Options for sailing home the morning after?
Discussion
I cant find a site that gives me all the sailing options home, it seems you need to know your route rather than any site providing a list of options/ times.
I usually go home Calais / Dover. I live in the West Midlands.
Only other option I can see, without spending hours at sea, is Dieppe / Newhaven. Gets me in after 3pm and is almost as long a journey from Dover...plus it's a bit late.
Im hoping someone will tell me there is a fastcraft about 1130am from somewhere 2 hours from Le Mans...but I know I'm dreaming. However, just thought I'd check on here, always interesting to hear what other people do and why.
God im depressed! 11 months and lots of days til next year...kill me now (hangover, junk food withdrawal and nicotene withdrawal all on full chat...if anyone wants an argument Im your man!!!)
I usually go home Calais / Dover. I live in the West Midlands.
Only other option I can see, without spending hours at sea, is Dieppe / Newhaven. Gets me in after 3pm and is almost as long a journey from Dover...plus it's a bit late.
Im hoping someone will tell me there is a fastcraft about 1130am from somewhere 2 hours from Le Mans...but I know I'm dreaming. However, just thought I'd check on here, always interesting to hear what other people do and why.
God im depressed! 11 months and lots of days til next year...kill me now (hangover, junk food withdrawal and nicotene withdrawal all on full chat...if anyone wants an argument Im your man!!!)
We've done the Calais --> Dover route a number of times, and also the Calais to Folkstone via the tunnel. It's a long drive from LM to Calais which a) costs money in fuel and tolls and b) extra wear and tear on the vehicles.
This year we did the Newhaven/Dieppe and vice versa route. The ferry ride is around 4 hours but that's 4 hours of not spending money on fuel (when you're driving V8s that's quite a saving) and not paying out on the tolls. Again, that extra wear and tear on the vehicles is saved. BUT it's about near 3 hours to Dieppe from LM and only one toll road.
We're all in Outer London, so not much of a drive back home for us. But I'm originally from the West Midlands and I know that you don't have much of an option but to head for the M25. With the Newhaven route, you'll come up via the M23 and will not have much of a drive to the M40 via the M25, as opposed to arriving at Dover then onto the M20 and the full bottom half of the M25 to the M40...or even the top half to the M1/M40.
EDIT: also, I found the atmosphere in the Newhaven boat to be quite laid back and civilised...if that makes sense? A very quiet journey when compared to the Dover crossings we've been on.
This year we did the Newhaven/Dieppe and vice versa route. The ferry ride is around 4 hours but that's 4 hours of not spending money on fuel (when you're driving V8s that's quite a saving) and not paying out on the tolls. Again, that extra wear and tear on the vehicles is saved. BUT it's about near 3 hours to Dieppe from LM and only one toll road.
We're all in Outer London, so not much of a drive back home for us. But I'm originally from the West Midlands and I know that you don't have much of an option but to head for the M25. With the Newhaven route, you'll come up via the M23 and will not have much of a drive to the M40 via the M25, as opposed to arriving at Dover then onto the M20 and the full bottom half of the M25 to the M40...or even the top half to the M1/M40.
EDIT: also, I found the atmosphere in the Newhaven boat to be quite laid back and civilised...if that makes sense? A very quiet journey when compared to the Dover crossings we've been on.
Edited by LeMansNut on Thursday 20th June 19:13
I suggest you ask the 1st Tickets team (the PH partner for LM) as it might be easier than trawling all the websites.
I’m Midlands based & we use Portsmouth/Caen with Brittany Ferries as it’s only about 100 miles on the French side to LM & about 180 miles in the UK & we don’t pay any tolls using the non autoroute options in France.
I’m Midlands based & we use Portsmouth/Caen with Brittany Ferries as it’s only about 100 miles on the French side to LM & about 180 miles in the UK & we don’t pay any tolls using the non autoroute options in France.
Really interesting options thank you.
The Newhaven route gets me in too late, to a world of M25 rush hour hell.
The Ouistreham to Pompey option is too early - I need a lie in Monday after too many late nights plus all the travelling.
Unfortunately Dover / Calais offers so much mid morning flexibility
The Newhaven route gets me in too late, to a world of M25 rush hour hell.
The Ouistreham to Pompey option is too early - I need a lie in Monday after too many late nights plus all the travelling.
Unfortunately Dover / Calais offers so much mid morning flexibility
I've not done it for Le Mans but have used the St Malo - Portsmouth route a few times. St Malo is 2.5 hours north of Le Mans. It's an overnight crossing but you get a decent cabin, shower, beer and food. From memory, you're in Portsmouth for 9.00am on the Monday so a reasonable drive north from there.
StevieBee said:
I've not done it for Le Mans but have used the St Malo - Portsmouth route a few times. St Malo is 2.5 hours north of Le Mans. It's an overnight crossing but you get a decent cabin, shower, beer and food. From memory, you're in Portsmouth for 9.00am on the Monday so a reasonable drive north from there.
We use Portsmouth to St Malo going to Le Mans, im pretty sure the return leg is morning and a long day sailing, but I'll check.That said enjoyed a restaurant in Rouen on Sunday night, quite happy to do that again
Truckosaurus said:
In the 20 years of going to LM I've not found there to be a short crossing without a long drive or a closer port without a slow boat.
