Tunnel or Ferry?
Discussion
Were off to Le mans again next year, just booked the tickets - do any of you recommend the Tunnel or Ferry? I went a couple of years back and enjoyed the trip down from the chunnel, however I noticed that most of you seem to be getting the ferry? - Is is just a time/cost thing? or are the roads much better from the ferry ports?
cheers all
cheers all
Tunnel *every* time for me.
Quicker to get in and out of the terminals at either end, loading / unloading quicker, journey shorter, etc.
I get the bit about ferries giving you a break, and maybe if you've had / got a long drive in the UK to get to Dover then it makes sense. But my experience with, or comments about, the ferry terminals (Dover, Calais, Newhaven, Dieppe) is that they tend to be more out of the way and, particularly with places like Dunkerque, a proper PITA. And that can sort of take the edge off the 'break' you get on the ferry.
IMO
Quicker to get in and out of the terminals at either end, loading / unloading quicker, journey shorter, etc.
I get the bit about ferries giving you a break, and maybe if you've had / got a long drive in the UK to get to Dover then it makes sense. But my experience with, or comments about, the ferry terminals (Dover, Calais, Newhaven, Dieppe) is that they tend to be more out of the way and, particularly with places like Dunkerque, a proper PITA. And that can sort of take the edge off the 'break' you get on the ferry.
IMO
boolay said:
Ferry = Fried Breakfast 
EPIC WIN!Plus - ferry gives you further to drive = brilliant. plus - if you take a fast ferry (like a multi-storey car park inside) the noise is incredible with all those engines revving!
Tunnel is for nancy's!
No - i only joke. everything is subject to your own requirements and your own opinion.
Either way - you get to Le Mans - and that's the main thing....
For about 4 years we used the ferry because it was cheap. We'd get a hotel in Ashford and then Rouen on the way back.
Then for the rugby world cup I used the tunnel for a couple of matches and then the Caen ferry. The tunnel is quicker but then you have the long drive and hotel costs so it depends what you prefer. Also with the tunnel the facilities on either side of the coast are a lot better than the single vending machine you get at Calais.
For next year LM24 and LMC I've booked the Caen ferry so there's no hotel costs on either side and it's a shorter drive for the Vette - 2 hours compared to 4.5.
Then for the rugby world cup I used the tunnel for a couple of matches and then the Caen ferry. The tunnel is quicker but then you have the long drive and hotel costs so it depends what you prefer. Also with the tunnel the facilities on either side of the coast are a lot better than the single vending machine you get at Calais.
For next year LM24 and LMC I've booked the Caen ferry so there's no hotel costs on either side and it's a shorter drive for the Vette - 2 hours compared to 4.5.
Dont' forget the flexibility....
With the ferry if you arrive early you have a long wait. Get there late and you've also got a long wait until the next one, that's provided they have space. I prefer the tunnel - the trains are more frequent than the boats and you can usually get on the next train.
I also prefer to stop for a nice relaxing lunch somewhere in rural France rather than have a fry up on the ferry. I'll eat enough bbq/fried food once at LM
With the ferry if you arrive early you have a long wait. Get there late and you've also got a long wait until the next one, that's provided they have space. I prefer the tunnel - the trains are more frequent than the boats and you can usually get on the next train.
I also prefer to stop for a nice relaxing lunch somewhere in rural France rather than have a fry up on the ferry. I'll eat enough bbq/fried food once at LM
Just to correct a part of Longers post above.
It is true that if you use the tunnel and miss your time you can usually get the next train, BUT NOT ON THE MONDAY AFTER LE MANS! Two years ago roadworks near Le Shuttle terminal, plus queues at tolls beforehand, led to many people (not just Le Maners) arriving late for their train. The next available slot was, in nearly every case, some 6 hours later. In the terminal we saw several people making a fair sum by trading their confirmed time to others desperate to get back to the UK pronto. So get there well ahead of you time must be the message.
From experience I think travelling back via the tunnel on the Sunday means a mid evening/late night creossing and Le Shuttle is far less busy. so being late should be OK.
R.
It is true that if you use the tunnel and miss your time you can usually get the next train, BUT NOT ON THE MONDAY AFTER LE MANS! Two years ago roadworks near Le Shuttle terminal, plus queues at tolls beforehand, led to many people (not just Le Maners) arriving late for their train. The next available slot was, in nearly every case, some 6 hours later. In the terminal we saw several people making a fair sum by trading their confirmed time to others desperate to get back to the UK pronto. So get there well ahead of you time must be the message.
