N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Fri 15 Jul 2011 01:39
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - JOGON

Worst part of the drive is getting down England. Driving is a delight over there with large empty dual carriageways. The Weymouth to St Malo fastcats stop at Channel Isles and so no real benefit. Similarly the Portsmouth St Malo is overnight and tediously slow going round Cherbourg. Tunnel means driving S.E. to then drive S.W. Best so far is Portsmouth Caen 7am sail and there by afternoon. One pundit suggested Hull Zeebrugge, then thrash across France. At first sight this appeals as zero traffic to Hull but full overnight ferry and just can't sleep on them. Flying Leeds to Rennes might be a better use of time.. Any bright ideas?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 06:28
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - mlj

You don't mention the Plymouth to Roscoff choice (Brittany ferries). Where in france are you heading for?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 06:47
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - oldtoffee

Portsmouth to Caen, you have two choices, slow ferry 6.5 hours or fast cat 3.5 hours. I've used both and prefer the cat as like you I can't sleep on an overnight ferry. I prefer the tunnel and a 4.5 hour drive in France to the ferry and an hour drive to our place only because the French roads are so much easier. Not much in it price wise with extra diesel and tolls out of season but the ferries get really expensive in school holidays.

Edited by oldtoffee on 15/07/2011 at 06:48

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 10:02
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - RickyBoy

I used the 15:30 'express' ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg a couple of Fridays ago. I barely had time to switch my Kindle on and we'd arrived – fantastic hassle-free crossing.

Had an Ibis booked in Cherbourg for that evening but we soon twigged that we could have easily covered 100-miles to get us much further southward before dark – next time?

Driving in France was an absolute pleasure. Whilst covering 1,000+ miles in the week we only got caught in one teatime traffic jam at Saint-Briac on the return leg to Caen and never once put my hand in my pocket for péage. Even their C-road surfaces are super-smooth and, once laid, they don't seem to dig them up!

Had a cabin on the overnighter back into Portsmouth which, after a couple of grande Kronenbourg's, was bearable!

Hit the choked morning commute/school run 15-miles into Hampshire, then volume on the M3, before leaving the accident-strewn 25 and heading back across country to Bucks.

L'entrainement en France est as ...

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 11:25
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - davmal

The Hull ferry is my favourite. Embarkation starts around 4 pm, plenty of time to settle in, the evening meal of a more than acceptable standard from 6 pm, then a couple of pints, some entertainment and off to bed. Disembark the ferry around 8 am after a hearty breakfast feeling rested. It feels like the beginning of a holiday and no qualms about the drive down to the Austrian Border.

There were two ferries, one staffed by a majority English crew, the other by an Asian crew (Phillipino, I think). We always smiled when the latter were on, courteous and cheerful as opposed to grumpy and surly.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 14:21
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - unthrottled

Compared to Dover-Calais, longer crossings are much slower and more expensive. The M1-M25-M20 route is the only rational route, I'm afraid.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 14:54
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - davmal

Cost and expedition aren't the only factors. To travel to Dover or Folkstone from the North West/East would be a five hour plus journey (without considering the M25 debacle), add on an hour for European time and your departure time may have to be untenably early or your arrival time too late. The prospect of then having a long drive from Calais or Zeebrugge for an already tired driver can be forbidding. Factor in the make up of the passengers eg elderly, infants etc and I have always found the short haul to the ferry port and overnight crossing a blessing.

Travelling down to Kent to make our journies inevitably costs us the price of a hotel somewhere (though preferably in France) to break the journey up and we still lose a night's travel.

They used to accept Tesco clubcard vouchers in payment, at an exchange of 1:4, sadly this is no longer available.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 15:05
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - unthrottled

Booked a cabin on the Poole-Cherbourg route once: waste of time and money.

A hotel in France (where you often pay per room and not per person) will probably cost less for a family than the additional cost of a cabin on an overnight ferry-and you'll get a proper night's sleep.

I live in the North West-and it's straight down to Dover every time. There's a reason that Dover it the busiest Port by far-it's the easiest route.

