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dordogne

August 25, 2009

Eymet.jpgIs it just me or is Via Michelin wildly optimistic in its journey times? On Sunday I drove down to the Dordogne to visit friends near the bastide town of Eymet for a couple of nights. According to the Via Michelin website the journey should have taken three and a half hours. It took me closer to five (with no breaks but one or two wrong turns).

Having missed the ferry from Dieppe a few months ago, after similarly relying on Via Michelin's timings, I'm beginning to wonder if its calculations are based on the assumption that:
1 You are driving a Ferrari
2 You are Lewis Hamilton
3 The roads are completely free of tractors, scary Spanish lorries, dawdling Sunday drivers - or indeed any traffic at all.
4 There is no speed limit.

I'm always behind the curve when it comes to technology but I think it could be time to think about sat nav.

comments (4)

1. Posted by Sidney on August 26, 2009 8:29 AM

Unfortunately, whether you use via michelin or a sat-nav all the roads have a factor aplied to them. which means certain roads are chosen over others.

Also the road have a speed limit on them and these programs literaly times the distance by the speed limit on that road and then add then up to give you a time and distance.

This does not allow for traffic,tractors, or traffic lights. Therefore really if you want an accurate time stick to the motorways, which in france are fairly free running.

I hope it did'nt spoil your short break too much?

2. Posted by markyj on August 26, 2009 2:49 PM

Better still, stuff the emissions and buy a helicopter...


3. Posted by Metropolitan Mum on August 27, 2009 7:46 PM

Via Michelin is French. I heard they do not take it too serious with being punctual ;-)

4. Posted by Alex (in Bretagne) on September 5, 2009 7:15 AM

Ah, the wonders of ViaMichelin. I find that you get the most accurate result if you click on the go by bicycle option. That seems to match the traffic speed in Brittany, at least with the moissonneuse-batteuses on the road.

And yes, I did find your blog thanks to the Sunday Times. And I hugely admire you for getting past the first post. I start them, I forget them. Someone find me a ten tips to successful blogging.

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