Alternative route(s) to mainland Europe, advice & comments please.

Bill Posters said:
No. I live on the Isle of Man! So many miles to travel to get to Plymouth. I've always gone from Calais but this time I wanted to do something completely different. It doesn't really matter where I leave the UK from - it's always a lot of travelling to get there.

In September I'm going to Roscoff in Brittany in the hope of spending some time in Brittany before the weather turns.

I'm not sure there is a ferry to Bordeaux, I only used that city to reference where the first water was available on an aire.
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I don't think there is a ferry to Bordeaux and like you I used it as a reference point only.😃 If there was I am sure a certain resident poster would have made us well aware of its superior means of travel.
Like yourself I have a fair bit of travel and in September prefer to get south before the weather changes and in your case before the seas get rock and roll.
 
It's worth taking into account the extra cost of living incurred in having to feed in ferry eateries on the long haul ferries together with the increased cost of passing the time.
 
Again only with a motorbike and not a Campervan, but I've been over a few crossings.

From Wales, and if heading SE across France, I found its nicer to head to Newhaven-Dieppe. I can go across from bath & Salisbury across country to Newhaven and enjoy the journey far more than the M4-M25 trudge to Dover. (Ive never done the Chunnel btw - I like a Ferry Crossing!).

For Brittany and central France routes then I found Portsmouth/Poole to Cherbourg (think I prefer Poole btw) to be a good compromise between costs and point of arrival, and better value than St Malo - its maybe 3 or so hours on the road to make up for the fact that St Malo drops you further South (plus you can take in the likes of Mont St Michel en route if heading towards Brittany). But... St Malo is a really nice place to arrive at - most Ferry Port towns aren't much to write home about, but St Malo is terrific and worth a visit even if you didn't land there.

Last time I crossed to Cherbourg it was to ride down and follow the Loire for a bit, then head into the volcanic central lumpy bits, then South to Millau, along the Tarn Gorge east to the Ardeche, through the Alpine roads across the Col'D'Iseran to Aosta in Italy, then over the St Bernard Pass over Mont Blanc back into France, then we worked our way up to Calais (simply as my friend on his bike wanted to visit his son in Kent on the way home).

I can't say I'm enamoured in the least with the journey to Dover, or the miles out of Calais, and neither port is exactly inspiring. So for me, going in and out from one of the South-Western Ports made the first days and last travel to and from the embarkation port part of the holiday and less of a chore than the grind to Dover, plus you tend to land straight into some more pleasant surroundings on the other side.
 
antiquesam said:
It's worth taking into account the extra cost of living incurred in having to feed in ferry eateries on the long haul ferries together with the increased cost of passing the time.
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Yes, " passing of time", the boredom factor, however if you find that lots of blue sea and if your lucky blue sky entertains you then so be it. Everbodys different and I would accept if time is short ferries may be an answer.
 
-20%.....

erisuse said:
Try Newhaven Dieppe if going south, what extra ferry fare you pay will compensate in diesel.
Have an enjoyable trip.
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If you ring in and not book on line people over 60 get a 20% discount say that you are a "senior "....
 
Being oop North we tried Newcastle to Amsterdam(Ijmuiden) at the beginning of July. It's only an hour to Newcastle, against a 6hr+ drive to Dover. With meals and an outside cabin it came to about £250.
Coming back at the end of July we did Dunkerque to Dover for £48. That was a fiver cheaper than Calais to Dover Also Calais was blockaded that day, so it was a win, win for us, apart from the Mrs being seasick.:raofl:
 
We're out via the tunnel tomorrow and don't foresee any problems as we're going south and France is on holiday as its August :wave: coming back in October we will see.
 
calais ok outwards

calais should bve ok outwards, as they let you straight off ferry onto motorway.......and off you go.........its return the problem.....steve bristol
 
Hi,

We crossed on the Hook of Holland from Harwich in June a six and a half hour crossing with a deal from A Ferry on the way at £100 05p on the way out and £84 .00 on the return with CC&C On the end of July with a 22 foot van.
We traveled through Holland, Germany and up to Denmark,a great trip we used some campsites and some Aires try Camper Contact on line and my blogs on Snowbirds in Denmark on here.Fuel is cheap out there so go with a low tank a cabin on the return crossing was only 28 Euros @ £20 on the day return trip, very hot showers TV Bunk beds, it may pay to take some food with you as we found the food poor and just lukewarm both ways.
Aires are open in Winter but water could be off to protect from frost,you will not find any campsites open .Get the All Aires France book from Vicarious books and a ACSI Book it will save you more than the £12 it cost's. you will have to think about your gas I use a refillable bottle with adapters for filling.

Regards Snowbirds.:wave:



MF2002 said:
Hi Folks,

Contemplating alternative channel crossings to avoid Calais on our 'Snowbird' journey, we're in no hurry to get there so time / distance is not a major concern.

Does anyone have any advice / experience / tips on crossing to Rotterdam, Bruges, Zeebrugge, Roscoff, St Malo or any other port?

Does anyone have any advice / experience / tips on wildcamping in Holland (The Netherlands) or Belgium.

Finally - I think the answer's "mostly" but given the majority of campsites seem to close for winter.- are the aires in France open all year round.

Thanks

F
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Kryten said:
You could check out sailings between Dover and Boulogne.
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You will not find many, stopped years ago. I always liked going that way as it was down the N1 to Beauvais and Paris with no Autoroutes.
P and O ferries Panther and Lion, Went that way on honeymoon 1982 in my Viva
 
I have done The Hull route its great. The wild camping in France and Europe is not a problem anytime of the year, you will have a great time.
 
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