Ferry travel to France

[yello]

There's no problem with the route to and from the Le Harve ferry port and the bridge. The roads are very wide and there's cycle path for much of it. You can even cycle along a massive commercial quayside that doesn't seemed to be used anymore.

Thanks for that info. I've only ever been in the car for the journey to/from Le Havre so I didn't know what bike routes where do-able. It just looked grim from my window!

@Dogtrousers the bridge I'm thinking of is much smaller than that, on the Caen peripherique. Google informs me it's the Viaduct de Calix....

 

[Tim Bennet.]

Thanks for that info. I've only ever been in the car for the journey to/from Le Havre so I didn't know what bike routes where do-able. It just looked grim from my window!

Yes you're right. It looks like it was all laid out to be a massive industrial development which didn't all happen. Some has become a nature reserve but most is a maze of underused roads. But the industry that is there gives the place a certain 'piquancy'.

It's worth doing a bit of research as to the best route. The yellow Michelin maps aren't really detailed enough and finding all the correct turns can be quite stressful when time trialling to make the close of check-in time for the ferry.

 

[Dogtrousers]

@Dogtrousers the bridge I'm thinking of is much smaller than that, on the Caen peripherique. Google informs me it's the Viaduct de Calix....

Ah, the peripherique. Home of some insanely short sliproads. Not my favourite place

 

[Cathryn]

Ugh! Booking bikes onto ferries is a nightmare. I'm trying to book the three of us onto a DFDS (not P&O) ferry for the summer. Each individual fare is £25. (one way).

* Each person is £25 but 1 adult and 1 child is £25 total. Great. Free child? However you only seem to get 1 bike for that.
* 2 adults and one child booked together however are £125 (how??) but we STILL only get one bike.

I could book my husband/son together and me separately (cheapest way) but we would still only have two bikes registered.

I can't book all three of us separately (thus three bike bookings) as my son is 12.

What do I do?

 

[Cathryn]

I gave the P&O website a go and they too only seem to give us one bicycle between three!

 

[Julia9054]

You need to phone them. They can do “unusual” booking combinations by telephone.

 

[Cathryn]

You need to phone them. They can do “unusual” booking combinations by telephone.

I did wonder if I'd be a 'group'. I've emailed them via their group booking website. If I don't hear by end of play tomorrow, I'll. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Cathryn]

You need to phone them. They can do “unusual” booking combinations by telephone.

How is a family on bikes unusual tho

 

[Oldhippy]

How is a family on bikes unusual tho

It's England, if you don't turn up in a giant SUV, overweight with kids in the back eating KFC for dinner it can only mean you're weird or foreign.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

How is a family on bikes unusual tho

I know from (different) experience that booking a "landbridge" from NL through the UK to Ireland by car was always better done (and cheaper) over the phone.

It's England, if you don't turn up in a giant SUV, overweight with kids in the back eating KFC for dinner it can only mean you're weird or foreign.

With respect, that's exactly the kind of attitude that'll mess up your nomad experience.

 

[Julia9054]

How is a family on bikes unusual tho

Hmmm . . . don’t even get me started! It’s taken me 5 weeks of emails backwards and forwards to book 2 people, 2 bicycles, 1 cabin. Bicycles have only just been invented and so have ferries. Apparently.

 

[Oldhippy]

I know from (different) experience that booking a "landbridge" from NL through the UK to Ireland by car was always better done (and cheaper) over the phone.

With respect, that's exactly the kind of attitude that'll mess up your nomad experience.

I apologise, but dealing with what should be a simple matter in so many places is infuriating isn't it? In the UK we are so behind in so many ways. Do many countries I have been to simple things such as this are not even a thing.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I apologise, but dealing with what should be a simple matter in so many places is infuriating isn't it? In the UK we are so behind in so many ways. Do many countries I have been to simple things such as this are not even a thing.

And in those countries you'll find that they mess up things that are perfectly normal and usual in the UK. That's travel - to experience the differences - even at home.

In Ireland, home from NL (where everything runs on time or is well flagged if not) I asked as I bought a bus ticket how long the journey would take. "F****d if I know" was the answer from the ticket seller. When I asked the bus driver he laughed and said it depends on traffic.
Infuriating or typically laid back Irish? Your call.

 

[classic33]

How is a family on bikes unusual tho

The ferries aren't really built for bikes these days. Especially the ramp access on some.

 

[Oldhippy]

The ferries aren't really built for bikes these days. Especially the ramp access on some.

Ferries are built to transport people, all people whether in a mobile lounge, on foot or cycling.