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Post by tyrednexited on Sept 2, 2016 11:20:57 GMT
I'm not looking for comments on the situation there, I think it's all been done to death in the other place, but I just, without any particular target, have to vent my spleen. As I posted recently, we are were planning to head off for a few weeks touring Burgundy, the Black Forest and then back via the Mosel. A few family issues, and SWMBO not feeling well, followed by me now being somewhat below par has meant we've postponed it, but (having only to book a ferry) were planning to set off on Sunday for an early-Monday ferry from Dover. It would now appear that the local populace and truckers are planning to blockade Calais starting Monday (for an undecided period), in protest against the situation there. I don't particularly want to spend part of my holiday on the M20 (or indeed, on the Calais ring road - it being probably the least scenic of a particularly un-scenic part of Northern France), so it looks like Plan B or Plan C will have to be invoked. Choice is to book a Hull - Zeebrugge crossing if one remains available (at somewhat more, but affordable, cost), or instead, head off to Caledonia. I quite like Scotland (despite some of the inhabitants  ) but a "wee heavy" doesn't currently have quite the same appeal as a glass of Pinot Noir, or Hochgewächs). B*gger |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2016 11:26:35 GMT
How about a ferry from Portsmouth? The crossing to Caen is only 3 hours.
I'm considering it for next year's holiday instead of the tunnel, partly for driving distance reasons and partly to mitigate the risk of a problem such as yours at Dover/Calais. Caen to Burgundy isn't much more of a hassle than Calais to Burgundy.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2016 11:30:32 GMT
Burgundy, Black Forest and stuff in between?
That will be so good that I would find a way to deal with the situation. Find a way across, you know you'll be glad you did. And have a glass on a restaurant terrace somewhere for me.
What ever the cause, I do find that the instant French response of blockade is intensely annoying.
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Post by Hofmeister on Sept 2, 2016 11:31:53 GMT
The French (with some English help could easily fix the problem. Build a great big reception centre at the furthest point away from Calais, (Central Corsica would be a great location) round them all up and ship them all there, The flow would soon stop.
Wouldn't however stop french seamen, dockers, truckers, farmers blockading Calais on some other pretex tho.
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Post by Hofmeister on Sept 2, 2016 11:33:41 GMT
How about a ferry from Portsmouth? The crossing to Caen is only 3 hours. I'm considering it for next year's holiday instead of the tunnel, partly for driving distance reasons and partly to mitigate the risk of a problem such as yours at Dover/Calais. Caen to Burgundy isn't much more of a hassle than Calais to Burgundy. Yes I have used that service often. It is by far and away the best route for me, to Central/South France. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2016 11:36:09 GMT
The French were revolting before the Jungle appeared. All those port blockades and ATC strikes. bloody nonsense..
The Jungle issue can be solved by recolonising those countries from where the majority of these people come from. They admit they are economic migrants who want a better standard of living. Well lets give it to them; in their country. Take over Cameroon, Eritrea, Chad etc etc, run them properly with corruption free governments and see the economies improve...no need to escape to Europe (Britain) then.
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Post by Hofmeister on Sept 2, 2016 11:37:16 GMT
Humph was in an 18 hour delay, but I'm sure in the end he thought it was worth it.
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Post by Hofmeister on Sept 2, 2016 11:38:35 GMT
The French were revolting before the Jungle appeared. All those port blockades and ATC strikes. bloody nonsense.. The Jungle issue can be solved by recolonising those countries from where the majority of these people come from. They admit they are economic migrants who want a better standard of living. Well lets give it to them; in their country. Take over Cameroon, Eritrea, Chad etc etc, run them properly with corruption free governments and see the economies improve...no need to escape to Europe (Britain) then. I think you will find that colonising them in the first place is the root cause of the problem. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2016 11:41:55 GMT
How about a ferry from Portsmouth? The crossing to Caen is only 3 hours. I'm considering it for next year's holiday instead of the tunnel, partly for driving distance reasons and partly to mitigate the risk of a problem such as yours at Dover/Calais. Caen to Burgundy isn't much more of a hassle than Calais to Burgundy. Yes I have used that service often. It is by far and away the best route for me, to Central/South France. Me too, years ago (late 80s/early 90s) as a single yoof I used to drive to my Mum's house in Spain (Estepona) in the summers. FIAT Regata 70, 1.3 4-speed manual. Was fun overtaking lorries/donkeys on the roads through Spain in a right hand drive with 70bhp. I used to think 75bhp was powerful. Mind you, it was 'nippy' for what it was, great fun to drive like most Italians.
