLE AIRPORT (Laleu)

Journey Time:-  About 45 minutes

The route proposed is the easiest drive on good roads with no villages to go through before arriving at Surgères.

You will see on the map that there is a direct road from La Rochelle to Surgères (D939) but it is a tedious drive through lots of built up areas and villages.

The airport at Laleu is on the North-West
of La Rochelle near to the bridge to the
Ile de Ré (you may see it from the plane).

Follow the “Toutes Directions” sign as you leave the airport. The road bears to the left so make sure you don’t go straight on.

About 300 metres later turn left at the next “Toutes Directions” sign onto the slip road for the La Rochelle by-pass N237.

Keep following the signs for Niort & Poitiers that will lead you to the exit onto the N11.

The early warning for the exit is the large Leroy-Merlin DIY store on your left.

Keep to the 90km speed limit on the
by-pass – the police can be strict.

La
Rochelle

 

Travel along the N11/E601 dual carriageway following signs for Niort and Poitiers until you reach the junction with the D115 to Surgères.

The junction is 28 km from the airport.
It is easy to miss as it is just over a rise in the main road. Also watch out for the sharp bend in the slip road.

The early warning for the exit is a small grey water tower that you will see across the fields to your right.

Follow the D115 to Surgères.

At Surgères follow the signs to Rochefort that will take you round the by-pass and to the south of the town.

At the south of the town there is a roundabout with a large sculpture of a hand holding a quill pen (we’ll explain that to you later!).

At this roundabout turn right onto the D911 heading for Rochefort.

Carry on past the signs for Saint-Germain de Marencennes.

You will enter first the hamlet of Étourneau and shortly afterwards the hamlet of
Les Ances where the house is situated.

The entrance to the house is on the right just after the Auberge de la Devise.

See the details for finding the house on the “Now You Have Arrived” page.

 


FROM THE CHANNEL PORTS

Route:-  Calais – Boulogne – Abbeville – Rouen – Alençon – Le Mans – Tours – Poitiers – Niort – Surgères

Journey Time:-  The typical time from Calais is about 8 hours depending on the number of stops you make.

The entire route is good quality two-lane motorway apart from a short stretch at Rouen and the final few kilometres to Surgeres. There are frequent rest stops on the motorways (Aires) that are often in picturesque surroundings.

It is much less congested than the Paris route and passes through some very nice countryside.

 

From Calais take the A16/E402 to Boulogne (not the route to Paris).

At Abbeville take the A28/E402 to Rouen.

At Rouen the motorway becomes a normal dual carriageway that goes through the industrial areas of the town. It normally moves quite well but there are lots of traffic lights.

Follow the signs for Le Mans and Caen.
As you leave the town follow the signs to Caen or Bordeaux
(Le Mans is not always shown).

Briefly join the A13/E46 towards Caen and then take the exit back onto the A28/E402 heading for Le Mans.

If arriving from Cherbourg or Caen the N158 and a new motorway spur bring you to the A28 just before Alençon.

Near to Alençon there is a very nice service area called the Aire de la Dentelle d’Alençon (Alençon Lace) that has cafés, shops and a bakery.
It is exactly the half-way point from Calais.

At Le Mans there are two motorway junctions. The first puts you briefly on the A11 towards Paris. At the second junction follow the signs for the A28 to Tours.

At Tours you join the A10, the main motorway from Paris to Bordeaux.Follow the signs for Bordeaux and Poitiers.

Continue past Poitiers and Niort.

Leave the A10 just after Niort at Junction 33 signposted for La Rochelle.

Remember that you are now back on the 90km speed limit single carriage-way after miles of motorway driving.

From the A10 the N248 leads you to the N11 south of Niort.

At Mauzé-sur-le-Mignon take the slip road under the bridge onto the D911 for Surgères.

At Surgères follow the signs to Rochefort that will take you round the by-pass and to the south of the town.

See the details for finding the house on the “Now You Have Arrived” page and the map on the Airport page.