Drive down to Dover at night for the 8 am ferry. Assume it'll take 6 hours. It'll take 4 hours at that time of day which gives you two hours for a bracing seafront walk and a bite to eat.

If you don't like long distance driving, or have got elderly parents/fractious toddlers, you have to question whether a driving holiday is going to work. I don't buy into the 'you never get traffic jams in France' either. Come August and you'll get plenty of bouchons on the peage-you pay a toll to sit stationary-that sucks.

I think you'll end up paying a heavy price toavoid motorways that, on the whole, aren't that bad.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 21:10
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - davmal

If you don't like long distance driving, or have got elderly parents/fractious toddlers, you have to question whether a driving holiday is going to work.

We've doing it for twenty odd years with the kids from babes to teenagers, the night on the ferry has always been an integral part, it costs a little more but who wants to be the richest corpse in the graveyard?

For reasons beyond my control this year we are using le tunnel, can't do my embarrassing Kate and Leo thing on that.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 16:06
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - JOGON

You don't mention the Plymouth to Roscoff choice (Brittany ferries). Where in france are you heading for?

southern Brittany / Vendee.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 19:03
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - bonzo dog

Edited by bonzo dog on 15/07/2011 at 19:05

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 19:03
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - bonzo dog

You don't mention the Plymouth to Roscoff choice (Brittany ferries). Where in france are you heading for?

southern Brittany / Vendee.

Sorry but I missed this post.

Brittany / Vendee is NOT North EAST France but North WEST.

S Brittany / Vendee - M5, overnight ferry Plymouth to Roscoff, saves a day's travel.

N Brittany - M40, A34, M3, M27, fast-craft Portsmouth to Cherbourg or Caen (depending on day of sailing).

If you're down in August I might see you; you can buy me une grande biere a la pression

Have fun

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 15:20
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - bonzo dog

N E France?

Worst part of the drive is getting down England

Yep, but the best (in my experience) routes are;

From the North West I go M6, M6 Toll, M40, M25 anti-clockwise, M26, M20 then the brilliant tunnell - less than half an hour later in France.

From the North East it's M1 M25 clockwise, M20, tunnell again

Enjoy your trip

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 15:50
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - unthrottled

From the North West I go M6, M6 Toll, M40, M25 anti-clockwise, M26, M20 then the brilliant tunnell - less than half an hour later in France.

Controversial! That's a lot of M25. I do M6, M6 (non toll (i'm a tight wad), M1, M25 clockwise, Dartford crossing, M20 to Dover. SpeedFerries to Boulonge for £50 return. Haven't done the crossing since SpeedFerries folded. :(

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 15:57
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - bonzo dog

Controversial! That's a lot of M25. I do M6, M6 (non toll (i'm a tight wad), M1, M25 clockwise, Dartford crossing, M20 to Dover

I've done both & find that the extra bit on the M25 is more than compensated for by the ease of the M40 (rather than M1) plus it misses out Dartford.

No right or wrong way, just preference

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 15:58
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - unthrottled

The M40 is a fine motorway-I must admit. I Miss it!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 17:40
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - mlj

As the OP is heading for the Vendee/S Brittany I definitely think he should consider Plymouth to Roscoff. Roscoff to Vannes (for example) is about a two hour drive. It is an awful lot longer from Caen, Cherbourg or, heaven forbid, Calais.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 18:14
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - RickyBoy

It is an awful lot longer from Caen, Cherbourg ...

Agreed – we did:
Cherbourg/St. Lo/Vire/Fougeres/Vitré/Chateaubriant/Ancenis/Vallet/Clisson then 5-miles short of les Herbiers whereupon we got the bikes out and rode in for Le Tour

= 5+ hours inc. breaks for coffee and a fuel-stop. Was a bit of a slog cross-country in 28C heat but my navigator was first-class so no major errors!

Perhaps a flight into Nantes Atlantique & Hire Car would be worth considering?

I enjoyed the view from the Loire bridge crossing when heading NW of Nantes to Redon via Savenay and the N165/E60 to Vannes/Lorient & Quimper was fast & trouble-free in the early evening.

Best ...

