Le Mans Classic 9th July 2010 and Brittany Break 2010

[chris.t]

OK deposit sent today for Gite. Paul, I put a note in that Dee and I would be there on the Monday and you might get there on the Sunday, otherwise monday.

[blacknight]

Deposit arrived safe and sound

Mum will email when she gets a chance (been busy)

Cheers

Iain

[blacknight]

If anyone would like to share their top tips for cheap crossing costs with everyone else that would be great.

I always find that it is usually cheaper in the long run to pay more for a longer crossing, as this usually means shorter travelling on the other side.

Altough the costs this year have made me review the Dover Calais options.

Any top tips appreciated

Cheers

Iain

[chris.t]

Iain, I did some calcs it's cheaper for me to go Portsmouth/Le Hauve with LD lines than going Dover/Calais. also shorter in time too even using the scenic route to Le Mans. Now that LD lines have got the Cat its quite a quick crossing too.

[dapinky]

Just spent a bit of time looking at options....

It appears that it all works out about the same

You either get a shorter ferry and longer driving (certainly from where we live), or vice versa - costs seem pretty similar overall.

My preferred ferry option is Plymouth - Roscoff (to drop Jamie off in Cornwall whilst we are away), or Weymouth - St Malo.

The Wymouth Condor means a ferry swap in Channel Islands - Lunch in Jersey on the way out (2 hour lay over), 4 hours in Guernsey on the way home (nice run round the island!).

For daytime (sensible) times, Out on Sunday, back on Sunday or Monday, it is £300 for 2 adults and Elan (actually £290 plymouth, £302 Weymouth).

Overnight ferry sends the price soaring due to cabin costs (£55 each way).

Condor do a Portsmoth/Cherbourg ferry for £100 each way, but for me would be a less preferred method due to getting to the departure port, and arrival times in France meaning arrival and putting up a tent in the dark.

Stop-press (edit)

Ive just googled for a discount code and have found a price of £80 on the Portsmouth/Cherbourg ferry....(Out on 11th)

depart 0930, arrive France 1600,

unfortunately, the discount code expires on 11th, so it is a return at the standard £100....

so, the best deal i can find (at the moment) is £180 return.

[chris.t]

portsmouth/le hauve cost me £200 but what swung it was the reduced sailing time on the cat. The other thing i considered was that I love driving in france but not on the toll roads. If i went from dover i would have to use the toll roads in order to make the drive to Le Mans possible without an over night stop which would be more expense. Dave £180 doesn't seem bad and means you won't have to get up at silly-o-clock to get to the ferry. Also if you're going straight to Iains parents then you will be able to get there at a reasonable time.

[dapinky]

Chris,

Yep, thats what I thought! - The Le Havre crossing would have added a fair bit of French driving time to get to Brittany - I'm now just torn between the convenience of Plymouth vs the saving of getting to Portsmouth

[chris.t]

Just a thought, for £20 extra you'll get a quicker crossing with LD lines on the cat. Also Le Havre puts you straight onto the motorway albeit a bit further east. Might be worth working through the figures anyway.

[dapinky]

Chris, I have to admit, the £20 makes no difference, really - but Le Havre to Ploermel is 214 miles (3Hrs, 19Mins) according to Autoroute, whereas St Malo is 83 miles (1 hr, 22 min).

As such, if i were leaving home at the same time, i would expect to have the tent up and sitting down to a bevvie or 2 at the same time whichever way i went.

(likewise, Roscoff is 117 miles at 2hr,9mins - but plymouth is half hour closer to me than Portsmouth, so it all works out about the same).

Don't you just hate making decisions

[theelanman]

6 of one and half a dozen of the other..........cummon dave.....make a decision.....the suspense is killing us......

[Dico]

We've been undecided which route to take for the last 3 months. Similar ideas/prices to what you have all quoted.
Like you said, Dover to Calais = approx £50 return but could involve an overnight stay, more fuel and toll fees. We're opting to pay more for the ferry and have a leisurely drive avoiding toll roads, I think...

[G UK]

I've still not booked anything yet .

As this will be my first time driving in France and having forgotten most of my French I'd prefer to drive down there with someone so I'm waiting to see what others are doing. Like-wise goes for Le-mans, I don't want to end up camping by myself and would prefer to know who and where some others will be.

[theelanman]

I've still not booked anything yet .

