To France - options

"nobody760" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Planning a trip to the Normandy area of France next May, about 10 days
cycling. Have been on some ferry sites and the prices they charge are
ludicrous and bikes do not go free anymore. I live in South Wales so
have access to the trains - Cardiff - to the South. What is my
cheapest non flying option? It is in my mind somewhere that a ferry
does go from somewhere on the south coast at a very reasonable cost.

All help appreciated.

Varies according to time of year and operator. We went to Normandy in May
and at that time, car with three occupants & three bikes on rear
towbar-mounted bike carrier, the cheapest was via the tunnel. In the past
we've also used Norfolk Line and the Sea Cat. It just depended upon costings
at the time.

Cheers, helen s

nobody760 said:

It is in my mind somewhere that a ferry
does go from somewhere on the south coast at a very reasonable cost.

I've used Brittany Ferries before, without problems. You can even book
the bicycle on the ferry online:
http://www.brittanyferries.co.uk/

Brittany Ferries is a French company (I think) and, as you might expect,
the food is excellent.

Bob

nobody760 said:

Have been on some ferry sites and the prices they charge are
ludicrous and bikes do not go free anymore.

I think the norm is for bikes to go free on ferries - if not pop it in
a bike bag and carry it on as hand baggage.

Eurostar take them for free in a bike bag or you can pay £10 and send
them in advance.

"nobody760" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Planning a trip to the Normandy area of France next May, about 10 days
cycling. Have been on some ferry sites and the prices they charge are
ludicrous and bikes do not go free anymore. I live in South Wales so
have access to the trains - Cardiff - to the South. What is my
cheapest non flying option? It is in my mind somewhere that a ferry
does go from somewhere on the south coast at a very reasonable cost.

All help appreciated.

Eurotunnel is about the cheapest crossing - assuming that it's realistic to
get there from Wales and then to wherever you are going in Normandy ... fare
for passenger + bike is £16 each way. The service runs twice a day and is a
mini-bus and trailer that goes on the Shuttle train. You cycle to the
Eurotunnel offices (or I think you can drive and leave your car there) and
they take you across to the offices on the French side

RG

nobody760 said:

Planning a trip to the Normandy area of France next May, about 10 days
cycling. Have been on some ferry sites and the prices they charge are
ludicrous and bikes do not go free anymore. I live in South Wales so
have access to the trains - Cardiff - to the South. What is my
cheapest non flying option? It is in my mind somewhere that a ferry
does go from somewhere on the south coast at a very reasonable cost.

All help appreciated.

www.transmancheferries.com

sadly the only route left Newhaven- Dieppe; not fast but cheap, and
convenient for Normandy. Subsidised by the French government who care
about not letting their once thriving sea ports wither and die.

nobody760 said:

Planning a trip to the Normandy area of France next May, about 10 days
cycling. Have been on some ferry sites and the prices they charge are
ludicrous and bikes do not go free anymore. I live in South Wales so
have access to the trains - Cardiff - to the South. What is my
cheapest non flying option? It is in my mind somewhere that a ferry
does go from somewhere on the south coast at a very reasonable cost.

All help appreciated.

I've just looked at Brittany Ferries Portsmouth-Caen in May and it looks
like about £40 each, bike free of charge. That's not ludicrous.
--
Michael MacClancy

wafflycat said:

"nobody760" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Planning a trip to the Normandy area of France next May, about 10 days
cycling. Have been on some ferry sites and the prices they charge are
ludicrous and bikes do not go free anymore. I live in South Wales so
have access to the trains - Cardiff - to the South. What is my
cheapest non flying option? It is in my mind somewhere that a ferry
does go from somewhere on the south coast at a very reasonable cost.

All help appreciated.

Varies according to time of year and operator. We went to Normandy in May
and at that time, car with three occupants & three bikes on rear
towbar-mounted bike carrier, the cheapest was via the tunnel. In the past
we've also used Norfolk Line and the Sea Cat. It just depended upon costings
at the time.