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 15 Jul 2011 21:48
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - daveyjp

How crazy is it that after almost 20 years of having a Channel Tunnel we still have to drive to the south coast to cross the channel.

What happened to Motorail services? Turn up at freight depots, drive car on, find comfy seat in passenger coach and sit there until you arrive at a freight depot on France.

As it's still not possible to get on a train in Manchester, Newcastle etc and get off in Paris I doubt a motorail service will be along anytime soon.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Aug 2011 16:38
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - OG

Motorail got axed back in BR days but I'd have thought there was a good argument for bringing it back especially if it ran right through the Chunnel.

Trains run to St Pancras international from Leeds, take Eurostar from there.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 31 Jul 2011 18:41
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - austin

We live in Ireland so start our drive from Britain to France at Stranrear. Once we reach the m6 at carlisle we take the A66 at Penrith to scotch corner and drive down the A1. Leave the A1 at huntingdon and follow the A14 to cambridge which becomes the M11 and reach the M25 with only a short distance to the dartford crossing. i then follow the M2 or M20 to Dover. The only time i have ever been stuck in traffic has been on the M25 and this route avoids Manchester, Birmingham and a long drive on the M25.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 1 Aug 2011 00:29
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - Roly93

I know you are coming from the Midlands, but I would still consider the Chunnel. Its getting a bit pricey these days, but at least you can pick your time and cannot really miss the boat. The southern bit of M25 isn't too bad especially after the A3 junction (10 I think).

So rather than carrying on down the A34/M3 to Portsmouth do M4 to J10 down thro Bracknell on the M3 and join M25.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 6 Aug 2011 12:26
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - NVH

I cross the Channel at last a dozen times a year, usually starting from near Warwick.

Eastern route: I always use DFDS (ex Norfolkline) on the Dover crossing. Departures every 2 hours and reasonable prices. Tend to take an 0600 or 0800 crossing as this avoids the M25 disaster zone. Allow a full hour at Dover for check-in now the summer is here !

Western route: the Portsmouth-Caen fast-crossing is the most convenient if you only have a short hop at the other end. Crossings are expensive, even if you are in the Britanny Ferry Owners Club ( or get a lower discount without joining by using a friend's number to book - they also get a 10 quid credit on their account). Oxford can be a bad bottleneck at some times of day.

Warning: I think St Malo still has the training school for French Customs. You can get caught in very long queues when they sit the practical exam: Please take everything out of the car...

If travelling overnight in a cabin I will take the best VFM price, but budget for an evening meal and breakfast as extras.

btw. Silver lining: diesel yesterday was Euro 1.38 per litre.

Edited by NVH on 06/08/2011 at 12:27

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 16 Aug 2011 00:11
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - Smileyman

Just remember the Dartford Crossing on the M25 is usually a car park .... allow 25 - 60 minutes to cross it, and pay £1.50 for the pleasure.

Edited by Smileyman on 16/08/2011 at 00:11

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 16 Aug 2011 11:00
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - davmal

Channel Tunnel Sunday afternoon. 1 hour queue to check in (luckily the sun was out so we could sit in our cars and slow cook), half and hour to clear border control and an hour waiting to be boarded. But the crossing only took 35 minutes, then a five hour drive home.

Ferry next time!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 16 Aug 2011 21:02
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - Roly93

Channel Tunnel Sunday afternoon. 1 hour queue to check in (luckily the sun was out so we could sit in our cars and slow cook), half and hour to clear border control and an hour waiting to be boarded. But the crossing only took 35 minutes, then a five hour drive home.

Ferry next time!

Sorry to hear this, the chunnel doesn't seem to be what it was, you would have never seen this a few years ago before they started their cutbacks.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 17 Aug 2011 10:14
N.E. France from 'above the Midlands'? - davmal

I guess I must have been unlucky with the timings. What really gripped me was the fact that I had a booking on a particular crossing. They only sell so many tickets, so why was I bumped?

Booking in on the outward leg was perfect, sadly, the trip down to the terminus was dreadful...M1 roadworks and accidents (and so many cars broken down - suspect overheating), M25 congestion. Six hours to cover 250 odd miles.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link