 Poster: A snowHead
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Even though we only live about 20 mins from Portsmouth Ferry terminal we've been tunnel devotees for many years - mainly due to the cost and convenience of several crossings a day to choose from. Also back in the dim and distant when you could buy books of 10 cheaper crossings to share with a friend each season there was never any question really. However, the increasing cost of the tunnel and the ballache of the M20 and M25 (especially on the way home after an 8 hour drive through France) made us look again at the Portsmouth - Caen route. We took the 23.00 departure on Saturday 7/3. Quiet check in at the terminal and boarding all very easy. Bar open for a drink while sailing out of Portsmouth. 2 birth cabin with ensuite shower and loo very comfortable and time for breakfast before docking in Caen. Queue for French passport control moved quickly and we were on our way within about 10 minutes. Journey time down to Le Grand Bornand was an additional 45 mins but some of that due to us faffing about deciding where to take a loo stop, fuel fill up etc. and the unfamiliarity of the route. The drive itself was very pleasant with no real pinch points and pretty much lorry free as it was a Sunday.
Return price difference was about £50 more expensive than the tunnel - but after factoring in the cost of the fuel to get to the tunnel - less than that overall.
Will take the 16.30 crossing from Caen and have dinner on board and then back at home within 20 mins of disembarking at Portsmouth - that's the real winner for us.
Clearly individual circumstances differ and will determine if this is a viable option - but for us I'm glad we have this alternative route back up our sleeve!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@loatie, always really enjoyed that route in summer, living in Banbury (as we did then) was lot easier to get to Portsmouth than tunnel. Switched to tunnel as prices on Brittany Ferries were bonkers crazy, but as you say tunnel is getting worse so may need to review
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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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@loatie, I too have been a tunnel user for many years, although for me it's at least 4 - 5 hrs to get there even if the traffic is flowing. Amongst other things they pissed me off when they changed the Flexi conditions to "day of booked travel only" (and put the price up from £200 to £300 to boot!). So not really "Flexi" any longer then.
As I have friends living in the Sud Ouest I decided last year to go to the EoSB via their place and go Portsmouth - St Malo, although I returned via tunnel due to the timings involved. A much shorter and more pleasant drive to Portsmouth, meal on board and cabin with facilities as you say, plus for me it meant starting my drive in France at around 9am instead of 3 - 4pm.
According to Google maps the drive from Caen is not much different to that from St Malo, so this year I've booked that crossing at 2300. Not sure if the restaurants are open then, but I'll do what I do in the Sofitel at T5 and have an "en suite" cold meal 
Out of interest, I've assumed that EES will be done on the French side. Is that right, it doesn't sound as though it took long?
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Heading for that overnight boat a week on Friday - Done it lots before both winter and summer. Hoping for a bnice G&T then a calm crossing for a big sleep before the long schlep across France!
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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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@Yoda, No sign of EES on our way out just a quick passport stamp
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@loatie, OK thanks, guess I'll wait and see 
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@Yoda, Fingerprints and passport on the ferry last week ..just a quick passport on the tunnel in Jan
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@loatie, I also have done the same trip as you a couple of times for skiing, like you, I enjoy the relaxing crossing with a few drinks before bedding down for the night. It’s also a pleasant drive, and change of scenery going via Le Mans and the auvergne region. Unfortunately, last time we did it (myself and two daughters), one of them was severely sea sick as there was a massive storm during the crossing, the ferry looked like a war zone in the morning, so have been vetoed by them and are back on the tunnel for this trip.
Though will be doing that crossing in a couple of months time for the boys 24hours of Le Mans trip, this is our usual route down the last few trips after I was put in charge of crossings 
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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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All good in calm weather but one can’t predict that at time of early booking sadly  . Perhaps sleeping helps, we did 4h Dieppe Newhaven and need we a bit of recovery time after.
Edit - ah, as Terry found.
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All good unless petrol rationing comes in but one can’t predict that at time of early booking sadly
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FIFY
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Yoda wrote: |
| Quote: |
All good unless petrol rationing comes in but one can’t predict that at time of early booking sadly but if you have an EV that’s not an issue
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FIFY |
FIFY.
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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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@terrygasson, the seasickness was one of the reasons we switched to Eurotunnel. Three of us have no problem at all, I once looked after a large party of school kids on a trip to Jersey. I was 14 and there was only.me and one teacher unaffected in a massive storm. Eldest is really bad though. He once flew to a stag trip to Amsterdam rather than face a ferry .
