South East to Normandy - Eurotunnel or Ferry

BusterDan

BusterDan

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Just wondered if anyone has an opinion on the best ways to get to Normandy by bike...

Our group is in the South East/London/Kent, we typically use the tunnel. But this year we are going to Normandy so I have been wondering about the ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe.

Cost seems to be similar, taking into account distance on the road and stops the Eurotunnel options is slightly quicker I think, but there's not much in it.

Would appreciate any feedback.... thanks.
 
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It’s certainly an option, whether by bike, car or combine harvester.

Divide your group in two. Half take the Chunnel and half the Dieppe ferry. Reverse the roles for the return. Then you’ll know,

Why not take the ferry to Caen?

:beerjug:

PS Don’t go to Peacehaven. It’s not far from Newhaven but it’ll make a significant difference when the ferry steams past you.

PPS Some clown will recommend taking the ferry from Hull to Holland. Ignore them.
 
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Dieppe ferry has limited slots per day and pretty shit times. They had better times a while ago and it is a good service as a few of us used it to get to a function in Dieppe. It did mean using a hotel near Brighton the night before a 0930 sailing.

With the tunnel, there is more flexibility. If one of the group has a problem, such as a puncture you can all go ahead knowing the rider will be able to get a later train, maybe at extra cost, and catch up. If using the Dieppe ferry the rider will have to wait a long time for the next one, or head to the tunnel.

If you are travelling before mid June and outside school hols, the tunnel is currently offering a 20% discount, if you book by 11 Jan.
 
wessie said:
Dieppe ferry has limited slots per day and pretty shit times. They had better times a while ago and it is a good service as a few of us used it to get to a function in Dieppe. It did mean using a hotel near Brighton the night before a 0930 sailing.

With the tunnel, there is more flexibility. If one of the group has a problem, such as a puncture you can all go ahead knowing the rider will be able to get a later train, maybe at extra cost, and catch up. If using the Dieppe ferry the rider will have to wait a long time for the next one, or head to the tunnel.

If you are travelling before mid June and outside school hols, the tunnel is currently offering a 20% discount, if you book by 11 Jan.
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Thanks Wessie, yes I noticed the discount which is handy and I have done the tunnel quite a few times now, it's just so easy.... more just thinking about the routes on the otherside as we tend to prefer using non motorway routes, but that adds quite a lot of time.
 
Newhaven to Dieppe , is always my first choice ( unless going to the Fatherland )
yes it has limited times ,
yes they now have some security
but if you do the overnight , you can doze in a chair or split a cabin , it spits you out at 0500 ( from a 2300 start ) the roads are empty.
if over 60 , ring the French office and get a 20% ? discount .
timing is the only worry , i did Dover -Calais earlier this year , because for some reason , they wanted £95 to come back ?
but i still used DFDS , cos i won't use P&O anymore.
unlike the tunnel they don't jack up the prices as you get nearer the leaving date ( i have booked as late as the morning of departure )
 
I used the overnight from Portsmouth to Caen a couple of years ago. A couple of beers, then retire to the shoebox-size cabin for a good night's sleep. This has the added advantage of a complete day in Normandy, giving more riding time on the French side, which is somewhat more enjoyable.
 
we use newhaven dieppe a lot, 3 times last year, puts you 2hrs ish from the beaches and saves 2hrs ish from calais, price wise with over 60s discount works out a little cheaper than tunnel or dover boat. down to you really we find it fine
 
BillWright said:
I used the overnight from Portsmouth to Caen a couple of years ago. A couple of beers, then retire to the shoebox-size cabin for a good night's sleep. This has the added advantage of a complete day in Normandy, giving more riding time on the French side, which is somewhat more enjoyable.
Click to expand...

yes, for me, this is the best (as asked in the OP) way to get to Normandy but my starting point is Mid Wales so Portsmouth is a much nicer port to head to/from. In September we went out to St Malo on the new electric boat and back overnight from Le Havre on the Condor Commodore Clipper, ex Jersey boat. The latter is a tiny thing and was a tad interesting in a storm. Didn't stop me sinking a few pints of Lagunitas.
 