I think he means to go as a cyclist ;-)

John B

John B said:

wafflycat said:

"nobody760" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Planning a trip to the Normandy area of France next May, about 10 days
cycling. Have been on some ferry sites and the prices they charge are
ludicrous and bikes do not go free anymore. I live in South Wales so
have access to the trains - Cardiff - to the South. What is my
cheapest non flying option? It is in my mind somewhere that a ferry
does go from somewhere on the south coast at a very reasonable cost.

All help appreciated.

Varies according to time of year and operator. We went to Normandy in May
and at that time, car with three occupants & three bikes on rear
towbar-mounted bike carrier, the cheapest was via the tunnel. In the past
we've also used Norfolk Line and the Sea Cat. It just depended upon costings
at the time.

I think he means to go as a cyclist ;-)

John B

just been doing a bit of surfing; as it is That Time of Year;
Dover-Calais day trip £6 with a bike (now all I need is a trailer!),
but they don't take foot passengers. And Hoverspeed has folded up on
that route too. Things are looking grim. How come the tunnel is in such
dire staits when there is so little competition?

I used Brittany ferries last year when I travel from Portsmouth to St Malo
on 6 April -- one way only since I was cycle/camping to Spain. No too
expensive and a return trip would have been "cheaper" ( i.e. less than 2ce
the single trip). Food was good and the ferry port staff were extremely
helpful -- they let me wait in their portacabin out of the rain and cold
wind till they started loading -- and I was first on the ship!

Food was good and since it was going to be my last night, for several weeks,
not in a tent, I took a cabin! Bit expensive that but v nice.
I was travelling before Easter and the fare was appropriately at the "winter
rate". I think that the cost of the velo was £5 above the foot passenger
rate. All booked on the internet.

--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
Remove PSANTISPAM to reply
"Bob Johnstone" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

nobody760 said:

It is in my mind somewhere that a ferry does go from somewhere on the
south coast at a very reasonable cost.

I've used Brittany Ferries before, without problems. You can even book the
bicycle on the ferry online:
http://www.brittanyferries.co.uk/

Brittany Ferries is a French company (I think) and, as you might expect,
the food is excellent.

Bob

nobody760 said:

Planning a trip to the Normandy area of France next May, about 10 days
cycling. Have been on some ferry sites and the prices they charge are
ludicrous and bikes do not go free anymore. I live in South Wales so
have access to the trains - Cardiff - to the South. What is my
cheapest non flying option? It is in my mind somewhere that a ferry
does go from somewhere on the south coast at a very reasonable cost.

All help appreciated.

Cardiff to Pompey by rail. Direct hourly service. Only downside is that
the trains can get a bit packed.

Pompey to Abroad by ferry. I've lost track of the P&O shenanigans and
think they may have closed their service leaving you with only Brittany
Ferries.

P&O was fine IME. Because I'm a tight fisted sod I paid a tenner (IIRC)
for the Club Class lounge rather than splash out on a cabin. Excellent
value and it gets you away from the refugee ship conditions with the
rest of the cabinless masses.

Not Responding said:

P&O was fine IME. Because I'm a tight fisted sod I paid a tenner (IIRC)
for the Club Class lounge rather than splash out on a cabin. Excellent
value and it gets you away from the refugee ship conditions with the
rest of the cabinless masses.

So you were the bikie with his nose in the air last Spring.
Posh git ;-)

I bet you wear Rapha mitts too ;-)

John B

John B said:

Not Responding said:

P&O was fine IME. Because I'm a tight fisted sod I paid a tenner (IIRC)
for the Club Class lounge rather than splash out on a cabin. Excellent
value and it gets you away from the refugee ship conditions with the
rest of the cabinless masses.

So you were the bikie with his nose in the air last Spring.
Posh git ;-)

Hmmm, reminds me of the ferry Bergen-Newcastle, some years back.

I arrived on-spec at a busy time. They told me not only cabins,
but even reclining chairs, were sold out, but I could buy
passage-only. So I did.