As this will be my first time driving in France and having forgotten most of my French I'd prefer to drive down there with someone so I'm waiting to see what others are doing. Like-wise goes for Le-mans, I don't want to end up camping by myself and would prefer to know who and where some others will be.

mmmmm......
the thing about camping at le mans is that you have to pay well in advance......only because the french are well known for not being co-operative........if you can get in.....we're in maison blanche.....
I think there are a good number of LEF guys in the same area......

there are camp site away from the track but you will then need to buy parking permits......and then your entry ticket:)

they nevermake it easy....its just a case of see how much you can extract from lez rozbeef......

[Jackonicko]

For the Paris Air Show last year, I Elanned. I took her Portsmouth-Caen on the hi speed ferry (3 3/4 hrs, leaving Pompey at 0700) which was quick and easy, and came back overnight a few days later on the normal ferry (7 hrs, leaving at 2300), with a cabin. It was cheap and cheerful (though Le Tunnel would have been cheaper, as I was quite last minute in booking). It gave me a good, comfortable night's rest on the way back after letting me leave Paris quite late. Brittany Ferries were easy and pleasant to deal with.

There were no worries about French lorry drivers' strikes, or any of the buggerations that routinely bug.ger up Channel crossings from Kent, and no need to struggle round the M25 and down the M20. The Pompey ferry terminal is very easy and painless to get to, and sailing out you see all the warships, aircraft carriers and the like, which can be quite fun, if you like that kind of thing.

There are much nicer roads from Caen than from Calais/Dieppe. They seem to have FAR fewer Flics (French cops).

Ouistreham is a pleasant little port. Lots of the D-Day sights are very close by (I whizzed past signs to Pegasus Bridge, for instance).

And it's the closest ferry port to Le Mans, I think. See http://www.lemansrace.com/dpage.html?pageid=44 for comparisons.

Google Maps estimate that it's 197 km (2 H 18 M) from the ferry terminal at Ouistreham to Le Mans.

I'd recommend it.

ONE WARNING: On my return journey, they'd closed the usual dual carriageway from the big motorway back to the ferry terminal. They had not put up diversion signs. Alternative routes to the ferry terminal are not signposted, AT ALL, and while I had Garmin, I didn't have a map (yes, I know.... I am a clot). I was thus the VERY last vehicle on the ferry, but though I was way after the 'don't you dare, you've missed it' time, they let me on without demur, and were helpful and charming.

[Monty]

Don`t know if this info from LoT will help you guys

E111 - Health Insurance Card

If you visit main land Europe you will need a health insurance card to get non emergency medical treatment. Theres an on-line form that takes about 2 mins to complete and they send them out in a couple of days - so no reason not to have one!!

https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do


Channel crossings

There are 3 real options:-

Eurotunnel - to Calais (35 mins)
If you are doing a same day or next day return Eurotunnel is by far the best option. Next or Same day returns are from £35 to £50 depending on how early you book and what time crossings you book. So if you're going out Sunday to return late Monday night ET is the best option. Longer returns can be booked for £120+ There is a frequent traveller option but if you want peak crossings it's a waste of time.

http://www.eurotunnel.com

LD Lines ferries/catermaran to Boulogne
LD Lines replaces Speed Ferries in 2009. A marked improvement as well as they operate 2 vessels on the route so more options and fewer delays. Crossing from just £40 return. Boulogne is great if you're going to Abbeville as it's much closer than Calais.

LD Lines

Ferries to Calais & Dunkirk - P&O, Sea France & Norfolk Line
There are plenty of crossing to head out any day and return when you wish from £50 (at time of posting). Crossings take longer than E/tunnel and Speed Ferries but do give you a chance to have a break and there are numerous crossing options.

I find that the cheapest crossings for Ferries can be found on the following site:-

ferrysavers.com - currently from £50

also direct with ferry companys
http://www.poferries.com
http://www.seafrance.com
http://www.norfolkline.com/Norfolkline/


Telepeage

if you're doing lots of Euro trips it's well worth signing up with Telepeage so that you can bypass the ques at peages as well as not have to lean over trying to hand a few euro's to the kiosk. For a 30 euro deposit and 2 euro's per month you get a device that you just flash at the barrier when going through peages and barrier opens - this also means you use the unmanned lanes with an orange T. you then just get debited from your UK bank account for the normal toll charges - theres no hidden costs..

https://www.sanef.com/fr/ecommerce/part ... Option=FTM
click on un particulier on the above page.

accepts uk debit card and address

Neil (49neil) is in the travel game and has been able to get us a much better deal than the usual P&O discounts..