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wessie said:
yes, for me, this is the best (as asked in the OP) way to get to Normandy but my starting point is Mid Wales so Portsmouth is a much nicer port to head to/from. In September we went out to St Malo on the new electric boat and back overnight on the Condor Commodore Clipper, ex Jersey boat. The latter is a tiny thing and was a tad interesting in a storm. Didn't stop me sinking a few pints of Lagunitas.
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Agree with wessie about the st malo boat. I went to st malo then spent about 8 days working east to Calais for a return train. Doing the WW2 beaches and monument/museums on the way.
 
Two of us are going to Normandy 23 April for 5 days going DFDS Newhaven-Dieppe. I booked on the phone in November & with the seniors discount total fare for 2x adults & 2x bikes was £128. Significantly cheaper than Eurotunnel.
 
I typically go with Brittany Ferries when heading to Normandy on the Portsmouth Caen route, usually take a day sailing over, and the 2300 sailing back to Portsmouth, not sure if that's to much of a hike, but it drops you off right in the middle of the area's you are probably likely to want to explore.

On the day sailings you can add a cabin for peanuts, I've had them for £10 before if you just want a quiet place to get your head down for a few hours.
 
theoneandonly said:
Newhaven to Dieppe , is always my first choice ( unless going to the Fatherland )
yes it has limited times ,
yes they now have some security
but if you do the overnight , you can doze in a chair or split a cabin , it spits you out at 0500 ( from a 2300 start ) the roads are empty.
if over 60 , ring the French office and get a 20% ? discount .
timing is the only worry , i did Dover -Calais earlier this year , because for some reason , they wanted £95 to come back ?
but i still used DFDS , cos i won't use P&O anymore.
unlike the tunnel they don't jack up the prices as you get nearer the leaving date ( i have booked as late as the morning of departure )
Click to expand...
^^^^^^ this, book an overnight crossing and kick into France with a full day ahead.
 
St Malo is probably best for Brittany / the west coast of France. For Normandy, I’d use Caen or (at a push) Cherbourg. Failing that, from the OP’s start points of ‘South East / London / Kent’ it’s maybe a toss-up between the Chunnel and the Newhaven-Dieppe run, depending on the convenience or otherwise of crossing times. I (from London E1) use the Chunnel, but that’s just me.

If taking the Chunnel, I’d take the coastal D road to just before Boulgne. From there, the motorway to roughly St Vallery sur Somme or Yvetot or maybe a bit further into Normandy. But that would all depend where in Normandy I was going to, how long I had and / or my aversion (real or imagined) to motorways. I’d also make sure I and hopefully the others had a motorway blipper thing, to save the inevitable faffing about and / or the bill for failing to pay the now automatic payage cameras on that section.

Or, if there is time enough to get to / from Normandy, it’s possible to take N and D roads all the way from either Calais or Dieppe. But, that all depends on the OP’s overall timetable / appetite to avoid motorways and / or that of his chums.
 
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I used Newhaven-Dieppe a few times during Covid and using it again in a couple of weeks . It’s a great option if heading to Normandy/Brittany.
wessie said:
yes, for me, this is the best (as asked in the OP) way to get to Normandy but my starting point is Mid Wales so Portsmouth is a much nicer port to head to/from. In September we went out to St Malo on the new electric boat and back overnight from Le Havre on the Condor Commodore Clipper, ex Jersey boat. The latter is a tiny thing and was a tad interesting in a storm. Didn't stop me sinking a few pints of Lagunitas.
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The Clipper is an ex Guernsey boat actually . Commodore Shipping started in Guernsey in the 1940s. Got incorporated into Condor Ferries and now Brittany Ferries.
I’d hardly call the Clipper tiny, though it is shorter than some ferries as needs to fit into local harbours . It was primarily intended as an all weather freight ferry able to carry passengers and normally sales up to a Force 10.
BF now use it on their routes such as the one you did and we now have its sister ship, the Islander which was purchased from NZ in 2023.
Both seen here

IMG_5182.jpeg
 
We always go via Portsmouth to Caen, just can't enjoy the ride to the Chunnel. The day ferry crossing is just as much cost wise and it's a nice break after the trip to the port ( I'm in Heacham , Norfolk)
Brittany Ferries are doing 22% off at the moment
 
Newhaven is a good ferry, but as others have said not the best sailing times for me getting there, I would have thought as you are considerably closer may be quite convenient
 
Has the OP thought about using the. Chunnel to cross over in the afternoon, to start his holiday in France?
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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