Having been up in the mountains on a very spartan diet, I indulged
in my first really good meal for over a week. Later I went up onto
the highest available deck, found a nice spot sheltered from the wind,
put two comfy deckchairs end-to-end, and got the sleeping bag out.
Very pleasant.

In the morning, chatting to other passengers, it appeared I'd had
the best spot anywhere on the boat. Those who had paid a great
deal more for cabins hadn't had anything like such a good night
as me!

--
Nick Kew

Nick Kew said:

John B said:

Not Responding wrote:

Excellent

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

value and it gets you away from the refugee ship conditions with the
rest of the cabinless masses.

So you were the bikie with his nose in the air last Spring.
Posh git ;-)

In the morning, chatting to other passengers, it appeared I'd had
the best spot anywhere on the boat. Those who had paid a great
deal more for cabins hadn't had anything like such a good night
as me!

You beat me to it! I was just going to say that I have enjoyed being
cabinless and refugee like on ferries. It's part of the fun! Not only
that, you meet people who tell you useful or interesting things about
your destination.
Jo

"nobody760" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Planning a trip to the Normandy area of France next May, about 10 days
cycling. Have been on some ferry sites and the prices they charge are
ludicrous and bikes do not go free anymore. I live in South Wales so
have access to the trains - Cardiff - to the South. What is my
cheapest non flying option? It is in my mind somewhere that a ferry
does go from somewhere on the south coast at a very reasonable cost.

All help appreciated.

Just had a quick look. The site you may be looking for is
http://www.ldlines.fr/
who have taken over the Portsmouth/Le Havre run from P&O; they seem to be
about half the cost of Brittany ferries. Unfortuanatly their online booking
system is not quoting for next year but if vyou went next week for 10 days
Brittanny feries would cost £86 whilst LD lines would be £48. The only
disadvantage is that le Havre is a fairly horrible place to get out of if
you're heading south.

HTH
Julia

Not Responding said:

nobody760 said:

Planning a trip to the Normandy area of France next May,

All help appreciated.

Cardiff to Pompey by rail. Direct hourly service. Only downside is that
the trains can get a bit packed.

Pompey to Abroad by ferry. I've lost track of the P&O shenanigans and
think they may have closed their service leaving you with only Brittany
Ferries.

Also www.ldlines.com taking over the Portsmouth Le Havre route.

Groan ... A summer weekend to Le Havre: 3 adults + 1 child + 1 cabin
outbound costs
1. on clean bicycles: £254
2. in a smelly car: £165

Why?

"Al C-F" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Not Responding said:

nobody760 said:

Planning a trip to the Normandy area of France next May,

All help appreciated.

Cardiff to Pompey by rail. Direct hourly service. Only downside is that
the trains can get a bit packed.

Pompey to Abroad by ferry. I've lost track of the P&O shenanigans and
think they may have closed their service leaving you with only Brittany
Ferries.

Also www.ldlines.com taking over the Portsmouth Le Havre route.

Clyde Ingram said:

Groan ... A summer weekend to Le Havre: 3 adults + 1 child + 1 cabin
outbound costs
1. on clean bicycles: £254
2. in a smelly car: £165

Why?

I had the same going to Denmark and they wouldn't even consider my
suggestion that I paid for a car but left it behind so they could resell
the space to another passenger. Don't ask me why.

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

"Clyde Ingram"
<[email hidden]> wrote
in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Groan ... A summer weekend to Le Havre: 3 adults + 1 child + 1 cabin
outbound costs
1. on clean bicycles: £254
2. in a smelly car: £165

Why?

More wheels?

vernon levy said:

"Clyde Ingram"
<[email hidden]> wrote
in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Groan ... A summer weekend to Le Havre: 3 adults + 1 child + 1 cabin
outbound costs
1. on clean bicycles: £254
2. in a smelly car: £165

Why?

More wheels?

Can you do a Scrap Heap Challenge to make four bicycles to look like one
car for the crossing?

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham