anyone planning a trip to France?

http://www.aferry.to/LD-Lines-ferry-ferries.htm

New company launches a Portsmouth-LeHavre route. Any use to you TOG
for future trips on the western side of France?

 

Jackie emerged from their own little world to say

It's a takeover rather than a new route.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4268516.stm

P&O made their last trip on 30 Sept. A French company will now operate the
route. There is just one return trip each day from Oct 3rd
Portsmouth to Le Havre: 23.00-07.30
LeH to Pompey: 17.00-21.30

Operator's own site: http://www.ldlines.com/va_pound.html

I guess that most of the operational infrastructure will be in France
rather than Pompey.

 

Hmmm.... only if I can persuade them to give us a decent deal.

Worth checking, though. Ta.

 

Biz emerged from their own little world to say

It's overnight. For me it is a useful service as I can leave home after
dinner. Roll up in Portsmouth at 10pm. Get on ferry, drink beer, sleep.
Disembark in France at 7.30am. Ride for an hour or two in France before
breakfast. You can easily be in Bordeaux or the Alps by tea time.

 

Hm. Just done a sample fare check, with a cabin, and it came out at £200
return for a bike & rider....

 

Yes, but the return time is a pisser. 5pm departure, so arrive UK late
at night.

 

The Older Gentleman emerged from their own little world to say

P&O had a mid morning option too as they had 2 ships. I actually like the
afternoon time slot: you get plenty of time to reach the port and by the
time you get off the ship the traffic is non-existent for the ride home.

 

Well, yeah, but if you live 200-300 miles away it's a PITA.

 

My favourite crossing so far has been Plymouth - Roscoff. Brittany
Ferries piss on the opposition from a great height, IMHO.

 

The Older Gentleman wrote

Yebbut that only affects peeps from norf of Watford and nobody except
joke writers and social scientists desperate for research funding gives
a shit about them.

 

SteveH emerged from their own little world to say

I agree. I used their Poole-Cherbourg crossing last year and it was very
good. The food/drink was reasonably priced and much better than the shit
that SeaFrance served on the Dover route.

I find the journey via Poole/Portsmouth less stressful than going via
Dover. Even though the sea crossing is longer the actual time from my place
to a French port is not much different.

 

We came back into Poole this summer. Don't think I'd do it again - the
roads back to South Wales from there are, on the whole, shite.

 

SteveH emerged from their own little world to say

I like them. Under 2.5 hours on nice & twisty roads up through Blandford
Forum, Warminster etc. Much more interesting route than any other south
coast port. Puts you in a good frame of mind for the rest of the holiday
unlike the tedium of travelling to Dover.

 

Just had a fiddle with the booking stuff: you can't book
Portsmouth-LeHavre-Portsmouth return, oh no. You have to book
LeHavre-Portsmouth-LeHavre. Then you change the dates to the dates you want
and it bitches about them being in chronological order.

Serapu residents only, then.

 

I did Portsmouth - Le Havre for £35 return in April.

I like the 5pm sailing time. It means you can have afternoon tea in
Hornfleur and then have a sleep on the boat. You get back to the UK at
9pm. After the rush hour, the roads are nice and empty. Get back home be
11:30 or so. Better than M25 rush hour traffic.