We've settled on using the Tunnel just because it is the most flexible.
Im reaching the same conclusion. We've settled on using the Tunnel just because it is the most flexible.
I actually quite like the drive as far as Rouen, it's scenic, and we now have a good restaurant at our disposal there too.
Prefer driving over sailing
JamesBryan88 said:
Le Harve to Portsmouth could be worth a look.
2h30 drive each side is what you'd be looking at roughly.
Not many crossings a day though...
Sailing at 915, 5 hrs. We were all knackered so that could have been sleeping time. Perfect except my nephew wont get back in time for his flight. Otherwise great suggestion thank you2h30 drive each side is what you'd be looking at roughly.
Not many crossings a day though...
JamesBryan88 said:
Le Harve to Portsmouth could be worth a look.
2h30 drive each side is what you'd be looking at roughly.
Not many crossings a day though...
We did that crossing this year, both out and on the way back. The drive from Le Harve to Le Mans is easy enough. Back roads to the Peage near Bernay being slightly quicker than peage towards Rouen and then down. The Monday morning early crossing means a hotel near by probbaly better than staying in Le Mans. Although do not stay in Harfluer as everything is shut, and we couldn't find anywhere selling beer without one of us having to drive. 2h30 drive each side is what you'd be looking at roughly.
Not many crossings a day though...
wsn03 said:
StevieBee said:
I've not done it for Le Mans but have used the St Malo - Portsmouth route a few times. St Malo is 2.5 hours north of Le Mans. It's an overnight crossing but you get a decent cabin, shower, beer and food. From memory, you're in Portsmouth for 9.00am on the Monday so a reasonable drive north from there.
We use Portsmouth to St Malo going to Le Mans, im pretty sure the return leg is morning and a long day sailing, but I'll check.That said enjoyed a restaurant in Rouen on Sunday night, quite happy to do that again
Traffic was generally light but if I do it again, I'd avoid the Rennes ring road due to rush hour queues.
Is that because the Monday was a bank =holiday this year?
DMN said:
We did that crossing this year, both out and on the way back. The drive from Le Harve to Le Mans is easy enough. Back roads to the Peage near Bernay being slightly quicker than peage towards Rouen and then down. The Monday morning early crossing means a hotel near by probbaly better than staying in Le Mans. Although do not stay in Harfluer as everything is shut, and we couldn't find anywhere selling beer without one of us having to drive.
I'm pretty much governed by a need to be at Heathrow for 3pm on the Monday now, so sailing to Calais seems to be the best option (unless I'm outvoted and we end up in the tunnel).
Interesting to see peoples options.
I'm now trying to decide which way to come in.
I pick up my nephew from Heathrow at 3.30pm on Wednesday. By all accounts the quickest way to Le Mans from there seems to be sailing from Portsmouth to Caen, or just hammer down through the tunnel and overnight it at Rouen. The latter seems like a lot of driving for no extra gain (price-wise or arrival time at Le Mans)
Interesting to see peoples options.
I'm now trying to decide which way to come in.
I pick up my nephew from Heathrow at 3.30pm on Wednesday. By all accounts the quickest way to Le Mans from there seems to be sailing from Portsmouth to Caen, or just hammer down through the tunnel and overnight it at Rouen. The latter seems like a lot of driving for no extra gain (price-wise or arrival time at Le Mans)
Use Dover Calais ferry or tunnel lots of times as in Kent (mainly ferry as seem to have delays whenever we use the tunnel), but did have a look at Portsmouth Caen route as drove down via Normandy and the run in from Ouistreham/Caen was pretty good.
But Portsmouth Caen sailings not that frequent - believe it's about 6 hours but overnight crossing seem to take longer as presumably they also do cabins etc. So would work if had a long drive in UK from anywhere west of London or wanted a rest overnight.
Cost wise that crossing seems quite high, even saving fuel in a V8!, and even with a 1 hour 45 min (slow ferry from Dover) plus the drive down
it's doable to Le Mans in around the same time as the longer ferry crossing.
Quickest way (other than private jet to Le Mans - like a campsite neighbour another year) must be a flexiticket on the tunnel.
But Portsmouth Caen sailings not that frequent - believe it's about 6 hours but overnight crossing seem to take longer as presumably they also do cabins etc. So would work if had a long drive in UK from anywhere west of London or wanted a rest overnight.
Cost wise that crossing seems quite high, even saving fuel in a V8!, and even with a 1 hour 45 min (slow ferry from Dover) plus the drive down
it's doable to Le Mans in around the same time as the longer ferry crossing.
Quickest way (other than private jet to Le Mans - like a campsite neighbour another year) must be a flexiticket on the tunnel.
RL17 said:
3.30pm at Heathrow is not a great time. What about a short additional flight to Charles de Gaulle (maybe just outward leg)- seems to be some direct trains from there to Le Mans (1 hr 40 mins).
Friends did Eurostar to Le Mans this year and pretty quick even with a change in Paris.
It's my nephew, 15 next year, his Mum won't want him making his own way down, and besides the ferry / trip down is part of the funFriends did Eurostar to Le Mans this year and pretty quick even with a change in Paris.
Taking worst case delays and getting into arrivals into account, lets say I leave Heathrow at 415pm I have enough time to get to Portsmouth for the 8:15pm sailing, so that works for me ok.
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