I've just checked a number of crossing times and all of them give a discount over the advertised price at the moment so it does work!

The link to the discounted fares is:

http://www.poferries.com/tourist/bookJo ... tion=LOTUS

Or members can call P&O on 08716 645 645 and quote Lotus-on-Track account and the promo code LOTUS

(if coming from France - yes JP you can use it from continent to uk - go to main P&O page and put LOTUS in promotion code field)

P&O ask that this link is added to the site in a member only page, as obviously this has price repercussions to the general public.

All you need is your membership number which can be found in the member list above! There are no specific dates, so this applies to all members, Track Dayers, Racers or just holidays/breaks - any crossings you like..

Example of some comparison fares:

Weekend trip, Car + 2 pax:

18th July
Out Dover - Calais 05:55
19th July
Ret Calais – Dover 19:55

Price without Discount £89
Price with Discount £80 – 11% Discount

_________________________________

Week Trip, Car + 2 pax:

23rd Aug
Out Dover Calais 07:45
30th Aug
Red Calais – Dover 19:55

Price without Discount £129
Price with Discount £99.50 – 29% Discount

_______________________________

Long weekend trip, Car & Trailer + 2 Pax:

14th May
Out Dover- Calais 09:00
17th May
Ret Calais – Dover 20:40

Price without Discount £184
Price with Discount £85.50 – 54 % Discount

Prices will change, subject to booking availability, so still the earlier that people book, the cheaper it will be!

use this link http://www.poferries.com/tourist/

and put LOTUS in the promo code box

next page will show you a sailing, and an earlier/later sailing option!

Just checked this out: as a trial journey: 09:00 out, 16:00 return
21 Jan 09:15 Dover-Calais
22 Jan 16:10 Calais-Dover
£74 without discount, or £66.50 with discount saving 10%

with other sailings available

agree, it doesn't offer 2008 though!

try calling:
Or members can call P&O on 08716 645 645 and quote Lotus-on-Track account and the promo code LOTUS

[Monty]

Latest one

Got this email today... return crossing, any length just £40

The Travel Market Ltd. has teamed up with SeaFrance to bring you an amazing offer for the coming year - EXCLUSIVE to newsletter subscribers.

For only £40 you can take a car and up to 5 passenger for a PERIOD RETURN*, (Yes that's any length of stay!), to France on the Dover - Calais route.

You can even travel over the weekend, as this offer includes sailings on Fridays, Saturday and Sundays, too - perfect for that summer holiday!

All sailings on all dates are currently available.
Valid for travel until the 30th November 2010
Book before 19th March 2010 to qualify.

http://www.ferrycheap.com/seafrance

The best bit:

• Only £40 Return, for a car and 5 passengers
• Valid Fridays, Saturday and Sundays too.
• Dover to Calais
• Frequent sailings

The boring bit:
• All bookings must be made online by 19th March 2010. Telephone bookings subject to a £10 booking fee.
• A £10 supplement per car each way will apply on selected sailings at weekends during the period 16th July to 5th September. These sailings from Dover are 07.00 a.m. on Fridays through to Saturdays at 12.00, and sailings from Calais on Saturday from 12.00 through to 20.00 on Sundays.
• Non refundable, but amendable at £15 each way.

[blacknight]

*******STOP PRESS********

Extra space for B&B now available!

One double room available. First come first served.

Cheers

Iain

[blacknight]

Update.....

B&B Now taken

So camping space only

List is as follows.......

Brittany Break UPDATE

1) Iain +2 B&B
2) DavidjtB&B
3) Chris and Dee Gite
4) Dave & Angie in a tent!
5) Mark and Kay in a really posh tent
6) G UK, tenting
7) Nicowalker1 & Kim Tenting (in a fairly ok tent)
8 ) Paul and Jayne Gite
9) Jim & Jen B&B
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)

ALL B&B SPACE IS NOW TAKEN only CAMPING SPACE NOW AVAILABLE


Cheers

Iain

[muley]

Iain,

Thanks

Rgds

Jim (and Jen)

[nicowalker1]

hi, youve not taken me and kim off the list