Pyrenees 2011, 27/05-05/06, planning

[Gary Stockton]

Re: BOAB Raid Asterix take 2 (2011, 29/05-04/06)

Probably is time for a new thread topic ...

Interesting sites here:

Pyrenees Roadbook

Tagalong Pyrenees Tours

 

[Gary Stockton]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

Oh - and please route us where there are NO PILGRIMS!!!

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

A friend of a friend gave me some pointers on where to go and where I can get more information, so I think we can come up with a good route from that and what's on the www, plus I will be getting some feedback from TonyS from his trip so I'm not too concerned with fine route details just yet, it's quite a few months away and I'm confident of coming up with an interesting route one way or another

Main thing is book the time off, work out basic travel details so the ferry can be booked and just know we'll be off on a trip that week

 

[24Seven]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

Main thing is book the time off, work out basic travel details so the ferry can be booked and just know we'll be off on a trip that week

I'm in where ever we are going

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

I'm in where ever we are going

 

[Gary Stockton]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

Me too (I think, if SWMBO agrees )

BTW - Freeways Latitude is here:

12 Bis rue Yves Toudic ZI SUD LYON SUD EST
69200 Vénissieux

So looks like I need to route past Lyon ...

I'll get in touch with them in the new year.

 

[Gav Peter]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

This sounds fabulous but I don't think I'll be able to get a ticket to this party from 'er indoors...

But, as a source of info, I know Paul Lungdtstromme (sp.) from West Coast Offroad Centre in Southport has spent some time wheeling in the Pyranees & maybe worth having a chat with Jon...

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

I did have a look at ferry prices but it looks like the LD Lines ferry from Portsmouth to LeHavre is out of action for the departure date. The other combinations either seemed restrictive on time of day you could travel or quite a bit more than LD Lines? I was getting a bit bored of filling the forms in though so maybe I missed one! I think I'd like to hear how Tony finds getting to Dover before that's ruled out completely?

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

BTW - Freeways Latitude is here:

12 Bis rue Yves Toudic ZI SUD LYON SUD EST
69200 Vénissieux

So looks like I need to route past Lyon ...

I think that would be quite a detour, but there's no reason you couldn't go a day earlier and then meet up somewhere nearer the Pyrenees?

 

[24Seven]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

I did have a look at ferry prices but it looks like the LD Lines ferry from Portsmouth to LeHavre is out of action for the departure date. The other combinations either seemed restrictive on time of day you could travel or quite a bit more than LD Lines? I was getting a bit bored of filling the forms in though so maybe I missed one! I think I'd like to hear how Tony finds getting to Dover before that's ruled out completely?

The LD ferry is running unless I have done something daft with the dates

Route Details

The total price of your tickets will be 361.50 GBP

Route 1 - Portsmouth to Le Havre
Departure Date/Time: Fri 27 May 2011 at 2300
Arrival Date/Time: Sat 28 May 2011 at 0800
Ship Name: Norman Leader
Passengers: 1 Adult 1 Child
Transport: Car
Accommodation: 1 of 2 Berth Inside Cabin
NOTE: This fare is not refundable once booked.






Route 2 - Le Havre to Portsmouth
Departure Date/Time: Sun 05 June 2011 at 1700
Arrival Date/Time: Sun 05 June 2011 at 2130
Ship Name: Norman Leader
Passengers: 1 Adult 1 Child
Transport: Car
Accommodation:
NOTE: This fare is not refundable once booked.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

That sounds promising Matt because I do think that's my prefered option. I used directferries.com I think it was and april & may were greyed out. What site did you use?

EDIT: I expect you used the LD Lines web site, which I just looked at and got the same result as you

 

[Rodger]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

From experience if you cross Portsmouth-Caen, the access to A84 is excellent - direction Rennes & Nantes you would be toll free until south of Nantes. Le havre has the Tarcanville toll bridge and you are then onto toll motorways. Le Harve is also very industrial while Caen is a small town - most of which is avioded.
Depending on where your jump off point in the Pyrennes is, you can get there relatively toll free by going down the Bordeaux side. Bordeaux is about 800 kms and I've done it, in the day, numerous times in vans or trucks but suggest you get south of Bordeaux for the stop over.
Have a friend with some facilities and land at La Reole (J4 on E72) Could have a word if that helps.

Regards,
Rodger

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

I'll keep that in mind Rodger although I don't mind paying tolls to drive on good roads though Le Mans, Tours, Bordeaux, Toulouse is more what I had in mind but it's not set in stone and depends a lot where we land!

Have a friend with some facilities and land at La Reole (J4 on E72) Could have a word if that helps.

That sounds interesting, it's about the right distance to stop at on the Saturday night if we go down the Bordeaux side. On the return trip I was thinking of stopping at Amboise again on the Saturday night. I will need to return home with gifts and there was a good market and plenty of trinket shops in Amboise

 

[Julian]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

The real pain in the arse is that Norflok line do crossings Dover to Dunkirk for about £48 return, gives £320 for fuel and tolls only bad side is time

 

[Graham]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

The real pain in the arse is that Norflok line do crossings Dover to Dunkirk for about £48 return, gives £320 for fuel and tolls only bad side is time

.
.
Thats what I do,
Norfolk line, get the upgrade to V.I.P.
Return crossing is £52.88

It leaves a lot of spare cash for fuel, tills and much more,

Graham

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

The cheapest I can see on norfolkline.com that fits is £81? That's depart 02:00 (£25) return 18:01 (£45) + fuel surcharges (£11). You guys must be looking at special offers or your IP addresses don't have the charge him more tag Still a lot less than the longer crossings and more choices of crossing time I'm just scared of getting to Dover

 

[24Seven]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

I realistic fare is not far off Dover - Calais for those dates although still cheaper though, I guess it would mean a camp spot near Dover and then catch an early ferry on Sat morning.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

Yes I messed up my quote and said 02:00 on the Friday for £25 but it should have been 02:00 on the Saturday for £39. It's a school holiday week so they put the prices up It is still about £100 vs about £400 ... Lots of stress vs not much stress ... I usually choose the less stress options

 

[pugwash]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

have done the pyrenees twice now- once driving through france and once on the ferry to Spain. The latter was a far better option!

We started both trips in Irun in Spain (just over the border)- the france costs were (dover calais)

£82 ferry becuase we went for 10 days
£300 on fuel (just from Calais)
£90 on hotel stops- at a minimum (or guess you could camp, but we like to drive till late and then start early the next day- negating camping for me)

which is £470 odd quid.

We paid £512 /car last time we took the ferry- mainly becuase we took 4 cars and shared 2 big cabins.

Add in the fact that driving takes 4 days of holidaying, and the ferry only takes 2 (so you get 2 days free holiday extra) and reduced wear and tear which with my truck with big tyres and lots of weight is substantial, and the ferry is WAY more comfy and much more relaxing then for us it was a no-brainer.

 

[24Seven]

Re: Pyrenees 2011, 29/05-04/06, planning

Yes I messed up my quote and said 02:00 on the Friday for £25 but it should have been 02:00 on the Saturday for £39. It's a school holiday week so they put the prices up It is still about £100 vs about £400 ... Lots of stress vs not much stress ... I usually choose the less stress options

I'm sure its the cheapest way across, but for me I have to add on £80 + eight hours drive to Dover and back, then any extra miles to get back to mid France.

Portsmouth-Caen overnight is more or less the same leaving time as and getting in time as Portsmouth to Le Havre but is around £60 more.

The problem is in my mind, if you're spending £400 on a ferry and then toll roads + fuel + campsites you must be at or maybe more than Portsmouth to Spain although I know you don't like spending time on ferries Jon