 Poster: A snowHead
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Has anyone used this route for skiing?* What's it like in Jan/Feb? Any horror stories. Ta.
*To get there, not water skiing! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Done it a few times with no problems - Thursday night ferry: drive Friday staying overnight in Albertville, which allowed an extra day skiing Saturday before checking in to our chalet that evening.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I live very near the Portsmouth ferry terminal, but generally go to Folkstone and Eurotunnel. Cheaper, quicker, avoid any questions about transitting Paris. If you could get 8 hours good sleep on the ferry it would be different......
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@geoffers, Cheers for that. We came back that way yesterday after driving up from the Med. Someone suggested it, so we gave it a go. We're from Wales, so it cuts out the horror of the Folkestone to Reading leg; and is about 2-3 fewer hours driving up to Calais. It was very relaxing, and a really good drive up to the M4 from Southampton. Asking here, cos Mrs G is worried about bad weather in the winter.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Origen, Fair enough of course, but the Wales- Folkestone drive never fails to be a horror show.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
If you could get 8 hours good sleep on the ferry it would be different......
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We haven't used it for skiing, but have when cycle touring. The advantage is that the overnight crossing allows for an evening meal and a good night's sleep if you get a cabin.
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I don't sleep well with the noise, and you are woken stupidly early to get out of the cabin. As for bad weather, it could be a bit rolly, but those boats are well stabilised and if you take a couple of Stugeron it helps you to sleep, too.
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Why not Le Havre? A shorter driving time in France suggested by Google Maps.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Just looked at the map - of course, if you're as far west as St Malo the Paris question doesn't arise. We used to go to Caen when we could get half price with Tesco vouchers. I'm thinking of coming back from Provence via St Malo next month. But it's a long crossing and expensive in school hols.
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I have done that crossing once in mid/late March. Fine weather-wise but could only get an inside cabin. Hardly slept due to the engine noise!
Return journey we had an outside cabin and it was absolutely fine.
I think the drive to the alps is longer though, so you may not actually save any time!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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No, I agree. Tunnel is definitely the fastest.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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We’ve used the crossing to Caen a fair few times for skiing. You don’t get a huge amount of time on board though I could always sleep ok - all of us have very good sea legs.
Going round the outskirts of Paris, Google never picked up the restricted height tunnel (A86?) which did save time, but that was probably 10 years ago so is probably a lot better.
We normally found it a pleasant drive unless we happened upon a Paris holiday week. We now have our own place so drive overnight and arrive early morning but we found the timings worked well when we were renting places. It may also depend where you are going as you’ll be better placed for the A6 than the A39 (the A39 being a much quieter drive)
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You’d be better looking at the Portsmouth - Caen crossing as there are daily sailings (st malo are only every other day in winter) and they are quite a bit cheaper normally. Can provide my BF membership number to get a 10% discount on standard fares.
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You know it makes sense.
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@andmelffion, That's very kind. Thanks.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Charliegolf, I've used Portsmouth Le Havre a number of times, both ways, as they have dog-friendly cabins where they could sleep with you in the cabin, but seem to recall that it was an early start when we disembarked on the French side?
The big negative that I and some mates found was that the return journey back was quite stressful, in that there was only one ferry and that put pressure when driving to Le Havre as you did not have the luxury of flexibility of additional ferry times should you miss your slot, if that all makes sense?
Another advantage was that you missed a fair chunk of tolls, but we did have to circumnavigate Paris taking that horrible tunnel which is not a lot of fun in a van as the roof is so low.
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Poster: A snowHead
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[quote="Charliegolf"]@andmelffion, That's very kind. Thanks. - no worries, have messaged you direct
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Weathercam, I also found the one sailing from Le Havre stressful, so generally ended up getting there far too early as concerned I would ‘miss the boat’. I managed to avoid going near Paris as D had a route worked out for me that went nowhere near.
All some time ago now, and I don’t travel on my own since we no longer have the chalet.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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What's the benefit over flying? I guess being able to take more stuff, having a bit more adventure or if staying for several weeks?