From experience I think travelling back via the tunnel on the Sunday means a mid evening/late night creossing and Le Shuttle is far less busy. so being late should be OK.
R.
2010 will be my 40th year going to LeMans plus all the Classic LeMans
I have in that time done all the options that I can think of (yes including flying to the LeMans airstrip)
Even doing a Friday evening crossing, staying up all weekend not to miss anything and Sunday evening crossing back
(untill one year I nearly fell asleep at the wheel) so now I make a week of it plus usually extra days taking in things like the 14/18 battle fields if doing the Dover crossing or Normandie Beeches if the Caen/LeHavre crossing.
I have in that time done all the options that I can think of (yes including flying to the LeMans airstrip)
Even doing a Friday evening crossing, staying up all weekend not to miss anything and Sunday evening crossing back
(untill one year I nearly fell asleep at the wheel) so now I make a week of it plus usually extra days taking in things like the 14/18 battle fields if doing the Dover crossing or Normandie Beeches if the Caen/LeHavre crossing.
The Leaper said:
Just to correct a part of Longers post above.
It is true that if you use the tunnel and miss your time you can usually get the next train, BUT NOT ON THE MONDAY AFTER LE MANS! Two years ago roadworks near Le Shuttle terminal, plus queues at tolls beforehand, led to many people (not just Le Maners) arriving late for their train. The next available slot was, in nearly every case, some 6 hours later. In the terminal we saw several people making a fair sum by trading their confirmed time to others desperate to get back to the UK pronto. So get there well ahead of you time must be the message.
From experience I think travelling back via the tunnel on the Sunday means a mid evening/late night creossing and Le Shuttle is far less busy. so being late should be OK.
R.
I've not experienced those kind of delays on the way back to the tunnel on the Monday (but I did miss LM in 2007 that you specifically mention) but surely the same issues would exist if the roadwork chaos was caused on the way back to the ferry...? I accept that there can be problems at the tunnel in exceptional circs, but still think the it is the more flexible and better able to cope with early or late arrivals on a "normal" day (whatever normal is the day after LM weekend! It is true that if you use the tunnel and miss your time you can usually get the next train, BUT NOT ON THE MONDAY AFTER LE MANS! Two years ago roadworks near Le Shuttle terminal, plus queues at tolls beforehand, led to many people (not just Le Maners) arriving late for their train. The next available slot was, in nearly every case, some 6 hours later. In the terminal we saw several people making a fair sum by trading their confirmed time to others desperate to get back to the UK pronto. So get there well ahead of you time must be the message.
From experience I think travelling back via the tunnel on the Sunday means a mid evening/late night creossing and Le Shuttle is far less busy. so being late should be OK.
R.
)I was looking at using the overnight Caen Ferry.
A nice run down to the South Coast on the Friday afternoon, stick the car on the boat. Hit the bar/restaurant. Then bed - wake up in Caen - a couple of hours to Le Mans - happy days.
But it does cost and I couldn't justify the expense.
Now looking at the tunnel, £90 return looks good to me.
A nice run down to the South Coast on the Friday afternoon, stick the car on the boat. Hit the bar/restaurant. Then bed - wake up in Caen - a couple of hours to Le Mans - happy days.
But it does cost and I couldn't justify the expense.
Now looking at the tunnel, £90 return looks good to me.
Gingerbread Man said:
Vette_1978 said:
For next year LM24 and LMC I've booked the Caen ferry so there's no hotel costs on either side and it's a shorter drive for the Vette - 2 hours compared to 4.5.
Portsmouth to Caen?Offers on Tunnel at the moment mean that you can book up a return for £84 but ferry can be as low as £40 return. Tunnel is more flexible but care must be taken on Sunday as the last train is about 10.00pm with no further services until later on Monday morning, due to engineering work!
We gave up on the fast service to Bolougne after the speedferries fiasco, the ferries were faster on the timetable but always running late and slow, if not actually cancelled.
The drive from the channel ports to Le mans and back is part of the experience driving further in the uk to cut mileage in france is missing the whole point of the annual trip.
We gave up on the fast service to Bolougne after the speedferries fiasco, the ferries were faster on the timetable but always running late and slow, if not actually cancelled.
The drive from the channel ports to Le mans and back is part of the experience driving further in the uk to cut mileage in france is missing the whole point of the annual trip.
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