Advice & Tips (1 Viewer)

Biged

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Sep 21, 2012
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We have only just had our MH, well 3-4 weeks, been on one shakedown which went well.

Anyway at the end of March begining of April we are off towards the southern end of France near the Spanish border. Friends live there and will let us pitch on their land, we also intend to visit other sites down there.

Not everyones cup of tea as newbies but we have had holidays in France for many years always driving there (Dawn does not like flying) I class this as a big car :winky:

We have always just gone Dover - Calais, should i still do this? any advice?
Any particular day? any particular company?

Any Tips will be much appreciated :thumb:
 
Sep 3, 2013
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Crowthorne, Berkshire
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1992 RMB Silver Star 670
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One year. A whole one!
As you'll be near Spain, who not go Portsmouth - Roscoff? Brittany Ferries do this and we've found their service to be excellent.

The route will get you a hell of a lot nearer, but you might miss out on the adventure of a long drive.
 
Oct 1, 2013
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As you'll be near Spain, who not go Portsmouth - Roscoff? Brittany Ferries do this and we've found their service to be excellent.
.

Condor ferries are around 2/3 price of Britanny Ferries

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gradyp

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Aug 18, 2011
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We did the same in September for the first time going to the south of France and we crossed Newhave - Dieppe and found it competitive on price with Dover - Calais considering the reduced millage , time and it is a easy drive in and out of both Newhave and Dieppe
 

Ed Excel

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Nov 27, 2012
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Routes like Plymouth/Roscoff can take 8 hrs. I'm 400 miles into France in the difference in time between that and Dover/Calais. Fastest, shortest journey across the Chanel wins for me.
 
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Biged

Biged

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I have done Poole - St-Malo and Portsmouth - Cherbourg before, but always ended up back at Dover - Calais. :RollEyes:

I live at Nottingham so its a 4 -6 hour drive to the ferry anyway so the shorter the crossing the better for me. We always did an overnight stop at Abbeville but will be looking for parking up our MH now, probably nearer the coast, any suggestions on that?

Should i book a ferry this year (early) or hold off till nearer the date?

We will be headed towards Les Tamaris which is very near the border. The friends have offered to send us routes and overnight stops for on the way down, which will be a help.

Not looking to plan the trip to the last little detail, just general advice from the wise :thumb:
 

stcyr

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Apr 11, 2011
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LDLines/DFDS/Transmanche, Newhaven/Dieppe - only 4 hours and consistently a lot less than BF.

AND, if over 60, a further 20% off. :thumb:

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sedge

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Jul 7, 2009
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Quickest and cheapest for us, often Dover - Dunkerque which suits us for the quick late night nip into Belgium on the baccy run for starters, spend the night on the carpark, sometimes in Adinkerke, sometimes at Auchan just off Jct 54b or whatever it is, fillup there with diesel in the morning and stock up with bakery goods for sustenance! and off we go then onto the motorway till Boulogne, off before the toll starts then try and stay off it until after the toll booth before Abbeville because the automatic booths automatically decide we are Class 3 and as no-one answers the 'red button' means you have to pay and get a receipt, go through the gate and over to the carpark on the right, into the building and bang on the glass window till someone comes, they refund the Class 3 and charge you Class 2 instead which is OK but takes time! and then we go Mway beyond Rouen (take advice on circumnavigating Rouen as there are mega bridge works in force till next summer) then whatever way you choose to join the A75. This is free all the way down to Montpelier, except for the Viaduc de Millau. Very scenic, for a Motorway. You can miss out the Viaduc but it adds a couple of hours! We get off at Beziers and make our way to Fleury on the S coast . You'd just stay on and turn in the opposite direction - I know the A9 is expensive to go 'our way' but dunno the other way as we've always come off the mway and gone 'ordinary' road from the end of the A75.

You can get all the way from Boulogne to Le Crotoy along the D940 and it's a nice run. They resurfaced the whole length of it through all the little places over a couple of years fairly recently.

There are large Aires at Le Crotoy and St Valery sur Somme, though the walk back up to the aire from the town at St V is err, a bit steep! so we stick with Le Crotoy. To go to St V we use Le Petit Train which is pleasant not expensive and makes a change. Bit further Fecamp is nice and worth spending a day there too.

There isn't an Aire actually at Abbeville but by using non motorway you can sample such delights as the aire at Le Mailleraye sur Seine. Depends on how long you want to take really! We've stayed at lots of the aires along the length of the A75 by which I don't mean actually ON the mway - I mean in small towns and villages within striking distance of it, either when going down there or coming back up, at various times.

