Rosslare - Le Harve - new service

[Zanussi]

FYI

LD Lines are starting a new ferry service this November to France.

http://www.ldlines.ie/

 

[Aidan1150]

Good find Zanussi.

Around £240stg return for a bike, two persons and a cabin will certainly put the wind up Irish Ferries.

 

[wessie]

the extra weekday sailing on the Portsmouth to Le Havre service is very welcome too.

I can leave S Wales at a reasonable time, hop on the ferry at lunchtime and be in Chartres, Paris, Alencon etc for dinner.

Beats the horrid schlep across the SE of England to get to Dover.

 

[Taff]

.. I can leave S Wales at a reasonable time, hop on the ferry at lunchtime and be in Chartres, Paris, Alencon etc for dinner. Beats the horrid schlep across the SE of England to get to Dover.

That's what I thought, but it's a 20 hour crossing and you won't arrive in Le Havre till 10pm. By the time you've docked and allowed off the boat it'll be 10.30pm.

Pity really it wasn't an overnight crossing, but at £55 one way it's worth bearing in mind though.

 

[nud1e]

Good find Zanussi.

Around £240stg return for a bike, two persons and a cabin will certainly put the wind up Irish Ferries.

so when are we going?

 

[wessie]

That's what I thought, but it's a 20 hour crossing and you won't arrive in Le Havre till 10pm. By the time you've docked and allowed off the boat it'll be 10.30pm.

Pity really it wasn't an overnight crossing, but at £55 one way it's worth bearing in mind though.

?

I think you need to revisit the timetable.

The midday service from Portsmouth arrives on LeH at 1830, so a 5.5 hour crossing, bearing in mind the difference between CET & GMT

New times are lsited at http://www.ldlines.co.uk/news.html if you scroll down a bit.

I tried a quote and it wouldn't show a midday sailing until I selected a date in October. I guess they haven't finalised the start date yet. Good price of £40 for a 5 day return (daytime crossing both ways) or £88 for a 2 week return.

 

[patzx12]

Thanks for that, I did not know about it. I will probably use it for Spain in Dec.
Irish ferries do not have a return until something like March. Their website does not even have an 2009 scedule.

 

[GerryC]

I will probably use it for Spain in Dec.
Irish ferries do not have a return until something like March.

So where's the problem Spain for the winter?

 

[patzx12]

So where's the problem Spain for the winter?

Went for the last few years, last year rented a 1200GS out of Seville, about €110 a day with full insurance. This year I will ride down. not to sure which bike yet.

 

[Aidan1150]

It will be interesting to get your opinion of the service if you do choose to use LD Lines Pat. The price seems competitive, hopefully the service will be good too.

 

[patzx12]

Does not look good this one, ferry arrives at 9.30 at night means finding a hotel and a waste of a day. Irish ferries get in before noon gives a us a good day on the road. I would avoid late night riding in the winter.

 

[Chieftain]

It will be interesting to get your opinion of the service if you do choose to use LD Lines Pat. The price seems competitive, hopefully the service will be good too.

@Aidan. Lennie & Dewi

 

[somclan]

where ya heading ?

Thanks for that, I did not know about it. I will probably use it for Spain in Dec.
Irish ferries do not have a return until something like March. Their website does not even have an 2009 scedule.

Do you plan to ride down to Spain in Dec ? ... Sounds Interesting...Do tell all

 

[patzx12]

Do you plan to ride down to Spain in Dec ? ... Sounds Interesting...Do tell all

I always rent an apartment off holidayrentals.co.uk, buyandsell or the likes as a base and tour around. last year in Fuengirola maybe Marabella this year. I dont mind as long as it is central and I can walk to the pubs ( I love walking when on holiday).
Last year did, Seville, Jerez, Algarve, Gibraltar, Granada, Sierra, Nevada, and Ronda + Ronda and Ronda again.
check out the picture of a deserted Matalascanas, a perfect road with loads of roundabouts and it comes to a dead end.
Mind you it was not all fun and games there must have been a down side to the trip on sorry I cant think of any.

 

[somclan]

On the ball

What a great idea .... Wish I had thought of it... What route do you favour to get down to the Costa ?... Do you slab down ? Its a very interesting concept and sounds lIke my sort of thing ... great photos BTW What bikes must you choose from ?

 

[Zanussi]

E mailed LD

I have fired off an e mail to LD lines to chack if the sailing time will change in the spring /summer 09.

It could be that the schedule is designed more around truckers to allow them to arrive early into Central / East Europe?
I will up date the thread if and when I hear back.

 

[luke scott]

I always rent an apartment off holidayrentals.co.uk, buyandsell or the likes as a base and tour around. last year in Fuengirola maybe Marabella this year.

Stay away from Marbella. Go 10 km further on towards Estepona. Try San Pedro de Alcantara. Real spain with no all day english breakfasts or people wearing union jack shorts. . Yet its still only a five minute taxi ride from "Puerto Banus" if you want an expensive night out followed by a fight with some drug barons from Dublin. I spend a lot of time there (11 times this year ) and its hard to beat. Great roads up to Ronda, or a two hour ride up into the sierra nevada mountains to the ski resort. Or a 45 minute ride on empty motorway down past Gib (a toilet) to Tarifa. I'm off again next week..... cant wait. Be aware that agents are charging 20% of your rent as a fee so if you ask around you can save money on the rents.

 

[Zanussi]

I have fired off an e mail to LD lines to chack if the sailing time will change in the spring /summer 09.

The answer was "eh,NO!

 

[patzx12]

Thanks Luke, It will be quiet around Xmas anyway just a few tourists around.
To be honest I never warmed to Marbella or Malaga but we liked Fuengirola.
I will only use the apartment as a base anyway and tour around, I wouldnt mind heading down to Marrakesh for a week (main roads only).
I have done a lot of trips to spain and trackdays. I used to have some wild rides back in the ZX12R days.

And Somclan it will be:
07 K1200GT or 06 R1200GSa or possibly R1200GS and leave it down there for all of 2009 if I can get a place to store it and the insurance sorted out.

 

[luke scott]

Pat.......... It's better when its quiet (no other ex pats ) Would storage near Malaga airport be any good ? We have an account with a rental firm & are talking to them about leaving a bike near the airport .