How to find L'Echiquier.

• Address:
  • L'Echiquier
    89220 Saint-Privé
    France
     
• SatNav / GPS: (see also Galileo )
• Latitude:     47°   42'   20.77" N
  • (47.705769)
• Longitude:    3°     0'   37.32" E
  • (3.010367)
• Each degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles (111 kilometers) apart. Each minute is very approxiamely 1 mile (0.625km).
  Each second is very approximately 30 yards (30m).
  
• UTM: (Datum: WGS-84)
  Zone:31T E/N:500777,5283598
   

• Google Maps ^(tm):

• See opposite
• Or click "Google Maps UK ^(tm)"
   
• Telephone:
  • In France:                           03 86 74 88 06
  • From outside France: +33 3 86 74 88 06
                                                           (+ = International Call Prefix)
     
• eMail:
  • contact@lechiquier.eu
     
• (SKYPE) ^(tm):
  • soon
     

From the NORTH.

Route from Paris^‡ (short version):

(About 2 hours on a good day)

( ‡ = a small pronounciation guide
       at the bottom of this column)

Take the A6a or A6b motorway (L’Autoroute du soleil) towards Lyon^‡. This is probably most easily done off the south side of the Paris Boulevard Péripherique, 'the Périf'.

After 80km (50 miles), branch onto the A77 motorway (L'Autoroute de l'arbre) towards Nevers for 67km (42 miles).

Take exit (sortie) 20 to Briare^‡.

(Should you miss junction 20 then keep going to junction 21 and
follow the route as from the SOUTH on the N6/A77 (below))

Follow the signs to Briare or town centre [centre ville] (Fig 1).

After crossing the canal, keep an eye out for the traffic light (singular) in the main street (it is hard to spot!) and turn left onto the D47 to Ouzouer-/s T (Ouzouer-sur-Trézée^‡) and Bléneau.

In Ouzouer (Fig 2), the D47 turns sharp left over the canal, the road to Bléneau^‡ is effectively straight, leaving the road you are on as it turns left over the bridge.

It is now 19km (12 miles)to Bléneau.

As you reach Breteau^‡ (Fig 3) the road takes a sharp right after entering the village and then a sharp left at the church, DO NOT go straight on. (The road marking are well worn and you may miss the left turn).

About 2km outside Bléneau the D47 changes to the D22. The only indication is the sign "Le Loiret vous souhaite bonne route" as you leave the department of the Loiret and enter the Yonne.

In Bléneau (Fig 4) at the STOP (lavoir to the right and the hotel Cheval Blanc to the left) go straight over, then shortly at the next STOP, striaght on again, with the Mairie and car park on your left.

Take the next turn to the left (keeping the Mairie and car park on your left) and follow the D22 towards Villeneuve-les-Gênets for 4km (2½ miles).

After leaving Bléneau take the fourth turn right (the second one marked with a crossroads sign, it is a 'T' junction to the left) at the sign to Les Creux^‡ (a hamlet). You have only 1km (5 furlongs, ⁵⁄₈ mile (1100 yds)) to go.

Take care going over the unmarked crossroads in Les Creux and continue to the STOP sign.

Go straight on and up a slight incline. Look out for the red fire hydrant (number 11) on your right, just past the first house. L'Echiquier^‡ is immediately to the right.

You have arrived !  

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Interactive route map from the Paris peripherique.

View Full Map and Google Route Information

Spot Maps
click to enlarge

Fig 1 - Briare (centre)
(click to enlarge)

Fig 2 - Ouzouer-sur-Trézée
(click to enlarge)

Fig 3 - Breteau
(click to enlarge)

Fig 4 - Bléneau
(click to enlarge)

From the SOUTH 

1) - The A6 / E60 (L’Autoroute du soleil).

Driving northwards up the A6 / E60 (Autoroute de soleil), leave at junction (sortie) 20 to Auxerre then follow the route as from the EAST.

2) - The N6 or A77 (Autoroute de l'arbre).

If on the N6 heading northwards follow signs to St Fargeau on the D956, then as below *.

Coming from the south on A77, leave at junction [sortie] 21, follow signs to St Fargeau on the D956 *.