FROM SAINT-MALO

Journey Time:-  About 4 ½ hours.

 

The route is a mixture good quality dual carriageway and motorway until you reach the final leg close to La Rochelle.

I have only done this journey once so I can’t give you many extra details.

 

 

From the port of Saint-Malo follow the signs to Rennes and the N137.

At Rennes take the by-pass and follow the signs to Nantes also on the N137.

At Nantes take the by-pass and leave the south of the city on the A83 motorway.
It is probably signposted for La Roche
sur Yon or Fontenay Le Compte.

Leave the motorway at Junction 7 onto the N137 again. Follow the signs for Luçon
(I’m not sure whether La Rochelle is indicated).

At the junction with the N949 carry straight on towards Marans (not right for Luçon).

When you reach Marans turn left onto the D114 towards Courçon.

As you approach Saint Jean de Liversay turn right onto the D115 which will take you directly to Surgères.

See the “Now you have arrived” page and the map on the Airport page for the last leg from Surgères to Les Ances and the house.


BY RAIL

Surgères is the last stop before La Rochelle on the main line from Paris to La Rochelle or the first stop if you are arriving from La Rochelle. It is about 3½ hours from Paris.

It is served by the TGV fast train as well as local services.

Surgères has a small station with a long platform to deal with the TGV.

You can get some amazingly cheap prices on the TGV if you book on line with the SNCF (the French national railway).

AIRPORT & RAILWAY COLLECTION

We can collect up to 6 passengers from La Rochelle airport or Surgères railway station.

Please let us know well in advance if you need collecting.

PICK-UPS & TAXIS

As Surgères is a small station there is no real taxi rank and no guarantee that there will be a taxi waiting.

Here are some numbers if you want to book in advance.

Legrand Taxi                                                                            Mobile : 00 33 (0) 699 22 51 51
18 Bis Rue des Marronniers 17700 SURGÈRES                                          legrandtaxi@yahoo.fr

Assistance Atlantique Taxi                                                       Mobile : 00 33 (0) 615 97 18 51
Parvis de la Gare 17700 SURGÈRES

Taxi de Muron                                                                              Tel. : 00 33 (0) 546 41 44 37
11 r Résistance 17430 MURON

 

 

 


NOW YOU HAVE ARRIVED

From Surgères

 

See the last map on the Airport page.

At the south of Surgères turn onto the D911 heading for Rochefort. There is a large sculpture on the round-about depicting a hand holding a quill pen.

Carry on past the signs for Saint-Germain de Marencennes.

You will enter first the hamlet of Etourneau and shortly afterwards the hamlet of
Les Ances where the house is situated.

When you reach a stretch of road with central reservations you will know you have arrived in Les Ances.

The entrance to the house is on the right just after the Auberge de la Devise.

On the right after the Auberge is a bus stop.

The gateway is in the bus stop lay-by between the neighbour’s hedge and the electricity pole (the least attractive feature of the property!).

Drive past the neighbour’s parking area, over the mill-stream bridge and stop
in front of the house.

YOU HAVE ARRIVED !

 

If you are lost or delayed please call us on 00 44 78 03 14 83 97


NOW YOU HAVE ARRIVED

From Rochefort

Coming from Rochefort you will pass the village of Muron. At the roundabout go straight ahead towards Surgères.

Carry on through the hamlet of
Les Bugaudières and over a hill.

Coming down into the valley on the other side of the hill you will enter the hamlet of
Les Ances where the house is situated.

When you go over the river bridge and reach a stretch of road with central reservations you will know you have arrived in Les Ances.

 

You will see the house on the left as you arrive in Les Ances.

 

 

 



The entrance is on the left after the second central reservation in the road.

The gateway is in the bus stop lay-by between the neighbour’s hedge and the electricity pole (the least attractive feature of the property!).

Drive past the neighbour’s parking area, over the mill-stream bridge and stop
in front of the house.

YOU HAVE ARRIVED !

 

If you are lost or delayed please call us on 00 44 78 03 14 83 97