FNRttC Fridays Mini tour: London to Paris, July 23-25

[wanda2010]

Staying at the Abbaye also

 

[mllond]

Mary, wanna share a room?

Hey Son, apologies, have been travelling and only just spotted this CC thread.
Good news is that I booked the 20:13 train on the Sun. I haven't booked a bike space - have opted for the drop-and-collect at KX option which gives me extra time for routing issues as I wasn't sure I would do a flawless execution through Paris to GdN. I am sure you won't have this problem (and it will be daytime after all, ahem!). Have also booked a room at L'Abbaye.

 

[StuartG]

I'm currently stuck without a ferry booking foot or foot&bike for the 10am - even my dulcet tones could not persuade the lovely lady on the phone. All the places are reserved for cars and passengers. They may release some later but I'm relegated to a maybe ... unless I cycle down to Portsmouth and up from Le Havre on Friday. Any other ideas?

 

[mmmmartin]

can only suggest you wait a bit and try again. it's not until july, nearly five months away.

 

[StuAff]

Just checked myself, showing a blank for bike spaces on DFDS. Fingers crossed they release some more. Portsmouth-Le Havre with a bike on the Friday night (2145 sailing, arrives 0800) is £64. £50 for the Thursday or Saturday night sailings (2315, arrive 0830).

 

[redfalo]

I'm currently stuck without a ferry booking foot or foot&bike for the 10am - even my dulcet tones could not persuade the lovely lady on the phone. All the places are reserved for cars and passengers. They may release some later but I'm relegated to a maybe

Bugger! Did you call the corporate headquarter in France on +44 800 917 1201? (The normal booking hotline just gets the same information than any website user, but the HQ is supposed to be able to override the booking system manually.)

DFDS is really hopeless - I wonder if the guys responsible for the booking system have ever set a foot into one of their ferries, as there is no scarcity of room for bikes (or pedestrian passengers, for that matter) whatsoever.

Not sure if there is anyting but waiting and pestering them again later time.

 

[StuartG]

Bugger! Did you call the corporate headquarter in France on +44 800 917 1201?

That's the one. I'm sure I spoke to the same sweet French lady I once persuaded to let me on before. But I'm guessing that now LD Lines is DFDS she had to demur to the corporate policy.

She was saying that they don't want to lose any vehicle business on the first day of the holiday season so all the passenger space is currently allocated to them. It would seem when enough booked vehicle traffic has taken less than their allocation of passenger space would it then be allocated back to foot and bicyclists. I will be ringing every 3/4 weeks. I am assuming that if space does become available it might be close to sailing.

So assume I'll come if I can but won't if I can't. @Gordon P feel free to share Isabelle with another. Though I recall some of her bedrooms have three beds so hopefully I can snug in late if I get lucky.

 

[redfalo]

So assume I'll come if I can but won't if I can't. @Gordon P feel free to share Isabelle with another. Though I recall some of her bedrooms have three beds so hopefully I can snug in late if I get lucky.

I think Kat and I have booked a room with three beds, but we can swap rooms if necessary.

 

[ianmac62]

I could well join you for the ride from HPC to Newhaven.

After 40 years of only ever going on holiday in school holiday weeks, the prospect of a ferry on the first day of the school holidays no longer excites me.

 

[mmmmartin]

DFDS is really hopeless - I wonder if the guys responsible for the booking system have ever set a foot into one of their ferries

I have had this reply, when booking the May French trip:
Dear Mr. Brice
Thanks for your mail. The five places allocated for bicycles have been sold but I suggest that your contact our Reservations Service on Free phone 0800 917 12 01 from UK or 0800 650 100 from France and see whether they can make room for one more cyclist. Lines open from 08H00 English time tomorrow morning.
Kind Regards/Cordialement,
Joni WILKINS (Mrs.)
Customer Services Manager Responsable Service Clientèle
What sort of numpty allocates five spaces for bikes on a cross-Channel ferry between two of the world's great cities that are joined by a cycle route?

 

[srw]

Sounds like it's worth a chat to the CTC - as a publicity campaign might be right up their street, and the club ought to get something out of its affiliation.

 

[ianmac62]

For the May trip, I am one of the five. Being quick off the mark has disadvantages - I missed Gordon's negotiated discount with Stena Lines for September - but here I sit in a glow of contentment. Cheers, @mmmmartin!

 

[redfalo]

Sounds like it's worth a chat to the CTC - as a publicity campaign might be right up their street, and the club ought to get something out of its affiliation.

Indeed!

 

[jiberjaber]

Is this trip still open Olaf? @redfalo

ETA: looks like the DFDS sailing is full on their website... oh well I might consider going out the day before perhaps....

 

[mmmmartin]

We have been on that ferry when dozens of cyclists have been going to and from Paris for the finish of Le Tour. As I recall, someone just phones them up and they release more spaces.

For The Dieppe Raid a few years ago I couldn't book a bike on, so phoned Newhaven DFDS to complain and they gave me a UK number to ring that put me through to someone in Dieppe who was French and thus had The Power to increase the number of bike spaces. It was no problem, but times may have changed, obvs.