Used Portsmouth every time. Always had a problem with sea sickness though if there was even the slightest ripple. Happy to suffer it on my own but am less enthusiastic to be suffering whilst trying to deal with two children and a wife also suffering it. That's my only reservation these days.
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Post by tyrednexited on Sept 2, 2016 11:42:57 GMT
How about a ferry from Portsmouth? The crossing to Caen is only 3 hours. I'm considering it for next year's holiday instead of the tunnel, partly for driving distance reasons and partly to mitigate the risk of a problem such as yours at Dover/Calais. Caen to Burgundy isn't much more of a hassle than Calais to Burgundy. ...nearly double that time, I think (it is best part of 120 miles). Cost for a motorhome motorcaravan campervan is also more than the Hull - Zeebrugge overnight crossing (with berths) and Hull is much nearer to me. We've used Hull - Rotterdam a few times recently for heading North (and once for heading South), but the £250 or so premium (which reduces to maybe £150 when other cost savings are taken into account) is difficult to justify when travelling to Central France. I'm still feeling a little dicky (if you'll pardon the expression), but if I'm feeling no worse tonight, I think it will be a Tuesday night sailing if there is still availability. Liberté, Egalité, et stuff les Rosbifs, eh! |
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Post by tyrednexited on Sept 2, 2016 11:48:49 GMT
Humph was in an 18 hour delay, but I'm sure in the end he thought it was worth it. ...that's possibly true, but I suspect that if he had seen the distinct possibility in advance, he might well have done some contingency planning. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2016 11:49:14 GMT
There is a fast daytime service (3 hours) and a slow night service (6? hours) last time I looked. Different vessels, one is much nippier.
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Post by tyrednexited on Sept 2, 2016 11:56:40 GMT
There is a fast daytime service (3 hours) and a slow night service (6? hours) last time I looked. Different vessels, one is much nippier. AFAIK, the Fast Ferry is currently on the Cherbourg route, and only for another week before it finishes for the season. The same comments apply re: pricing. (Brittany Ferries do keep chopping and changing). |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 2, 2016 12:03:14 GMT
Jolly good. Sorry to hear you're so near Hull.
;-)
For next year I was looking at an overnight crossing to St Malo, then a fast daytime crossing back from Caen. I think. Was a cursory search to suss out the art of the possible. Like you say though, expensive. Not much competition if you want to use Portsmouth/Normandy ports I suppose.
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WDB
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Calais...
Sept 2, 2016 12:03:38 GMT
via mobile
Post by WDB on Sept 2, 2016 12:03:38 GMT
How about a ferry from Portsmouth? The crossing to Caen is only 3 hours. I'm considering it for next year's holiday instead of the tunnel, partly for driving distance reasons and partly to mitigate the risk of a problem such as yours at Dover/Calais. Caen to Burgundy isn't much more of a hassle than Calais to Burgundy. ...nearly double that time, I think (it is best part of 120 miles.) There are fast SeaCat ferries on that route and the Cherbourg one that save a lot of time at the expense of some comfort. We've used them but the comfort is a problem, ranging from adequate to miserable. I've decided I much prefer a slow daytime crossing with a (very cheap) cabin in which to lounge, read, snooze. Ouistreham (the port of Caen) is rather charming in its way, for a last-night stopover and some moules frites, as are seafront towns like Franceville and Arromanches. Normandy is so much nicer than anywhere around Calais. |
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) but a "wee heavy" doesn't currently have quite the same appeal as a glass of Pinot Noir, or Hochgewächs). 
