- Driving to Le Mans can be a great part of the race experience - French roads are generally excellent - it's your choice if you want to take the scenic route through the villages, or get down quickly on the Autoroute
- Make sure your vehicle is roadworthy before you set off. Try to avoid last minute delays due to breakdowns
- Make sure your paperwork is in order and you have the right kind of European cover and roadside recovery
- Be aware of French road laws, especially those around drink driving and speed limits. Ignore this advice at your peril
- Plan a good route considering stops along the way
- Be aware that if you are arriving on a Sunday or a Bank Holiday Monday, some staffed petrol stations may be closed — use automated card-pay pumps as a backup
France operates a vehicle emissions sticker system called Crit'Air. These colour-coded stickers (around €3.85, valid for the life of the vehicle) are displayed on your windscreen and show your vehicle's pollution rating. They are required when driving through Low Emission Zones (ZFEs) in certain cities.
The good news for most Le Mans visitors is that your vehicle is unlikely to be banned anywhere on the route — the serious access restrictions mainly affect very old or heavily polluting vehicles. However, you still need the sticker displayed when passing through these zones, and you can be fined €68 for not having one.
The cities to be aware of on the main routes south are:
- Calais / Tunnel route — the A1 passes through the Lille ZFE, and the A26 passes through a section of the Reims ZFE including a stretch of motorway. Your sticker must be displayed.
- Le Havre / Caen routes — both cities have ZFEs, but currently only vehicles registered before 1997 face any access ban. Sticker must be displayed.
- Rouen — has one of the more established ZFEs. Crit'Air 4, 5 and unclassified vehicles are banned from entering. Crit'Air 1, 2 and 3 can enter freely, but the sticker must be displayed.
- Paris — has an active ZFE inside the A86 ring road, weekdays 8am–8pm. Most people driving to Le Mans bypass Paris completely on the autoroute and will not enter the zone at all.
- Le Mans itself — no active ZFE. The city was granted an exemption by the French government on air quality grounds.
Note: In April 2026 the French parliament voted to abolish ZFEs nationally, but this is currently being reviewed by the Constitutional Council and the existing rules remain legally in force until further notice. Get the sticker — it's cheap, lasts forever, and means you won't have to think about it again.
Order from the only official government website: certificat-air.gouv.fr — allow up to 4 weeks for delivery to the UK. Beware of copycat sites charging much more.
3. Things to consider when booking your ferry crossing -
- Take into account the journey times both ends of the crossing - there are some interesting alternatives now, especially if you are travelling from the North of the UK
- The prices can vary wildly depending on the day and time you travel - try more than one quote
- Think about how vital rest is going to be - if you are on a longer crossing, a cabin can be a really sensible choice
- Bear in mind that you will pay extra for anything non standard (things on the roof or being towed)
- Some operators offer discounts to car clubs, overseas property owners and their shareholders - if in doubt ask!
- Some travel agents claim to have special ferry fares - they don't - they just get a commission from your booking
Here is our list of the current Channel options. Just click the links to check out prices and sailings. Some of the start points make more sense of course from the North of the UK.
- Direct Ferries Ferry comparison and booking site.
- Brittany Ferries Much loved cruise style crossings from several ports.
- aferry.co.uk Ferry price comparison website.
- DFDS Consolidated ferry operator offering a choice of several crossings.
- Eurostar Trains from St Pancras to Paris, then onward via SNCF/TGV/OUIGO to Le Mans.
- Eurotunnel Fast travel between Folkestone and Calais.
- P&O Ferries Dover to Calais several times each day.
Here is a list of travel times, distances and toll charges from the various ports to the circuit.
(All approximate times and distances. Prices as of 2026. Assuming taking the fastest route, one way.)
- Calais. 4.5 hours. 430km. €48.20
- St Malo. 2.5 hours. 230km. €13.50
- Roscoff. 4.0 hours. 370km. €13.50
- Caen. 2.0 hours. 170km. €19.80
- Cherbourg. 3.5 hours. 290km. €19.80
- Le Havre. 3.0 hours. 220km. €30.80
REALTIME TRAFFIC NEWS FOR FRANCE
Getting to Le Mans – FAQs
What is the best way to get to Le Mans?
Most visitors travel by car via ferry or Eurotunnel...
Should I arrive early for Le Mans?
Yes. Arriving earlier in the week avoids the worst traffic...
