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

[redfalo]

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....

Yes, the ride is definitely still open, but the ferry is the big bottlenet. DFDS policies are just ridicuouls, @StuartG has called them several times trying to convince them to sell him a ticket. You may try the same: +44 800 917 1201

In theory, you could take the afternoon ferry leaving Newhaven 17:30 on Saturday, arriving Dieppe 23:00hrs (there are still bike spaces left) But we'll leave Saint Saens (which is 40km inland) 6am-ish on Sunday to get to Paris in time for people who are on a Sunday night Eurosatar. So it would be a very short night for you....

For subsequent Paris rides, one should probably look at Dover - Calais, or Portsmouth- Caen, albeit it means two longish days of riding in France.

 

[Tim Hall]

Yes, the ride is definitely still open, but the ferry is the big bottlenet. DFDS policies are just ridicuouls, @StuartG has called them several times trying to convince them to sell him a ticket. You may try the same: +44 800 917 1201

In theory, you could take the afternoon ferry leaving Newhaven 17:30 on Saturday, arriving Dieppe 23:00hrs (there are still bike spaces left) But we'll leave Saint Saens (which is 40km inland) 6am-ish on Sunday to get to Paris in time for people who are on a Sunday night Eurosatar. So it would be a very short night for you....

For subsequent Paris rides, one should probably look at Dover - Calais, or Portsmouth- Caen, albeit it means two longish days of riding in France.

I did a London-Dover-Calais ride last year and I think the route into Paris was better than the traffic and grime of the route we took with Les Vendredis the year before. The last 20km (perhaps) were alongside the Canal de l'Ourcq on a dedicated cycle path. Might be worth a look.

 

[redfalo]

I did a London-Dover-Calais ride last year and I think the route into Paris was better than the traffic and grime of the route we took with Les Vendredis the year before. The last 20km (perhaps) were alongside the Canal de l'Ourcq on a dedicated cycle path. Might be worth a look.

Kat and I used the same route along the canal last summer, when we did our Lille-Ardennes-Paris ride, and it was indeed lovely. But Calais-Paris surely requires two full and rather long days of cycling, doesn't it? So its difficult to get it done in one weekend, I suppose.

 

[StuAff]

Le Have would be another alternative- 60 or so miles to Saint-Saëns.

 

[jiberjaber]

I cant quite work out the Le Havre option, looks like the Fri sailing is full so only the Saturday, 23:00ish arrives 08:30 Sunday?? - feels like a none starter..

 

[mmmmartin]

see if you can book on as a motorcycle, that's the giveaway that they have set a limit on bicycles but not on motorbikes. maybe you can then phone them (see posts passim)

 

[jiberjaber]

Motorbike booking options one way:

 

[StuartG]

see if you can book on as a motorcycle, that's the giveaway that they have set a limit on bicycles but not on motorbikes. maybe you can then phone them (see posts passim)

Current state of play is they won't let me on as just a passenger (you may remember me taking the Brommie as hand luggage) so bike space is irrelevant. Of course there will be no-shows so you will probably be able to blag your way on the day at the terminal but it is a risk and it will cost extra to have a cancellable hotel in Paris. Sorry that should read 'even more costly'.

I haven't yet given up on my seduction technique with the gorgeous sounding French lady on the 0800 number. Hope against hope ...

 

[hatler]

Can't you just book a motorbike and when you get there claim you changed your mind ? And if they query it, act innocent and wonder aloud wide-eyed if there might be a refund due as a bike takes up less space than a motorbike ?

 

[Tim Hall]

Can't you just book a motorbike and when you get there claim you changed your mind ? And if they query it, act innocent and wonder aloud wide-eyed if there might be a refund due as a bike takes up less space than a motorbike ?

Ask them if the Viet Cong used bicycles or motorbikes and then point them to the statue of Ho Chi Minh in Newhaven.

 

[StuAff]

I cant quite work out the Le Havre option, looks like the Fri sailing is full so only the Saturday, 23:00ish arrives 08:30 Sunday?? - feels like a none starter..

Sorry Jason, meant for future runs....yup, those times aren't very helpful for you this time!

 

[ianmac62]

Ask them if the Viet Cong used bicycles or motorbikes and then point them to the statue of Ho Chi Minh in Newhaven.

Ho Ho Ho Chi Minh; We shall fight and we shall win.

 

[redfalo]

I looked yesterday and for the morning ferry on Saturday, even motorbike tickets were not available. (I used that trick a few years ago myself). They currently only sell car tickets, with four passengers at 220 quid (compared to 28 quid for a bike ticket, IIRC).

So if you found four people willing to share a car ticket, and then rock up with bikes instead, it could be possible to get on the ferry.

Or you can come along on the night ride, and try to buy a ticket on the morning. Accomodation in Saint Saens may become an issue though (while you could always stay in Dieppe, and have an earlier start to join us in Saint Saens)

It will be interesting to see how full the ferry is really going to be - DFDS seems to expect high demand. When I used it previously, ferry was half-empty though.

@mmmmartin , @ianmac62 I think we really should try to get CTC involved. Do you guys have any idea who to drop an email to?

 

[StuAff]

Accommodation in Saint-Saëns will not be a problem- as I posted upthread, I can share if need be. Will be €30. My hosts won't have breakfast ready for a 6am start, but we can sort something out I'm sure- there's a fridge in the chalet. As to the ferry problem, the mind boggles as to how DFDS actively turn away custom like that. They'd probably turn the TDF down claiming they couldn't get the bikes on.....I'm actually surprised I managed to get a bike space booked back from Dunkerque for the September tour!

 

[mmmmartin]

http://www.cyclinguk.org/ctc/ctc-national-council/council/ian-mccabe

Your councillor for the South East. (he replaced philip benstead, currently making A Big Fuss about the rebranding.)