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It sounds all v pleasant - get on the boat, have a few drinks in the bar, and a sleep but hardly "a big sleep". The crossing time is 6 hours 45 minutes. The boat will be leaving Portsmouth Harbour before you get your first drink and you will be woken and shouted at long before the boat docks in Ouistreham. Absolute maximum of 5 hours in the bunk and unless you are a more skilful sleeper than I am, you won't spend 5 hours asleep. then you face a long drive through France having had a rather poor night's sleep.
I live about 10 minutes drive from the Portsmouth Ferry port but I can get out of my own comfy bed, to Eurotunnel, off the other side and some decent number of kms down the road towards Reims in the time the day crossing takes.
And yes , always the possibility of a rough crossing  Best way to survive that is forget the drinks and get horizontal.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Origen, my peers didn't manage to sleep during the rough crossing to Jersey from Weymouth. They spent a lot of time in the loo. I didn't get a lot of sleep.. I was thinking of a ferry crossing in July, then someone mentioned the vile food on P&O this week. I still think a delayed tunnel is better than a delayed ferry, seasick people and vile food.
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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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the food on brittany ferries is not bad. But if I get on a ferry just before bed time and am going to be chucked out in the early hours, food doesn't figure at all. Get two hours down the road and then stop for a French breakfast. Last time I did an overnight ferry to Ouistreham it was on the sponsored cycle ride I did, some years ago, before covid. We'd got very cold waiting to be boarded, with our bikes. It was weird cycling up the ramp. Some of the group went for drinks but I thought they were bonkers. Got straight to bed but it's a noisy, churny, sort of an experience - not easy to sleep.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@loatie, we’re about 30 minutes away and switched back this winter having used the tunnel for years. The increasing cost and ever decreasing flexibility of the flexiplus tickets made me take a look at the ferry prices again and for the journeys that we’ve taken, I’d say that the ferry is marginally cheaper.
The only downside for us is that we prefer driving in France at night so we’ve caught the morning ferry back which works for us. I also treat ourselves to the big cabin for a small fee, which gives you free breakfast and the chance to purchase priority disembarkation as the passport control seems to take forever GB side. I’ve also bought the Brittany Ferries membership and it’s paid for itself over the four crossings that we’ve done this season.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Must have a decent cabin as it turns out to be torture if you cant sleep.
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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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For summer crossings, when we take caravan, shuttle still wins price wise. Not just by a little either, I’m still saving even allowing for extra diesel and an overnight stop!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Hells Bells, unfortunately my youngest takes after her mum a bit, she could near enough get sea sick on a pedalo on Regent’s Park lake.
But we did the daytime return crossing the season before, and it didn’t seem to affect her, so thought she would be ok with it, unfortunately it didn’t go to plan, because of the storm.
Though she was fine again on the return trip last time as well, but it was like a mill pond.
Oh well, live and learn 
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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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@RAHS, That's all very useful info - thanks
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Gored, We just had the basic 2 bed bunk cabin which was fine for us - but I do appreciate that we had a very smooth crossing and the experience may be very different in rough weather.
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Friday night, avoiding the M25 from Midlands to get to the chunnel is a big factor for me. Easy cruise down past Newbury to Portsmouth with minimal traffic (hopefully) is a nice realxed start to the trip. I'm coming back on the tunnel having overnighted an hour short of Calais on the following Sat night though due to cost (tesco vouchers used) and the desire at the end of a trip to just get home asap. But yes this positive view may change if it's a rough crossing!
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| Quote: |
the passport control seems to take forever GB side.
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I'd forgotten that - I ferried back from St Malo last summer and now remember waiting for ages in a queue in Portsmouth! A friend who has used ferries a lot, for many years, came back from Caen last year on a day crossing and was moaning mightily about the lack of nice places to sit comfortably on the new BF boat.
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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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That sounds like the Cotentin, a very strange vessel - not enough comfortable seats in the tiny 'lounge', and a very basic food service place in a small side-room. We sat near some double doors which led to the outside deck; the outer doors were jammed open slightly so every time someone went in or out, there was a blast of cold air into the (tiny) lounge area. This was Easter a couple of years ago, maybe it's better in the summer.
https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/ships/cruise-ferries/cotentin/about
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We did Portsmouth - Caen for our 3 week trip in January, but we drive from Edinburgh! We got down early and had a nice meal near the port then straight to bed. Journey to alps should have been about 9 hours but it was at the start of the big dump and we drove the whole trip in snow with only 1 lane open north of Paris so it was over 12 hours.
