which route to Orleans?

I am off to Toulouse in the spring but the various routefinders all guide you to Paris and then down the country to the south. Has anyone got suggestions to an alternative route to Orleans because the Calais to Orleans via Paris route seems so congested. The route i need is as direct and fast as possible so as to be able to do the whole trip in one day.

there is a very good route that I usde a few weeks ago calais to abbeville to rouen to evreux to dreux to chartres to chateaudun to orleans it is questionably longer than using the autoroute , much prettier and no toll booths !
why not visit us we are 2 hours from toulouse?
www.coupdecoeur.co.uk

Ferry to st malo, then 480 miles of nice autoroute. Dont go through Paris- will add a few hours

[Luckypants]

Don't use the autoroute, rather defeats the point of having a bike. Nigel's route is very similar to part of my route home last year. Nice ride, easily done in a (longish) day.

I agree generally about autoroutes but they are a means to an end if you want to get to the south quickly then they are the only answer but the A71/A75 from clermont ferrand to Beziers is a little bit different as the scenery is stunning and it costs nothing!! however if speed is not the issue I know some amazing roads to use to get to the south however it would need 3 days ride to get here from calais not 2.

N1 > Abbeville
D901 >Grandvilliers>Marseille en Beauvaisis
D22 >Gisors
D10/D181 > Vernon> Pacy sur Eure
D836/D62/D16/D933 >Oulins
D928 > Dreux (by pass on N12 & D82
N154 > Chartres (by pass via D905 /N123 or go see the Cathedral)
N154/N20 >Orleans

If you are staying in Orleans then can reccomend Jargeau (Hotel Ceval Blanc has secure parking) by taking the N254/D11 from the N154 at Allaines- Mervilliers.

Jargeau is a pleasant town on the south bank of the Loire avoiding the bustle of Orleans rush hours with good roads South to choose from

Originally Posted by nigel

... calais to abbeville to rouen to evreux to dreux to chartres to chateaudun to orleans ...

I've driven this route myself and Nigel's suggestion is a good one - lovely way to go.

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by nigel

there is a very good route that I usde a few weeks ago calais to abbeville to rouen to evreux to dreux to chartres to chateaudun to orleans it is questionably longer than using the autoroute , much prettier and no toll booths !
why not visit us we are 2 hours from toulouse?
www.coupdecoeur.co.uk

sounds familiar to the route we used down to St. Jean D'angelay.but we used the Peages for simpler reasons that;ll be down the A16, to Abbeville and Rouen, Rouen a bit tricky if your on your way down south, but you can avoid Paris. Wasn't congested when we went in August, depends what day it is. In fact most of the time there were only us three bikes