Do invest in 'All the Aires' from Vicarious books - and plot your route according to which Aires you like the look of! It works for us!
 
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Biged

Biged

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Sep 21, 2012
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Quickest and cheapest for us, often Dover - Dunkerque which suits us for the quick late night nip into Belgium on the baccy run for starters, spend the night on the carpark, sometimes in Adinkerke, sometimes at Auchan just off Jct 54b or whatever it is, fillup there with diesel in the morning and stock up with bakery goods for sustenance! and off we go then onto the motorway till Boulogne, off before the toll starts then try and stay off it until after the toll booth before Abbeville because the automatic booths automatically decide we are Class 3 and as no-one answers the 'red button' means you have to pay and get a receipt, go through the gate and over to the carpark on the right, into the building and bang on the glass window till someone comes, they refund the Class 3 and charge you Class 2 instead which is OK but takes time! and then we go Mway beyond Rouen (take advice on circumnavigating Rouen as there are mega bridge works in force till next summer) then whatever way you choose to join the A75. This is free all the way down to Montpelier, except for the Viaduc de Millau. Very scenic, for a Motorway. You can miss out the Viaduc but it adds a couple of hours! We get off at Beziers and make our way to Fleury on the S coast . You'd just stay on and turn in the opposite direction - I know the A9 is expensive to go 'our way' but dunno the other way as we've always come off the mway and gone 'ordinary' road from the end of the A75.

You can get all the way from Boulogne to Le Crotoy along the D940 and it's a nice run. They resurfaced the whole length of it through all the little places over a couple of years fairly recently.

There are large Aires at Le Crotoy and St Valery sur Somme, though the walk back up to the aire from the town at St V is err, a bit steep! so we stick with Le Crotoy. To go to St V we use Le Petit Train which is pleasant not expensive and makes a change. Bit further Fecamp is nice and worth spending a day there too.

There isn't an Aire actually at Abbeville but by using non motorway you can sample such delights as the aire at Le Mailleraye sur Seine. Depends on how long you want to take really! We've stayed at lots of the aires along the length of the A75 by which I don't mean actually ON the mway - I mean in small towns and villages within striking distance of it, either when going down there or coming back up, at various times.

Do invest in 'All the Aires' from Vicarious books - and plot your route according to which Aires you like the look of! It works for us!

Thank you so much for spending this a mount of time and trouble on your reply, it is very much appreciated :thumb:
 
May 7, 2011
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Hi , There's a nice aire at Arques near St Omer, about 25 miles from Dunkirk. right next door to the campsite about 3 euro's pleasant aire next to reservoir with a nice water garden ,fountains etc very secure takes up to 20. gates locked about 7PM and open again 8AM.

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Aug 18, 2011
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Condor ferries are around 2/3 price of Britanny Ferries

And L D lines are cheaper still. Newhaven Dieppe docks at 4 am, you can be the other side of Orleon and in better weather by 10.00 am without rushing. BUSBY::bigsmile:
 
Aug 18, 2011
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since 2007.Tugger before since 1970
I have done Poole - St-Malo and Portsmouth - Cherbourg before, but always ended up back at Dover - Calais. :RollEyes:

I live at Nottingham so its a 4 -6 hour drive to the ferry anyway so the shorter the crossing the better for me. We always did an overnight stop at Abbeville but will be looking for parking up our MH now, probably nearer the coast, any suggestions on that?

Should i book a ferry this year (early) or hold off till nearer the date?

We will be headed towards Les Tamaris which is very near the border. The friends have offered to send us routes and overnight stops for on the way down, which will be a help.

Not looking to plan the trip to the last little detail, just general advice from the wise :thumb:

Isnt it a bugger getting to DOVER. No viable alternative to DARTFORD CROSSING. Never a good time to cross in daylight. Rather travel to Newhaven or Plymouth. BUSBY::bigsmile:
 
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Biged

Biged

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Sep 21, 2012
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Isnt it a bugger getting to DOVER. No viable alternative to DARTFORD CROSSING. Never a good time to cross in daylight. Rather travel to Newhaven or Plymouth. BUSBY::bigsmile:

It's bloody awful :Sad:

When i put 4-6 hours thats from experience. I have never done it in less than 4 hours and taken 6 a couple of times. You have to leave more than this to make sure you catch your ferry :Eeek:

And thats in a car!

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