We normally do Dover - Calais and have hotel night just south of Calais (not saying where, its our secret). Going back to this route for our upcoming Easter trip. We have driven out over 50 times from Scotland, tried every possible route, non absolutely perfect. We definitely want a car when its more than a week so we can take more luggage both ways.
Both of us drive and we just swap over every 2 to 3 hours.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wow. Not sure I’d contemplate anything other than a plane from Edinburgh. Fair dues.
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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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Not so bad when you're going for three weeks, @MHskier! And renting a car for 3 weeks would be expensive.
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| Origen wrote: |
| Not so bad when you're going for three weeks, @MHskier! And renting a car for 3 weeks would be expensive. |
That does change the equation. Enjoy.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Origen wrote: |
| Not so bad when you're going for three weeks, @MHskier! And renting a car for 3 weeks would be expensive. |
That does change the equation. Enjoy.
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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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Son and partner have been instructors in 3V for many years and have a child too now. On our first trip out each winter we take out more of their gear and bring it back on the Easter trip as they are just there for the season then return to Scotland. We have done it so many times since we started going when our sons were teenagers its part of our life. 8 hours to Dover, cross channel, 30 mins to hotel, overnight in proper bed, then 9-10 hours drive next day including a supermarket shop before going up to resort. We can take all the gear and clothing we want, shop cheaply and bring wine back.
We did a week in Tignes last December flying Easyjet and Ben's Bus transfer but felt very limited in what we could take. It was a good early trip costing £1000 in total for the 2 of us as we are old enough to get free ski passes in France. It was fine for a week but for 3 weeks having your own car is much better. Our 3 weeks in January cost £2300 for travel, accomodation and self catering food. We go to ski and don't eat in the mountain restaurants.
Looks like our 6 weeks of skiing this winter will cost just over £5k which would be impossible if flying all the time. We know 3V and Tignes very well and can cruise round wherever the snow is best.
Each person to whatever suits them. We have done around 140 ski trips now and this suits us.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@loatie, Just back from Grand Bornand via the hateful Geneva. We normally drive and have recently done a summer trip via Portsmouth rather than the Tunnel. Out of interest, how long was the Caen to resort leg of the journey?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Charliegolf, it took about 8 hours 45 mins but we faffed over a couple of stops as we weren’t familiar with the route. We also didn’t take the fastest option as we didn’t want to go near Paris
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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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We much prefered the St Malo crossing on the way out as it's 12 hours, time enough to have a nice meal, bottle of red and get a decentish sleep in. Always came back via Caen though. Now we use the Newhaven Dieppe crossing as it's quite near us.
I hate the M20, it is one of the most depressing motorways in the UK and to come back to it just makes me want to turn back instantly.
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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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Arrived back in Portsmouth on Friday night having taken the 4.30 departure from Caen. Smooth crossing, nice meal in the restaurant and boat seemed quite quiet. No delay with passport check ikn Portsmouth- literally a quick glance at passports and we were on our way. Home within 20 mins. Appreciate we have probably been fortunate with the crossings both ways but will definitely be considering this route in the future and maybe purchasing the membership option if it becomes a regular thing for us.
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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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Having booked Portsmouth-Caen for my outward trip to the EoSB I was thinking of doing my usual for the return - i.e. stop somewhere in the Troyes/Chalon/St Quentin area on the Saturday night and drive to tunnel on Sunday morning. Apart from the boredom of Northern France, especially when travelling alone, this does involve arriving in Folkestone and a 5-ish hour drive home if I'm lucky (they frequently work on the M4 at weekends) on the incredibly boring M20 - 25 - 4. With the recent increase in the "not very flexi" flexi price to £315 (I usually use flexi to avoid stress - not good for 976 year olds) I was pondering this when an email from Brittany Ferries arrived - and I realised that I can get a 23.30 crossing from Caen, giving me plenty of time to drive from Val T and overnight on the ship - a lot cheaper than the tunnel and saving the cost of the hotel in France to boot. With the added bonus of a shorter drive home why haven't I done this before? I guess I'll find out 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Yoda, I used to travel a lot to Provence (outwards, but not back for reasons which now escape me) using Portsmouth-Le Havre overnight. It was a lovely way to travel.
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@Yoda, We asked the same question of ourselves - Hope you have a good trip!
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