Sutton, where’s it at? And how to cross the waters….

[glenn2926]

Riding from Sutton down to the tunnel in the afternoon and staying in France might buy you a little extra time. If you want to ride to Ste Nazaire without using a motorway then you will need two lengthy days riding with an overnight stop probably where you cross the Seine or maybe Swiss Normandie if you want to ride for around 7 hours (then add time for stops).
The route to the Seine crossing largely runs alongside the A28 so you may as well get on it and make time. Others have suggested a way to get from Ste Naz to the Pyrenees.

Where will you jump off the N260? As soon as you enter Andorra? From Andorra will you start the journey north again or carry in east on the N260 from Puigcerda? This will dictate your route back to the Tunnel. A nice route would be up through the Cevennes to Clermont Ferrand and then through the Morvan to Troyes. Again, you might need to consider using the A26 from Troyes to get back to the Tunnel due to the time/distance ratio.

Riding to the tunnel from Sutton is around 270 miles. Sutton is just up Airedale from me. Around 5 miles away. We have ridden to the tunnel and then down to Troyes in a day numerous times. It’s a long day of around 550 miles but gets a lot of distance done quickly.
If going down the West side of France then crossing and turning west then Le Havre is probably a similar distance.

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I’ve cut this from a thread about a fellow’s request for routes down the western side of France.

Richard

 

[Wapping]

Riding to the tunnel from Sutton is around 270 miles…..

Via a very scenic route, no doubt.

 

[wessie]

Riding to the tunnel from Sutton is around 270 miles

I assumed it was the London suburb south of the river, based on probability of a 200k population over a 3k one, and choosing the tunnel to go to Brittany.

As you often say, anyone coming from the north should avoid London and the tunnel. As suggested by Wapping, if this is a northern chap, using an overnight Portsmouth ferry to St Malo would make much more sense.

 

[Wapping]

I assumed it (Sutton) was the London suburb south of the river, based on probability of a 200k population over a 3k one….

There are apparently 40 or so places in the UK, where ‘Sutton’ is a whole or, more likely, part of a place name. Some are nothing but a small hamlet, right through to by far the largest, being the London Borough of Sutton.

 

[glenn2926]

There are apparently 40 or so places in the UK, where ‘Sutton’ is a whole or, more likely, part of a place name. Some are nothing but a small hamlet, right through to by far the largest, being the London Borough of Sutton.

How come the southerners immediately think it’s all about them then? The uk is an awful lot more than the south east.

 

[Wapping]

How come the southerners immediately think it’s all about them then? The uk is an awful lot more than the south east.

That’s true. The rest is vital….. to keep the water off London.



PS Which Sutton did you have in mind, as being 270 miles from Folkestone?

 

[wessie]

How come the southerners immediately think it’s all about them then? The uk is an awful lot more than the south east.

I ain't no southerner in the context of your prejudice. Did you not understand the basis of my hypothesis based on the population of the London suburb and its proximity to the tunnel?

 

[glenn2926]

I ain't no southerner in the context of your prejudice. Did you not understand the basis of my hypothesis based on the population of the London suburb and its proximity to the tunnel?

I do understand your preference for the south but I have never heard of a southern Sutton. Just why you think I should have is way beyond me. Again, if you can’t grasp it, the UK is not just about not London. It’s not a difficult concept.

 

[theoneandonly]

London Borough of Sutton.
DO NOT COME HERE , THERE BE DRAGONS !

 

[wessie]

I do understand your preference for the south

South Wales and South West England maybe, definitely not the South East. I have a similar aversion to travelling there as your much trumpeted opinion

but I have never heard of a southern Sutton. Just why you think I should have is way beyond me. Again, if you can’t grasp it, the UK is not just about not London. It’s not a difficult concept.

not sure why you think a gap in *your* knowledge should affect my thought processes. Until we have confirmation from the OP, probably scared away by now, we are both hypothesising. I was merely positing an alternative not claiming you were wrong. You seem to want to deny any alternative exists based on ignorance and prejudice.

 

[glenn2926]

South Wales and South West England maybe, definitely not the South East. I have a similar aversion to travelling there as your much trumpeted opinion



not sure why you think a gap in *your* knowledge should affect my thought processes. Until we have confirmation from the OP, probably scared away by now, we are both hypothesising. I was merely positing an alternative not claiming you were wrong. You seem to want to deny any alternative exists based on ignorance and prejudice.

I most certainly didn’t deny the existence of another place of the same name. In fact there are probably numerous places called Sutton. I used the one local to me which I guess most folk would. You used another place which isn’t local to you.

 

[glenn2926]

That’s true. The rest is vital….. to keep the water off London.



PS Which Sutton did you have in mind, as being 270 miles from Folkestone?