For the average week long holiday it seems if you're leaving Thursday to ski Saturday (as @geoffers said) then you're really not benefitting over flying out Friday morning.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@SnoodyMcFlude, generally the benefit of driving is that it can be considerably cheaper, for a family or even a couple. And of course, essential if you have to take a dog. You could certainly fly on a Friday and spend the night in a hotel, but that would usually involve hiring a car whereas lots of people prefer transfers. Though in some cases having a car (your own or rented) to drive to a variety of lifts is an advantage, too.
But it's hard to see ferry to St Malo as an optimum solution!
Many people, of course, generally enjoy driving, or at least find it less of a hassle than airports! I'm flying to Provence next week, and driving back - leisurely few days in France. Am looking forward to the journey back but the journey out is just a chore, especially for my daughter in law who will have to drive to Marseille to pick me up.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Charliegolf, last couple of easter trips we have done the Portsmouth-Caen crossing for skiing, crossing Thursday eve and staying in Albertville on the Friday eve, first time via Paris, this year we went via le mans, as it avoided the Paris part of it.
i know the Caen crossing can get more expensive than the other destinations, but if you book as soon as the crossings are released (winter 24/25 just out on BF) they are normally similar costs
not much difference in distance to Albertville from Calais and Caen.
unfortunately this year there was severe storms on the overnight crossing and my youngest was severely sea sick, so i am under strict instructions to book via the tunnel next time we go!!!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
What's the benefit over flying? or if staying for several weeks?
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This. We try for 3/4 weeks.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Mon 15-07-24 18:48; edited 1 time in total
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| Origen wrote: |
But it's hard to see ferry to St Malo as an optimum solution!
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On this trip (from Spain), it saved 2-3 hours on going further north to Calais; and 2-3 from Folkestone to Newbury. That's the horrible bit for us going West; whilst the Portsmouth to Newbury leg was a dream.
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We have taken Brittany Ferries regularly for summer and winter holidays and been on all their current ships other than Cotentin.
If you take the St Malo crossing it is long enough for a decent night's sleep. The Caen crossing is shorter so you would only get about six hours sleep if you allow for the time difference and the early wake up call! However it is worth looking at the day time crossings too. I like the early morning one from Portsmouth to Caen which gets you there mid afternoon so you can do a few hours drive before stopping at an overnight hotel. I enjoy sleeping on ferries and don't normally get bothered by engine noise. If you want a quieter cabin maybe ask for one towards the front of the ship. NB there are two new ships entering service soon to replace Bretagne on Portsmouth St malo and Normandie on Portsmouth Caen.
We avoid Paris and take a route via Tours and Clermond Ferrand for the Tarentaise or Maurienne. For the northern Alps there is a new stretch of motorway from Montlucon to Macon although it has a different type of toll (overhead) so do your research on payment options before taking it.
If you book the holiday as accommodation plus ferry through a tour operator you will probably get the ferry at a cheaper rate than booking with Brittany Ferries direct. For example Peak Retreats who we have regularly used offer Brittany Ferries as a travel option (you need to specify that's what you want as Eurotunnel flexiplus is their default option). The other way to get a cheaper ticket is to join the BF club voyage but it is only worth doing if you travel a few times a year.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I'm about to book a single St Malo - Portsmouth. Usefully, it only costs a little extra to book "flexi" and I have a FF code, thanks to snowheads! Flexibility takes some of the stress out of that dash. I recall heading to Caen once, from the Alps, and as it became clear that we were not going to make it, we did a bit of a detour and visited Versailles. Can't remember what sort of booking we had, but it would have been P&O I think, as they did half price with Tesco, and I don't recall being stressed about having to pay again. I'm fond of cross channel ferries - we see BF frequently when we're sailing, coming in and out of Portsmouth, and down to Brittany. And I can get to the Portsmouth terminal in an easy 15 minutes from home. But Eurotunnel, particularly if you splash out on Flexiplus, unromantic as it is, does take a lot of beating! We crossed to Brittany the very first year BF operated, with friends, staying in a gite. It was such a shambles that they offered us a very cheap deal the following year!
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And St Malo is terrific. Read "All the Light We Cannot See" before you go.
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