(If you miss junction 21 then keep going to junction 20
and follow the route from the NORTH (above))

* In St Fargeau take the D90 road northwards to Bléneau^‡ (this goes through St Privé** but keep going to Bléneau). At Bléneau continue on as the route from the NORTH indicates.

Google Maps route from A77. About 35km (20 miles), 35 mins.

 

** (Alternative route from St Privé^‡.
If you feel like real country roads and the snow is not too deep, cross the bridge over the Loing in St Privé (going towards Bléneau - northwards) and after about 20m (20 yards) turn very sharp right onto the D52 to Septfonds^‡, climb the hill for about 1km (⁵⁄₈ mile) and when almost at the top where the lamp-posts finish turn left and pass in front of the concrete water tower. After about 1.5km (1 mile) take the first turn right to 'Launoy' (there is a pile of flints on your left as you turn the corner), descend into the Chasserelle valley and up the other side. At the junction at the top L'Echiquier is immediately on your left. You are now 198m above sea level. 

 

Google Maps route from A77. About 30km (18 miles), 30 mins.

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From the EAST 

(About 45 mins)

Get to (if on A6 / E60 leave at junction [sortie] 20), Auxerre then follow the GREEN signs westwards to Orleans, along the D965.

After about 20km (12 miles) you will come to Toucy, keep following the GREEN signs to Orleans, D965.

Next after 10km (6 miles) is Mézilles, down the hill, cross over the bridge and then turn right opposite the 'mairie' towards Tannere on the D7 (for about 400 metres / yards). Just as you are about to leave Mézilles^‡ take the D52 road to the left signposted Septfonds and St Privé. This is a narrow road but allows two way traffic, it is pretty straight but undulating and wooded on either side.

5km (6 miles) later at Septfonds ^‡ there is a STOP, continue straight on for a further 5km (6 miles) and taking the fourth left, although it is the fourth left from Septfonds it is the first turn that is forewarned by a junction/cross-roads sign. As you turn you can check the signage, Les Libaux and Les Creux. This is a narrow road and it is necessary to go onto the verge to pass. You have about 2km (1½ miles) to go. 

Continue now until the third left. Take care at the first junction a cross-roads with equal rights of way (priority to the right takes precedence). At the second cross-road, again unmarked keep straight on, descend into the Chasserelle valley (there's quite a bump at the bottom if you go too fast, oil has been seen on a number of occasions at this spot) and up the other side. At the next junction just a few hundred metre/yards, there lies L'Echiquier, bare slightly to the left to find it's drive, beween two large trees. 

Google Maps route. About 80km (50miles), 1hr.

Back to

From the WEST 

Get to Orleans then follow the GREEN signs to Auxerre^‡, at Briare the follow the instruction as if coming from the NORTH.

Google Maps route. About 100km (60miles), 1hr 45 mins.

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Pronounciation

•  ‡   approximate pronouciation guide
        should you need it
                                                                  (a UK, English, Norfok accent might help)
  
  • Auxerre - oh-sear.
  • Briare - bree-ahh.
  • Bléneau - blay-no.
  • Breteau - bret-oh
  • Les Creux - lay-crur.
  • Lyon - lee-on NOT lion.
  • Mezilles - may-zee.
  • Ouzouer - like ouse (as in the river) then where
    - ouse-where.
  • Paris - paa-ri.
  • Septfonds - say-fon.
  • St Privé - sarn prive-eh.
     
  • L'Echiquier - ah yes . . . lay-shee-kee-eh.  

 

Driving

Here's a little guide to driving in France, compiled by me a non-driver. It's a .pdf file, your browser ought to open it for you and if it can't, it it will help you download a pdf reader, Adobe or Foxit .

Endorsements to this guide ...

• "By the way, your guide to motoring in France is well worth a read!!" (June 2010)
  
• "The l'Exchiquier website guide to motoring in France is definitely 'a good thing' because it is so informative. It has a thread of the Seth humour in it too - an enjoyable read and a sound brush up on French road issues. Unbelievably valuable to a chap who hasn't been in France for 15 years and intends to drive 2000 miles there!" (July 2010).

 

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