Sutton in Craven. Airedale.

 

[Wapping]

Sutton in Craven. Airedale.

Distant lands, right on the edge of the map. Don’t fall off.

But we digress.



PS I am sure there’s potential for a terrier joke in there somewhere.

 

[wessie]

You used another place which isn’t local to you.

based on the notion that only someone living in the SE of the country would think using the Tunnel is a good idea when one is heading for the Brittany Coast. Surely, following your own logic reiterated almost every day on here about using the Tunnel, anyone from a Sutton not within a relatively short distance of SE Kent should head to Portsmouth, Poole or Plymouth? In addition to reducing the angst of getting past London, it also eliminates the potential for massive queues in Kent and substantially reduces miles travelled across Northern France when the chap has time constraints.
The phrases, "hoist with his own petard" and "doth protest too much, methinks" come to mind.

 

[theoneandonly]

never forget Newhaven-Dieppe , with old farts 20% discount if you ring the French office.

 

[grantmac]

based on the notion that only someone living in the SE of the country would think using the Tunnel is a good idea when one is heading for the Brittany Coast. Surely, following your own logic reiterated almost every day on here about using the Tunnel, anyone from a Sutton not within a relatively short distance of SE Kent should head to Portsmouth, Poole or Plymouth? In addition to reducing the angst of getting past London, it also eliminates the potential for massive queues in Kent and substantially reduces miles travelled across Northern France when the chap has time constraints.
The phrases, "hoist with his own petard" and "doth protest too much, methinks" come to mind.

Agreed but if you’re on a tighter budget isn’t the Chunnel a lot cheaper even with the extra mileage. Honest question as I don’t use the Southern coast ferries although the Santander one was expensive but that get s you into northern Spain so that’s another story altogether

 

[wessie]

Agreed but if you’re on a tighter budget isn’t the Chunnel a lot cheaper even with the extra mileage. Honest question as I don’t use the Southern coast ferries although the Santander one was expensive but that get s you into northern Spain so that’s another story altogether

as in my reply to Wapping, all depends when you book e.g. my return fare for Plymouth to Santander is £472 inc the cheapest cabin. Booked 14 months in advance in 2025 as soon as the new timetable came out. 23 Sept to 8 Oct
Try booking that now and it rises to £750 with the same cabins.

I am pretty confident that a return tunnel crossing, the fuel, road tolls and 4 nights in a hotel (2 overnight stops each way bearing in mind my start point in Wales) would be more than the £472. £750 is marginal on cost.

Then factor in the convenience of riding down to Plymouth from Wales in the morning, get on the ferry around 3pm and leave the ferry at 11am the following morning in Spain. On the return the times are similar so there is enough daylight to ride home from Plymouth.

The timings from Portsmouth are less favourable as you are on the ship for 2 nights outbound and arrivals in UK are around 9pm.

Being based in Mid Wales, the time to get to Kent, Portsmouth and Plymouth are similar for me. Even when going to France, especially Normandy or Brittany, using the longer Channel crossings are more favourable. I see little point in rding east to Kent to cross the Channel then to ride 200 miles west across France to get to Blois on the Loire, let alone 400 miles to the Brittany coast. I would much rather get an overnight ferry out and sleep my way into Normandy.

 

[Wapping]

You also need to possibly factor in that the Chunnel was, as at a week ago, fully booked for all but most of the ‘cheap’ or ‘cheaper’ crossings, forcing you to buy an expensive Flexi+ ticket.

As always, try to book well in advance, irrespective of the cross-channel service.

 

[grantmac]

Being based in Mid Wales, the time to get to Kent, Portsmouth and Plymouth are similar for me. Even when going to France, especially Normandy or Brittany, using the longer Channel crossings are more favourable. I see little point in rding east to Kent to cross the Channel then to ride 200 miles west across France to get to Blois on the Loire, let alone 400 miles to the Brittany coast. I would much rather get an overnight ferry out and sleep my way into Normandy.

Thanks. That was my question. If you’re going to northern Spain then the ferry is a no brainer versus the tunnel.
I was more interested in the option if you were staying in France especially the northern part and you have given me your point clearly. Thanks

 

[wessie]

Thanks. That was my question. If you’re going to northern Spain then the ferry is a no brainer versus the tunnel.
I was more interested in the option if you were staying in France especially the northern part and you have given me your point clearly. Thanks

slightly annoying the Le Havre to Portsmouth overnight ferry will not continue next year. That has been my favoured way to get back to the UK in recent years from central and western France. Departs 9pm and arrives Portsmouth between 7-9am depending on the day of the week.
I only use the Tunnel if heading down to the Ardennes and Vosges, or further into Germany etc.